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Writing a reportWhat is a report?A report is a well-structured and researched document that informs a specific audience on a particular problem or topic. The purpose of a report is to inform, guide or influence decision making and/or the outcome of a course of action. Writing reports is common in many workplaces. Thus, you often find this form of writing set as an assessment task at university. It can be either an individual- or team-based assignment. The purpose and structure of reports can differ between disciplines and audiences. For example, a business report written for a manager will have an introduction which is separate from a literature review, whereas a lab report for your lecturer will often combine the introduction and literature review into one section. What is important is that you pay careful attention to your assessment task instructions and make sure that your key message is clear, well-reasoned and well-supported by relevant research. View Close Four things you need to know about report writing ViewAudience and purposeYou need to continually consider the target audience of your report. For example, ask yourself such questions as - are you writing for a client? a healthcare professional? your manager? do you have more than one audience (e.g. an imaginary client and your lecturer)? The answers to these questions will guide your decisions about how the report is structured, the amount of background information you include, what type of information is required, and how best to present the report, including the level of technical language you use. Differences between a report and an essayReports typically follow a clear structure and have common elements, each with a specific purpose. These features differentiate reports from another common form of writing at university - the essay. You can learn about the key differences from the table below.
NoteThe target audience will not always read the sections of a report in the order in which they are presented. For example, a reader may firstly read the abstract, then the conclusion, and then the discussion for more details. This is a reading technique often used in critical reading. This is why features like a title page, table of contents, bolded headings, numbering, lettering, and bullet points are important in a report. View Close Check your understanding ViewResearch reportsSome assignment tasks at university involve writing a research report to explain a research project or investigation that you have undertaken. The structure of a typical research report includes the following sections:
Take it further - approaching discipline-specific reportsTake a look at the following resources for information about reports in your faculty or discipline.
What item is considered the skeleton of a research report and provides an overview of the most useful information including the conclusions and recommendations?The outline is the skeleton of your research paper. Simply start by writing down your thesis and the main ideas you wish to present. This will likely change as your research progresses; therefore, do not worry about being too specific in the early stages of writing your outline.
What are the contents of report?Solve a problem and present research findings
Table of contents. Executive summary. Introduction. Discussion.
What is a letter of authorization discuss why it might be important to include this letter in the marketing research report?Authorization Letter
This letter acknowledges receipt of the research proposal made by the market research firm. And, it authorizes the marketing researcher to conduct a research project. It is written on corporate letterhead. It includes the name, title, and contact information of the author.
Which type of visual introduces a set of topics and illustrates their relationships?Which type of visual introduces a set of topics and illustrate their relationships? Pie charts are particularly useful for illustrating: A) relative size or static comparisons.
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