Report Writing - Summary

 

Report Writing 

Reports are written to present facts about a situation, project, or process and will define and analyze the issue at hand. Ultimately, the goal of a report is to relay observations to a specific audience in a clear and concise style.

 

Title

 

If the report is short, the front cover can include any information that you feel is necessary, such as the author(s) and the date prepared. In a longer report, you may want to include a table of contents and a definition of terms.

 

Summary

The summary consists of the major points, conclusions, and recommendations. It needs to be short, as it is a general overview of the report. Some people will read the summary and only skim the report, so make sure you include all of the relevant information. It would be best to write this when the report is finished so you will include everything, even points that might be added at the last minute.

 

Introduction

The first page of the report needs to have an introduction. Here you will explain the problem and inform the reader why the report is being made. You need to give a definition of terms if you did not include these in the title section and explain how the details of the report are arranged.

 

Body

This is the main section of the report. The previous sections needed to be written in plain English, but this section can include technical terms or jargon from your industry. There should be several sections, each clearly labelled, making it easy for readers to find the information they seek. Information in a report is usually arranged in order of importance with the most important information coming first. Alternatively, you might choose to order your points by complexity or time.

 

Discussion

If you wish, this optional section can be included at the end of the main body to go over your findings and their significance.

 

Conclusion

This is where everything comes together. Keep this section free of jargon as many people will just read the summary and conclusion.

 

Recommendations

This is where you discuss any actions that need to be taken. In plain English, explain your recommendations, putting them in order of priority.