The Charles Sturt University Academic Skills Team have provided the following information about Report Writing which may be useful for your assessments:
"Before writing any report, you need to consider the audience you are writing it for, and to consider what type of report is needed to be written.
In your assignment work, you have specific elements to address and you can put your ideas on each of these specific elements into separate paragraphs, or sections, in your report. Usually, the next paragraph, or section, follows on from the previous one by building a picture of your particular issue. It is also important to make sure that your recommendations or analyses are linked to the information that you have provided in the body or discussion of your report. These recommendations need to be based on the evidence you have collected and used within your report.
Note: The table on the left provides you with the standard structure used for a report. However, you need to read your assignment instructions carefully, so you know what is wanted as concerns the set out of your particular assessment item. Advice within this table will help you to structure your reports."
| Report component and purpose | Instructions |
|---|---|
|
Component: Executive Summary (sometimes called an abstract) Purpose: to sum up the entire report (In the real world, this is often the only section of the report that is read.) |
Include, in paragraph form, a summary of :
|
| Component: Table of contents | List the report topics using decimal notation. Include the main headings and sub headings with corresponding page numbers, using a format that makes the hierarchy of the topics clear. |
|
Component: Introductions Purpose: to introduce the topic and objectives of the report |
Set the scene; give some background information about the topic. State the aim/purpose of the investigation. Explain the research methods. Outline the sections of the report. Note; The introduction differs from the executive summary as it introduced the topic, whereas an executive summary summaries each section of the report including the findings and recommendations. Findings and recommendations are not included in an introduction. |
|
Component: Body of the report or discussion Purpose: to discuss information relevant to the report's objectives and analyse the data that was gathered. |
Organise the sections in a logical sequence: what you investigated, what you found. Include examples to back up your ideas, with particular reference to what you found in research. |
| Component: Conclusion | Sum up what has been achieved and the significance of your findings and your discussion. Have your aims been successful or not? Bring everything together. Do not include new information. |
| Component: Recommendations | What do you recommend as a course of action in light of your findings? Always make sure that the recommendations flow from the conclusions. |
| Component: List of references | List all the sources you referred to in your report in accordance with APA referencing style. |
Faust, J. (2013) General components used in a report [PowerPoint slide]. Retrieved from ALLaN Team resources: Charles Sturt University
The Essentials of Academic Writing for International Students by The Referencing at Charles Sturt University webpage has lots of helpful information about referencing including links to the following resources:
The main referencing style at Charles Sturt University is APA 7th though this is not the only style used at the University and you should check with your lecturer if you are unsure.
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