Reports can be academic, business-oriented, or technical and can be used for suggesting specific courses of action. Unlike an essay which sought out to defend the writer’s opinion on a certain topic, a report is used to discuss topics in an easy to follow format.

Reports are separated into sections using headings and subheadings. They are used to present facts about a project or progress to define and analyze the situation. It is used to present observations to the readers clearly and concisely.

Planning and Preparing

Report Writing can be tackled in the following to craft a professional finished product: –

Identify the audience of your report and plan and prepare the contents of the report accordingly. The report should be written in such a way that it satisfies the reader’s needs and expectations. Once the basics of the report have been identified, supporting information can then be found out and formulated into an outline, which further makes the report writing process easier.

Formatting the report

To keep the report organized, a certain format has to be followed. The main sections of a standard report would be as follows: –

1. Title
2. Summary
3. Introduction
4. Body
5. Discussion
6. Conclusion
7. Recommendation
8. Appendices

Report presentation

The report has to be presented and concisely to make it easier to read and navigate. The report can have an impact on the mind of a reader if they can gain knowledge and find out what they are looking for with ease. Certain formatting tips and tricks can make the report easy to read as well as make it look more organized and presentable.

• Font

Using a single font throughout the report makes it presentable. Arial or Times New Roman are two fonts usually used for reports. Headings and subheadings can be made to stand out using varying font sizes.

• Lists

Lists can be used to break down information, which makes it easier to retain knowledge.

• Headings and subheadings

The text can be made into manageable chunks by breaking into headings and subheadings. This can help make the report more organized.

Report writing style

1. Keep the report easier to read by making it simple. Keep the sentences short and dive into details only as required.
2. Using active voice throughout the report would make it easier to read and allows the text to move smoothly. It also emphasizes the subject of the report.
3. Make sure that the report is grammatically correct by having it read out loud or by having someone proofread it.

There are different kinds of reports, such as: –

• Academic reports are extremely formal and to the point with no contractions. They are also written in the third person.
• Business reports are also formal in tone. However, they do not have to be as strictly formal as academic reports. Ample imagery and data can be used to present new ideas in a business report.
• Technical reports are more descriptive and follow a more logical step-to-step approach in writing.