- A report is a nonfiction document that organizes and summarizes facts on a specific topic, issue, or event, providing information for readers unfamiliar with the subject.
- The structure of a report typically includes an executive summary, introduction, body, and conclusion, often supplemented by a title page, table of contents, and references.
- Different report formats include academic, business, and scientific reports, each tailored to specific purposes, audiences, and writing styles.
- Understanding how to write a report involves focusing on organization, using headings and subheadings for clarity, and following the specific guidelines or requirements of the intended audience.
- Key steps for writing a report involve choosing a topic, conducting research, creating a thesis statement, preparing an outline, drafting, revising, and proofreading.
Reports are an efficient way to convey facts and insights on any topic, but mastering how to write a report can be challenging without the proper guidance. Here, we discuss report writing essentials, including formats, structures, and best practices, to help you craft clear and compelling reports with confidence.
Table of contents
What is the structure of a report?
What should be included in a report?
What is a report?
In technical terms, the definition of a report is pretty vague: any account, spoken or written, of the matters concerning a particular topic. This could be anything from a courtroom testimony to a grade schooler’s book report.
When people talk about “reports,” they’re usually referring to official documents outlining the facts of a topic, typically written by an expert on the subject or someone assigned to investigate it. There are different types of reports (explained in the next section), but they mostly fit this description.
So, what kind of information is shared in reports? Reports tend to feature these types of content in particular:
- Details of an event or situation
- The consequences or ongoing effects of an event or situation
- Evaluation of statistical data or analytics
- Interpretations from the information in the report
- Predictions or recommendations based on the information in the report
- How the information relates to other events or reports
Reports are closely related to essay writing, although there are some clear distinctions. While both rely on facts, essays add the personal opinions and arguments of the authors. Reports typically stick only to the facts, although they may include some of the author’s interpretation of these facts, most likely in the conclusion.
Moreover, reports are heavily organized, commonly with tables of contents and copious headings and subheadings. This makes it easier for readers to scan reports for the information they seek. Conversely, essays are meant to be read from start to finish, not browsed for specific insights.
Report formats
There are a few different types of reports, depending on the purpose and to whom you present your report. Here’s a quick list of the common types of reports:
- Academic report: Tests a student’s comprehension of the subject matter, such as book reports, reports on historical events, and biographies
- Business reports: Identifies information useful in business strategy, such as marketing reports, internal memos, SWOT analysis, and feasibility reports
- Scientific reports: Shares research findings, such as research papers and case studies, typically in science journals
Reports can be further divided into categories based on how they are written. For example, a report could be formal or informal, short or long, and internal or external. In business, a vertical report shares information with people on different levels of the hierarchy (i.e., people who work above you and below you), while a lateral report is for people on the author’s same level but in different departments.
There are as many types of reports as there are writing styles, but this guide focuses on academic reports, which tend to be formal and informational.
What is the structure of a report?
The report format depends on the report type and the assignment requirements. While reports can use their own structure, most follow this basic template:
- Executive summary: Like an abstract in an academic paper, an executive summary is a standalone section that summarizes the findings in your report so readers know what to expect. Executive summaries are used primarily for official reports and less so for school reports.
- Introduction: The introduction sets up the body of the report and explains the overall topic you’re about to discuss. It includes your thesis statement and any need-to-know background information before you discuss your findings.
- Body: The body of the report explains all your significant discoveries, broken up into headings and subheadings. The body makes up the majority of the report, whereas the introduction and conclusion are usually just a few paragraphs each.
- Conclusion: In the conclusion, you bring together all the information in your report and come to a definitive interpretation or judgment. It’s also usually where the author adds their own opinions or inferences.
If you’re familiar with how to write a research paper, you’ll notice that report writing follows the same introduction-body-conclusion structure, sometimes adding an executive summary. Reports usually have unique additional requirements, such as title pages and tables of content, which we explain in the next section.
What should be included in a report?
There are no firm requirements for what’s included in a report. Every school, company, laboratory, task manager, and teacher can determine their format based on their unique needs. In general, though, be on the lookout for these particular requirements—they tend to appear a lot:
- Title page: Official reports often use a title page to keep things organized. If a person has to read multiple reports, title pages make them easier to keep track of.
- Table of contents: As with books, the table of contents helps readers quickly navigate to the section they’re interested in.
- Page numbering: A common courtesy when writing a longer report, page numbering ensures that the pages are in order in case of mix-ups or misprints.
- Headings and subheadings: Reports are typically divided into sections, with headings and subheadings, to facilitate browsing and scanning.
- Citations: Citations in a report ensure proper credit to sources and help maintain credibility, so always follow the recommended citation guidelines for formatting and consistency.
- Works cited page: A bibliography at the end of the report lists credits and the legal information for the other sources you got information from.
As always, refer to the assignment for the specific guidelines for the items discussed above. The people who read the report should tell you which style guides or formatting they require.
7 steps for writing a report
Here are seven steps to follow when writing a report from start to finish.
1 Choose a topic based on the assignment
Before you start writing, you need to pick the topic of your report. Often, the topic is assigned for you, as with most business reports, or predetermined by the nature of your work, as with scientific reports. If so, you can ignore this step and move on.
If you’re in charge of choosing your topic, as with many academic reports, this is one of the most critical steps in the writing process. Try to pick a topic that fits these two criteria:
- There’s adequate information: Choose a topic that’s neither too general nor too specific. You want enough information to fill your report without padding but not too much that you can’t cover everything.
- You’re interested in it: Although this isn’t a strict requirement, being engaged with the subject matter does improve the quality of a report.
Keep the assignment instructions, including length requirements, in mind as you decide.
2 Conduct research
With business and scientific reports, the research is usually your own or provided by the company—although there’s still plenty of digging for external sources in both.
For academic papers, you’re largely on your own for research unless you’re required to use class materials. That’s one of the reasons why choosing the right topic is so crucial; you won’t go far if the topic you picked doesn’t have enough available research.
The key is to search only for reputable sources: official documents, other reports, research papers, case studies, books from respected authors, etc. Feel free to use research cited in other similar reports. You can find a lot of information online through search engines, but a quick trip to the library can also help in a pinch.
3 Write a thesis statement
Before you go any further, write a thesis statement to help you conceptualize the main theme of your report. Just like the topic sentence of a paragraph, the thesis statement summarizes the main point of your writing, in this case, the report.
Once you’ve collected enough research, you should notice some trends and patterns in the information. If these patterns infer or lead to a more significant, overarching point, that’s your thesis statement.
For example, suppose you were writing a report on the wages of fast-food employees. In that case, your thesis might be something like, “Although wages used to be commensurate with living expenses, after years of stagnation, they are no longer adequate.” From there, the rest of your report will elaborate on that thesis, with ample evidence and supporting arguments.
4 Prepare an outline
Writing an outline is recommended for all kinds of writing, but it’s especially useful for reports, given their emphasis on organization. Because reports are often separated by headings and subheadings, a solid outline ensures you stay on track while writing without missing anything.
You should start thinking about your outline during the research phase when you begin to notice patterns and trends. If you’re stuck, try making a list of all the key points, details, and evidence you want to mention. See if you can fit them into general and specific categories, which you can turn into headings and subheadings.
5 Write a rough draft
Writing the rough draft, or first draft, is usually the most time-consuming step. Here’s where you put all the information from your research into words. To avoid getting overwhelmed, follow your outline step by step to ensure you don’t accidentally leave out anything.
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes; that’s the number one rule for writing a rough draft. Expecting your first draft to be perfect adds a lot of pressure. Instead, write in a natural and relaxed way, and worry about the specific details like word choice and correcting mistakes later. That’s what the last two steps are for, anyway.
6 Revise and edit your report
Once your rough draft is finished, it’s time to go back and start fixing the mistakes you ignored the first time around. (Before you dive right back in, it helps to give yourself some time away so you can approach it with fresh eyes. You should at least take a small break to unwind from writing the rough draft.)
We recommend first rereading your report for any major issues, such as needing to cut or move around entire sentences and paragraphs. Sometimes, you’ll find your data doesn’t line up or that you misinterpreted a key piece of evidence. This is the right time to fix the “big picture” mistakes and rewrite any longer sections as needed.
Unfamiliar with what to look for when editing? Here are some self-editing tips.
7 Proofread and check for mistakes
Last, it pays to review your report one final time to optimize your wording and check for grammatical or spelling mistakes. You checked for “big picture” mistakes in the previous step, but here, you’re looking for specific, even meticulous issues.
How to write a report FAQs
What is the purpose of a report?
The purpose of a report is to organize and present factual information about a specific topic, event, or issue, allowing readers to gain a clear understanding of the subject and make informed decisions.
What are the common types of report formats?
Common report formats include academic reports (like research papers and book reports), business reports (such as marketing plans and memos), and scientific reports (like case studies and research findings).
What is the typical structure of a report?
Most reports follow a structure that includes an executive summary, introduction, body, and conclusion. Depending on the requirements, additional elements may include a title page, table of contents, and citations.
What are the steps for writing a report?
The key steps for writing a report are 1) selecting a topic, 2) conducting research, 3) creating a thesis statement, 4) preparing an outline, 5) drafting the report, 6) revising the content, and 7) proofreading for final touches.
What are some best practices for effective report writing?
Effective report writing involves organizing content with headings and subheadings, tailoring the format to the audience, and adhering to any specific guidelines or style requirements provided for the report.
