Sample Report Formats

Research Article

Front matter• Title

• Abstract

Body• Introduction

• Background

• Theory

• Experimental section

• Results

• Discussion

• Conclusions

End matter• References and notes

Proposal

Front matter

• Letter of Transmittal

• Title page

• Abstract

• Table of Contents

• List of Figures and Tables

Body

• Introduction

• Identify overall issue or problem

• State key technical issues

• State objectives

• Technical Approach

Theoretical context Method/experimental design Analytical approach

• Management Requirements

Timetable, resources, etc.

• Work Plan

End matter

• Bibliography or references

• Resumes

• Appendixes

Consulting Report ("White Paper")

Front matter• Title

• Abstract or executive summary

Body• Introduction

• Developed sections appropriate to subject and audience

End matter• References

• Appendixes

Design and Feasibility Report Front matter

• Title

• Abstract

Body • Introduction

• Issue

Problem statement Background

• Criteria (noted in order of importance)

• Additional issues and considerations

• Possibilities

• Recommendation with comparison of alternatives

• Detailed description of recommended option

• Conclusion

Action recommendations Issues to resolve End matter

• References

• Appendixes

Writing a Research Report

Standard Research Report Components

Scientific and technical research reports generally follow a conventional format that includes • a title,

• an abstract,

• a reference (or Literature Cited) section and

• the components of the IMRAD structure.

The IMRAD structure

Introduction answers "why?" Methods answers "when, where, how,

how much?"Results answers "what?"And Discussion answers "so what?"

Writing Process

No writing process works universally: • whatever enables you to start and

• continue productively is fine.

Consider what routines actually produce writing rather than procrastination, and do those.

Sample Writing Process

Prewriting• Make notes, scribble ideas:

• start generating text,

• drawing figures,

• sketching out presentation ideas.

• Ignore neatness, spelling, and sentence structure--get the ideas down.

• Analyze audience and purpose to focus your writing.

Writing

Start with whatever section is easiest to write.

Skip around to different sections as needed.

Keep writing.

Revision

Work on content first, then structure, and then style.

Keep focused on your main purpose: • communicating,

• reasoning, and

• presenting clearly.

Ask for comments from people who will offer useful critiques.

Circle back to prewriting as needed.

Editing

Check all data for accuracy. Review everything for grammatical,

mechanical, and usage errors.

Writing well is a complex and recursive process; • few writers start with their title and write their text in order.

You should start writing whatever sections seem easiest; • you can even start all sections

simultaneously: • write the section headers at the tops of clean

sheets of paper, and

• prewrite whichever section appeals to you at any time.

Whatever process or starting point you choose, start now, so you have chance to revise and refine your work.

Guidelines and Suggestions

Title

informative and specific concise understandable

Abstract offers complete but very selective summary

of most significant ideas and information uses clear, precise wording (pare down text

and increase precision through successive revisions)

accurately reflects the paper's organization, emphasis, and content on a very small scale

Introduction

Focuses on the overall issue, problem, or question that your research addresses.

Provides sufficient context and background for the reader to understand and evaluate your research, including appropriate visual aids (drawings, etc.)

Defines specialized terms;

• introduces acronyms and

• non-standard abbreviations.

Develops the rationale for your work:

• poses questions or research problems and

• outlines your main research focus.

Introduces your work:

• the nature and scope of your research,

• your hypotheses or objectives (may also include the rationale for your method selection and the potential significance of your work).

Methods

This section includes enough detail that readers can trust the results and potentially reproduce them.

It is written as a process description, not as a lab manual procedure.

Be precise, complete, and concise:

• include only relevant information—no

• unnecessary details,

• anecdotes, excuses, or

• confessions.

Sample Components of Methods Section

Materials Methods

exact specifications and quantities of experimental materials

detailed experimental procedures

organism identifications: genus, species, strain; sources; special characteristics

techniques for tracking functional variables (timing, temperature, humidity, etc.)

specific equipment and software analytical techniques: assays,

equations, statistical strategies

With all the detail, the section must be very well organized to make sense to the reader and to allow easy reference. • Headers help to create a sense of order and

coherence.

Results

Organize logically and use headers to emphasize the ordered sections.• Report; don't discuss or interpret.

• Findings are matters of fact;

• interpretation fluctuates with perspective, opinion, and current knowledge.

• Reasoned speculation belongs in discussion;

• important facts and objective observations that are unambiguously true belong in results.

• Illustrate and summarize findings:

•organize data and emphasize trends and patterns with appropriate visuals.

• Integrate visuals with text:

• the text offers claims and general statements that the visual details support.

These are some of the qualities of a good Results section:• relevant data • clearly stated observations • meticulous organization • appropriate visuals with required labeling (e.g.

titles, captions) • efficiently correlated text and visuals (no

repetition, useful correspondence) • accuracy

Discussion

This section offers your interpretations and conclusions about your findings.

The Discussion reflects your main intellectual contribution: • This is your chance to demonstrate your

ability to • synthesize,

• analyze,

• evaluate,

• interpret, and

• reason effectively.

Your readers are looking for well-supported opinions, not for leaps of fancy or mere repetitions of your findings,

• so you will need to think carefully about your findings in order to draw conclusions that are neither too narrow nor too broad.

The following list offers content options and a possible sequence:

• Interpret your results: • evaluate,

• analyze,

• explain the significance and

• implications of your work—

• generalizations that you can draw from your results,

• principles that you support/disprove,

• conclusions about theoretical and/or practical implications.

• Explain key limitations: • questions left unanswered,

• major experimental constraints,

• lack of correlation,

• negative results.

• Discuss agreement or contrast with previously published work; • explain the significance of the corroboration or

disjunction.

• Offer general conclusions, noting your reasoning and main supporting evidence.

• Recommend areas for future study and explain your choices.