Dreading to work on that school report? You are not alone. Many students struggle to put together a well-structured report that easily communicates the results of a project. School reports, like other school assignments, are a way for your teacher to assess your knowledge and writing skills. They are also a great way to deeply examine an exciting topic and share your findings with others. In other words, it is a chance to show your expertise on a subject by showing off your research and writing skills.
In this guide, we provide all the steps to help you learn how to write an academic report that will impress your readers.
An academic report is a structured document that objectively presents the results and conclusion of research or analysis about a specific topic or experiment. It presents factual information in formal writing conventions to inform and persuade a particular audience (peers, researchers, instructors). Academic reports can also present or summarize facts about events, topics, or issue. A school report answers the following key questions:
Like other types of academic writing, clarity and conciseness is critical. For this reason, first, understand what the assessment asks you.
An academic report is vital because it provides organized information about a research problem. This information could be from an experiment, a particular reading, experience, or measurements conducted in a lab. You need to determine how much information to present to readers so they can understand the topic of your report. It will depend on who the audience is, how much context you need, and the choice of technical and nontechnical language.
An academic report follows a structured format, which includes the following essential elements:
A title page provides key information about you and the assignment in question. It includes information such as the title, your name, the date of submission, the instructor's name, and any other information required by your teacher.
This is a compiled list of the headings and subheadings used in the document identifying key sections as presented. The content should accurately represent what is in the report to guide readers as they navigate the document.
An executive summary is a brief description of the report you are about to write. It lets readers know what they will be reading and what to expect at the end of the document. An executive summary is similar to an abstract, and it contains the following information:
Ensure that your executive summary outlines the main objectives of your report so readers know the purpose of your writing. Remember, it is the first impression readers will get of your document.
This part discusses the purpose and content of your report. The introduction serves as the framework of your topic: it includes relevant background information, aims and objectives, and an acknowledgment of any limitations, methodology, and parameters of your investigation.
Depending on the nature of the type of report you are writing, your instructor may ask for a literature review.
In this section, you must present a list of all the materials used in the document. Summarize the work on the selected topic, research problem, or hypothesis.
You can include background information on the topic so your readers are acquainted with the information before reading your work.
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The methodologies section shows how and what you did and the steps taken to conduct the research activity. Provide the following information clearly and concisely:
Ensure that you describe all the above clearly so that if others want to replicate the study, they can easily do so. You should write this in past tense since you are describing something that already happened.
Also called the results section, the report's findings provide what you discovered after conducting the research. You could use tables, figures, or graphs to show the data supporting the investigation's findings. This will act as evidence or examples to emphasize the points made. Present this information in a logical and orderly manner.
This is where you go into detail about the findings by providing an accurate analysis of the evidence gathered with specific reference to the research problem. If too much information makes your discussion lengthy, consider dividing this part into different sections to make it easier to read and follow the logic of the points.
For every source that you provide, ensure that it is properly cited to give credibility to your sources and for further reading if need be.
The conclusion of a report section is the summary of the outcomes and the implications of your findings. Consider also reminding readers of the main points discussed and what you consider the main issue of the findings.
Based on the conclusions of your report, provide a list of specific recommendations.
This is the last page with a list of all the sources used and consulted in the paper that informed your main points. This could be books, journal papers, reports, statistics, etc. Ensure you are familiar with the referencing style recommended for the report by your instructor/ school or department; this could be APA, MLA, or Chicago style.
Now that you know the key elements of a report, here are the steps that you must follow to write a great and effective document.
First, understand what your instructor expects of the assignment. Does your instructor expect you to supply information for analysis, interpret data for decision-making making, or solve a particular issue? You need to know that beforehand. Also, check for information such as,
Additionally, you need to understand your audience by asking the following questions: What do they require? What are their needs? How will they use it? Also, follow the directions you have been given to write the report. If you do not have this information, consider consulting with your lecturer.
Take note that when you do not meet the purpose highlighted, the report will fail to communicate the main ideas, and you will get a bad grade on the assignment.
If no topic is assigned, you must choose one for your report. This step is critical as it will determine how well you write the report and whether you enjoy the process. There are several things to keep in mind when choosing an excellent topic for your academic report:
First, choose a topic you are interested in. Passion about a topic will keep you motivated throughout the process and lead to a high-quality report. Base this on your academic strengths and knowledge base to ensure that you can enjoy the process.
Secondly, ensure that the topic is narrow and specific to ensure that it is comprehensively within the confines of an academic report. A narrow and specific topic will allow you to delve deeper into the subject, ensuring you conduct a comprehensive analysis and draw a sufficient conclusion.
Thirdly, ensure that the topic you select has adequate information. Consider a topic that you can explore after reading books, articles, peer-reviewed journals, and other credible sources.
Consult the assignment guidelines about key factors such as length to ensure that the assignment meets the lecturer's expectations.
You must have the correct information for your report before writing. So, take time to compile all the data by reviewing various sources on your subject. Go through official documents, other reports, research papers, case studies, articles, books, etc., and ensure that you have collected relevant information, facts, and illustrations that will help you write an efficient report.
To conduct research effectively, first read the relevant literature on the chosen topic and then focus on more specific forms of data gathering such as surveys, interviews, and questionnaires. Additionally, ensure you take notes of the key points, ideas, and supporting evidence while researching and logically organize them.
If you are writing a report based on your research, be sure to select the best data collection methods. You can go with quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods research approaches.
Always refer back to the assignment brief to ensure you align with it and how the information will fit in your report.
After thorough research, organize your information by deciding what is relevant and what is not. Do this by grouping information into specific sections with appropriate subheadings. If there is irrelevant information, do not include it in your report.
Consider organizing this information in a clear outline, which you will follow when writing the report.
Related: How to write an informational Report.
You must analyze the information collected and then apply it according to the specific aspect of your report. Ask the following questions.
Asking yourself these questions will help you analyze the material deeply and understand all the main points, ensuring the high quality of the final report.
A thesis statement is essential to help summarize the main points of your report. Having this statement will also guide you during the writing process, ensuring you do not stray away from the topic under investigation.
You can include the thesis statement in the executive summary of your report to help readers know what to expect early on.
Now that you have all the key information necessary for a great academic report begin writing your first draft. Put all the information you collected and analyzed in the paper. If you feel overwhelmed, follow the outline when organizing the collected data. Ensure you include all the relevant information and leave out those that are irrelevant.
Make sure that there is a good flow of information. The purpose of organizing information is to ensure that readers have an easy time reading the report.
Weave correct references into the report by following the relevant citation style as you write. This citation style should be consistent throughout the paper.
Do not be afraid of making mistakes at this point. This is a first draft, which means you have time to review, revise, and refine it.
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Once you are done writing the draft, take a moment before revising and editing it. After getting proper rest, go back to your document and review it for any kind of mistakes, including spelling, grammar, awkwardly written phrases, and sentences. Consider using writing software like Grammarly to simplify the process.
We recommend reading the report aloud to catch any errors you might have missed initially. Remember, writing a school report is essential to communicate key information. However, if there are any mistakes, it will be hard to fulfill that purpose.
Additionally, as you revise, ask the following questions:
Once you have answered the above questions, fine-tune the report based on the feedback.
Do not forget to check that all your references are correct and relevant to the content shared within the report. These references should be up-to-date and credible to back up all your claims.
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Writing an academic report can be challenging, but it does not have to be. Your instructor will assign a school report to test your knowledge and skills on a particular subject, so you must understand its essence to address the issues at hand. Following the above steps and tips, you can write a comprehensive and insightful school report demonstrating your understanding of a topic.
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