If you are wondering how to write a report and are jumping from page to page in search of a complete guide that explains you, step by step, how to write a perfect piece, you have finally found the one for you. The reports are documents whose drafting can belong to various areas, professional, school/university and family. Regardless of the objective to which they aim, there are general rules to follow in order for the text to be effective.
Since this is an elaborate often used in the university environment, especially in reference to the field of research, we have decided to create a post entirely dedicated to the topic.
Reading the following paragraphs you will find out what exactly a report is, what it is used for and what are the steps to follow to create a well-structured, readable and understandable document.
What is a Report
“Report” is a term commonly used to indicate a report, or more generally an informative document. It is a descriptive report that reports facts or data in a clear and faithful manner. Its use is particularly frequent in the professional field, where it is mainly used as an information tool to transmit analysis results, forecasts etc. It is particularly useful for monitoring the performance of activities and the results related to them. To be effective, a good report must be read and, based on the content, must stimulate one or more actions. And in some situations, you might need papers writing help.
How to write a report
The basis from which to prepare a perfect report is to identify the main objective to which it tends. The phase preceding the writing is aimed at answering a question: ‘which message do I intend to convey and what result do I intend to achieve through it?’ Once the purpose has been identified, the target audience is analyzed, i.e. the public to whom the report is addressed. Putting yourself in the shoes of the recipient, or the recipients, allows you to create a perfectly understandable relationship.
After the phase of analysis of the context in which the work is inserted, we proceed with the practical part. Below we list the most important steps of the editorial phase by points.
Setting the ladder
In drafting any type of text it is essential, for the purposes of understanding who reads or listens, to follow a logical thread. That’s why the first point of our checklist suggests to draw up a ladder, or a list in which to write down, in order of discussion, the topics to be addressed.
Search for sources
One of the fundamental characteristics of the report is objectivity. Being the exposure of a fact, the document is independent of any form of creativity. To make the work as objective as possible, carefully select the sources from which to draw information.
Choice of title
Although apparently trivial detail, the choice of the title must be made with a very specific criterion: summarize the content of the text in a few simple words. Generally, the best time to write the title and at the end of the report writing work, when it is possible to have a complete overview of the topics covered.
Structure of the report
Whether it is a critical report or a report aimed at informing about the results of research, the document in question provides a well-defined structure, consisting of three fundamental parts:
Introduction: presentation of the topic
Text: deepening of the topic, method and analysis tools used
Conclusions: evaluation of the work and final reflections
Style and language
Clarity is an essential prerequisite for making a report-based report effective. In this regard, it is important to pay particular attention to style and language.
Formatting the text
One of the essential conditions for the text to present a good level of readability is to format it in the right way. You must first choose a font that is clear both on paper and for a possible reading from the monitor.
Use of graphic elements
We highlighted, at the beginning of the post, the importance of exposing facts and reporting data faithfully. It is advisable to insert some graphic elements within the report which in addition to visually lightening the textual part supports what is expressed through words. We hope these tips can help you.
