English for

Academic and
Professional
Purposes
 English for Academic and
Professional Purposes
Determine the Objectives
and Structure of Various
Kinds of Reports
What are
 any informational work made
with an intention to relay
information or recounting certain events
in a presentable manner.
 These are often conveyed
in writing, speech,
television, or film.
Most official form of information or
work are completed via report.
A key feature of report is that it is
formally structured in sections.
Hence, the use of sections makes it
easy for the reader to jump straight
to the information they need.
Reports communicate information
which has been compiled as a
result of research and analysis of
data and of issues.
Please note however that reports
can cover a wide range of topics,
but usually focus on transmitting
information with a clear purpose,
to a specific audience.
Good reports are documents that
are accurate, objective and
complete.
They should also be well-written,
clearly structured and expressed in
a way that holds the reader's
attention and meets their
expectations.
DIFFERENT TYPES
OF REPORT
Technical & Business Report are
commonly used in Engineering,
Information Technology,
Commerce, Accounting and
Finance,
-will set report writing assignments
that simulate the process of report
writing in industry.
Assignments are set in the form of
a problem or a case study. The
students research the problem, and
present the results of the research
in a report format.
Technical and Business report uses
a technical writing.
Technical writing is form of writing
technical communication or
documentation in science and
technology or applied science that
helps people understand a product or
service.
The main purpose of technical
writing is to inform and to trigger
the person into action such as
purchasing a product or service.
Its purpose may also be instruct
persuade, but never to entertain.
The content is factual and
straightforward. It is expressed in
formal, standard or academic
language.
Field Reports are common in
disciplines such as Law, Industrial
Relations, Psychology, Nursing,
History and Education.
These types of reports require the
student to analyse his or her
observations of phenomena or
events in the real world in light of
theories studied in the course.
Field reports are assigned with the
intention of improving your understanding
of key theoretical concepts by applying
methods of careful and structured
observation of, and reflection about,
people, places, or phenomena existing in
their natural settings
When writing a field report you need
to:
●Systematically observe and accurately
record the varying aspects of a situation.
● Continuously analyse your
observations
When writing a field report you need
to:
●Keep the report’s aims in mind while
you are observing.
● Consciously observe, record, and
analyse what you hear and see in the
context of a theoretical framework.
Techniques to record your
observations:

Note taking - This is the most common

and easiest method of recording your
observations.
Techniques to record your
observations:

Note taking - This is the most common

and easiest method of recording your
observations.
Techniques to record your
observations:
Photography- Photographs can help
capture an important moment in time as
well as document details about the space
where your observation takes place.
Techniques to record your
observations:
Video & Audio Recordings- Video or
audio recording your observations has
the positive effect of giving you an
unfiltered record of the observation
event.
Techniques to record your
observations:
Illustrations - refers to the possible
need, for example, to draw a map of the
observation setting or illustrating objects
in relation to people's behavior.
They are common in all the Sciences and
Social Sciences. These reports use a
standard scientific report format
describing methods, results and
conclusions to report upon an
empirical investigation.
The purpose of a science report is to
clearly communicate your key
message about why your scientific
findings are meaningful.
The scope and style of reports varies
widely. It depends on three key factors:
the report's intended audience, the
report's purpose and the type of
information/subject to be
communicated.
One good example of report that
you should know which is commonly
used in the field of hard sciences is
referred as Research Report.
One good example of report that
you should know which is commonly
used in the field of hard sciences is
referred as Research Report.
The different parts
of the research report include the
following:
1. Introductory Phase
2. Review of Literature
The different parts
of the research report include the
following:
3. Research Methodology
4. Body of the Report
The different parts
of the research report include the
following:
5. Conclusion
6. Recommendation
INTRODUCTORY PHASE
It contextualizes and sets the tone
and direction of research writing. It
is like a road map that guides you in
your research journey
According to Reidman (2001), it
answers the following questions:
● What was I was studying?
● What did we know about this topic
before we study?
According to Reidman (2001), it
answers the following questions:
● And, how this study advance new
knowledge or new ways of
understanding?
Research Title
A research title has to get the
attention of the readers. In other
words, it must be “catchy.”
Research Title
Being catchy does not mean
sacrificing the main message or
idea of your report.
Research Title
According to Silverman (2006, 339)
choose “a title that catches the reader’s
attention while properly informing them
about the main focus on your research.
Research Title
” Siverman (2006, 206) is suggesting a
“two-part title” containing a stimulating
title applying a present participle
signifying action and a subtitle which is
more descriptive.
Research Title
Example:
Stimulating title: Have you ever
experience being bullied?
Descriptive title: A study on the
perception of the victims of bullying in
the primary schools
Research Abstract
A research abstract is a vital
component of a report as it provides
the readers with a snap view of what
you will expect from it.
Research Abstract
The abstract gives a synopsis of
the objectives and results of the
report to be described in detailed
from in the body of the report.
Research Abstract
an abstract should contain:
1. research problem
2. significance and value of the
problem
Research Abstract
an abstract should contain:
3. data and methods utilized
4. main findings
5. implication in the light of other
research
Research Abstract

A research abstract has a word limit.

The most common word limit is
100.
List of Contents
A list of contents is a useful
component of a report as it guides
the readers to find their way
through the different parts of the
report.
List of Contents
A list of contents is a useful
component of a report as it guides
the readers to find their way
through the different parts of the
report.
Introduction

The introduction acquaints the

readers with the what, why and how
of the report.
Introduction
as cited in Silverman (2006),
answering the questions below
would lead you to the development
of the introduction:
Introduction
1. What is the research all about?
2. Why have you chosen this topic
rather than the other topics?
3. Why are you interested in this
topic?
Introduction
4. How will you undertake the research?
5. What kind of research approach will
you utilize?
6. What are your research questions or
problems?
REVIEW OF LITERATURE

The Review of Related Literature

(RRL) provides study background and
environment.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE

The intention of the RRL is to locate the

study in its area of discipline and
reveal its relevance and significance
in the environment.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE

The RRL would indicate if your

topic is building on previous researchers
or if it is a new area of inquiry.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE

The RRL should make one realize

that a study is worth pursuing or not.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
It is an environmental or disciplinal
context that leads one to locate one’s
study. Hence, Silverman (2008)
recommends the following points:
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
●Focus only on studies that are vital and
relevant in defining your research
problem.
●Organize what you say in the form of
an argument rather than a simple
description of other studies.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
In research, the research process is as
important as the research content. Thus,
a research report must also contain a
description of the research strategy.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Siverman (2008) pointed out that the
readers would be interested to know the
following:
1. Research topic
2. Case(s) you have studied
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Siverman (2008) pointed out that the
readers would be interested to know the
following:
3. Research methods you have chosen
to use
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This part of the research report is

sensitive hence must be dealt with
caution.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
In order for you to answer
questions, Silverman suggested that
you have to be familiar with and
knowledgeable about the following:
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
● Data you have studied
● How you obtained those data
● What claims you are making about
the data
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
● Methods you have used to gather
the data
● Why you have chosen this
methods
● How you have analyzed your data
WRITING YOUR DATA

The most essential part of the

report is writing about the data
collected through your research.
WRITING YOUR DATA

There are two important areas of

consideration in the writing up of the
data, namely, data analysis, and
data presentation.
WRITING YOUR DATA

In the data analysis, there is no right

or wrong way. Creswell (1994, 153)
only requires the researcher to:
WRITING YOUR DATA
1. “be comfortable with developing
categories and making comparisons
and contrast”
2. “be open to possibilities and see
contrary or alternative explanations
for the findings”
WRITING THE CONCLUSION
Conclusions are inferences,
deductions, abstraction,
implications, interpretations, general
statements, and/or generalizations
based on findings.
WRITING THE CONCLUSION

A good conclusion answers the

specific questions identified at the
introductory phase of the research.
WRITING THE CONCLUSION

A good conclusion answers the

specific questions identified at the
introductory phase of the research.
 WRITING THE RECOMMENDATION
The research recommendation is a
part of the paper where you make
suggestions about some resolutions
as a response to the research
problem.
WRITING THE RECOMMENDATION
It must be consistent part of the
conclusion. It proposes specific
solutions connected with the findings
and must be supported by relevant data
and specific data from the findings.
WRITING THE RECOMMENDATION
Tips in writing a recommendation:

● “You should not recommend anything

that you have not previously
discussed in the discussion.”
WRITING THE RECOMMENDATION
Tips in writing a recommendation:
● “Recommendations are not the same
as conclusions. Consider
recommendations go one step further
than conclusions”.
WRITING THE RECOMMENDATION
Tips in writing a recommendation:
● There may be different levels within
your set recommendations:
(a) academic
(b) for policy-makers
WRITING THE RECOMMENDATION
Tips in writing a recommendation:
● There may be different levels within
your set recommendations:
(c) practitioners
(d) training/education.
WRITING THE RECOMMENDATION
The inclusion of recommendations is
one reason why reports are a common
form of writing in industry, as the
informed recommendations are useful
for decision making.
THANK YOU!