DETERMINES THE

OBJECTIVES AND
STRUCTURES OF
VARIOUS KINDS OF
REPORTS
VOCABULARY LIST
▪ Scholar - a specialist in a particular branch of
study, especially the humanities; a
distinguished academic.
▪ Essay - a short piece of writing on a
particular subject.
▪ Hard sciences - any of the natural or physical
sciences, as chemistry, biology, physics, or
astronomy, in which aspects of the universe are
investigated by means of hypotheses and
Many scholars have defined report as
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.
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. Unlike an essay which is
written in a single narrative style from
start to finish, each section of a report has
its own purpose and will need to be
written in an appropriate style to suit –
for example, the methods and results
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.
GUIDE QUESTIONS
1.What are the different types of report
writing?
2.What are its purposes?
3.Who are its target audience?
4.How is a particular type of report being
written?
[1]TECHNICAL AND BUSINESS
disciplines with an applied focus such as
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 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
[2]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
The purpose of a field report in the social sciences
is to describe the observation of people, places,
and/or events and to analyze that observation data
in order to identify What are the different types of
report writing? What are its purposes? Who are its
target audience? How is a particular type of report
being written? Guide Questions
www.shsph.blogspot.com 6 and categorize common
themes in relation to the research problem
underpinning the study. The content represents the
researcher's interpretation of meaning found in
data that has been gathered during one or more
 When writing a field report
you need to:
●Systematically observe and accurately
record the varying aspects of a situation.
Always approach your field study with a
detailed protocol about what you will
observe, where you should conduct your
observations, and the method by which you
will collect and record your data.
● Continuously analyze your
observations. Always look for the
meaning underlying the actions you
observe. Ask yourself: What's going on
here? What does this observed activity
mean? What else does this relate to?
Note that this is an on-going process of
reflection and analysis taking place for
the duration of your field research.
●Keep the report’s aims in mind
while you are observing.
Recording what you observe
should not be done randomly or
haphazardly; you must be focused
and pay attention to details.
● Consciously observe, record, and analyze
what you hear and see in the context of a
theoretical framework. This is what
separates data gatherings from reporting.
The theoretical framework guiding your field
research should determine what, when, and
www.shsph.blogspot.com 7 how you observe
and act as the foundation from which you
interpret your findings in relation to the
underlying assumptions embedded in the
theoretical framework.
Techniques to record your
observations: Although there is no
limit to the type of data gathering
techniques you can use, these are the
most frequently used methods:
Note taking
This is the most common and easiest method
of recording your observations. Tips for
taking notes include: organizing some
shorthand symbols beforehand so that
recording basic or repeated actions does not
impede your ability to observe, using many
small paragraphs, which reflect changes in
activities, who is talking, etc., and, leaving
space on the page so you can write down
additional thoughts and ideas about what’s
Photography With the advent of smart
phones, an almost unlimited number of high
quality photographs can be taken of the objects,
events, and people observed during a field
study. Photographs can help capture an
important moment in time as well as document
details about the space where your observation
takes place. Taking a photograph can save you
time in documenting the details of a space that
would otherwise require extensive note taking.
Video & Audio Recordings
Video or audio recording your
observations has the positive effect of
giving you an unfiltered record of the
observation event. It also facilitates
repeated analysis of your observations.
This can be particularly helpful as you
gather additional information or insights
during your research.
Illustrations
This does not refer to an artistic
endeavor but, rather, refers to the
possible need, for example, to draw a
map of the observation setting or
illustrating objects in relation to people's
behavior.
REMEMBER
Please note that techniques of deliberate
observation and data gathering are not innate
skills; they are skills that must be learned and
practiced in order to achieve proficiency.
[3]SCIENTIFIC REPORTS are another kind of
report. 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.
REMEMBER
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.
Although the exact nature will
vary according to the discipline
you are studying, the general
structure is broadly similar for all
disciplines. Now, one good
example of report that you should
know which is commonly used in
the field of hard sciences is
The different parts of the research report include
the following:
1.Introductory Phase
2.Review of Literature
3.Research Methodology
4.Body of the Report
5.Conclusion
6.Recommendation
Introductory Phase Introduction is as
important as the main parts of a research
report. 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?
Research Title
A research title has to get the attention of the
readers. In other words, it must be “catchy.” Being
catchy does not mean sacrificing the main message
or idea of your report. Hence, 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.”
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. Example: Stimulating
title: Have you ever experience being bullied?
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. 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. Silverman (2006) identified what an abstract
should contain:
1. research problem
2. significance and value of the problem
3. data and methods utilized
4. main findings
5. implication in the light of other research
A research abstract has a word limit.
The most common word limit is 100.
This is a challenging part of writing
a report because it is difficult to
write the many things that you want
to impart in just a few words
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.
Hence, the consistency of the page numbers
with the parts of the report is vital.
Inconsistent page numbering would result to
the reader’s confusion.
Introduction
The introduction acquaints the readers with the
what, why and how of the report. According to
Murcott (1997, p. 1) as cited in Silverman (2006),
answering the questions below would lead you to
the development of the 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?
4. How will you undertake the research?
5. What kind of research approach will you utilize?
Review of Literature
The Review of Related Literature (RRL)
provides study background and
environment. The intention of the RRL is
to locate the study in its area of discipline
and reveal its relevance and significance
in the environment. The RRL would
indicate if your topic is building on
previous researchers or if it is a new area
of inquiry. The RRL should make one
realize that a study is worth pursuing or
According to Silverman (2006), RRL is not a
“litany” of all studies done related to the topic. It is
also not an inventory of the accomplishments of
other authors on the same topic nor it is a map of
projects similar to the area of study. Rather, it is an
environmental or disciplinal context that leads one
to locate one’s study. Hence, Silverman (2008)
recommends the following points:
●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
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. The readers
will be interested in finding how you arrived at a
particular study result. Siverman (2008) pointed out
that the readers would be interested to know the
following:
1.Research topic
2.Case (s) you have studied
3.Research methods you have chosen to use
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This part of the research report is sensitive hence must be
dealt with caution. In order for you to answer questions such
as: Is your methodology appropriate for the research problem?
How did you reach that conclusion? Silverman suggested that
to be able to answer methodological questions, you have to be
familiar with and knowledgeable about the following:
● Data you have studied
● How you obtained those data
● What claims you are making about the data
● 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. There are
two important areas of consideration in the writing
up of the data, namely, data analysis, and data
presentation. In the data analysis, there is no right
or wrong way. Creswell (1994, 153) only requires the
researcher to:
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
To assist the researcher in the data
analysis, attention must be given to
(a)sorting information into categories,
(b)formatting the information into a
story or picture,
(c)actual data analysis and write up.
Writing the Conclusion
How do you characterize conclusions?
Conclusion are inferences, deductions,
abstraction, implications, interpretations,
general statements, and/or generalizations
based on findings. An example of which is:
“All the teachers were qualified to teach in
the high school but the majority of them were
not qualified to teach science. ” (Khemer,
2009).
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. 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.
Below are some tips from Teljlingen (2011) on
how to write recommendations:
● “You should not recommend anything that you
have not previously discussed in the discussion. The
rule ‘no new material’ in your conclusion is also
applicable to your ‘Recommendations.’”
● “Recommendations are not the same as
conclusions. Consider recommendations go one
step further than conclusions as
(a)‘something’;
(b)‘someone; and
● There may be different levels within your
set recommendations: for (a) academic (i.e.,
research is needed into…),
(b) for policy-makers (e,g., data protection
act needs to change to accommodate…); for
(c) practitioners (i.e., managers in local
government need to consider the mental
well-being of their staff); or
recommendation for
(d) training/education.