RH

Report Layout

posted by trikkky on October 13, 2009

Today was the day we got given the beginning of our Main Assignment.

All was going well today for the Access to H.E students,we had our first round of Tutorials which is where the course leader sits down with you one on one and asks if there are any problems you might be having, complaints what your attitude is like, punctuality dress everything really. You have a chance to say what you like and don’t like. It’s all good because you are looked after and treated well.

We did how to do report style layout, in Key Skills Communication, and what bits were involved:

• Title
• Contents
• Introduction or Terms of Reference
• Findings (Main body of report)
• Conclusions
• Recommendations
• Bibliography or references
• Appendices

The Title Page

• A clear layout
• A brief title which describes the report clearly
• The authors name
• The Date
• The course title or company name

Contents page

• A heading
• Report headings and page numbers in columns
• Numbered subsections
• A list of figures, tables or illustrations and possibly appendix items

Introduction

This is sometimes referred to as the Terms of Reference (in large reports both may be present)

• Who requested the report and why
• The purpose of the report
• Who compiled the info and how,I.E, methods of research(book magazine internet)
• Links to other work or reports
• Acknowledgement of help given, could be at the beginning or end of the report
• Any limitations, I.E, what the report does not cover

Findings (Main content)

• Numbered sections or headings
• Clear paragraphs of factual information: each with one key point that are discussed or explained
• Costs
• Analysis of data
• Graphs, Charts, diagrams, maps, pictures and flow diagrams at the appropriate point in the text or reffered to the Appendices

When writing the findings make sure everything comes in order what has to come first and what has to follow use sufficiant words to explain the detail but do not waffle. Show evidence of reading and research.

Conclusions

• Summarise the findings but don’t mention anything new that is not in the report.
• Should link the report to the findings.
• Enough evidence should be in the report to justify the conclusions

Recommendations

• What should be done as a result of the findings
• Why it should be done and who by.

Bibliography or References

If the work of other authors has been used for the report, this must be acknowledged. Direct quotes are acknowledged in the References part of the report. However the bibliography is used to list any general reading that has been done.

This should include

• The Author, title, publisher and date of any books, articles or reports used, in alphabetical order.
• Page numbers and any reference used.

Appendices

The Appendices contain material that is relevant to your report but that would disrupt its flow if it was contained with in the main body. E.G Raw data and calculations, interview questions, a glossary of terms, or other info that the reader may find useful to refer to. All appendix items should be clearlty labelled,A B C ect and reffered to where appropiate in the main text, eg, ‘See appendix A for the answer’.

There are some things to consider before writing the report:

• Who will read the report : Think who is going to read it and make sure they can understand it with out any priar knowledge.
• Are they experts? If so use key vocabulary and technical terms, If not ensure that these terms are put into the appendix and explained
• Write a plan detailing the information headings you need to include
• As you collect your information keep a note of where it came from, (author, title, book, place, publisher) as these will be needed to reference your work
• Never write as if the first person was yourself ( I think, we think , we recommend ) Use the past tense (the company recommends … it was found that …..)

“Report writing tutorial thanks to denise our wonderful tutor”

[print out, 10/2009] – [online]