Study sheet
Key sections of a report
Writing the Objectives section
(c) to determine whether optimizing
conditions will result in enhanced
What is the purpose of this section?
productivity.
The objectives may be included in the
What language should I use?
Introduction section and not in a section of their
own. However, even if the objectives of the study
Introducing the objectives
are clear from the Title and the Summary, they
These are some of the ways you can introduce
must be included somewhere. The objectives are
your aims and objectives:
the starting point for the whole investigation, and
1.
are fundamental in keeping the report relevant.
The objective of the investigation was
to…
The Objectives section should be a clear, concise
2.
statement of exactly what you set out to achieve
The experiment was carried out in order
to investigate…
and why.
3.
The goal of this study was to…
The objective of the investigation was to
4.
In this study we investigated whether…
determine:
1.
Key word
to what extent a job sharing system can be
As with the Title, you should find a key word that
applied in the Marketing Department;
2.
focuses on the primary activity of the study. Think
how far the application of a job sharing
about exactly what you wanted to achieve:
system can result in cost savings.
1.
Do you want to identify a value?
Note that each objective should be matched by a
Use to determine, to calculate, to
conclusion.
measure.
2.
Common mistakes
1.
Do you want to test or investigate a
system or a machine?
A common mistake is to make the objectives
Use to analyse, to identify, to test, to
implicit in a description of the report:
design.
This report covers the potential introduction
2.
of a load balancing system in the company's
Parallelism
PC environment.
Where you have two or more objectives, you
This may be an acceptable sentence in the
should present them using a parallel structure.
overview of objectives in the Executive
This means using the same verb form and
Summary, but in the Objectives section itself,
consistent punctuation and numbering. Look at
each objective should be made explicit.
how this set of objectives fails:
Objectives should be laid out with correct and
The objective of the study was to:
consistent numbering, grammar and
(a) investigate the need for a new Marketing
Executive;
punctuation.
(b) We analysed the functions of this new
The objectives of this study were:
position,
(a) to research optimum temperature and
(iii) assessing an appropriate remuneration
humidity for the working environment;
package.
(b) to measure current temperature and
humidity in Factory D;
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© Clarity Language Consultants Ltd, 2007
Study sheet
Key sections of a report
first set of questions before you start writing. The
The problems are that:
second set will help you to evaluate what you
(a) the verb form is different for each
have written.
objective;
(b) the punctuation at the end of each
Before writing
objective is different;
(c) the numbering is not consistent.
1.
This set of objectives would therefore be better
Why exactly did I undertake this
investigation?
laid out as follows.
2.
The objectives of the study were as follows.
How can I express this using clear, precise
language?
(a) To investigate the need for a new
After writing
Marketing Executive.
(b) To analyse the functions of this new
1.
position.
Would someone who wanted to repeat the
investigation know why they were doing it?
(c) To determine an appropriate
2.
remuneration package.
Have I used clear, precise language (to
calculate rather than to find out)?
3.
What should I ask myself?
Have I used a parallel structure including
consistent grammar, punctuation and
These questions will help you to build up the
numbering?
Objectives section of your report. Ask yourself the
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© Clarity Language Consultants Ltd, 2007