Report Writing
Sylvia Corsham
De Montfort University
2008/9
(in association with Vered Hawksworth BSc.)
A Report Is A Text Expression Of
Research You Have Carried Out,
Therefore, It Is:
IMPORTANT TO GET IT RIGHT!
 Presentation
 Layout
 Components
 Formatting
 Writing Style
 Checking
 Editing
 Evaluating
 Referencing
 Assignment
Presentation Is important because:
It affects the initial impression of the work
Good presentation can ensure the examiner or
reader can easily see what you have done
You need to show that you can present work
in a professional manner
Layout Unless Otherwise Informed…
Line spacing should be double spaced
Margins should be 1.5” top & 1” bottom
If bound then a larger margin should be
allowed on the left
Print on one side of the paper only
Headers and Footers should be employed for
relevant information (e.g. your name, tutor
group)
Referencing – use Harvard System
EXAMPLE
Header/footer: eg>Dateandnameoffile
Title: Highlighted or Emboldened/can be
centred
Subheading: Smaller text, or underlined (but
enhanced in some way).
Body text: double line spaced. No
apostrophe’s-keep sentences brief and
meaningful.
Components of Reports
 Abstract
 Acknowledgements *
 Index/Contents Page – with page numbers
 Introduction
 Main Body of Report
 Conclusions
 Bibliography
 Glossary *
 Appendix *
* Optional
Formatting the Report
Titles, sections, paragraphs and numbering needed
because: It divides your work up into logical sections – makes
it easier to follow
 A content page provides reference point, by
headings for reader to find what he wants
 It is easy to cross reference by referring to
paragraphs e.g. ‘further clarification is given on this
point (paragraph 2.1)’
 Planning can be carried out by constructing an
outline from headings
Format
A REPORT ON COMPUTER CRIME AND THE INTERNET
SECTION ONE - LEGAL ISSUES
Report
Title
1.1 Introduction
……………………………..
1.2 Data Protection Act
……………………………..
Section
Heading
SECTION TWO - CREDIT CARD FRAUD
Sub
Sections
2.1 Introduction
……………………………..
2.2 Security Issues
2.2.1 Network Security Protocols
……………………………..
Subparagraph
Heading
Writing Style (1)
Wording should be succinct and to the point
e.g. ‘The committee took into consideration the
adoption of the proposal’.
Versus. ‘The committee considered adopting the
proposal’.
Writing Style (2)
 Use appropriate language
If you have to include jargon ensure that you explain it
Be precise – avoid ‘may’, ‘perhaps’ when describing
findings
Keep your sentences short
Abbreviations should be written out in full at first use
e.g Data Flow Diagrams (DFD’s)
Avoid using 1st person singular e.g. ‘I can see’ use ‘it was
seen’
Writing Style
 Put extra material in
appendices
 Drawings and diagrams
should be identified
e.g.:
 This shows the quarters
of the year, and some
type of income, but has
no label!
Figure 2.1
90
80
70
60
50
East
40
We st
North
30
20
10
0
1st Qtr
2nd Qtr
3rd Qtr
4th Qtr
Report Extras
 Appendices
Put ‘extra’ material in here – longer explanations of topics
discussed in the report – evidence of research used – source
data etc.
 Cross Referencing
This where you refer the reader to other work within the report
or its appendices
 Glossary
Used to explain any ‘jargon’ or difficult words that needed to
be used in the main body of the report
Checking
Are there any spelling mistakes?
Are there any proof errors?
e.g. ‘there’ ‘their’ OR ‘would of’ ‘would have’
Does the writing reflect the heading?
Have you used quotes and citations properly?
Have you included all your sources in the
bibliography
Is the format used the correct one?
Editing
 Does it make sense?
 Has it got a beginning, middle, end
 Are you over the word count?
Check sentences to remove wordiness
Is there something that would be more
Appropriately put in an appendix?
 Rearrange long sentences into 1 or 2 short ones
 Have you provided evidence for your statements
Evaluating
Have you achieved the aims and objectives of
the report? Is all your material relevant?
Have you checked the marking criteria to see
if you have met them?
Have you obtained any feedback from a
critical reader to see if they have understood
the report and whether they have noticed any
defects
Referencing
C
Have you used adequate research sources?
Have you used an appropriate number of
research sources?
Have you used the correct method of citation/
quoting? e.g.
“Sequential file processing means records are in order
according to the key field”
H.L Capron (1996)
Referencing OR…
C
Attributing what is written in your own words to
its original source:
‘According to Capron (1996) database records are
ordered by the key field attribute when sequential
ordering is used’
Recommended Strategies Tutorial
 For this tutorial you will need:
Completed mind-map for your topic
Marking criteria
 With reference to both, generate a skeleton for your
report:
Produce a set of major headings of topics, under each major
heading a set of sub-headings, etc.
Once you have done this start writing short description, a few
words about what to be covered under each heading / section
and under each sub-heading / sub section.