How to Write a Report

Students reports are often a common part of many students' work responsibilities.
There are several types of reports that you may be required to write, including
evaluation report, research report, science report, job practice report and etc. While
there is no set format for writing reports, there are certain steps you can take to
ensure you compose the most effective and professional report possible.

In this article, we will discuss what a work report is, how to write an efficient report as
well as a template and examples of work reports you can use to draft your own.

What is a report?
A students report is a formal document that discusses information about a specific
topic related to an aspect of students activity. Most work reports are addressed to a
particular audience such as a manager. There are a variety of reports that may need
to be written evaluation report, research report, science report, job practice report
and etc. Depending on the type, you may be given a report brief that outlines what
you should include in your report. Most reports should be written in a structured
format to clearly demonstrate what the report is trying to convey.

How to write a work report

Writing effective work reports takes practice and requires good communication skills.
The more reports you write, the more efficient you will be in composing them. The
following are steps you can take to write a professional report in the workplace:

1. Identify your audience

2. Decide which information you will include
3. Structure your report
4. Use concise and professional language
5. Proofread and edit your report

1. Identify your audience

Knowing who will be reading your report is an important step in determining how you
will format your report, what you will include and the tone you should use when
writing it. For example, if you are writing a sales report for your manager, will anyone
else be reading the report? If you are composing a business analysis report, will your
higher-ups be reading the report or only your immediate supervisor? Establish who
will be reading your report and cater the report to these specific people.

2. Decide which information you will include

After determining who your audience is, you should focus on identifying the purpose
of your report to decide what information should be included. If you know who will be
reading the report, you could ask questions regarding what they expect to see.
Choose to include information that will provide the clearest picture of what you are
trying to convey. For example, if you are writing a sales report, your report may need
to include information about whether sales goals are being met, products and
services that are selling the most, challenges you or your team are facing and your
sales forecast for the next month or quarter.

3. Structure your report

When writing a report, you should structure it so that it can be easily read and
digested. While each report will vary in the sections you should include, you can use
the following report components as a guide when writing your report:

1. Title or title page

2. Executive summary/abstract that briefly describes the content of your report
3. Table of contents (if the report is more than a few pages)
4. An introduction describing your purpose in writing the report
5. A body paragraph where you include the information you are conveying with
the report
6. Conclusion or recommendation depending on the purpose of the report

4. Use concise and professional language

You should strive to use clear and concise language when writing your report. Try to
get the point across as clearly and quickly as possible and use simple yet
professional language. Avoid using "fluff" or wordy sentences when possible. For
example, rather than saying "you might find it helpful to regularly refresh your inbox
to stay up-to-date on emails," you could say "regularly refresh your inbox."

5. Proofread and edit your report

Proofreading your work report is an essential step in the report-writing process. This
gives you the opportunity to ensure that your writing is as professional as possible
and to catch any mistakes before you send it out. Proofreading also allows you to cut
out any unnecessary information and make sure that your report is as efficient and
effective as possible. Once you have finished writing your report, set it aside for an
hour or more before you proofread it. This will allow you to look at the report in a
fresh way and catch mistakes you may not have seen before.

Report template
The following is a template you can use when formatting a work report:

[Project name]

[Date]

[Prepared by: your first and last name]

[Company name]
Executive summary or abstract:

Use this section to note your conclusions or recommendations that will be made in
the report. You should also include the most important ideas discussed in the report.
If you are writing a daily work report or progress report, you do not need to include
this section.]

Introduction:

Your introduction should be two to four paragraphs summarizing what you will cover
in the report as well as your reason for writing the report. Be as specific and concise
as possible when writing your introduction so that the reader can clearly understand
what they will find in your report. For daily or progress reports, your introduction only
needs to be a few sentences detailing work you've completed and what you plan to
work on next.]

Body:

For the body of your report, you should focus on detailing the information you wish to
convey. You can include results, conclusions and findings that were made related to
a project. For daily or progress reports, include the accomplishments you have
achieved or tasks you have completed.]

Recommendations:

In this section, you should list your recommendations based on the conclusions or
results of a project or that will solve a particular issue. For example, you may write
"spend one hour training employees on the new handbook each week" as a
recommendation. For a daily or progress report, you can list your next goals or tasks
in this section.]

Conclusion:

Conclude your report by summarizing the findings or results discussed and

reiterating the most important recommendations.]