Structure

Report structures can vary but these are common sections found in a report.

• Title page: should include the report title, author's name, receiver's name (that is the unit and lecturer), date
• Table of contents
• Executive summary: briefly outlines key message, purpose, findings, conclusions and recommendations. Sometimes known as synopsis or abstract.
• Introduction: gives the aim, scope and background. Also previews the report structure. May include the overall answer (suggested solution).
• Discussion: the findings and analysis. These findings provide the justification for your recommendation(s). This section needs to develop the material in a clear, logical and coherent manner. Relevant subheadings make it easier for the reader to follow the structure. This structure should reflect the structure outlined in the introduction.
• Conclusion: summary of main findings and conclusions based on these findings. The conclusion should outline the key points/findings and state the recommendations that follow from the analysis. 
• Recommendations: actions that should be undertaken. This section is sometimes combined with the conclusion.
• Appendices: holds technical information which would clutter the body of the report e.g. calculations for numbers referred to in the discussion. Should not include your argument.
• References: any external evidence cited

For some reports you will be given very specific instuctions regarding the structure and what to include. Even if the different sections of the report are specified for you, there must be a logical sequence of ideas and information and a line of narrative that persuades the reader you have a good solution/recommendation/analysis.

Therefore each section should have a purpose that ties it to the overall message and each paragraph should have a point that ties it to the purpose of the section.

The discussion section is where you can have scope to decide on how to structure your writing and what sub headings you want to include. There is more than one way to structure your ideas - no one way is more correct - rather it depends on your overall message and what is most logical for your report.

In the examples below, the students have determined that their key message is that "the investor should invest in NVT because of reasons A, B and C". The following three structure are possible ways to present those reasons and the evidence that supports them.

In deciding which structure is best, you need to look for whether the ideas flow in a logical sequence (for example does one idea naturally flow from the previous), avoid repetition and be persuasive. 

Writing the report >>