Chapter Four
Research Report Writing
Temesgen A. (PhD)
Report
• It is any informational work made with an intention to
relay
• Information or recounting certain events in a presentable
manner.
• Reports are often conveyed in writing, speech, television,
or film.
• Report is an administrative necessity.
• Most official form of information or work are completed
via report.
• Report is always written in a sequential manner in order
of occurrence
• Communicating your research results to your audience
Components of report
• Title page: It should include the title, your
name and the name of the tutor to whom it is
being submitted, date of submission, your
course/department. The logo of the
organization should also be printed.
• Acknowledgements: A list of people and
organizations who have helped you in the
compilation of report and other related work.
…continued
• Contents page: A clear, well-formatted list of all the
sections and sub-sections of the report. Page
numbers should be marked correctly.
• Abstract: A summary of the major points,
conclusions, and recommendations should be written
to give a general overview of report.
• Introduction: The first page of the report needs to
have an introduction. You will explain the problem
and show the reader why the report is being made.
…continued
• Body: This is the main section of the report. There needs to
be several sections, with each having a subtitle. The various
sections include Review of Literature, Materials and Methods
and Results. A discussion section can also be included at the
end of the body to go over by findings and their significance.
• Conclusion: A conclusion should draw out the implications of
your findings, with deductions based on the facts described
in your main body. The significance and relevance of study is
discussed in this section.
• References: This is a list giving the full details of all the
sources to which you have made reference within your text.
Categories of report
Informational Report
Informational reports present results so readers can
understand a particular problem or situation.
• Informational reports might:
1. Present information on the status of current
research or of a project.
2. Present an update of the operation in your division.
3. Explain how your organization or division does
something.
4. Present the results of a questionnaire or research.
Analytical Report
• This type goes a step beyond presenting results.
Analytical reports present results, analyze those
results, and draw conclusions based on those results.
• These reports attempt to describe why or how
something happened and then to explain what it
means.
• Explain what cause a problem or situation – Present
the results of atraffic study showing accidents at an
intersection – the report explains what it means.
• Explain the potential results of a particular course of
action.
• Suggest which option, action, or procedure is best.
Recommendation report
• This type advocate a particular course of action.
This usually present the results and conclusions
that support the recommendations.
• Suggests using treatment X is more efficient than
treatments Y and Z. However, that does not mean
that you will use treatment X as cost and other
considerations might recommend treatment Y.
• What should we do about a problem?
• Should we or can we do something?
• Should we change the method or technology we
use to do something?
Warning Report
• Is data intended to warn policymakers of
sudden major developments, such as the
outbreak of wars, military coups, or
comparable crises.
Features of Reports:
• A report is based upon facts and also very
often supported with some statistics data,
references etc.
• A report has to be prepared in a proper form
and style. The form and style depend on the
purpose of the report.
…continued
• A report has definitely a purpose. One common
purpose is spreading of information. Other
purposes are—compiling of record, providing
guidance to action or judgement, making of
evidence, etc.
• A report is meant for circulation either exclusively
to an individual, or group of individuals, or
members of an organisation or public at large.
• A report shall satisfy all the characteristics for its
effectiveness.
• Reports are of various types.
….continued
• The basic function of a report is that it is a
means of communication of some facts.
• A report is addressed to some definite reader
or readers.
• A report has invariably a bearing on time.
Nature of reports
• (1) Routine or Special:
• (2) General or Confidential:
• (3) Formal or Informal:
• (4) Verbatim or Summarised:
• (5) Privileged or Non-Privileged:
Exercise
• Assume that you are a diplomat in one of
Ethiopia’s friendly country/ region. Identify any
issue of contemporary relevance to Ethiopian
foreign Relations and government.
• Write a report for your government?
• Show basic structure of the format?
• Identify what type of report is it ?
• Categorize the Level of Urgency and Confidentiality
