TYPES OF

REPORTS
NOOR SHAHARIAH BT SALEH
Faculty of science, Technology
and Human Development
Universiti Tun Hussein Onn

WHAT IS A REPORT?

A report is

A VERY FORMAL
DOCUMENT that is
written for a variety of
purposes, generally in
the SCIENCES, SOCIAL
SCIENCES,
ENGINEERING and
BUSINESS disciplines.

A report
also

Consists of findings
to a specific or given
task.

Conveys and records

information to be used
practically.
Is organised into
discrete units of
specific and highly
visible information.
Ungroup to move, recolor, or delete levels.

TYPES OF REPORT

INFORMAL
INFORMAL

ANALYTICAL
ANALYTICAL

PERSUASIVE
PERSUASIVE

REPORT CAN COME IN THE

TYPES
To
solve OF: An extensive of
Inform or
instruct
present
information
Provide details
of
events,
activities
or conditions
No analysis on
situation, no

problems
Information
is
analysed
Conclusions
are
drawn and

recommendati
ons

analytical
reports:
main focus is to
sell an idea, a
service, or
product
Example:propo
sal

BUSINESS REPORT

1.

Periodic operating reports- To

monitor and control production,
sales, shipping, service etc.

2.

Situational report- To describe

one-time event (trips, conferences,
seminars)

3.

Investigative/informational - To
study problems and supply facts
with little analysis

4. Research reports - To study problems

scientifically by analysing a problem,

developing hypotheses, collecting data,
analysing data, and drawing conclusions.

5. Proposals - To offer to solve problems,

investigate ideas, or sell products and
services.

6. Incident/ accident -To give information on

accident that happens at the work place.

SHORT REPORT

LABORATORY
INCIDENT/
ACCIDENT

FINANCIAL

PROGRESS

TYPES OF SHORT
REPORTS

INSTRUCTION
MANUALS

FIELD STUDY

COST-BENEFIT
ANALYSIS

The importance of short reports

1.

It tells whether
Work is being completed
Schedules are being met
Costs have been controlled
Sales projections are being met
Unexpected problems have
been solved

2.

Provides organised relevant

data of any topic- money,
travel, time, equipment.

3.

It is practical and straight to

the point.

4.

It is written to subordinates,
employers, vendors and
clients.

Short reports are sent as

Memo (within organisation)

Letters (for clients)

Organising Short
Reports

Help the reader by

using:
Bullets

or numbers

Headings

There are two systems:

The conventional system:

1.

A report with two layers of heading

2.

Takes Arabic numerals -1,2,3

3.

The subsections (a), (b), (c)

4.

Third layer (i), (ii), (iii)

The decimal (Dewey) system:

1.

The numerals are separated into various levels of

heading.

1.0.
1.1..
1.1.1..
1.1.2.
1.1.2.1.

The conventional syste

m

The decimal system

Include those information:

Purpose

Findings

Conclusions

Recommendations

Purpose
1.

Start with the reason of writing and

what you will discuss.

2.

Provide summary of key events and

details.

Findings
1.

Longest part of the report and contains

the collected data prices, personnel,
equipment, events

2.

Gather the data from the researchpersonnel observations, interviews

3.

Provide the results

Conclusion
1.

Tells the meaning of the data

2.

Summarise what happened: review the

action taken, explain the outcome

Recommendations
1.

Inform the specific actions that the

company or client should take market
new products, hire more staff etc.

2.

Based on the collected data and the

conclusions

ACCIDENT / INCIDENT
REPORTS

Document unexpected events.

Employers, government
inspectors, insurance
agents and attorneys
must be informed.

Can be submitted as a memo

or form.

When?

An accident

A machine breakdown

A delivery delay

A cost overrun

A product slowdown

Example

WHEN TO WRITE A SHORT

REPORT?
Engineering

To outline a proposal of a project

To report the progress of a project
to present research and findings from a project
To detail the technical aspects of innovations
To present results from a feasibility or cost-benefit
analytical study.

Education and
health science

Practicum reports based on the experiences at

practical school or hospital.
Ongoing journal entries are written up into a report at
the end of term.

Science and
some social
sciences

Laboratory reports outline, analyse and evaluate

results from experiments.
Feasibility studies reports investigate the possibility of
something and make recommendations.
Case study reports are usually found in social welfare,
social work and psychology.

LAB REPORTS AND

SCIENTIFIC PAPERS

Persuade others

Detail data, procedures and

outcomes

Become part of the accepted

body of scientific knowledge

Provide an archival record

Format of a typical lab report

Title

Abstract

Introduction

Materials and methods

Results

Discussion

References and literature cited

Lab report template

1.

Title
A brief, concise, yet descriptive

2.

Statement of the problem

What question(s) you try to answer?
Include any preliminary observations or
background information

3.

Hypothesis
Possible solutions
In complete sentence
Testable

4.

Materials all items used

5.

Procedure
In a paragraph
To be repeated

6. Results (data)
Data, observations, or additional notes
Attach a separate sheet(s)
Label all tables, graphs and charts
7. Conclusions
Accept or reject hypothesis
Explain the rejection and acceptance
Summary of data highest, lowest, averages
Learned things and what can be applied
Possible errors occurred

Example of lab report

FIELD TRIP REPORT

1.

A description of what, when,

where, why who and how
questions.

2.

To learn issues in the real world

based on observation and
contribution/ participation.

3.

Take notes materials presented,

investigations

Guidelines of work or group project

1.

Introduction

2.

3.

Venue, aims, what was investigated

Field observations

Detail explanation on what was

observed, comment on the
significance

Photographs, field sketches

Day by day account

Conclusions

Example of a field trip r

eport

Assignment 1

Cover

REFERENCES

www3.cutr.usf.edu/...REPORT~1/.../AC
C_IN~1.DOC-United States

http://www.utem.edu.my/myweb/sani/pdf
/microc_longreport.pdf