How To Write a Report ? Query Solved Here !

“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. Generally, findings pertaining to a given or specific task are written up into a report. It should be noted that reports are considered to be legal documents in the workplace and, thus, they need to be precise, accurate and difficult to misinterpret”.[/i]

Different situation arise in the life of students where they feel the need of real guidance, assistance and reliable support, and this is most felt at the time of writing reports/research reports! Students in trouble and in question, ‘How to write research paper’ the following can help you out

Take the technical Points into consideration like the following:[/b]

• 
  
  Print or type using a 12 point standard font, such as Times, Geneva, Bookman, Helvetica, etc.
  
  Text should be double spaced on 8 1/2" x 11" paper with 1 inch margins, single sided
  
  Number pages consecutively
  
  Start each new section on a new page
  
  Adhere to recommended page limits
  

Mistakes to avoid[/b]

• 
  
  Placing a heading at the bottom of a page with the following text on the next page
  
  Dividing a table or figure - confine each figure/table to a single page
  
  Submitting a paper with pages out of order
  
  Use normal prose including articles
  
  Stay focused on the research topic of the paper
  
  Use paragraphs to separate each important point
  
  Indent the first line of each paragraph
  
  Present your points in logical order
  
  Use present tense to report well accepted facts - for example, 'the grass is green'
  
  Use past tense to describe specific results - for example, 'When weed killer was applied, the grass was brown'
  
  Avoid informal wording, don't address the reader directly, and don't use jargon, slang terms, or superlatives
  
  Avoid use of superfluous pictures - include only those figures necessary to presenting results
  
  Write a summary after the paper is completed. Economy of words is important throughout any report, but especially in an abstract. However, use complete sentences and do not sacrifice readability for brevity. You can keep it concise by wording sentences so that they serve more than one purpose.
  
  Purpose of the study - hypothesis, overall question, objective
  
  Model organism or system and brief description of the experiment
  
  Results, including specific data if the results are quantitative in nature, report quantitative data; results of any statistical analysis should be reported.
  

Introduction

• 
  
  Your introductions should not exceed two pages – double spaced and typed.
  
  Describe the importance of the study
  
  Provide a rationale.
  
  State your specific hypothesis (es) or objective(s), and describe the reasoning that led you to select them.
  
  Very briefy describe the experimental design and how it accomplished the stated objectives.
  
  Make use of past tense except when referring to established facts.
  
  Organize your ideas
  
  State the hypothesis/objective precisely - do not oversimplify.
  

How to place Figures and tables?

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  Place figures and tables within the text of the result, or include them in the back of the report - do one or the other
  
  If you place figures and tables at the end of the report, make sure they are clearly distinguished from any attached appendix materials, such as raw data
  
  Regardless of placement, each figure must be numbered consecutively and complete with caption
  
  Regardless of placement, each table must be titled, numbered consecutively and complete with heading
  
  Each figure and table must be sufficiently complete that it could stand on its own, separate from text
  

You can get online help on how to write research paper and in this way the problem of writing research paper can be ended.

Be Clear with the content of the Report

Report Content

• Introduction Section 1 -When the data was collected
  
• Introduction Section 2 -Overview of the structure of the report
  
• Introduction Section 3 -Your ideas about the reasons for the things you discovered
  
• Introduction Section 4 -Description of the information you discovered
  
• Procedure Section 1 -Summary of what you discovered
  
• Procedure Section 2 -What you think should happen
  
• Findings
  
• Conclusion Section
  
• Recommendations
  

Abstract[/b]

An abstract is a brief summary of a research article, thesis, review, conference proceeding or any in-depth analysis of a particular subject or discipline, and is often used to help the reader quickly ascertain the paper's purpose. When used, an abstract always appears at the beginning of a manuscript, acting as the point-of-entry for any given scientific paper or patent application. Abstracting and indexing services for various academic disciplines are aimed at compiling a body of literature for that particular subject.

Parts of an Abstract[/b]

• Motivation
  
• Problem statement
  
• Approach
  
• Results
  
• Conclusions
  

What is a conclusion? / How to write a conclusion?

It is the review of the main findings and results expressed in general terms.

Conclusion is for the busy readers who don't have time to read all of your findings and for readers who want to read an overview of the findings before deciding whether to read the findings in detail.

The Conclusion should give the main cause of the problem or opportunity that is the topic of the report.

The section should summaries the main findings and link to the Recommendations.

It should not include findings that are not related to the Recommendations.

 

[Dhruv Bindhani]

This comprehensive guide offers detailed instructions on writing formal reports and research papers, targeting students who seek assistance with this specific academic task. It covers formatting, common mistakes, section-specific content, and provides a clear understanding of key components like the abstract and conclusion.

Here's a review of the provided text:

Review of "How to Write Research Paper" Guide

The provided text offers a detailed, structured, and highly practical guide for students navigating the often-intimidating task of writing formal reports and research papers. It effectively covers a wide range of essential elements, from fundamental formatting rules to the nuanced content requirements of specific sections, making it a valuable resource.

Strengths:

• Comprehensive Scope: The guide covers a broad spectrum of topics crucial for report writing, including general definition, technical formatting, common pitfalls, and specific advice for introductions, figures/tables, abstracts, and conclusions. This holistic approach ensures most common student queries are addressed.
• Clear and Concise Definition of a Report: The opening definition accurately portrays reports as formal, precise, and legally significant documents, setting the right tone for their importance in academic and professional contexts.
• Actionable Technical Points: The "Technical Points" section provides straightforward and easy-to-follow formatting guidelines (font, spacing, margins, page numbering, section breaks, page limits), which are invaluable for ensuring a professional presentation.
• Emphasis on Avoiding Common Mistakes: The "Mistakes to avoid" section is particularly helpful, flagging specific errors that students frequently make (e.g., headings at page bottoms, dividing tables/figures, out-of-order pages). The advice on prose style (normal prose, paragraphs, logical order, tense usage, avoiding informal wording, jargon, and superlatives) is excellent and foundational for academic writing.
• Detailed Section Breakdown:
  • Abstract: The guide provides a clear definition and outlines its essential "Parts of an Abstract" (Motivation, Problem statement, Approach, Results, Conclusions), which is highly beneficial for crafting this critical summary. The advice on economy of words without sacrificing readability is spot on.
  • Introduction: The two-page limit and the clear breakdown of what to include (importance, rationale, hypothesis, experimental design) are very practical. The advice on tense usage and precise hypothesis statement is also key.
  • Figures and Tables: Clear instructions on placement options, numbering, captioning/titling, and the critical requirement for them to "stand on its own" are highly valuable for visual data presentation.
  • Conclusion: The definition of a conclusion as a "review of the main findings" for "busy readers" is insightful. The practical tips on summarizing findings, linking to recommendations, and avoiding unrelated content are very helpful.
• Focus on Content Clarity: The "Be Clear with the content of the Report" section, although slightly confusingly titled (as it mixes structure with content points), provides a useful checklist of elements expected in a report.

Areas for Minor Improvement:

• Organization and Flow: The flow of the document could be improved. After the initial definition, the "Mistakes to avoid" section appears before the detailed breakdown of report sections, which might feel slightly out of order. Grouping all "general writing tips" together, and then all "section-specific content" details, might enhance readability.
• Redundancy/Repetition: Some points, like the importance of clarity or conciseness, are reiterated across different sections (e.g., in "Mistakes to avoid" and "Abstract"). While reinforcement can be good, it could sometimes be streamlined.
• "Report Content" Section: The "Report Content" bulleted list is a bit generic and overlaps with other sections. For instance, "Introduction Section 1 -When the data was collected" or "Introduction Section 3 -Your ideas about the reasons for the things you discovered" are aspects covered in the more detailed "Introduction" guidelines. This section could either be removed or more clearly integrated into the overall structure.
• Grammar and Phrasing: There are a few minor grammatical errors, particularly the initial sentence "Different situation arise in the life of students where they feel the need of real guidance, assistance and reliable support, and this is most felt at the time of writing reports/research reports!" which has a missing 's' on 'situations' and could be phrased more smoothly. Also, "Submitting a paper with pages out of order" should probably be "Submitting a paper with pages out of sequence."

Overall:

This is a highly useful and comprehensive instructional guide for writing reports and research papers. Its strength lies in its detailed, practical advice across various aspects of the writing process, from technical formatting to content development for specific sections. Despite minor organizational and grammatical quirks, it serves as an excellent resource for students seeking to master the art of academic and formal report writing.