Report Objectives and Structures

Objectives in a Report

• Objectives in a report should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART)
• Each objective in a report should guide the reader through the problem statement, research question, or hypothesis

Writing Objectives for a Report

• Use action-oriented verbs (e.g., analyze, describe, identify, evaluate) when writing objectives for a report
• Begin objectives with words like "To", "Identify", "Analyze", "Examine", or "Evaluate"

Including Conditions in Objectives

• Including conditions (e.g., time, resources, scope) in writing objectives for a report helps to clarify the scope and limitations of the study

Criterion in Objectives

• The criterion in writing objectives for a report indicates the standards or benchmarks against which performance or achievement will be measured

Report vs. Essay

• The key difference between an essay and a report is that a report typically involves collecting and analyzing data, whereas an essay is a more general discussion of a topic

Introduction in a Report

• The purpose of the Introduction in a report is to provide background information, context, and significance of the study, as well as a clear statement of the problem or research question

Findings and Results in a Report

• The Findings and Results in a report refer to the presentation of the data collected and analyzed during the study

Discussion in a Report

• The main purpose of the Discussion in a report is to interpret the findings, relate them to the broader literature, and draw conclusions based on the results

Conclusions and Recommendations in a Report

• Conclusions and Recommendations in a report should logically follow from the findings and discussion, and provide a clear summary of the main results and implications

Methodology in a Report

• The section of a report that contains how the research was conducted and the methods used is typically called the Methodology or Methods section

Title Page in a Report

• The Title page of a report typically contains essential information such as the title, author's name, institution, and date

Learn about the objectives and structures of various kinds of reports. Understand how to describe, determine the characteristics of, and write properly structured objectives in a report.