Report Writing Checklist

Structure Comment
Title page
Is the Title informative about the focus and nature of the report?
Should have Title, Name of Author, authors affiliation, purpose of
report(e.g. report submitted in partial fulfilment of the
reuirements for course !!"## $rofessional %ommunication&',
month, (ear.. This information should be laid out neatl( on this
$age.
Ac)no*ledgements (+ptional'
+n a ne* page about the persons from *hom (ou ma( have
received help *hen investigating or *riting the report.
Table of contents
,ist of all #
st
level, -
nd
level and "
rd
level headings giving page
numbers of *hen the( first occur. The headings should be e.actl(
as in the bod( of the report. Include full titles of appendices if an(.
$age Numbering
/ront matter is numbered I, ii, iii, iv
/rom Introduction pages are numbered #, -, ", 0, etc
,ist of figures, tables or illustrations
(+ptional'
If there are man( figures and tables list their numbers, captions,
and pages *here the( occur.
Abstract
123-22 *ords long. Should highlight the report findings and
conclusions. Should be able to be understood if it stood on its o*n
*ithout the rest of the report.
4lossar( (+ptional'
,ist of speciali5ed terms, abbreviations used in the report *ith brief
meanings. ,ist them alphabeticall(.
Introduction
6ere give (our terms of reference (ob7ective of stud(', outline
method of investigation used to collect data. 4ive bac)ground (if
not an(*here else in the report' and introduce the report, e.plain
the focus (scope' and limits (if an(' in its coverage. 8o not present
conclusions here.
9od(
:esults
/indings
8iscussion
Should have informative headings for its sections (#
st
level', sub3
sections (-
nd
level' and sub3sub3sections ("
rd
level'.
Should present the findings clearl(, coherentl( (logicall('.
!ach section should be introduced and connect to the ne.t section.
Should properl( cite (*ith numbers in suare brac)ets ; I!!!
st(le' sources of information.
<ording ta)en directl( from a source should be enclosed *ithin
uotation mar)s.
/igures and Tables
Should be clearl( labelled. Should have a number and a
descriptive caption (above for Tables and belo* for figures.
/oot notes ma( be used to e.plain an( variables of terms not
familiar and source of the figure or table should be cited if it is
borro*ed or ta)en from some*here else.
All figures and tables should be referred to before the( occur in the
report and their significance discussed in the te.t.
%onclusion
Should summari5e important findings of the report and their
significance. Should sho* ho* the ob7ectives (terms of reference'
have been met.
=a( also have recommendations if these are not in a separate
section
:ecommendations (+ptional'
4ive these if the nature of (our report reuires them
Appendices (+ptional'
4ive an( material relevant but *hich *ould be distracting the
reader if put in the bod( of the report.
,ist of :eferences
4ive a list using the I!!! St(le of referencing give enough
information for a reader *ho *ould li)e the access the same
sources (ou have cited in (our te.t.
Editing Checks
$aragraphing
Should be used *hen beginning a ne* subtopic or idea *ithin a
sub3section of sub3sub3section
Sentence structure and grammar
Is 7argon overused?
>se of punctuation
Spelling
%onsistenc( of st(le