Report Writing

Identifying your purpose

It is important that you have a clear understanding of the nature and purpose of your report as there will be slightly different expectations depending on the type of report that you are writing. This section of this guide is appropriate for:

• Lab Reports - often associated with the natural and social sciences. These reports are based in empirical investigation and dry to draw conclusions that help to advance our understanding of the natural and social world.
• Field Reports - compare observations of phenomena or events to established academic theory. These reports are often conducted by those working in areas such as healthcare and education, and may be used to inform recommendations for professional practice.
• Technical Reports - often written as a response to a problem or case study. They are commonly found in disciplines such as engineering and business and are formatted as they would be in an industry setting.

See the separate section in this guide for other types of reports for business or creative disciplines.
You may also be interested in our separate guide on Dissertations and Research Projects.