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How to Write a Report

Last Updated: March 15, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Emily Listmann, MA and by wikiHow staff writer, Amy Bobinger . Emily Listmann is a private tutor in San Carlos, California. She has worked as a Social Studies Teacher, Curriculum Coordinator, and an SAT Prep Teacher. She received her MA in Education from the Stanford Graduate School of Education in 2014. There are 22 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 8,729,639 times.

When you’re assigned to write a report, it can seem like an intimidating process. Fortunately, if you pay close attention to the report prompt, choose a subject you like, and give yourself plenty of time to research your topic, you might actually find that it’s not so bad. After you gather your research and organize it into an outline, all that’s left is to write out your paragraphs and proofread your paper before you hand it in!

Easy Steps to Write a Report

  • Choose an interesting topic and narrow it down to a specific idea.
  • Take notes as you research your topic. Come up with a thesis, or main theme of your report, based on your research.
  • Outline the main ideas you’ll cover in your report. Then, write the first draft.

Sample Reports

assignment report requirements

Selecting Your Topic

Step 1 Read the report prompt or guidelines carefully.

  • The guidelines will also typically tell you the requirements for the structure and format of your report.
  • If you have any questions about the assignment, speak up as soon as possible. That way, you don’t start working on the report, only to find out you have to start over because you misunderstood the report prompt.

Step 2 Choose a topic

  • For instance, if your report is supposed to be on a historical figure, you might choose someone you find really interesting, like the first woman to be governor of a state in the U.S., or the man who invented Silly Putty.
  • If your report is about information technology , you could gather information about the use of computers to store, retrieve, transmit, and manipulate data or information.
  • Even if you don’t have the option to choose your topic, you can often find something in your research that you find interesting. If your assignment is to give a report on the historical events of the 1960s in America, for example, you could focus your report on the way popular music reflected the events that occurred during that time.

Tip: Always get approval from your teacher or boss on the topic you choose before you start working on the report!

Step 3 Try to pick a topic that is as specific as possible.

  • If you’re not sure what to write about at first, pick a larger topic, then narrow it down as you start researching.
  • For instance, if you wanted to do your report on World Fairs, then you realize that there are way too many of them to talk about, you might choose one specific world fair, such as the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, to focus on.
  • However, you wouldn’t necessarily want to narrow it down to something too specific, like “Food at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition,” since it could be hard to find sources on the subject without just listing a lot of recipes.

Researching the Report

Step 1 Include a variety...

  • If you don’t have guidelines on how many sources to use, try to find 1-2 reputable sources for each page of the report.
  • Sources can be divided into primary sources, like original written works, court records, and interviews, and secondary sources, like reference books and reviews.
  • Databases, abstracts, and indexes are considered tertiary sources, and can be used to help you find primary and secondary sources for your report. [5] X Research source
  • If you’re writing a business report , you may be given some supplementary materials, such as market research or sales reports, or you may need to compile this information yourself. [6] X Research source

Step 2 Visit the library first if you’re writing a report for school.

  • Librarians are an excellent resource when you're working on a report. They can help you find books, articles, and other credible sources.
  • Often, a teacher will limit how many online sources you can use. If you find most of the information you need in the library, you can then use your online sources for details that you couldn’t find anywhere else.

Tip: Writing a report can take longer than you think! Don't put off your research until the last minute , or it will be obvious that you didn't put much effort into the assignment.

Step 3 Use only scholarly sources if you do online research.

  • Examples of authoritative online sources include government websites, articles written by known experts, and publications in peer-reviewed journals that have been published online.

Step 4 Cross-reference your sources to find new material.

  • If you’re using a book as one of your sources, check the very back few pages. That’s often where an author will list the sources they used for their book.

Step 5 Keep thorough notes...

  • Remember to number each page of your notes, so you don’t get confused later about what information came from which source!
  • Remember, you’ll need to cite any information that you use in your report; however, exactly how you do this will depend on the format that was assigned to you.

Step 6 Use your research...

  • For most reports, your thesis statement should not contain your own opinions. However, if you're writing a persuasive report, the thesis should contain an argument that you will have to prove in the body of the essay.
  • An example of a straightforward report thesis (Thesis 1) would be: “The three main halls of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition were filled with modern creations of the day and were an excellent representation of the innovative spirit of the Progressive era.”
  • A thesis for a persuasive report (Thesis 2) might say: “The Panama-Pacific International Exposition was intended as a celebration of the Progressive spirit, but actually harbored a deep racism and principle of white supremacy that most visitors chose to ignore or celebrate.”

Step 7 Organize your notes...

  • The purpose of an outline is to help you to visualize how your essay will look. You can create a straightforward list or make a concept map , depending on what makes the most sense to you.
  • Try to organize the information from your notes so it flows together logically. For instance, it can be helpful to try to group together related items, like important events from a person’s childhood, education, and career, if you’re writing a biographical report.
  • Example main ideas for Thesis 1: Exhibits at the Court of the Universe, Exhibits at the Court of the Four Seasons, Exhibits at the Court of Abundance.

Tip: It can help to create your outline on a computer in case you change your mind as you’re moving information around.

Writing the First Draft

Step 1 Format the report according to the guidelines you were given.

  • Try to follow any formatting instructions to the letter. If there aren't any, opt for something classic, like 12-point Times New Roman or Arial font, double-spaced lines, and 1 in (2.5 cm) margins all around.
  • You'll usually need to include a bibliography at the end of the report that lists any sources you used. You may also need a title page , which should include the title of the report, your name, the date, and the person who requested the report.
  • For some types of reports, you may also need to include a table of contents and an abstract or summary that briefly sums up what you’ve written. It’s typically easier to write these after you’ve finished your first draft. [14] X Research source

Step 2 State your thesis...

  • Example Intro for Thesis 1: “The Panama-Pacific International Exposition (PPIE) of 1915 was intended to celebrate both the creation of the Panama Canal, and the technological advancements achieved at the turn of the century. The three main halls of the PPIE were filled with modern creations of the day and were an excellent representation of the innovative spirit of the Progressive era.”

Step 3 Start each paragraph in the body of the report with a topic sentence.

  • Typically, you should present the most important or compelling information first.
  • Example topic sentence for Thesis 1: At the PPIE, the Court of the Universe was the heart of the exposition and represented the greatest achievements of man, as well as the meeting of the East and the West.

Tip: Assume that your reader knows little to nothing about the subject. Support your facts with plenty of details and include definitions if you use technical terms or jargon in the paper.

Step 4 Support each topic sentence with evidence from your research.

  • Paraphrasing means restating the original author's ideas in your own words. On the other hand, a direct quote means using the exact words from the original source in quotation marks, with the author cited.
  • For the topic sentence listed above about the Court of the Universe, the body paragraph should go on to list the different exhibits found at the exhibit, as well as proving how the Court represented the meeting of the East and West.
  • Use your sources to support your topic, but don't plagiarize . Always restate the information in your own words. In most cases, you'll get in serious trouble if you just copy from your sources word-for-word. Also, be sure to cite each source as you use it, according to the formatting guidelines you were given. [18] X Research source

Step 5 Follow your evidence with commentary explaining why it links to your thesis.

  • Your commentary needs to be at least 1-2 sentences long. For a longer report, you may write more sentences for each piece of commentary.

Step 6 Summarize your research...

  • Avoid presenting any new information in the conclusion. You don’t want this to be a “Gotcha!” moment. Instead, it should be a strong summary of everything you’ve already told the reader.

Revising Your Report

Step 1 Scan the report to make sure everything is included and makes sense.

  • A good question to ask yourself is, “If I were someone reading this report for the first time, would I feel like I understood the topic after I finished reading?

Tip: If you have time before the deadline, set the report aside for a few days . Then, come back and read it again. This can help you catch errors you might otherwise have missed.

Step 2 Check carefully for proofreading errors.

  • Try reading the report to yourself out loud. Hearing the words can help you catch awkward language or run-on sentences you might not catch by reading it silently.

Step 3 Read each sentence from the end to the beginning.

  • This is a great trick to find spelling errors or grammatical mistakes that your eye would otherwise just scan over.

Step 4 Have someone else proofread it for you.

  • Ask your helper questions like, “Do you understand what I am saying in my report?” “Is there anything you think I should take out or add?” And “Is there anything you would change?”

Step 5 Compare your report to the assignment requirements to ensure it meets expectations.

  • If you have any questions about the assignment requirements, ask your instructor. It's important to know how they'll be grading your assignment.

Expert Q&A

Emily Listmann, MA

You Might Also Like

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  • ↑ https://libguides.reading.ac.uk/reports/writing-up
  • ↑ https://emory.libanswers.com/faq/44525
  • ↑ https://opentextbc.ca/writingforsuccess/chapter/chapter-7-sources-choosing-the-right-ones/
  • ↑ https://libguides.merrimack.edu/research_help/Sources
  • ↑ https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/1779625/VBS-Report-Writing-Guide-2017.pdf
  • ↑ https://www.library.illinois.edu/hpnl/tutorials/primary-sources/
  • ↑ https://libguides.scu.edu.au/harvard/secondary-sources
  • ↑ https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/taking-notes-while-reading/
  • ↑ https://wts.indiana.edu/writing-guides/how-to-write-a-thesis-statement.html
  • ↑ https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/outline
  • ↑ https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/engl250oer/chapter/10-4-table-of-contents/
  • ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/thesis-statements/
  • ↑ https://www.yourdictionary.com/articles/report-writing-format
  • ↑ https://www.monash.edu/rlo/assignment-samples/assignment-types/writing-an-essay/writing-body-paragraphs
  • ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/5-most-effective-methods-for-avoiding-plagiarism/
  • ↑ https://wts.indiana.edu/writing-guides/using-evidence.html
  • ↑ https://www.student.unsw.edu.au/writing-report
  • ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/revising-drafts/
  • ↑ https://writing.wisc.edu/handbook/grammarpunct/proofreading/
  • ↑ https://opentextbc.ca/writingforsuccess/chapter/chapter-12-peer-review-and-final-revisions/
  • ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/

About This Article

Emily Listmann, MA

It can seem really hard to write a report, but it will be easier if you choose an original topic that you're passionate about. Once you've got your topic, do some research on it at the library and online, using reputable sources like encyclopedias, scholarly journals, and government websites. Use your research write a thesis statement that sums up the focus of your paper, then organize your notes into an outline that supports that thesis statement. Finally, expand that outline into paragraph form. Read on for tips from our Education co-author on how to format your report! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Write a Report for an Assignment: Your Complete Guide

assignment report requirements

What Is a Report?

How should you structure a report, how to write a report: 7 steps to follow, in conclusion.

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So, you’re tasked with writing a report. While it may seem like a cakewalk, it’s anything but. It requires strong research, analysis, and academic writing skills.

That said, don’t let this assignment intimidate you. With a good guide and some practice, you can ace this assignment. In any case, you can always count on our online assignment writing service to help you with any request.

While it’s up to you to develop your report-writing skills, we can help you out with this comprehensive guide on how to write a report. Below you’ll find everything you need to craft an A-worthy report yourself:

  • What a report is and how it’s different from other assignments;
  • A typical structure for this type of paper;
  • A step-by-step guide on writing one from scratch.

assignment report requirements

The purpose of a report is to recapitulate factual knowledge on a specific topic, usually without giving your opinion on it. That’s what sets it apart from essays, where you have to include your standpoint on the topic.

Academic reports come in many flavors. The most common of them include:

  • Informational reports focus on explaining a particular topic through facts in an organized, impersonal, and objective way.
  • Case studies describe a particular event, person, organization, or phenomenon that serves as an example for a wider research problem.
  • Book reports summarize a work of fiction or non-fiction and sometimes contain an evaluation part.
  • History reports describe a historical event or period, its causes, and consequences, all while relying on facts.
  • Research reports focus on the research conducted by the author, from the methodology to the study’s undergoing and conclusions.

Most reports have to include these nine elements:

  • Title page . It should contain your name, class or course, instructor’s name, the educational establishment’s name, and the paper’s title.
  • Executive summary . Think of it as an abstract for your work – it sums up your paper in one paragraph.
  • Table of contents . Typically used for long reports, it helps readers quickly find this or that section of the paper.
  • Glossary . If your work includes abbreviations, symbols, or niche terms, you can decipher them in this section.
  • Introduction . This paragraph is where you present your topic and give some background information that your readers should be aware of. You should also clearly formulate your thesis statement and describe how you’ll approach your topic.
  • Main body . The longest part of the paper, the main body, is the part where you describe all the facts you’ve discovered during research.
  • Conclusion . It’s the part where you sum up all the information you presented in the main body. You may also express your interpretation or opinion here (if allowed).
  • References . This is the list of all sources you cite in the paper, formatted according to the style you have to use.
  • Appendices . It’s the section with all graphs, tables with data, or illustrations you referenced in the main body.

Typically, you should also include the following elements throughout your paper:

  • Page numbering;
  • Headings and subheadings;

Keep in mind: this is a general structure. Before you use it, consult your assignment and see if any instructions there contradict it.

Plus, some elements are defined by the format of writing assignment you’re required to use. For example, the title page is obligatory for APA papers, while it’s optional for Chicago and MLA formats. Page numbering and citation requirements will also differ across styles.

So, you’ve received your assignment, and you’re ready to start working on it. How should you approach it? Follow these seven steps toward a five-star report.

1. Choose Your Topic

If it hasn’t been assigned to you already, you need to choose the topic of your report yourself. Be mindful: your choice can make or break the quality of your paper. For example, if you pick a topic that’s too niche or complex, you may not have enough reliable sources to include in the paper.

But what makes a topic good for writing a report? Here are three questions to ask yourself:

  • Is there enough information on this topic?
  • Does it spark interest in you?
  • Is it original and specific enough?

If you get “yes” for all three questions, this topic can be a good pick for your assignment.

2. Do Your Research

Now that you have your topic, it’s time to gather all the sources for your work. Here are a few tips on doing research for this and any other academic paper:

  • Check out similar reports or papers – you can use sources provided there, too;
  • Take notes for every source you may use later on – you can even start creating an outline right away;
  • Keep in mind that you may have obligatory sources to include – don’t overlook them;
  • Stick to reliable sources only: research papers, official documents, reputable organizations and institutions specializing in the topic, case studies, etc.;
  • When searching online, filter out results by the top-level domain (.edu for educational establishments, for example) and prioritize using Google Scholar.

3. Create an Outline

If you struggle with starting to write and end up staring at a blank screen, making an outline is a time-tested way to overcome writer’s block.

An outline is a rough plan for your paper. It typically consists of preliminary headings and subheadings, along with short descriptions of each section’s content and sources. 

Your outline doesn’t have to be perfect or well-written! It’s just a way to organize your ideas and information you found during the research.

It’s best to start working on your outline the moment you kick off your research. This way, you won’t forget about a great source or point later.

4. Craft Your Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is that one sentence where you describe what your report is all about. But don’t confuse it with the topic – your thesis statement should be more specific than the topic you initially settled on.

Let’s say you initially chose “the impact of social media on mental health” as the topic for your assignment. Once you do your research, you’ll notice plenty of sources highlighting its negative consequences on mental health. This pattern will help you phrase your thesis statement.

For this example, the thesis statement can be, “Although it has the power to connect people around the globe, social media can lead to a decline in self-esteem, fear of missing out, anxiety and depression, and Snapchat dysmorphia.”

5. Write the First Draft

Now, it’s time for the most time-consuming part of the writing process: crafting the first draft. Your outline will help you a great deal, though: all you need to do is expand on it – and you’ll have your first draft.

You don’t have to start writing at the beginning. The introduction is typically the toughest to craft, along with the conclusion. So, just look at your outline and start typing wherever you feel like it.

You also don’t have to work on your draft linearly. Writing one section close to the end and then working on another one at the beginning is completely fine. You can ensure that you don’t repeat yourself and that your paper’s logic holds up later on.

Don’t worry about the quality of your writing at this stage; just keep writing. First drafts are never perfect, but you’ll polish off yours later on.

A Few Words on the Writing Style

When you get to the writing process or want to buy an assignment from professionals, keep in mind: you’re expected to use the academic assignment writing style. This means you should:

  • Be concise and to the point;
  • Avoid using informal words, phrases, and expressions;
  • Remain objective in your writing;
  • Write in the third person.

6. Review & Edit the Draft

Ideally, you should let your first draft sit for a day or two. This way, you can revisit it with a fresh pair of eyes. If that’s not an option, put it away for at least 15 minutes.

When you return to your first draft, it’s time to:

  • Reread your draft – you can do it out loud to catch weird turns of phrases and convoluted sentences;
  • Make your text more concise and simple;
  • Check the text for errors in logic, unsubstantiated claims, and repetitions – and fix those;
  • Proofread your text (you can use tools like Grammarly to make this part easier).

7. Format Your Report

Finally, it’s time to take care of the most boring part: formatting. To ace it, check the formatting style you have to use – and follow it to a T when it comes to:

  • References list;
  • Title page;
  • Headers and footers;
  • Appendices.

assignment report requirements

Writing a report is hardly a cakewalk. But it’s not impossible, either! All you need to do is set aside enough time for this assignment, do thorough research – and forget about writing a perfect draft on the first try. You should also stick to being objective and factual in your paper (otherwise, it won’t be a report, right?). By the way, we can now help you to do my assignment on any topic! So the report can now be available in two languages from our team. Good luck!

assignment report requirements

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8.5 Writing Process: Creating an Analytical Report

Learning outcomes.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

  • Identify the elements of the rhetorical situation for your report.
  • Find and focus a topic to write about.
  • Gather and analyze information from appropriate sources.
  • Distinguish among different kinds of evidence.
  • Draft a thesis and create an organizational plan.
  • Compose a report that develops ideas and integrates evidence from sources.
  • Give and act on productive feedback to works in progress.

You might think that writing comes easily to experienced writers—that they draft stories and college papers all at once, sitting down at the computer and having sentences flow from their fingers like water from a faucet. In reality, most writers engage in a recursive process, pushing forward, stepping back, and repeating steps multiple times as their ideas develop and change. In broad strokes, the steps most writers go through are these:

  • Planning and Organization . You will have an easier time drafting if you devote time at the beginning to consider the rhetorical situation for your report, understand your assignment, gather ideas and information, draft a thesis statement, and create an organizational plan.
  • Drafting . When you have an idea of what you want to say and the order in which you want to say it, you’re ready to draft. As much as possible, keep going until you have a complete first draft of your report, resisting the urge to go back and rewrite. Save that for after you have completed a first draft.
  • Review . Now is the time to get feedback from others, whether from your instructor, your classmates, a tutor in the writing center, your roommate, someone in your family, or someone else you trust to read your writing critically and give you honest feedback.
  • Revising . With feedback on your draft, you are ready to revise. You may need to return to an earlier step and make large-scale revisions that involve planning, organizing, and rewriting, or you may need to work mostly on ensuring that your sentences are clear and correct.

Considering the Rhetorical Situation

Like other kinds of writing projects, a report starts with assessing the rhetorical situation —the circumstance in which a writer communicates with an audience of readers about a subject. As the writer of a report, you make choices based on the purpose of your writing, the audience who will read it, the genre of the report, and the expectations of the community and culture in which you are working. A graphic organizer like Table 8.1 can help you begin.

Summary of Assignment

Write an analytical report on a topic that interests you and that you want to know more about. The topic can be contemporary or historical, but it must be one that you can analyze and support with evidence from sources.

The following questions can help you think about a topic suitable for analysis:

  • Why or how did ________ happen?
  • What are the results or effects of ________?
  • Is ________ a problem? If so, why?
  • What are examples of ________ or reasons for ________?
  • How does ________ compare to or contrast with other issues, concerns, or things?

Consult and cite three to five reliable sources. The sources do not have to be scholarly for this assignment, but they must be credible, trustworthy, and unbiased. Possible sources include academic journals, newspapers, magazines, reputable websites, government publications or agency websites, and visual sources such as TED Talks. You may also use the results of an experiment or survey, and you may want to conduct interviews.

Consider whether visuals and media will enhance your report. Can you present data you collect visually? Would a map, photograph, chart, or other graphic provide interesting and relevant support? Would video or audio allow you to present evidence that you would otherwise need to describe in words?

Another Lens. To gain another analytic view on the topic of your report, consider different people affected by it. Say, for example, that you have decided to report on recent high school graduates and the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the final months of their senior year. If you are a recent high school graduate, you might naturally gravitate toward writing about yourself and your peers. But you might also consider the adults in the lives of recent high school graduates—for example, teachers, parents, or grandparents—and how they view the same period. Or you might consider the same topic from the perspective of a college admissions department looking at their incoming freshman class.

Quick Launch: Finding and Focusing a Topic

Coming up with a topic for a report can be daunting because you can report on nearly anything. The topic can easily get too broad, trapping you in the realm of generalizations. The trick is to find a topic that interests you and focus on an angle you can analyze in order to say something significant about it. You can use a graphic organizer to generate ideas, or you can use a concept map similar to the one featured in Writing Process: Thinking Critically About a “Text.”

Asking the Journalist’s Questions

One way to generate ideas about a topic is to ask the five W (and one H) questions, also called the journalist’s questions : Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? Try answering the following questions to explore a topic:

Who was or is involved in ________?

What happened/is happening with ________? What were/are the results of ________?

When did ________ happen? Is ________ happening now?

Where did ________ happen, or where is ________ happening?

Why did ________ happen, or why is ________ happening now?

How did ________ happen?

For example, imagine that you have decided to write your analytical report on the effect of the COVID-19 shutdown on high-school students by interviewing students on your college campus. Your questions and answers might look something like those in Table 8.2 :

Asking Focused Questions

Another way to find a topic is to ask focused questions about it. For example, you might ask the following questions about the effect of the 2020 pandemic shutdown on recent high school graduates:

  • How did the shutdown change students’ feelings about their senior year?
  • How did the shutdown affect their decisions about post-graduation plans, such as work or going to college?
  • How did the shutdown affect their academic performance in high school or in college?
  • How did/do they feel about continuing their education?
  • How did the shutdown affect their social relationships?

Any of these questions might be developed into a thesis for an analytical report. Table 8.3 shows more examples of broad topics and focusing questions.

Gathering Information

Because they are based on information and evidence, most analytical reports require you to do at least some research. Depending on your assignment, you may be able to find reliable information online, or you may need to do primary research by conducting an experiment, a survey, or interviews. For example, if you live among students in their late teens and early twenties, consider what they can tell you about their lives that you might be able to analyze. Returning to or graduating from high school, starting college, or returning to college in the midst of a global pandemic has provided them, for better or worse, with educational and social experiences that are shared widely by people their age and very different from the experiences older adults had at the same age.

Some report assignments will require you to do formal research, an activity that involves finding sources and evaluating them for reliability, reading them carefully, taking notes, and citing all words you quote and ideas you borrow. See Research Process: Accessing and Recording Information and Annotated Bibliography: Gathering, Evaluating, and Documenting Sources for detailed instruction on conducting research.

Whether you conduct in-depth research or not, keep track of the ideas that come to you and the information you learn. You can write or dictate notes using an app on your phone or computer, or you can jot notes in a journal if you prefer pen and paper. Then, when you are ready to begin organizing your report, you will have a record of your thoughts and information. Always track the sources of information you gather, whether from printed or digital material or from a person you interviewed, so that you can return to the sources if you need more information. And always credit the sources in your report.

Kinds of Evidence

Depending on your assignment and the topic of your report, certain kinds of evidence may be more effective than others. Other kinds of evidence may even be required. As a general rule, choose evidence that is rooted in verifiable facts and experience. In addition, select the evidence that best supports the topic and your approach to the topic, be sure the evidence meets your instructor’s requirements, and cite any evidence you use that comes from a source. The following list contains different kinds of frequently used evidence and an example of each.

Definition : An explanation of a key word, idea, or concept.

The U.S. Census Bureau refers to a “young adult” as a person between 18 and 34 years old.

Example : An illustration of an idea or concept.

The college experience in the fall of 2020 was starkly different from that of previous years. Students who lived in residence halls were assigned to small pods. On-campus dining services were limited. Classes were small and physically distanced or conducted online. Parties were banned.

Expert opinion : A statement by a professional in the field whose opinion is respected.

According to Louise Aronson, MD, geriatrician and author of Elderhood , people over the age of 65 are the happiest of any age group, reporting “less stress, depression, worry, and anger, and more enjoyment, happiness, and satisfaction” (255).

Fact : Information that can be proven correct or accurate.

According to data collected by the NCAA, the academic success of Division I college athletes between 2015 and 2019 was consistently high (Hosick).

Interview : An in-person, phone, or remote conversation that involves an interviewer posing questions to another person or people.

During our interview, I asked Betty about living without a cell phone during the pandemic. She said that before the pandemic, she hadn’t needed a cell phone in her daily activities, but she soon realized that she, and people like her, were increasingly at a disadvantage.

Quotation : The exact words of an author or a speaker.

In response to whether she thought she needed a cell phone, Betty said, “I got along just fine without a cell phone when I could go everywhere in person. The shift to needing a phone came suddenly, and I don’t have extra money in my budget to get one.”

Statistics : A numerical fact or item of data.

The Pew Research Center reported that approximately 25 percent of Hispanic Americans and 17 percent of Black Americans relied on smartphones for online access, compared with 12 percent of White people.

Survey : A structured interview in which respondents (the people who answer the survey questions) are all asked the same questions, either in person or through print or electronic means, and their answers tabulated and interpreted. Surveys discover attitudes, beliefs, or habits of the general public or segments of the population.

A survey of 3,000 mobile phone users in October 2020 showed that 54 percent of respondents used their phones for messaging, while 40 percent used their phones for calls (Steele).

  • Visuals : Graphs, figures, tables, photographs and other images, diagrams, charts, maps, videos, and audio recordings, among others.

Thesis and Organization

Drafting a thesis.

When you have a grasp of your topic, move on to the next phase: drafting a thesis. The thesis is the central idea that you will explore and support in your report; all paragraphs in your report should relate to it. In an essay-style analytical report, you will likely express this main idea in a thesis statement of one or two sentences toward the end of the introduction.

For example, if you found that the academic performance of student athletes was higher than that of non-athletes, you might write the following thesis statement:

student sample text Although a common stereotype is that college athletes barely pass their classes, an analysis of athletes’ academic performance indicates that athletes drop fewer classes, earn higher grades, and are more likely to be on track to graduate in four years when compared with their non-athlete peers. end student sample text

The thesis statement often previews the organization of your writing. For example, in his report on the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Trevor Garcia wrote the following thesis statement, which detailed the central idea of his report:

student sample text An examination of the U.S. response shows that a reduction of experts in key positions and programs, inaction that led to equipment shortages, and inconsistent policies were three major causes of the spread of the virus and the resulting deaths. end student sample text

After you draft a thesis statement, ask these questions, and examine your thesis as you answer them. Revise your draft as needed.

  • Is it interesting? A thesis for a report should answer a question that is worth asking and piques curiosity.
  • Is it precise and specific? If you are interested in reducing pollution in a nearby lake, explain how to stop the zebra mussel infestation or reduce the frequent algae blooms.
  • Is it manageable? Try to split the difference between having too much information and not having enough.

Organizing Your Ideas

As a next step, organize the points you want to make in your report and the evidence to support them. Use an outline, a diagram, or another organizational tool, such as Table 8.4 .

Drafting an Analytical Report

With a tentative thesis, an organization plan, and evidence, you are ready to begin drafting. For this assignment, you will report information, analyze it, and draw conclusions about the cause of something, the effect of something, or the similarities and differences between two different things.

Introduction

Some students write the introduction first; others save it for last. Whenever you choose to write the introduction, use it to draw readers into your report. Make the topic of your report clear, and be concise and sincere. End the introduction with your thesis statement. Depending on your topic and the type of report, you can write an effective introduction in several ways. Opening a report with an overview is a tried-and-true strategy, as shown in the following example on the U.S. response to COVID-19 by Trevor Garcia. Notice how he opens the introduction with statistics and a comparison and follows it with a question that leads to the thesis statement (underlined).

student sample text With more than 83 million cases and 1.8 million deaths at the end of 2020, COVID-19 has turned the world upside down. By the end of 2020, the United States led the world in the number of cases, at more than 20 million infections and nearly 350,000 deaths. In comparison, the second-highest number of cases was in India, which at the end of 2020 had less than half the number of COVID-19 cases despite having a population four times greater than the U.S. (“COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic,” 2021). How did the United States come to have the world’s worst record in this pandemic? underline An examination of the U.S. response shows that a reduction of experts in key positions and programs, inaction that led to equipment shortages, and inconsistent policies were three major causes of the spread of the virus and the resulting deaths end underline . end student sample text

For a less formal report, you might want to open with a question, quotation, or brief story. The following example opens with an anecdote that leads to the thesis statement (underlined).

student sample text Betty stood outside the salon, wondering how to get in. It was June of 2020, and the door was locked. A sign posted on the door provided a phone number for her to call to be let in, but at 81, Betty had lived her life without a cell phone. Betty’s day-to-day life had been hard during the pandemic, but she had planned for this haircut and was looking forward to it; she had a mask on and hand sanitizer in her car. Now she couldn’t get in the door, and she was discouraged. In that moment, Betty realized how much Americans’ dependence on cell phones had grown in the months since the pandemic began. underline Betty and thousands of other senior citizens who could not afford cell phones or did not have the technological skills and support they needed were being left behind in a society that was increasingly reliant on technology end underline . end student sample text

Body Paragraphs: Point, Evidence, Analysis

Use the body paragraphs of your report to present evidence that supports your thesis. A reliable pattern to keep in mind for developing the body paragraphs of a report is point , evidence , and analysis :

  • The point is the central idea of the paragraph, usually given in a topic sentence stated in your own words at or toward the beginning of the paragraph. Each topic sentence should relate to the thesis.
  • The evidence you provide develops the paragraph and supports the point made in the topic sentence. Include details, examples, quotations, paraphrases, and summaries from sources if you conducted formal research. Synthesize the evidence you include by showing in your sentences the connections between sources.
  • The analysis comes at the end of the paragraph. In your own words, draw a conclusion about the evidence you have provided and how it relates to the topic sentence.

The paragraph below illustrates the point, evidence, and analysis pattern. Drawn from a report about concussions among football players, the paragraph opens with a topic sentence about the NCAA and NFL and their responses to studies about concussions. The paragraph is developed with evidence from three sources. It concludes with a statement about helmets and players’ safety.

student sample text The NCAA and NFL have taken steps forward and backward to respond to studies about the danger of concussions among players. Responding to the deaths of athletes, documented brain damage, lawsuits, and public outcry (Buckley et al., 2017), the NCAA instituted protocols to reduce potentially dangerous hits during football games and to diagnose traumatic head injuries more quickly and effectively. Still, it has allowed players to wear more than one style of helmet during a season, raising the risk of injury because of imperfect fit. At the professional level, the NFL developed a helmet-rating system in 2011 in an effort to reduce concussions, but it continued to allow players to wear helmets with a wide range of safety ratings. The NFL’s decision created an opportunity for researchers to look at the relationship between helmet safety ratings and concussions. Cocello et al. (2016) reported that players who wore helmets with a lower safety rating had more concussions than players who wore helmets with a higher safety rating, and they concluded that safer helmets are a key factor in reducing concussions. end student sample text

Developing Paragraph Content

In the body paragraphs of your report, you will likely use examples, draw comparisons, show contrasts, or analyze causes and effects to develop your topic.

Paragraphs developed with Example are common in reports. The paragraph below, adapted from a report by student John Zwick on the mental health of soldiers deployed during wartime, draws examples from three sources.

student sample text Throughout the Vietnam War, military leaders claimed that the mental health of soldiers was stable and that men who suffered from combat fatigue, now known as PTSD, were getting the help they needed. For example, the New York Times (1966) quoted military leaders who claimed that mental fatigue among enlisted men had “virtually ceased to be a problem,” occurring at a rate far below that of World War II. Ayres (1969) reported that Brigadier General Spurgeon Neel, chief American medical officer in Vietnam, explained that soldiers experiencing combat fatigue were admitted to the psychiatric ward, sedated for up to 36 hours, and given a counseling session with a doctor who reassured them that the rest was well deserved and that they were ready to return to their units. Although experts outside the military saw profound damage to soldiers’ psyches when they returned home (Halloran, 1970), the military stayed the course, treating acute cases expediently and showing little concern for the cumulative effect of combat stress on individual soldiers. end student sample text

When you analyze causes and effects , you explain the reasons that certain things happened and/or their results. The report by Trevor Garcia on the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 is an example: his report examines the reasons the United States failed to control the coronavirus. The paragraph below, adapted from another student’s report written for an environmental policy course, explains the effect of white settlers’ views of forest management on New England.

student sample text The early colonists’ European ideas about forest management dramatically changed the New England landscape. White settlers saw the New World as virgin, unused land, even though indigenous people had been drawing on its resources for generations by using fire subtly to improve hunting, employing construction techniques that left ancient trees intact, and farming small, efficient fields that left the surrounding landscape largely unaltered. White settlers’ desire to develop wood-built and wood-burning homesteads surrounded by large farm fields led to forestry practices and techniques that resulted in the removal of old-growth trees. These practices defined the way the forests look today. end student sample text

Compare and contrast paragraphs are useful when you wish to examine similarities and differences. You can use both comparison and contrast in a single paragraph, or you can use one or the other. The paragraph below, adapted from a student report on the rise of populist politicians, compares the rhetorical styles of populist politicians Huey Long and Donald Trump.

student sample text A key similarity among populist politicians is their rejection of carefully crafted sound bites and erudite vocabulary typically associated with candidates for high office. Huey Long and Donald Trump are two examples. When he ran for president, Long captured attention through his wild gesticulations on almost every word, dramatically varying volume, and heavily accented, folksy expressions, such as “The only way to be able to feed the balance of the people is to make that man come back and bring back some of that grub that he ain’t got no business with!” In addition, Long’s down-home persona made him a credible voice to represent the common people against the country’s rich, and his buffoonish style allowed him to express his radical ideas without sounding anti-communist alarm bells. Similarly, Donald Trump chose to speak informally in his campaign appearances, but the persona he projected was that of a fast-talking, domineering salesman. His frequent use of personal anecdotes, rhetorical questions, brief asides, jokes, personal attacks, and false claims made his speeches disjointed, but they gave the feeling of a running conversation between him and his audience. For example, in a 2015 speech, Trump said, “They just built a hotel in Syria. Can you believe this? They built a hotel. When I have to build a hotel, I pay interest. They don’t have to pay interest, because they took the oil that, when we left Iraq, I said we should’ve taken” (“Our Country Needs” 2020). While very different in substance, Long and Trump adopted similar styles that positioned them as the antithesis of typical politicians and their worldviews. end student sample text

The conclusion should draw the threads of your report together and make its significance clear to readers. You may wish to review the introduction, restate the thesis, recommend a course of action, point to the future, or use some combination of these. Whichever way you approach it, the conclusion should not head in a new direction. The following example is the conclusion from a student’s report on the effect of a book about environmental movements in the United States.

student sample text Since its publication in 1949, environmental activists of various movements have found wisdom and inspiration in Aldo Leopold’s A Sand County Almanac . These audiences included Leopold’s conservationist contemporaries, environmentalists of the 1960s and 1970s, and the environmental justice activists who rose in the 1980s and continue to make their voices heard today. These audiences have read the work differently: conservationists looked to the author as a leader, environmentalists applied his wisdom to their movement, and environmental justice advocates have pointed out the flaws in Leopold’s thinking. Even so, like those before them, environmental justice activists recognize the book’s value as a testament to taking the long view and eliminating biases that may cloud an objective assessment of humanity’s interdependent relationship with the environment. end student sample text

Citing Sources

You must cite the sources of information and data included in your report. Citations must appear in both the text and a bibliography at the end of the report.

The sample paragraphs in the previous section include examples of in-text citation using APA documentation style. Trevor Garcia’s report on the U.S. response to COVID-19 in 2020 also uses APA documentation style for citations in the text of the report and the list of references at the end. Your instructor may require another documentation style, such as MLA or Chicago.

Peer Review: Getting Feedback from Readers

You will likely engage in peer review with other students in your class by sharing drafts and providing feedback to help spot strengths and weaknesses in your reports. For peer review within a class, your instructor may provide assignment-specific questions or a form for you to complete as you work together.

If you have a writing center on your campus, it is well worth your time to make an online or in-person appointment with a tutor. You’ll receive valuable feedback and improve your ability to review not only your report but your overall writing.

Another way to receive feedback on your report is to ask a friend or family member to read your draft. Provide a list of questions or a form such as the one in Table 8.5 for them to complete as they read.

Revising: Using Reviewers’ Responses to Revise your Work

When you receive comments from readers, including your instructor, read each comment carefully to understand what is being asked. Try not to get defensive, even though this response is completely natural. Remember that readers are like coaches who want you to succeed. They are looking at your writing from outside your own head, and they can identify strengths and weaknesses that you may not have noticed. Keep track of the strengths and weaknesses your readers point out. Pay special attention to those that more than one reader identifies, and use this information to improve your report and later assignments.

As you analyze each response, be open to suggestions for improvement, and be willing to make significant revisions to improve your writing. Perhaps you need to revise your thesis statement to better reflect the content of your draft. Maybe you need to return to your sources to better understand a point you’re trying to make in order to develop a paragraph more fully. Perhaps you need to rethink the organization, move paragraphs around, and add transition sentences.

Below is an early draft of part of Trevor Garcia’s report with comments from a peer reviewer:

student sample text To truly understand what happened, it’s important first to look back to the years leading up to the pandemic. Epidemiologists and public health officials had long known that a global pandemic was possible. In 2016, the U.S. National Security Council (NSC) published a 69-page document with the intimidating title Playbook for Early Response to High-Consequence Emerging Infectious Disease Threats and Biological Incidents . The document’s two sections address responses to “emerging disease threats that start or are circulating in another country but not yet confirmed within U.S. territorial borders” and to “emerging disease threats within our nation’s borders.” On 13 January 2017, the joint Obama-Trump transition teams performed a pandemic preparedness exercise; however, the playbook was never adopted by the incoming administration. end student sample text

annotated text Peer Review Comment: Do the words in quotation marks need to be a direct quotation? It seems like a paraphrase would work here. end annotated text

annotated text Peer Review Comment: I’m getting lost in the details about the playbook. What’s the Obama-Trump transition team? end annotated text

student sample text In February 2018, the administration began to cut funding for the Prevention and Public Health Fund at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; cuts to other health agencies continued throughout 2018, with funds diverted to unrelated projects such as housing for detained immigrant children. end student sample text

annotated text Peer Review Comment: This paragraph has only one sentence, and it’s more like an example. It needs a topic sentence and more development. end annotated text

student sample text Three months later, Luciana Borio, director of medical and biodefense preparedness at the NSC, spoke at a symposium marking the centennial of the 1918 influenza pandemic. “The threat of pandemic flu is the number one health security concern,” she said. “Are we ready to respond? I fear the answer is no.” end student sample text

annotated text Peer Review Comment: This paragraph is very short and a lot like the previous paragraph in that it’s a single example. It needs a topic sentence. Maybe you can combine them? end annotated text

annotated text Peer Review Comment: Be sure to cite the quotation. end annotated text

Reading these comments and those of others, Trevor decided to combine the three short paragraphs into one paragraph focusing on the fact that the United States knew a pandemic was possible but was unprepared for it. He developed the paragraph, using the short paragraphs as evidence and connecting the sentences and evidence with transitional words and phrases. Finally, he added in-text citations in APA documentation style to credit his sources. The revised paragraph is below:

student sample text Epidemiologists and public health officials in the United States had long known that a global pandemic was possible. In 2016, the National Security Council (NSC) published Playbook for Early Response to High-Consequence Emerging Infectious Disease Threats and Biological Incidents , a 69-page document on responding to diseases spreading within and outside of the United States. On January 13, 2017, the joint transition teams of outgoing president Barack Obama and then president-elect Donald Trump performed a pandemic preparedness exercise based on the playbook; however, it was never adopted by the incoming administration (Goodman & Schulkin, 2020). A year later, in February 2018, the Trump administration began to cut funding for the Prevention and Public Health Fund at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, leaving key positions unfilled. Other individuals who were fired or resigned in 2018 were the homeland security adviser, whose portfolio included global pandemics; the director for medical and biodefense preparedness; and the top official in charge of a pandemic response. None of them were replaced, leaving the White House with no senior person who had experience in public health (Goodman & Schulkin, 2020). Experts voiced concerns, among them Luciana Borio, director of medical and biodefense preparedness at the NSC, who spoke at a symposium marking the centennial of the 1918 influenza pandemic in May 2018: “The threat of pandemic flu is the number one health security concern,” she said. “Are we ready to respond? I fear the answer is no” (Sun, 2018, final para.). end student sample text

A final word on working with reviewers’ comments: as you consider your readers’ suggestions, remember, too, that you remain the author. You are free to disregard suggestions that you think will not improve your writing. If you choose to disregard comments from your instructor, consider submitting a note explaining your reasons with the final draft of your report.

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Some academic assignments ask for a ‘report’, rather than an essay, and students are often confused about what that really means.

Likewise, in business, confronted with a request for a ‘report’ to a senior manager, many people struggle to know what to write.

Confusion often arises about the writing style, what to include, the language to use, the length of the document and other factors.

This page aims to disentangle some of these elements, and provide you with some advice designed to help you to write a good report.

What is a Report?

In academia there is some overlap between reports and essays, and the two words are sometimes used interchangeably, but reports are more likely to be needed for business, scientific and technical subjects, and in the workplace.

Whereas an essay presents arguments and reasoning, a report concentrates on facts.

Essentially, a report is a short, sharp, concise document which is written for a particular purpose and audience. It generally sets outs and analyses a situation or problem, often making recommendations for future action. It is a factual paper, and needs to be clear and well-structured.

Requirements for the precise form and content of a report will vary between organisation and departments and in study between courses, from tutor to tutor, as well as between subjects, so it’s worth finding out if there are any specific guidelines before you start.

Reports may contain some or all of the following elements:

  • A description of a sequence of events or a situation;
  • Some interpretation of the significance of these events or situation, whether solely your own analysis or informed by the views of others, always carefully referenced of course (see our page on Academic Referencing for more information);
  • An evaluation of the facts or the results of your research;
  • Discussion of the likely outcomes of future courses of action;
  • Your recommendations as to a course of action; and
  • Conclusions.

Not all of these elements will be essential in every report.

If you’re writing a report in the workplace, check whether there are any standard guidelines or structure that you need to use.

For example, in the UK many government departments have outline structures for reports to ministers that must be followed exactly.

Sections and Numbering

A report is designed to lead people through the information in a structured way, but also to enable them to find the information that they want quickly and easily.

Reports usually, therefore, have numbered sections and subsections, and a clear and full contents page listing each heading. It follows that page numbering is important.

Modern word processors have features to add tables of contents (ToC) and page numbers as well as styled headings; you should take advantage of these as they update automatically as you edit your report, moving, adding or deleting sections.

Report Writing

Getting started: prior preparation and planning.

The structure of a report is very important to lead the reader through your thinking to a course of action and/or decision. It’s worth taking a bit of time to plan it out beforehand.

Step 1: Know your brief

You will usually receive a clear brief for a report, including what you are studying and for whom the report should be prepared.

First of all, consider your brief very carefully and make sure that you are clear who the report is for (if you're a student then not just your tutor, but who it is supposed to be written for), and why you are writing it, as well as what you want the reader to do at the end of reading: make a decision or agree a recommendation, perhaps.

Step 2: Keep your brief in mind at all times

During your planning and writing, make sure that you keep your brief in mind: who are you writing for, and why are you writing?

All your thinking needs to be focused on that, which may require you to be ruthless in your reading and thinking. Anything irrelevant should be discarded.

As you read and research, try to organise your work into sections by theme, a bit like writing a Literature Review .

Make sure that you keep track of your references, especially for academic work. Although referencing is perhaps less important in the workplace, it’s also important that you can substantiate any assertions that you make so it’s helpful to keep track of your sources of information.

The Structure of a Report

Like the precise content, requirements for structure vary, so do check what’s set out in any guidance.

However, as a rough guide, you should plan to include at the very least an executive summary, introduction, the main body of your report, and a section containing your conclusions and any recommendations.

Executive Summary

The executive summary or abstract , for a scientific report, is a brief summary of the contents. It’s worth writing this last, when you know the key points to draw out. It should be no more than half a page to a page in length.

Remember the executive summary is designed to give busy 'executives' a quick summary of the contents of the report.

Introduction

The introduction sets out what you plan to say and provides a brief summary of the problem under discussion. It should also touch briefly on your conclusions.

Report Main Body

The main body of the report should be carefully structured in a way that leads the reader through the issue.

You should split it into sections using numbered sub-headings relating to themes or areas for consideration. For each theme, you should aim to set out clearly and concisely the main issue under discussion and any areas of difficulty or disagreement. It may also include experimental results. All the information that you present should be related back to the brief and the precise subject under discussion.

If it’s not relevant, leave it out.

Conclusions and Recommendations

The conclusion sets out what inferences you draw from the information, including any experimental results. It may include recommendations, or these may be included in a separate section.

Recommendations suggest how you think the situation could be improved, and should be specific, achievable and measurable. If your recommendations have financial implications, you should set these out clearly, with estimated costs if possible.

A Word on Writing Style

When writing a report, your aim should be to be absolutely clear. Above all, it should be easy to read and understand, even to someone with little knowledge of the subject area.

You should therefore aim for crisp, precise text, using plain English, and shorter words rather than longer, with short sentences.

You should also avoid jargon. If you have to use specialist language, you should explain each word as you use it. If you find that you’ve had to explain more than about five words, you’re probably using too much jargon, and need to replace some of it with simpler words.

Consider your audience. If the report is designed to be written for a particular person, check whether you should be writing it to ‘you’ or perhaps in the third person to a job role: ‘The Chief Executive may like to consider…’, or ‘The minister is recommended to agree…’, for example.

A Final Warning

As with any academic assignment or formal piece of writing, your work will benefit from being read over again and edited ruthlessly for sense and style.

Pay particular attention to whether all the information that you have included is relevant. Also remember to check tenses, which person you have written in, grammar and spelling. It’s also worth one last check against any requirements on structure.

For an academic assignment, make sure that you have referenced fully and correctly. As always, check that you have not inadvertently or deliberately plagiarised or copied anything without acknowledging it.

Finally, ask yourself:

“Does my report fulfil its purpose?”

Only if the answer is a resounding ‘yes’ should you send it off to its intended recipient.

Continue to: How to Write a Business Case Planning an Essay

See also: Business Writing Tips Study Skills Writing a Dissertation or Thesis

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Library Guides

Report writing: overview.

  • Scientific Reports
  • Business Reports

Reports are typical workplace writing. Writing reports as coursework can help you prepare to write better reports in your work life.

Reports are always written for a specific purpose and audience. They can present findings of a research; development of a project; analysis of a situation; proposals or solutions for a problem. They should inlcude referenced data or facts. 

Reports should be structured in headings and sub-headings, and easy to navigate. They should be written in a very clear and concise language.

What makes a good report?

Following the instructions 

You may have been given a report brief that provides you with instructions and guidelines. The report brief may outline the purpose, audience and problem or issue that your report must address, together with any specific requirements for format or structure. Thus, always check the report guidelines before starting your assignment. 

An effective report presents and analyses evidence that is relevant to the specific problem or issue you have been instructed to address. Always think of the audience and purpose of your report. 

All sources used should be acknowledged and referenced throughout. You can accompany your writing with necessary diagrams, graphs or tables of gathered data.

The data and information presented should be analysed. The type of analysis will depend on your subject. For example, business reports may use SWOT or PESTLE analytical frameworks. A lab report may require to analyse and interpret the data originated from an experiment you performed in light of current theories. 

A good report has a clear and accurately organised structure, divided in headings and sub-headings. The paragraphs are the fundamental unit of reports. (See boxes below.)

The language of reports is formal, clear, succinct, and to the point. (See box below.)

Writing style

The language of reports should be:

Formal  – avoid contractions and colloquial expressions.

Direct  – avoid jargon and complicated sentences. Explain any technical terms.

Precise  – avoid vague language e.g. 'almost'  and avoid generalisations e.g. 'many people'

Concise  – avoid repetition and redundant phrases. Examples of redundant phrases:

  • contributing factor = factor
  • general consensus = consensus
  • smooth to the touch = smooth

Strong paragraphs

Paragraphs, and namely strong paragraphs, are an essential device to keep your writing organised and logical. 

A paragraph is a group of sentences that are linked coherently around one central topic/idea.   Paragraphs should be the building blocks of academic writing. Each paragraph should be doing a job, moving the argument forward and guiding your reading through your thought process.

Paragraphs should be 10-12 lines long, but variations are acceptable. Do not write one-sentence long paragraphs; this is journalistic style, not academic.

You need to write so-called strong paragraphs wherein you present a topic, discuss it and conclude it, as afar as reasonably possible.  Strong paragraphs may not always be feasible, especially in introductions and conclusions, but should be the staple of the body of your written work. 

Topic sentence : Introduces the topic and states what your paragraph will be about

Development : Expand on the point you are making: explain, analyse, support with examples and/or evidence.

Concluding sentence : Summarise how your evidence backs up your point. You can also introduce what will come next.

PEEL technique

This is a strategy to write strong paragraphs. In each paragraph you should include the following:

P oint : what do you want to talk about?

E vidence : show me!

E valuation : tell me!

L ink : what's coming next?

Example of a strong paragraph, with PEEL technique:

assignment report requirements

Paragraph bridges

Paragraphs may be linked to each other through "paragraph bridges". One simple way of doing this is by repeating a word or phrase.

Check the tabs of this guide for more information on writing business reports and scientific reports. 

Report Structure

Generally, a report will include some of the following sections: Title Page, Terms of Reference, Summary, Table of Contents, Introduction, Methods, Results, Main body, Conclusion, Recommendations, Appendices, and Bibliography. This structure may vary according to the type of report you are writing, which will be based on your department or subject field requirements. Therefore, it is always best to check your departmental guidelines or module/assignment instructions first.  

You should follow any guidelines specified by your module handbook or assignment brief in case these differ, however usually the title page will include the title of the report, your number, student ID and module details.

Terms of Reference

You may be asked to include this section to give clear, but brief, explanations for the reasons and purpose of the report, which may also include who the intended audience is and how the methods for the report were undertaken.

(Executive) Summary 

It is often best to write this last as it is harder to summarise a piece of work that you have not written yet. An executive summary is a shorter replica of the entire report. Its length should be about 10% of the length of the report, 

Contents (Table of Contents)

Please follow any specific style or formatting requirements specified by the module handbook or assignment brief. The contents page contains a list of the different chapters or headings and sub-headings along with the page number so that each section can be easily located within the report. Keep in mind that whatever numbering system you decide to use for your headings, they need to remain clear and consistent throughout. 

Introduction

This is where you set the scene for your report. The introduction should clearly articulate the purpose and aim (and, possibly, objectives) of the report, along with providing the background context for the report's topic and area of research. A scientific report may have an hypothesis in addition or in stead of aims and objectives. It may also provide any definitions or explanations for the terms used in the report or theoretical underpinnings of the research so that the reader has a clear understanding of what the research is based upon. It may be useful to also indicate any limitations to the scope of the report and identify the parameters of the research. 

The methods section includes any information on the methods, tools and equipment used to get the data and evidence for your report. You should justify your method (that is, explain why your method was chosen), acknowledge possible problems encountered during the research, and present the limitations of your methodology. 

If you are required to have a separate results and discussion section, then the results section should only include a summary of the findings, rather than an analysis of them - leave the critical analysis of the results for the discussion section. Presenting your results may take the form of graphs, tables, or any necessary diagrams of the gathered data. It is best to present your results in a logical order, making them as clear and understandable as possible through concise titles, brief summaries of the findings, and what the diagrams/charts/graphs or tables are showing to the reader. 

This section is where the data gathered and your results are truly put to work. It is the main body of your report in which you should critically analyse what the results mean in relation to the aims and objectives (and/or, in scientific writing, hypotheses) put forth at the beginning of the report. You should follow a logical order, and can structure this section in sub-headings. 

Conclusion 

The conclusion should not include any new material but instead show a summary of your main arguments and findings. It is a chance to remind the reader of the key points within your report, the significance of the findings and the most central issues or arguments raised from the research. The conclusion may also include recommendations for further research, or how the present research may be carried out more effectively in future.

Recommendations

You can have a separate section on recommendations, presenting the action you recommend be taken, drawing from the conclusion. These actions should be concrete and specific. 

The appendices may include all the supporting evidence and material used for your research, such as interview transcripts, surveys, questionnaires, tables, graphs, or other charts and images that you may not wish to include in the main body of the report, but may be referred to throughout your discussion or results sections.

Bibliography

Similar to your essays, a report still requires a bibliography of all the published resources you have referenced within your report. Check your module handbook for the referencing style you should use as there are different styles depending on your degree. If it is the standard Westminster Harvard Referencing style, then follow these guidelines and remember to be consistent. 

Formatting reports

You can format your document using the outline and table of contents functions in Word

assignment report requirements

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  • Last Updated: Jan 19, 2023 10:14 AM
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How to Write a Report for an Assignment

How to Write a Report for an Assignment

Academic assignments are very unpredictable. There are various fields, for example, Computer Programming or MBA, that you can be tested on, and one of them is writing a report. Whereas writing an essay is rather general, when report writing, you have to concentrate on factual information while taking any scientific and technical courses. Want to know how to write a report for a university assignment?

This article contains the instructions and guidelines concerning report writing, its target audience, and the problems to be addressed while completing the task.

If you’re a student struggling with a report writing assignment, you might wonder, “ Who can write my assignment for me ?” It’s understandable to feel overwhelmed and seek assistance when faced with a challenging academic task. Fortunately, many online writing services can help you complete your report writing assignment. These services offer professional writers who are experts in various fields and can provide high-quality, original content within your deadline. Before choosing a writing service, research and read reviews to ensure that you select a reputable and trustworthy company. With the right assistance, you can successfully complete your report writing assignment and achieve academic success.

How to Write a Report-Type Assignment: 9 Key Elements to Consider

A report is a short, well-planned, concise document written to address a specific purpose (to analyze a situation or issue) and audience (educators, a chief, subordinates, etc.) When writing a report, you should ensure that you address the highlighted issue adequately, providing evidence for each and every fact you mention. However, if you struggle with any of these steps or don’t have the time to complete the assignment, you may consider using a homework writing service . If you ask, “How to write my report?” the following points will be useful for you:

  • Title Page. Every paper should have the name given to a particular type of work. You can learn how to write academic-style titles from Mark Fullmer, a teacher of English writing 101/102. If we are speaking about a report, you should state it in the title. Other details that you may need to include are your name, the university, and the date of submission if you are a student. And if you’re a worker who prepares a report for a chief, don’t forget to mention the organization’s name.

Have a look at the example.

title for report writing

  • Executive summary report. A good report should have a summary that is approximately ½ of a page. The main details that should be included are a briefing on the main ideas discussed in the report, the analysis methods used, findings, and conclusions/recommendations, if any. It is important to clarify this so that your tutor/chief understands what you are doing right from the start of the report.
  • Table of content. There should be a page of your report where a list of chapters/subsections with headlines and the page numbers are presented. Make this guide useful for your readers as they will easily find what they will be interested in, whether the findings or research methods chapters.
  • List of abbreviations and symbols. If you are writing, for example, a technical report, there should be a separate list of the abbreviations used in your report. The technical language can be comprehensible for you and your professor, but others will struggle with most technical terms . Moreover, if you use some formulas for calculating, provide these symbols in this list as well.
  • Introduction. The first chapter of your report should introduce the topic under discussion, some known information, and your approaches to the topic and how they relate to the other works.
  • The main body. A good report, the topic of which is well-researched, should have 3 sections in the main part – methods, results, and discussion. In this part, you should include the research methods that are used and procedures that are followed to achieve the results of your analysis, then, you are also required to discuss your findings.
  • Conclusions and recommendations. The concluding chapter should include an overview of the main ideas discussed in the report. Highlight your most central findings without including new ideas. Additionally, you can make suggestions for further research in the field you report on.
  • Reference list. Every academic paper should have references, and there is no exemption when writing a report. Even if you are supposed to consider a particular subject on your own, you can’t escape from someone’s findings or ideas. Provide a list of the sources you consulted when conducting your research. Details to be included in the reference list are the data of all books, papers, reports, etc., you refer to in the text. In general, all sources are listed in alphabetical order by the surname of the author.
  • Appendices. This section comprises all derivations, details, schemes, and listings that make your research/analysis in-depth. You may ask why it is necessary to separate this section. Can you imagine how boring it will be to read your report when there are tables, tables, and schemes on its pages? There is such a page for that purpose, but it is not always obligatory to have it in reports.

How to Make a Good Report: 5 Skills Needed

You may think that you need just a pen and a piece of paper to write a report. Indeed, you must have a set of skills to complete this assignment successfully. What are they?

  • The skill to estimate adequately the time needed to complete the assignment. Usually, a student may procrastinate till the last minute as he/she is sure that it is a very easy task to write a report. Or vice versa – he/she believes this work requires much time. As a result, they spend a week or even weeks entirely on writing a report. What happens, then? Demotivation in studying and a ‘jumpy’ eye are guaranteed to you. As you understand, you should apply all essential time management skills to boost your productivity.
  • The skill to define the scope of the study. A full understanding of the field of study is very important, but it plays into your hands when you know all the points that should be covered in the research project. So, it has to be defined at a preliminary stage of writing a report to arrive at more logical findings/conclusions. Outline the limitations of your study and the data specifications for your research paper.
  • The researching skills. The research process involves finding out more about the topic under the question. What does it include in researching? Firstly, using effective tools to collect information. Secondly, refining search queries to obtain better research results. Thirdly, evaluate information found in different sources based on accuracy, validity, and appropriateness for your report. If you have all these skills, you are close to professional report writing.

But what if you don’t have the time or the skills to complete the assignment? In this case, you can use a “do my homework” service to help you with your report. These services can provide expert assistance with research, analysis, and writing to help you produce a high-quality report that meets your requirements and deadlines. Be sure to choose a reputable service that provides original and plagiarism-free work. With the help of a “ do my assignment ” service, you can save time and get the grades you need.

main elements of a report

  • The skill to plan and structure a piece of writing. According to CogniFit , the skill to plan forms our executive functions. It is a process that allows us to choose what needs to be done and what doesn’t. If you can create a framework for your paper writing, it will help you be excellent at it. Even short pieces require planning to be concise and to the point. Your report should fulfill its purpose to answer the assignment question according to a specific structure.
  • Proofreading and editing skills. You probably want to present your report in the best possible light. Without any doubt, you are tired when finishing the assignment. Without proofreading your work, you might submit a paper with numerous grammar errors, unpunctuated sentences, or spelling mistakes. Moreover, you should remember what style you are required to use – whether it is an APA, MLA, or Harvard. All of them have peculiarities you should pay attention to while producing a report.

After reading this article, don’t just sit and enjoy the victory over report writing. The battle has not started and has not even been won yet. Let today be the day when you know how to write good academic reports. Subsequently, you’ll start writing reports as required. Practice makes perfect!

However, even with practice, some students may still struggle with report writing for various reasons, such as a lack of time or poor writing skills. In such cases, an assignment writing service can come in handy. These services provide professional assistance with report writing, ensuring that you receive a well-structured and well-written report that meets your academic requirements. These services employ experienced writers with the necessary skills and knowledge to handle different reports.

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Decoding Assignment Guidelines

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The first step in successfully completing a paper or other writing task is to make sure you know what you are being asked to do. These “decoding” strategies will help you make sense of your guidelines and develop an effective writing plan. 

Getting Started

  • Read (and reread!) the guidelines as soon as you receive your assignment. Highlight or underline specific requirements, and make note of any questions you have.
  • What is the purpose of the assignment? Why are you writing?
  • Who is your audience?
  • What do you need to know before you begin writing a draft (background reading or genre guidelines)?
  • What kind of evidence is required? What are your source requirements (type, number, etc.)?
  • What are the length, style/documentation (i.e., APA, MLA, etc.), and formatting requirements?
  • Make a note of due dates (including drafts, peer review, etc.). Be sure to distinguish between content and format; both are
  • important, but content (thesis, topic, etc.) typically matters more than format (title, margins, etc.).
  • Contact your instructor immediately if you are confused or have questions.
  • Begin to brainstorm ideas and conduct any required research early so you can seek help from research librarians. Keep notes as you conduct research so you can organize the information and avoid accidental plagiarism.
  • Return to your checklist throughout the process of writing your paper to make sure you're on track.

Identify Your Purpose

  •               INTERPRETATIVE                INFORMATIVE                RELATIONAL

Support thinking using evidence (often by applying theories, principles, course concepts/readings, or research). 

Present facts; demonstrate knowledge. (May be part of an assignment that also includes informative or relational tasks.)

Find connections or explain relationships among concepts. 

  assess   evaluate  analyze

  support   argue   consider

 describe  illustrate  summarize

  demonstrate   define  explain 

       compare  contrast   apply

       distinguish   use    employ 

Identify Your Audience

  • Your instructor will be part of your audience, but some assignments specify other audiences (e.g., Write a letter the editor.). In some cases, particularly in upper-level or graduate classes, the audience may be experts in the broader field or discipline.
  • If you are unsure about a specific audience, imagine an educated reader—but one who knows less about the topic than you do.
  • Will the audience already be familiar with your subject? With your sources? With your terminology?
  • Will your audience agree with or object to your argument?
  • Use a tone appropriate for your audience and purpose. Consider how you would address such an audience if you were speaking face-to-face.

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Report Writing

dulingo

  • Updated on  
  • Nov 4, 2023

Report Writing

The term “report” refers to a nonfiction work that presents and/or paraphrases the facts on a specific occasion, subject, or problem. The notion is that a good report will contain all the information that someone who is not familiar with the subject needs to know. Reports make it simple to bring someone up to speed on a subject, but actually writing a report is far from simple. This blog will walk you through the fundamentals of report writing, including the structure and practice themes.

This Blog Includes:

What is a report, reporting formats, newspaper or magazine reports, business reports, technical reports, what is report writing, report writing: things to keep in mind, structure of report writing, magazine vs newspaper report writing format, report writing format for class 10th to 12th, report writing example, report writing for school students: practice questions, report writing slideshare.

  • Report Writing in 7 steps

Also Read: Message Writing

A report is a short document written for a particular purpose or audience. It usually sets out and analyses a problem often recommended for future purposes. Requirements for the precise form of the report depend on the department and organization. Technically, a report is defined as “any account, verbal or written, of the matters pertaining to a given topic.” This could be used to describe anything, from a witness’s evidence in court to a student’s book report.

Actually, when people use the word “report,” they usually mean official documents that lay out the details of a subject. These documents are typically written by an authority on the subject or someone who has been tasked with conducting research on it. Although there are other forms of reports, which are discussed in the following section, they primarily fulfil this definition.

What information does reporting contain? All facts are appreciated, but reports, in particular, frequently contain the following kinds of information:

  • Information about a circumstance or event
  • The aftereffects or ongoing impact of an incident or occurrence
  • Analytical or statistical data evaluation
  • Interpretations based on the report’s data
  • Based on the report’s information, make predictions or suggestions
  • Relationships between the information and other reports or events

Although there are some fundamental differences, producing reports and essays share many similarities. Both rely on facts, but essays also include the author’s personal viewpoints and justifications. Reports normally stick to the facts only, however, they could include some of the author’s interpretation in the conclusion.

Reports are also quite well ordered, frequently with tables of contents of headers and subheadings. This makes it simpler for readers to quickly scan reports for the data they need. Essays, on the other hand, should be read from beginning to end rather than being perused for particular information.

Depending on the objective and audience for your report, there are a few distinct types of reports. The most typical report types are listed briefly below:

  • Academic report: Examines a student’s knowledge of the subject; examples include book reports, historical event reports, and biographies.
  • Identifies data from company reports, such as marketing reports, internal memoranda, SWOT analyses, and feasibility reports, that is useful in corporate planning.
  • Shares research findings in the form of case studies and research articles, usually in scientific publications.

Depending on how they are written, reports can be further categorised. A report, for instance, could be professional or casual, brief or lengthy, and internal or external. A lateral report is for persons on the author’s level but in separate departments, whereas a vertical report is for those on the author’s level but with different levels of the hierarchy (i.e., people who work above you and below you).

Report formats can be as varied as writing styles, but in this manual, we’ll concentrate on academic reports, which are often formal and informational.

Also Read: How to Write a Leave Application?

Major Types of Reports

While the most common type of reports corresponds to the ones we read in newspapers and magazines, there are other kinds of reports that are curated for business or research purposes. Here are the major forms of report writing that you must know about:

The main purpose of newspaper or magazine reports is to cover a particular event or happening. They generally elaborate upon the 4Ws and 1H, i.e. What, Where, When, Why, and How. The key elements of newspaper or magazine report writing are as follows:

  • Headline (Title)
  • Report’s Name, Place, and Date
  • Conclusion (Citation of sources)

Here is an example of a news report:

Credit: Pinterest

Business reports aim to analyze a situation or case study by implementing business theories and suggest improvements accordingly. In business report writing, you must adhere to a formal style of writing and these reports are usually lengthier than news reports since they aim to assess a particular issue in detail and provide solutions. The basic structure of business reports includes:

  • Table of Contents
  • Executive summary
  • Findings/Recommendations

The main purpose of the technical report is to provide an empirical explanation of research-based material. Technical report writing is generally carried out by a researcher for scientific journals or product development and presentation, etc. A technical report mainly contains 

  • Introduction
  • Experimental details
  • Results and discussions
  • Body (elaborating upon the findings)

Must Read: IELTS Writing Tips

A report is a written record of what you’ve seen, heard, done, or looked into. It is a well-organized and methodical presentation of facts and results from an event that has already occurred. Reports are a sort of written assessment that is used to determine what you have learned through your reading, study, or experience, as well as to provide you with hands-on experience with a crucial skill that is often used in the business.

Before writing a report, there are certain things you must know to ensure that you draft a precise and structured report, and these points to remember are listed below:

  • Write a concise and clear title of the report.
  • Always use the past tense.
  • Don’t explain the issue in the first person, i.e. ‘I’ or ‘Me’. Always write in the third person.
  • Put the date, name of the place as well as the reporter’s name after the heading.
  • Structure the report by dividing it into paragraphs.
  • Stick to the facts and keep it descriptive.

Must Read: IELTS Sample Letters

The format of a report is determined by the kind of report it is and the assignment’s requirements. While reports can have their own particular format, the majority use the following general framework:

  • Executive summary: A stand-alone section that highlights the findings in your report so that readers will know what to expect, much like an abstract in an academic paper. These are more frequently used for official reports than for academic ones.
  • Introduction: Your introduction introduces the main subject you’re going to explore in the report, along with your thesis statement and any previous knowledge that is necessary before you get into your own results.
  • Body: Using headings and subheadings, the report’s body discusses all of your significant findings. The majority of the report is made up of the body; in contrast to the introduction and conclusion, which are each only a few paragraphs long, the body can span many pages.
  • In the conclusion, you should summarize all the data in your report and offer a clear interpretation or conclusion. Usually, the author inserts their own personal judgments or inferences here.

Report Writing Formats

It is quintessential to follow a proper format in report writing to provide it with a compact structure. Business reports and technical reports don’t have a uniform structure and are generally based on the topic or content they are elaborating on. Let’s have a look at the proper format of report writing generally for news and magazines and the key elements you must add to a news report:

To Read: How to Learn Spoken English?

The report writing structure for students in grades 10 and 12 is as follows.

  • Heading :  A title that expresses the contents of the report in a descriptive manner.
  • Byline : The name of the person who is responsible for drafting the report. It’s usually included in the query. Remember that you are not allowed to include any personal information in your response.
  •  (introduction) : The ‘5 Ws,’ or WHAT, WHY, WHEN, and WHERE, as well as WHO was invited as the main guest, might be included.
  • The account of the event in detail : The order in which events occurred, as well as their descriptions. It is the primary paragraph, and if necessary, it can be divided into two smaller paragraphs.
  • Conclusion : This will give a summary of the event’s conclusion. It might include quotes from the Chief Guest’s address or a summary of the event’s outcome.

Credit: sampletemplates.com

Credit: SlideShare

Now that you are familiar with all the formats of report writing, here are some questions that you can practice to understand the structure and style of writing a report.

  • You are a student of Delhi Public School Srinagar handling a campus magazine in an editorial role. On the increasing level of global warming, write a report on the event for your school magazine. 
  • On the Jammu-Srinagar highway, a mishap took place, where a driver lost his control and skidded off into a deep gorge. Write a report on it and include all the necessary details and eyewitness accounts. 
  • As a reporter for the Delhi Times, you are assigned to report on the influx of migrants coming from other states of the country. Take an official statement to justify your report.
  • There is a cultural program in Central Park Rajiv Chowk New Delhi. The home minister of India is supposed to attend the event apart from other delegates. Report the event within the 150-200 word limit. 
  • Write today’s trend of COVID-19 cases in India. As per the official statement. include all the necessary details and factual information. Mention the state with a higher number of cases so far.
  • In Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, a table tennis tournament was held between Delhi Public School New Delhi and DPS Punjab. Report the event in 250-300 words.

Also Read: Formal Letter Format, Types & Samples

Credits: Slideshare

Report Writ ing in 7 steps

  • Choose a topic based on the assignment
  • Conduct research
  • Write a thesis statement
  • Prepare an outline
  • Write a rough draft
  • Revise and edit your report
  • Proofread and check for mistakes

Make sure that every piece of information you have supplied is pertinent. Remember to double-check your grammar, spelling, tenses, and the person you are writing in. A final inspection against any structural criteria is also important. You have appropriately and completely referenced academic work. Check to make sure you haven’t unintentionally, purposefully, or both duplicated something without giving credit.

Related Articles

Any business professional’s toolkit must include business reports. Therefore, how can you create a thorough business report? You must first confirm that you are familiar with the responses to the following three questions.

Every company report starts with an issue that needs to be fixed. This could be something straightforward, like figuring out a better way to organise procuring office supplies, or it could be a more challenging issue, like putting in place a brand-new, multimillion-dollar computer system.

You must therefore compile the data you intend to include in your report. How do you do this? If you’ve never conducted in-depth research before, it can be quite a daunting task, so discovering the most efficient techniques is a real plus.

Hopefully, this blog has helped you with a comprehensive understanding of report writing and its essential components. Aiming to pursue a degree in Writing? Sign up for an e-meeting with our study abroad experts and we will help you in selecting the best course and university as well as sorting the admission process to ensure that you get successfully shortlisted.

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Ankita Mishra

A writer with more than 10 years of experience, including 5 years in a newsroom, Ankita takes great pleasure in helping students via study abroad news updates about universities and visa policies. When not busy working you can find her creating memes and discussing social issues with her colleagues.

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Home > Library > Study and assignment skills > Write assignments > Assignment types > Reports

Report writing is an essential skill in many disciplines. You should develop effective report writing skills because it’s highly likely you’ll be writing reports in the workplace.

A report is a formal written document used to provide concise information on a specific subject. It can be used to communicate the results of an experiment, inform on the progress of a project or to make recommendations.

An effective report is an accurate presentation of information. It should be objective, concise and structured to guide the reader through the main points.

The task instructions usually specify what sections need to be included in your report. However, a report often has the following sections:

  • Title page and acknowledgements—include the title of the report, who commissioned it (or for assessment include your lecturer, course code, and student number) and the date.
  • Executive summary or abstract—provide a summary of the report's main points. It briefly covers the aims, objectives, research methods and the findings. It identifies what action is required. Although the abstract is located at the beginning of the report, it is usually written last as it is a summary of the whole report.
  • Table of contents—outline the structure of the report.
  • Introduction—state the aims and objectives of the report, the problem or situation that prompted the report and identify what the report intends to achieve. Include definitions, research methods and background history (if relevant).
  • Methodology—explain what you did and how you did it. For instance, the materials used in an experiment, the subjects involved in a survey or the steps you took in a project.
  • Results or findings—detail the findings from the experiment, survey or research project.
  • Discussion—present and discuss the facts or evidence.
  • Conclusions—provide implications from the content of the report.
  • Recommendations—describe a clear course of action. Demonstrate your professional competence in a specific situation that clearly aligns with the conclusions.
  • References—acknowledge all the sources used in the report. Learn more about referencing .
  • Appendices—contains additional graphical, statistical or other supplementary material. Each item should be clearly labelled (for example, Appendix 1) and referred to in the report.

The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Understanding Assignments

What this handout is about.

The first step in any successful college writing venture is reading the assignment. While this sounds like a simple task, it can be a tough one. This handout will help you unravel your assignment and begin to craft an effective response. Much of the following advice will involve translating typical assignment terms and practices into meaningful clues to the type of writing your instructor expects. See our short video for more tips.

Basic beginnings

Regardless of the assignment, department, or instructor, adopting these two habits will serve you well :

  • Read the assignment carefully as soon as you receive it. Do not put this task off—reading the assignment at the beginning will save you time, stress, and problems later. An assignment can look pretty straightforward at first, particularly if the instructor has provided lots of information. That does not mean it will not take time and effort to complete; you may even have to learn a new skill to complete the assignment.
  • Ask the instructor about anything you do not understand. Do not hesitate to approach your instructor. Instructors would prefer to set you straight before you hand the paper in. That’s also when you will find their feedback most useful.

Assignment formats

Many assignments follow a basic format. Assignments often begin with an overview of the topic, include a central verb or verbs that describe the task, and offer some additional suggestions, questions, or prompts to get you started.

An Overview of Some Kind

The instructor might set the stage with some general discussion of the subject of the assignment, introduce the topic, or remind you of something pertinent that you have discussed in class. For example:

“Throughout history, gerbils have played a key role in politics,” or “In the last few weeks of class, we have focused on the evening wear of the housefly …”

The Task of the Assignment

Pay attention; this part tells you what to do when you write the paper. Look for the key verb or verbs in the sentence. Words like analyze, summarize, or compare direct you to think about your topic in a certain way. Also pay attention to words such as how, what, when, where, and why; these words guide your attention toward specific information. (See the section in this handout titled “Key Terms” for more information.)

“Analyze the effect that gerbils had on the Russian Revolution”, or “Suggest an interpretation of housefly undergarments that differs from Darwin’s.”

Additional Material to Think about

Here you will find some questions to use as springboards as you begin to think about the topic. Instructors usually include these questions as suggestions rather than requirements. Do not feel compelled to answer every question unless the instructor asks you to do so. Pay attention to the order of the questions. Sometimes they suggest the thinking process your instructor imagines you will need to follow to begin thinking about the topic.

“You may wish to consider the differing views held by Communist gerbils vs. Monarchist gerbils, or Can there be such a thing as ‘the housefly garment industry’ or is it just a home-based craft?”

These are the instructor’s comments about writing expectations:

“Be concise”, “Write effectively”, or “Argue furiously.”

Technical Details

These instructions usually indicate format rules or guidelines.

“Your paper must be typed in Palatino font on gray paper and must not exceed 600 pages. It is due on the anniversary of Mao Tse-tung’s death.”

The assignment’s parts may not appear in exactly this order, and each part may be very long or really short. Nonetheless, being aware of this standard pattern can help you understand what your instructor wants you to do.

Interpreting the assignment

Ask yourself a few basic questions as you read and jot down the answers on the assignment sheet:

Why did your instructor ask you to do this particular task?

Who is your audience.

  • What kind of evidence do you need to support your ideas?

What kind of writing style is acceptable?

  • What are the absolute rules of the paper?

Try to look at the question from the point of view of the instructor. Recognize that your instructor has a reason for giving you this assignment and for giving it to you at a particular point in the semester. In every assignment, the instructor has a challenge for you. This challenge could be anything from demonstrating an ability to think clearly to demonstrating an ability to use the library. See the assignment not as a vague suggestion of what to do but as an opportunity to show that you can handle the course material as directed. Paper assignments give you more than a topic to discuss—they ask you to do something with the topic. Keep reminding yourself of that. Be careful to avoid the other extreme as well: do not read more into the assignment than what is there.

Of course, your instructor has given you an assignment so that they will be able to assess your understanding of the course material and give you an appropriate grade. But there is more to it than that. Your instructor has tried to design a learning experience of some kind. Your instructor wants you to think about something in a particular way for a particular reason. If you read the course description at the beginning of your syllabus, review the assigned readings, and consider the assignment itself, you may begin to see the plan, purpose, or approach to the subject matter that your instructor has created for you. If you still aren’t sure of the assignment’s goals, try asking the instructor. For help with this, see our handout on getting feedback .

Given your instructor’s efforts, it helps to answer the question: What is my purpose in completing this assignment? Is it to gather research from a variety of outside sources and present a coherent picture? Is it to take material I have been learning in class and apply it to a new situation? Is it to prove a point one way or another? Key words from the assignment can help you figure this out. Look for key terms in the form of active verbs that tell you what to do.

Key Terms: Finding Those Active Verbs

Here are some common key words and definitions to help you think about assignment terms:

Information words Ask you to demonstrate what you know about the subject, such as who, what, when, where, how, and why.

  • define —give the subject’s meaning (according to someone or something). Sometimes you have to give more than one view on the subject’s meaning
  • describe —provide details about the subject by answering question words (such as who, what, when, where, how, and why); you might also give details related to the five senses (what you see, hear, feel, taste, and smell)
  • explain —give reasons why or examples of how something happened
  • illustrate —give descriptive examples of the subject and show how each is connected with the subject
  • summarize —briefly list the important ideas you learned about the subject
  • trace —outline how something has changed or developed from an earlier time to its current form
  • research —gather material from outside sources about the subject, often with the implication or requirement that you will analyze what you have found

Relation words Ask you to demonstrate how things are connected.

  • compare —show how two or more things are similar (and, sometimes, different)
  • contrast —show how two or more things are dissimilar
  • apply—use details that you’ve been given to demonstrate how an idea, theory, or concept works in a particular situation
  • cause —show how one event or series of events made something else happen
  • relate —show or describe the connections between things

Interpretation words Ask you to defend ideas of your own about the subject. Do not see these words as requesting opinion alone (unless the assignment specifically says so), but as requiring opinion that is supported by concrete evidence. Remember examples, principles, definitions, or concepts from class or research and use them in your interpretation.

  • assess —summarize your opinion of the subject and measure it against something
  • prove, justify —give reasons or examples to demonstrate how or why something is the truth
  • evaluate, respond —state your opinion of the subject as good, bad, or some combination of the two, with examples and reasons
  • support —give reasons or evidence for something you believe (be sure to state clearly what it is that you believe)
  • synthesize —put two or more things together that have not been put together in class or in your readings before; do not just summarize one and then the other and say that they are similar or different—you must provide a reason for putting them together that runs all the way through the paper
  • analyze —determine how individual parts create or relate to the whole, figure out how something works, what it might mean, or why it is important
  • argue —take a side and defend it with evidence against the other side

More Clues to Your Purpose As you read the assignment, think about what the teacher does in class:

  • What kinds of textbooks or coursepack did your instructor choose for the course—ones that provide background information, explain theories or perspectives, or argue a point of view?
  • In lecture, does your instructor ask your opinion, try to prove their point of view, or use keywords that show up again in the assignment?
  • What kinds of assignments are typical in this discipline? Social science classes often expect more research. Humanities classes thrive on interpretation and analysis.
  • How do the assignments, readings, and lectures work together in the course? Instructors spend time designing courses, sometimes even arguing with their peers about the most effective course materials. Figuring out the overall design to the course will help you understand what each assignment is meant to achieve.

Now, what about your reader? Most undergraduates think of their audience as the instructor. True, your instructor is a good person to keep in mind as you write. But for the purposes of a good paper, think of your audience as someone like your roommate: smart enough to understand a clear, logical argument, but not someone who already knows exactly what is going on in your particular paper. Remember, even if the instructor knows everything there is to know about your paper topic, they still have to read your paper and assess your understanding. In other words, teach the material to your reader.

Aiming a paper at your audience happens in two ways: you make decisions about the tone and the level of information you want to convey.

  • Tone means the “voice” of your paper. Should you be chatty, formal, or objective? Usually you will find some happy medium—you do not want to alienate your reader by sounding condescending or superior, but you do not want to, um, like, totally wig on the man, you know? Eschew ostentatious erudition: some students think the way to sound academic is to use big words. Be careful—you can sound ridiculous, especially if you use the wrong big words.
  • The level of information you use depends on who you think your audience is. If you imagine your audience as your instructor and they already know everything you have to say, you may find yourself leaving out key information that can cause your argument to be unconvincing and illogical. But you do not have to explain every single word or issue. If you are telling your roommate what happened on your favorite science fiction TV show last night, you do not say, “First a dark-haired white man of average height, wearing a suit and carrying a flashlight, walked into the room. Then a purple alien with fifteen arms and at least three eyes turned around. Then the man smiled slightly. In the background, you could hear a clock ticking. The room was fairly dark and had at least two windows that I saw.” You also do not say, “This guy found some aliens. The end.” Find some balance of useful details that support your main point.

You’ll find a much more detailed discussion of these concepts in our handout on audience .

The Grim Truth

With a few exceptions (including some lab and ethnography reports), you are probably being asked to make an argument. You must convince your audience. It is easy to forget this aim when you are researching and writing; as you become involved in your subject matter, you may become enmeshed in the details and focus on learning or simply telling the information you have found. You need to do more than just repeat what you have read. Your writing should have a point, and you should be able to say it in a sentence. Sometimes instructors call this sentence a “thesis” or a “claim.”

So, if your instructor tells you to write about some aspect of oral hygiene, you do not want to just list: “First, you brush your teeth with a soft brush and some peanut butter. Then, you floss with unwaxed, bologna-flavored string. Finally, gargle with bourbon.” Instead, you could say, “Of all the oral cleaning methods, sandblasting removes the most plaque. Therefore it should be recommended by the American Dental Association.” Or, “From an aesthetic perspective, moldy teeth can be quite charming. However, their joys are short-lived.”

Convincing the reader of your argument is the goal of academic writing. It doesn’t have to say “argument” anywhere in the assignment for you to need one. Look at the assignment and think about what kind of argument you could make about it instead of just seeing it as a checklist of information you have to present. For help with understanding the role of argument in academic writing, see our handout on argument .

What kind of evidence do you need?

There are many kinds of evidence, and what type of evidence will work for your assignment can depend on several factors–the discipline, the parameters of the assignment, and your instructor’s preference. Should you use statistics? Historical examples? Do you need to conduct your own experiment? Can you rely on personal experience? See our handout on evidence for suggestions on how to use evidence appropriately.

Make sure you are clear about this part of the assignment, because your use of evidence will be crucial in writing a successful paper. You are not just learning how to argue; you are learning how to argue with specific types of materials and ideas. Ask your instructor what counts as acceptable evidence. You can also ask a librarian for help. No matter what kind of evidence you use, be sure to cite it correctly—see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial .

You cannot always tell from the assignment just what sort of writing style your instructor expects. The instructor may be really laid back in class but still expect you to sound formal in writing. Or the instructor may be fairly formal in class and ask you to write a reflection paper where you need to use “I” and speak from your own experience.

Try to avoid false associations of a particular field with a style (“art historians like wacky creativity,” or “political scientists are boring and just give facts”) and look instead to the types of readings you have been given in class. No one expects you to write like Plato—just use the readings as a guide for what is standard or preferable to your instructor. When in doubt, ask your instructor about the level of formality they expect.

No matter what field you are writing for or what facts you are including, if you do not write so that your reader can understand your main idea, you have wasted your time. So make clarity your main goal. For specific help with style, see our handout on style .

Technical details about the assignment

The technical information you are given in an assignment always seems like the easy part. This section can actually give you lots of little hints about approaching the task. Find out if elements such as page length and citation format (see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial ) are negotiable. Some professors do not have strong preferences as long as you are consistent and fully answer the assignment. Some professors are very specific and will deduct big points for deviations.

Usually, the page length tells you something important: The instructor thinks the size of the paper is appropriate to the assignment’s parameters. In plain English, your instructor is telling you how many pages it should take for you to answer the question as fully as you are expected to. So if an assignment is two pages long, you cannot pad your paper with examples or reword your main idea several times. Hit your one point early, defend it with the clearest example, and finish quickly. If an assignment is ten pages long, you can be more complex in your main points and examples—and if you can only produce five pages for that assignment, you need to see someone for help—as soon as possible.

Tricks that don’t work

Your instructors are not fooled when you:

  • spend more time on the cover page than the essay —graphics, cool binders, and cute titles are no replacement for a well-written paper.
  • use huge fonts, wide margins, or extra spacing to pad the page length —these tricks are immediately obvious to the eye. Most instructors use the same word processor you do. They know what’s possible. Such tactics are especially damning when the instructor has a stack of 60 papers to grade and yours is the only one that low-flying airplane pilots could read.
  • use a paper from another class that covered “sort of similar” material . Again, the instructor has a particular task for you to fulfill in the assignment that usually relates to course material and lectures. Your other paper may not cover this material, and turning in the same paper for more than one course may constitute an Honor Code violation . Ask the instructor—it can’t hurt.
  • get all wacky and “creative” before you answer the question . Showing that you are able to think beyond the boundaries of a simple assignment can be good, but you must do what the assignment calls for first. Again, check with your instructor. A humorous tone can be refreshing for someone grading a stack of papers, but it will not get you a good grade if you have not fulfilled the task.

Critical reading of assignments leads to skills in other types of reading and writing. If you get good at figuring out what the real goals of assignments are, you are going to be better at understanding the goals of all of your classes and fields of study.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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8 Best Steps On How to Write An Assignment Report

8 Best Steps On How to Write An Assignment Report

Assignment reports are important in both academics and professional settings. Mastering the art of creating clear and organized reports can build the way for success and recognition in your endeavors.

In this blog, we will break down the process into easy parts. First, we will help you understand the topic and gather information. Then, we will guide you in organizing your thoughts and creating a strong conclusion.

But that’s not all! We will also tell you about seven important things your assignment report must have. These things will make sure your report is clear, makes sense, and gets you good grades.

No more confusion or worries. Let’s explore the world of assignment report writing together and make it simple and successful!

How To Write An Assignment Report?

Table of Contents

Reports for the most part include introducing your research and study of data or an issue, advising activities, and making plans and suggestions about it. That is what the reports of an assignment are for. And making reports is a bit of a difficult task for most of the students. And they always try to hide from it, which is not a good thing to do. Because writing a report for assignments is important. As only you have an idea about what you have written in your assignment. That is why you should write your own assignment report. 

There is a wide range of kinds of reports, including business, logical, and research reports. These are described out below:- 

 1: Decide on the “Terms and conditions of the reference’ 

 2: Decide on the methodology 

 3: Find the relative data/ information

 4: Decide the structure 

 5: Draft the initial segment of your report 

 6: Draft the table of contents

7: Arrange a reference list 

8: Revise your draft

You can likewise check our data on task composing for tips on arranging, discovering data, and evaluating your work. 

1: Decide The “Terms And Conditions Of The Reference

To settle on the terms of reference for your report, read your guidelines and some other data you’ve been given about the report, and consider the reason for the report: 

  • What assignment is it about? 
  • What precisely is required? 
  • For what reason is it required? 
  • When do I have to do it? 
  • Who is it for, or who is it focused on? 
  • Will assist you with drafting your Terms of reference?

2: Decide On The Methodology

This implies arranging your findings and what you have investigated or exploration, and how you’ll compose the report. These are the thing which you should ask yourself so that you can decide the methodology for your assignments’ report: 

  • What data do you need? 
  • Do you have to do any background scanning? 
  • What articles or reports do you need for it? 
  • Do you have to contact the library for help? 
  • Also, do you have to meet or watch individuals? 
  • Do you need to record information? 
  • By what means will you approach this? 

Asking these inquiries in your mind will assist you in drafting the method section of your report, which plots the means you’ve taken to do the research or the assignment you have done. 

 3: Find The Relative Data/ Information

The most important thing to do is to discover the data you require for your report. To do this you may need to scan several written materials, watch individuals or practices, or other things which may help you with your assignment work. 

Ensure the data you find is appropriate and proper. Check your assignment’s requirements and rules and what is it asking from you. But if  In case you don’t know how the information will be gathered for your assignment then you should contact your instructor. 

 4: Decide The Structure 

Reports for the most part have a comparative structure, however, a few distinctions may contrast. How they contrast ordinarily relies upon a different thing: 

Depending upon the sort of report you are working on, the structure can include many things and some of those are as follows: 

  • A cover sheet. 
  • Official outline. 
  • A presentation. 
  • Terms of reference. 
  • Technique. 
  • Discoveries. 
  • Suggestions. 
  • References/Bibliography. 

The parts of a report have headings and subheadings, which are normally numbered and by which you will be able to define everything in a proper way. 

 5: Draft The Initial Segment Of Your Report 

When you have your structure, record the headings and begin to fill these in with the data you have assembled up until now. At this point, you ought to have the option to draft the terms of reference, methodology, and discoveries, and begin to work out what will go in the report’s informative supplement. 

The results are a consequence of the research you have done for your assignment They structure the basis of your report. So, you should draft the initial segment of your report very carefully. Because that’s one of the most important and initial things to do. 

 6: Draft The Table Of Contents

A few reports require an official summary as well as a review of the material you have written. Despite the fact that these segments draw close to the start of the report and you won’t have the option to do them until you have completed it, and you will have your structure and suggestions settled by then. 

An outline or the table of the content is around 100 words in length. It mentions to the reader what the report is about, and it sums up the proposals. 

So, You need to write the table of content very carefully because it will help everyone to get a list of the content. Which is a very important thing to do. 

7: Arrange A Reference List 

This is a rundown of the considerable number of sources you’ve must have referenced your work from. All you need to do is to put these references in your report clearly. So that everyone can read the references and things get cleared for them. And the best-referencing styles i the APA styling. You should follow the guidelines of APA referencing to get the best work. 

8: Revise Your Draft

  • It is consistently important to change your work. Things you have to check to include: 
  • In the event that you have done what you were approached to do. Check the task question, the directions/rules to ensure you are working in the flow. 
  • In the event when you are claiming that your claim is true. Does the data you present help your decisions and proposals? 
  • That all terms, images, and contractions utilized have been clarified. 
  • That any outlines, tables, diagrams, and delineations are numbered and marked. 
  • That the organizing is right, including your numbering, headings, are predictable all through the report. 
  • You may need to set up a few drafts before you are satisfied with your work quality. On the other hand, you can get another person to check your report.

7 Things That Must Be Present In An Assignment Report

Here are 7 must-have things that must be present in an assignment report to score well : 

1. Clear Introduction

The report should start with an introduction that provides a brief overview of the assignment’s purpose and objectives.

2. Methodology

Explain the methods used to gather data or conduct research, showing how the information was obtained.

3. Relevant Data

Include accurate and appropriate data that supports the assignment’s findings and conclusions.

4. Organized Structure

The report should have a well-structured layout with headings and subheadings for easy navigation.

5. Conclusive Findings

Summarize the key findings derived from the data analysis, concisely presenting them.

6. Practical Recommendations

Provide actionable recommendations based on the report’s conclusions to address the issues.

7. Proper Referencing

Ensure that all sources used in the report are appropriately cited, acknowledging the original authors and works.

Conclusion:

So, this was all about how to write an assignment report. We hope that you have got some knowledge out of it. And now you will be able to work on your own and if not then we are here to help you with any kind of work. You can contact us anytime. Our Computer Science Assignment Help experts are available for you to 24*7. 

And if you like what you have read, then share this with your friends and let them know how to write an assignment report.

As a result, If you want programming assignment help or any other assignment help. Submit work now.

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Home » Assignment – Types, Examples and Writing Guide

Assignment – Types, Examples and Writing Guide

Table of Contents

Assignment

Definition:

Assignment is a task given to students by a teacher or professor, usually as a means of assessing their understanding and application of course material. Assignments can take various forms, including essays, research papers, presentations, problem sets, lab reports, and more.

Assignments are typically designed to be completed outside of class time and may require independent research, critical thinking, and analysis. They are often graded and used as a significant component of a student’s overall course grade. The instructions for an assignment usually specify the goals, requirements, and deadlines for completion, and students are expected to meet these criteria to earn a good grade.

History of Assignment

The use of assignments as a tool for teaching and learning has been a part of education for centuries. Following is a brief history of the Assignment.

  • Ancient Times: Assignments such as writing exercises, recitations, and memorization tasks were used to reinforce learning.
  • Medieval Period : Universities began to develop the concept of the assignment, with students completing essays, commentaries, and translations to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the subject matter.
  • 19th Century : With the growth of schools and universities, assignments became more widespread and were used to assess student progress and achievement.
  • 20th Century: The rise of distance education and online learning led to the further development of assignments as an integral part of the educational process.
  • Present Day: Assignments continue to be used in a variety of educational settings and are seen as an effective way to promote student learning and assess student achievement. The nature and format of assignments continue to evolve in response to changing educational needs and technological innovations.

Types of Assignment

Here are some of the most common types of assignments:

An essay is a piece of writing that presents an argument, analysis, or interpretation of a topic or question. It usually consists of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Essay structure:

  • Introduction : introduces the topic and thesis statement
  • Body paragraphs : each paragraph presents a different argument or idea, with evidence and analysis to support it
  • Conclusion : summarizes the key points and reiterates the thesis statement

Research paper

A research paper involves gathering and analyzing information on a particular topic, and presenting the findings in a well-structured, documented paper. It usually involves conducting original research, collecting data, and presenting it in a clear, organized manner.

Research paper structure:

  • Title page : includes the title of the paper, author’s name, date, and institution
  • Abstract : summarizes the paper’s main points and conclusions
  • Introduction : provides background information on the topic and research question
  • Literature review: summarizes previous research on the topic
  • Methodology : explains how the research was conducted
  • Results : presents the findings of the research
  • Discussion : interprets the results and draws conclusions
  • Conclusion : summarizes the key findings and implications

A case study involves analyzing a real-life situation, problem or issue, and presenting a solution or recommendations based on the analysis. It often involves extensive research, data analysis, and critical thinking.

Case study structure:

  • Introduction : introduces the case study and its purpose
  • Background : provides context and background information on the case
  • Analysis : examines the key issues and problems in the case
  • Solution/recommendations: proposes solutions or recommendations based on the analysis
  • Conclusion: Summarize the key points and implications

A lab report is a scientific document that summarizes the results of a laboratory experiment or research project. It typically includes an introduction, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion.

Lab report structure:

  • Title page : includes the title of the experiment, author’s name, date, and institution
  • Abstract : summarizes the purpose, methodology, and results of the experiment
  • Methods : explains how the experiment was conducted
  • Results : presents the findings of the experiment

Presentation

A presentation involves delivering information, data or findings to an audience, often with the use of visual aids such as slides, charts, or diagrams. It requires clear communication skills, good organization, and effective use of technology.

Presentation structure:

  • Introduction : introduces the topic and purpose of the presentation
  • Body : presents the main points, findings, or data, with the help of visual aids
  • Conclusion : summarizes the key points and provides a closing statement

Creative Project

A creative project is an assignment that requires students to produce something original, such as a painting, sculpture, video, or creative writing piece. It allows students to demonstrate their creativity and artistic skills.

Creative project structure:

  • Introduction : introduces the project and its purpose
  • Body : presents the creative work, with explanations or descriptions as needed
  • Conclusion : summarizes the key elements and reflects on the creative process.

Examples of Assignments

Following are Examples of Assignment templates samples:

Essay template:

I. Introduction

  • Hook: Grab the reader’s attention with a catchy opening sentence.
  • Background: Provide some context or background information on the topic.
  • Thesis statement: State the main argument or point of your essay.

II. Body paragraphs

  • Topic sentence: Introduce the main idea or argument of the paragraph.
  • Evidence: Provide evidence or examples to support your point.
  • Analysis: Explain how the evidence supports your argument.
  • Transition: Use a transition sentence to lead into the next paragraph.

III. Conclusion

  • Restate thesis: Summarize your main argument or point.
  • Review key points: Summarize the main points you made in your essay.
  • Concluding thoughts: End with a final thought or call to action.

Research paper template:

I. Title page

  • Title: Give your paper a descriptive title.
  • Author: Include your name and institutional affiliation.
  • Date: Provide the date the paper was submitted.

II. Abstract

  • Background: Summarize the background and purpose of your research.
  • Methodology: Describe the methods you used to conduct your research.
  • Results: Summarize the main findings of your research.
  • Conclusion: Provide a brief summary of the implications and conclusions of your research.

III. Introduction

  • Background: Provide some background information on the topic.
  • Research question: State your research question or hypothesis.
  • Purpose: Explain the purpose of your research.

IV. Literature review

  • Background: Summarize previous research on the topic.
  • Gaps in research: Identify gaps or areas that need further research.

V. Methodology

  • Participants: Describe the participants in your study.
  • Procedure: Explain the procedure you used to conduct your research.
  • Measures: Describe the measures you used to collect data.

VI. Results

  • Quantitative results: Summarize the quantitative data you collected.
  • Qualitative results: Summarize the qualitative data you collected.

VII. Discussion

  • Interpretation: Interpret the results and explain what they mean.
  • Implications: Discuss the implications of your research.
  • Limitations: Identify any limitations or weaknesses of your research.

VIII. Conclusion

  • Review key points: Summarize the main points you made in your paper.

Case study template:

  • Background: Provide background information on the case.
  • Research question: State the research question or problem you are examining.
  • Purpose: Explain the purpose of the case study.

II. Analysis

  • Problem: Identify the main problem or issue in the case.
  • Factors: Describe the factors that contributed to the problem.
  • Alternative solutions: Describe potential solutions to the problem.

III. Solution/recommendations

  • Proposed solution: Describe the solution you are proposing.
  • Rationale: Explain why this solution is the best one.
  • Implementation: Describe how the solution can be implemented.

IV. Conclusion

  • Summary: Summarize the main points of your case study.

Lab report template:

  • Title: Give your report a descriptive title.
  • Date: Provide the date the report was submitted.
  • Background: Summarize the background and purpose of the experiment.
  • Methodology: Describe the methods you used to conduct the experiment.
  • Results: Summarize the main findings of the experiment.
  • Conclusion: Provide a brief summary of the implications and conclusions
  • Background: Provide some background information on the experiment.
  • Hypothesis: State your hypothesis or research question.
  • Purpose: Explain the purpose of the experiment.

IV. Materials and methods

  • Materials: List the materials and equipment used in the experiment.
  • Procedure: Describe the procedure you followed to conduct the experiment.
  • Data: Present the data you collected in tables or graphs.
  • Analysis: Analyze the data and describe the patterns or trends you observed.

VI. Discussion

  • Implications: Discuss the implications of your findings.
  • Limitations: Identify any limitations or weaknesses of the experiment.

VII. Conclusion

  • Restate hypothesis: Summarize your hypothesis or research question.
  • Review key points: Summarize the main points you made in your report.

Presentation template:

  • Attention grabber: Grab the audience’s attention with a catchy opening.
  • Purpose: Explain the purpose of your presentation.
  • Overview: Provide an overview of what you will cover in your presentation.

II. Main points

  • Main point 1: Present the first main point of your presentation.
  • Supporting details: Provide supporting details or evidence to support your point.
  • Main point 2: Present the second main point of your presentation.
  • Main point 3: Present the third main point of your presentation.
  • Summary: Summarize the main points of your presentation.
  • Call to action: End with a final thought or call to action.

Creative writing template:

  • Setting: Describe the setting of your story.
  • Characters: Introduce the main characters of your story.
  • Rising action: Introduce the conflict or problem in your story.
  • Climax: Present the most intense moment of the story.
  • Falling action: Resolve the conflict or problem in your story.
  • Resolution: Describe how the conflict or problem was resolved.
  • Final thoughts: End with a final thought or reflection on the story.

How to Write Assignment

Here is a general guide on how to write an assignment:

  • Understand the assignment prompt: Before you begin writing, make sure you understand what the assignment requires. Read the prompt carefully and make note of any specific requirements or guidelines.
  • Research and gather information: Depending on the type of assignment, you may need to do research to gather information to support your argument or points. Use credible sources such as academic journals, books, and reputable websites.
  • Organize your ideas : Once you have gathered all the necessary information, organize your ideas into a clear and logical structure. Consider creating an outline or diagram to help you visualize your ideas.
  • Write a draft: Begin writing your assignment using your organized ideas and research. Don’t worry too much about grammar or sentence structure at this point; the goal is to get your thoughts down on paper.
  • Revise and edit: After you have written a draft, revise and edit your work. Make sure your ideas are presented in a clear and concise manner, and that your sentences and paragraphs flow smoothly.
  • Proofread: Finally, proofread your work for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. It’s a good idea to have someone else read over your assignment as well to catch any mistakes you may have missed.
  • Submit your assignment : Once you are satisfied with your work, submit your assignment according to the instructions provided by your instructor or professor.

Applications of Assignment

Assignments have many applications across different fields and industries. Here are a few examples:

  • Education : Assignments are a common tool used in education to help students learn and demonstrate their knowledge. They can be used to assess a student’s understanding of a particular topic, to develop critical thinking skills, and to improve writing and research abilities.
  • Business : Assignments can be used in the business world to assess employee skills, to evaluate job performance, and to provide training opportunities. They can also be used to develop business plans, marketing strategies, and financial projections.
  • Journalism : Assignments are often used in journalism to produce news articles, features, and investigative reports. Journalists may be assigned to cover a particular event or topic, or to research and write a story on a specific subject.
  • Research : Assignments can be used in research to collect and analyze data, to conduct experiments, and to present findings in written or oral form. Researchers may be assigned to conduct research on a specific topic, to write a research paper, or to present their findings at a conference or seminar.
  • Government : Assignments can be used in government to develop policy proposals, to conduct research, and to analyze data. Government officials may be assigned to work on a specific project or to conduct research on a particular topic.
  • Non-profit organizations: Assignments can be used in non-profit organizations to develop fundraising strategies, to plan events, and to conduct research. Volunteers may be assigned to work on a specific project or to help with a particular task.

Purpose of Assignment

The purpose of an assignment varies depending on the context in which it is given. However, some common purposes of assignments include:

  • Assessing learning: Assignments are often used to assess a student’s understanding of a particular topic or concept. This allows educators to determine if a student has mastered the material or if they need additional support.
  • Developing skills: Assignments can be used to develop a wide range of skills, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, research, and communication. Assignments that require students to analyze and synthesize information can help to build these skills.
  • Encouraging creativity: Assignments can be designed to encourage students to be creative and think outside the box. This can help to foster innovation and original thinking.
  • Providing feedback : Assignments provide an opportunity for teachers to provide feedback to students on their progress and performance. Feedback can help students to understand where they need to improve and to develop a growth mindset.
  • Meeting learning objectives : Assignments can be designed to help students meet specific learning objectives or outcomes. For example, a writing assignment may be designed to help students improve their writing skills, while a research assignment may be designed to help students develop their research skills.

When to write Assignment

Assignments are typically given by instructors or professors as part of a course or academic program. The timing of when to write an assignment will depend on the specific requirements of the course or program, but in general, assignments should be completed within the timeframe specified by the instructor or program guidelines.

It is important to begin working on assignments as soon as possible to ensure enough time for research, writing, and revisions. Waiting until the last minute can result in rushed work and lower quality output.

It is also important to prioritize assignments based on their due dates and the amount of work required. This will help to manage time effectively and ensure that all assignments are completed on time.

In addition to assignments given by instructors or professors, there may be other situations where writing an assignment is necessary. For example, in the workplace, assignments may be given to complete a specific project or task. In these situations, it is important to establish clear deadlines and expectations to ensure that the assignment is completed on time and to a high standard.

Characteristics of Assignment

Here are some common characteristics of assignments:

  • Purpose : Assignments have a specific purpose, such as assessing knowledge or developing skills. They are designed to help students learn and achieve specific learning objectives.
  • Requirements: Assignments have specific requirements that must be met, such as a word count, format, or specific content. These requirements are usually provided by the instructor or professor.
  • Deadline: Assignments have a specific deadline for completion, which is usually set by the instructor or professor. It is important to meet the deadline to avoid penalties or lower grades.
  • Individual or group work: Assignments can be completed individually or as part of a group. Group assignments may require collaboration and communication with other group members.
  • Feedback : Assignments provide an opportunity for feedback from the instructor or professor. This feedback can help students to identify areas of improvement and to develop their skills.
  • Academic integrity: Assignments require academic integrity, which means that students must submit original work and avoid plagiarism. This includes citing sources properly and following ethical guidelines.
  • Learning outcomes : Assignments are designed to help students achieve specific learning outcomes. These outcomes are usually related to the course objectives and may include developing critical thinking skills, writing abilities, or subject-specific knowledge.

Advantages of Assignment

There are several advantages of assignment, including:

  • Helps in learning: Assignments help students to reinforce their learning and understanding of a particular topic. By completing assignments, students get to apply the concepts learned in class, which helps them to better understand and retain the information.
  • Develops critical thinking skills: Assignments often require students to think critically and analyze information in order to come up with a solution or answer. This helps to develop their critical thinking skills, which are important for success in many areas of life.
  • Encourages creativity: Assignments that require students to create something, such as a piece of writing or a project, can encourage creativity and innovation. This can help students to develop new ideas and perspectives, which can be beneficial in many areas of life.
  • Builds time-management skills: Assignments often come with deadlines, which can help students to develop time-management skills. Learning how to manage time effectively is an important skill that can help students to succeed in many areas of life.
  • Provides feedback: Assignments provide an opportunity for students to receive feedback on their work. This feedback can help students to identify areas where they need to improve and can help them to grow and develop.

Limitations of Assignment

There are also some limitations of assignments that should be considered, including:

  • Limited scope: Assignments are often limited in scope, and may not provide a comprehensive understanding of a particular topic. They may only cover a specific aspect of a topic, and may not provide a full picture of the subject matter.
  • Lack of engagement: Some assignments may not engage students in the learning process, particularly if they are repetitive or not challenging enough. This can lead to a lack of motivation and interest in the subject matter.
  • Time-consuming: Assignments can be time-consuming, particularly if they require a lot of research or writing. This can be a disadvantage for students who have other commitments, such as work or extracurricular activities.
  • Unreliable assessment: The assessment of assignments can be subjective and may not always accurately reflect a student’s understanding or abilities. The grading may be influenced by factors such as the instructor’s personal biases or the student’s writing style.
  • Lack of feedback : Although assignments can provide feedback, this feedback may not always be detailed or useful. Instructors may not have the time or resources to provide detailed feedback on every assignment, which can limit the value of the feedback that students receive.

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Table of Contents

Ai, ethics & human agency, collaboration, information literacy, writing process, edit for assignment requirements, why is it important to pay close attention to assignment requirements.

When a writing project is assigned, the instructor (or the department) will usually spell out specific assignment requirements; these expectations are often communicated verbally, inscribed on a white board, or made available through an electronic or paper document.

Requirements often center on adherence to the main focus or topic of the assignment, due date(s), length, type of research and sources, style and format, method of submission, and other specific essential elements.

Failure to adhere to assignment requirements generally results in a penalty (often significant) to the student’s grade. Additionally, if the paper—or drafts of the paper—are to be reviewed by the instructor or peers prior to the final due date, missing a draft due date will also result in the loss of valuable feedback.

Each institution, department, or instructor may have unique assignment-specific requirements. Any questions about the requirements of a particular assignment should be directed to the professor or instructor.

What elements are typically included in assignment requirements?

  • Project focus : The writing assignment will almost always have a focus—such as argument, rhetorical or literary analysis, narrative, exposition, or research.
  • Topic : A specific topic, or range of topics, may be required or suggested.
  • Drafts : College-level writing assignments may be written as a series of drafts. Pay attention to the required number of drafts and expectations for revision between drafts.
  • Due date(s) : Take careful note of the assignment’s due date(s) in a digital or paper planner. If multiple drafts are involved, note the due date for each draft.
  • Length : A minimum—and often maximum—number of words or pages are generally required. Use the word count at the bottom of the word processor screen to help determine the number of words that are included in the text of the paper.
  • Should they be scholarly academic books and articles, popular media, multi-media, or non-traditional?
  • Should they come from print or electronic sources, or a combination?
  • Should they be primary or secondary, or a combination?
  • Should specific data bases be accessed?
  • Should a specific publication date range be considered?
  • Bibliography: Expect to find a directive describing how to present a record of the works that have been cited, summarized, paraphrased, or referenced in the paper. The title and format of these pages will be determined by the prescribed style guide.
  • Style and Format : Pay close attention to required style and format. Adherence to MLA, APA, or Chicago style, among others, is often expected.
  • Point of view : Most academic papers are written in 3 rd person; however, personal narrative and some other types of writing may necessitate the use of 1 st person.
  • If an electronic submission is required, make note of the required file type (e. g., .docx, .pdf, .rtf, .pptx) and the exact time by which the assignment is to be submitted.
  • If a paper submission is expected, allow sufficient time to accommodate possible computer, printer, or paper issues.
  • Plagiarism detection : Directions for submission of the paper to a computer-assisted plagiarism detection system, such as SafeAssign or Turnitin, should be followed.

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The-Ultimate-Guide-on-How-to-Write-a-Report-for-an-Assignment (1)

Date: January 4, 2024

The Ultimate Guide on How to Write a Report for an Assignment

Writing reports for assignments is a critical ability that you will need for your academic and professional lives, although it may appear tough. Proficiency in report writing services may significantly influence your academic performance and job progression, regardless of whether you are a student or a working professional.

With the aid of this blog, you will be able to write a report for an assignment and receive guidance on how to make it stand out. We will also talk about how crucial it is to seek out assignment help to improve your writing skills and ease of use. Now, let’s explore the realm of report writing and discover the techniques for creating an excellent assignment report.

How do you write a report? 10 Effective Strategies on Assignment Report Format

1. plan and outline your report.

Wondering how to start a written report? The first step in generating an affordable report is to plan and detail it. To get a good understanding of what has to be included, start by describing the job’s goals and specifications. If you need help writing a report, go online for UK assignment help providers that can aid you. Familiarise yourself with the assignment report format to ensure that your report matches the required structure.

When beginning a written report, an outline that organises your thoughts and primary themes is beneficial. This will save you time and effort by helping you remain on track and prevent unnecessary deviations. Determine the logical segmentation of your report into subsections and the sequence in which you will present your information.

A work report should begin with an enticing introduction that draws the reader in and provides a summary of the report’s contents. Use headers and subheadings to make the information more legible and to divide it up. Include concise, clear material that meets the criteria of the project. Still wondering how to write a work report conclusion, simply provide a summary of the important themes as well as recommendations or suggestions for additional reading. By arranging and structuring your report, you may generate it successfully and quickly while remaining within your budget.

2. Research and gather relevant information

How to write a report for a university assignment that is a well-researched report format assignment guide. Here is what you need! It is critical to perform comprehensive research and acquire important material while researching for a budget-friendly report for an assignment. This ensures that your report is well-informed and well-supported while also keeping expenses low.

To begin, make use of the best assignment help options accessible online. Many academic websites provide low-cost or even free tools to help you grasp academic report format and how to create a report for university tasks. You may save money on pricey textbooks and writing guides by using these tools.

Additionally, become acquainted with the academic report structure necessary for the job. Because formatting criteria differ between assignments, it’s critical to grasp the exact requirements to minimise any needless charges related to rewrites or revisions. You may save time and effort by following the right report format from the outset.

3. Use a clear and concise writing style

When producing a report for an assignment that is both budget-friendly and instructive, it is critical to use a clear and short writing style. This not only allows you to explain your ideas more effectively, but it also saves you time and effort when editing and revising. Still not convinced. How do you write an appealing report? Here is what you need to do:

  • Make your sentences as brief as possible to avoid misunderstandings.
  • Set a report assignment example by focusing on communicating in plain English and avoiding jargon and needless technical terms that may confuse the reader.
  • While writing your report, use headings and subheadings to structure your material into digestible chunks.
  • Additionally, to increase reading and comprehension, use bullet points or numbered lists to organise significant concepts or material.
  • Writing clearly and concisely may make your report easier to read, saving the reader time and ensuring that they understand the essential points you are aiming to convey.

Consequently, keep in mind that anyone searching for expert assignment assistance or advice on how to write a good assignment that values your writing if it is clear, succinct, and easy to read.

4. Create an Effective Introduction

Writing a cost-effective report for an assignment necessitates paying close attention from the outset. By employing the proper strategies, you may immediately pique your reader’s attention without committing a lot of time or money.

Outlining the aim and parameters of your report is a smart place to start with your project. This sets the tone for the rest of the work and informs the reader of what to expect. Use phrases like “assignment help” to stress how cost-effective your way of completing your job was.

Another effective strategy on how to start an assignment is to provide a brief overview of the important concepts or contentions that the report will cover. By doing so, you may inspire the reader to continue reading by providing a preview of what’s to come. You might find ideas for an intriguing introduction by searching for sample assignment reports online.

Remember that the goal is to keep the reader’s interest while staying within the budget. By referring to the assignment report example available online in your opening, you may get your project off to a strong start and stay on budget throughout the report.

5. Utilize Headings And Subheadings

How to start a report is easy with headings and subheadings. The use of headers and subheadings is crucial when producing an economical and well-organized assignment report. This gives your report structure and aids in the clear organisation of your ideas and thoughts.

How to write a report for an assignment that covers proper headings and subheadings? Here is a quick guideline:

  • Outlining the primary topics, you wish to discuss is a good place to start with a report.
  • Next, group these ideas into categories and give them suitable headings.
  • Headings facilitate readers’ navigation through your report by giving a concise summary of the information. Additionally, this strategy keeps you on topic and keeps extraneous details out of your task.

If you are still having trouble producing your report, you can always look to complete your assignment faster providers to get expert advice and aid in creating a standout report.

6. Include Relevant Visuals

Covering images unsure of how to write an assignment for university? Incorporating pertinent graphics into your affordable report may significantly improve its overall caliber and efficacy. Set a unique assignment business report example by utilizing images, tables, graphs, and charts in a way that is easier to read and visually appealing. They can also help the reader become more interested in and recall your report.

Moreover, adding images to your textual material might also help you save money. When presenting facts or thoughts, pictures may be used to convey the information in a clear and visually attractive manner rather than writing long words. You’ll save time and improve the readability of your report by doing this.

Your project costs can be minimized while still getting the writing done by professionals. These cheap assignments help providers make sure to include pertinent pictures financed by them.

7. Use Credible And Reliable Sources

how to write a report university that is reliable and authentic? Using trustworthy sources is crucial while creating a report for an assignment that is affordable. In addition to saving time, this guarantees that the data you provide is reliable and correct. To locate trustworthy providers, look for online assignment help. Many websites guide how to write assignments for university, including recommendations and instructions that are especially targeted at students.

Use credible websites, peer-reviewed publications, and scholarly papers while doing research for your report. Frequently, these sites offer accurate and current information. It’s also crucial to assess the sources you find critically. Verify the author’s qualifications and look for any conflicts of interest or prejudices that could undermine the veracity of the material provided.

8. Proofread and Edit your Report

What makes a good report? Proofreading! While editing, you may find and fix any mistakes or inconsistencies that may have happened throughout the writing process by carefully going over your work again. This will spare you the headache of having to make last-minute edits, in addition to raising the general caliber of your report. When proofreading and editing your report, it is crucial to refer to examples of report assignments to ensure you are meeting the requirements.

Additionally, understanding how to write a report effectively is essential in ensuring your document is clear, concise, and well-structured.

  • Start by carefully reading your report to make sure the information is understandable, succinct, and cohesive.
  • Look for any spelling or grammar errors and make the appropriate corrections.
  • Make sure that the layout and organization of your report follow the instructions that your professor has supplied.
  • You may make sure that your report satisfies the requirements by using Professional assignment help Online options like online editing tools or getting peer input.

9. Be Concise In Your Conclusions

How to conclude an assignment? When finishing a project, simply go back and review your goal or research question. Next, draw attention to the most important conclusions or reasons that bolster your thesis statement. Be careful not to introduce other topics or stray from the main point. Then, how to write university assignment conclusions? Rather, concentrate on providing an overview of the main ideas and outlining any ramifications.

When you wish to effectively communicate a point without sacrificing the caliber of your arguments, it is extremely important to be succinct in your conclusions. You may make sure that your report doesn’t exceed the word count or page restriction by removing superfluous details or repetition. This is especially helpful for students looking for inexpensive assignment help.

In summation, it’s a good idea to be succinct in your findings while writing a report that fits under a tight budget for a school project. Moreover, utilizing resources like top assignment help can provide guidance and assistance in crafting a strong conclusion for your university assignment.

10. Budget Your Time

It is essential to efficiently manage your time while creating a report for an assignment that is affordable. You may prevent rushing through how to write a report for work and possibly making expensive blunders by practicing good time management.

Decide on the deadline for finishing your report first. Divide the work into smaller, more doable portions and set aside designated times for each. This will support your organization and concentration as you write.

Think about using tools like writing workshops or tutoring programs provided by your university or look for cheap assignment help. These resources might offer helpful advice on how to write an assignment example or create a report for employment.

Make the most of your time by familiarising yourself with the format and writing style of sample projects. This will help you create a university report structured professionally from the beginning and save you time on trial and error.

Final Words

Are you ready to finish your assignment and provide an excellent report? There is no other place to search! Our custom assignment help service takes care of you. Even though writing a report can seem challenging, with the right guidance and planning, you can impress your professors and show off your knowledge.

So how does one go about writing a report that stands out? Our comprehensive guidance and expert assistance will ensure that you submit a top-notch assignment that surpasses all expectations.

Instead of letting report writing stand in the way of your achievement, put your trust in our UK assignment help service to provide you with the support and guidance you require. Contact us immediately to confidently ace your assignments!

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A 6-step guide to requirements gathering for project success

A 6-step guide to requirements gathering for project success article banner image

Requirements gathering is the process of identifying your project’s exact requirements from start to finish. This process occurs during the project initiation phase, but you’ll continue to manage your project requirements throughout the project timeline. In this piece, we’ll outline the requirements gathering process and explain how taking time to focus on requirements gathering can lead to successful project outcomes.

Requirements gathering may seem self-explanatory, but it rarely receives the full attention it deserves. Like stretching before exercising or brushing your teeth before bed, it’s a simple task that often gets overlooked. 

But the consequences of ignoring these seemingly straightforward things can lead to injuries, cavities, or, in the case of project management, project risks. 

In this piece, we’ll outline the requirements gathering process and explain how taking time to focus on requirements gathering can lead to successful project outcomes.

What is requirements gathering in project management?

Requirements gathering typically happens during the project brief or initial kick-off meeting .

Some questions include:

How long will our project schedule be?

Who will be involved in the project?

What risks may we face in this project?

Requirements gathering shouldn’t be complex, but it’s an important component of the project initiation process.

The 6-step requirements gathering process

To gather your requirements, use the following six-step process. Once you’re finished, you should have a comprehensive requirements document outlining the resources you need to move forward through the project phases .

The 6-step requirements gathering process

Step 1: Assign roles

The first step in requirements gathering is to assign roles in your project. This is when you identify your project stakeholders .

A stakeholder is anyone invested in the project, whether they’re internal or external partners. For example, a customer is an external stakeholder, while a department manager or board member is an internal stakeholder. Identifying these roles first will help you determine who should analyze your project scope later on. 

Other roles include the project manager , project administrator , designers, product testers, and developers. These people can help you identify the requirements and resources you need in order to hit your project goals. 

While you may feel tempted to jump headfirst into your project and start listing all the things you know you’ll need, this can be a mistake. Slow down and stick to the process and you’ll have a better chance of preventing project risk . 

Step 2: Meet with stakeholders

Once you’ve identified your project stakeholders, meet with them to get an idea of what they’re hoping to get out of the project. Understanding what stakeholders want matters because they’re ultimately the ones you’re creating your deliverables for. 

Some questions you can ask include:

What is your goal for this project?

What do you think would make this project successful?

What are your concerns about this project?

What do you wish this product or service would do that it doesn’t already?

What changes would you recommend about this project?

The stakeholders are the people you’re ultimately developing the project for, so you should ask them questions that can help you create your list of requirements.

Step 3: Gather and document

Step three in the process happens at the same time as step two. You’ll gather information as you ask your stakeholders questions. The goal is to document everything you can, so have all of the answers you need to start your project.

Use a project management tool to collect and document this information. That way, you can keep your project plan, project requirements, and project communication all in one place. Some examples of what you might document include:

Stakeholder answers to interview questions

Stakeholder questions

Stakeholder requests

Stakeholder comments

Questions and comments that arise during interviews

You don’t have to use every answer you receive, but having everything documented can help you see all of your stakeholders’ perspectives, which will help you with requirements management.

Step 4: List assumptions and requirements

Now that you’ve completed the intake process , create your requirements management plan based on the information you’ve gathered. 

Consider the questions you initially set out to answer during the requirements gathering process. Then, use them to create your requirements goals, including: 

Length of project schedule: You can map out your project timeline using a Gantt chart and use it to visualize any project requirements that depend on project milestones . Some requirements will apply for the full duration of the project, whereas others may only apply during distinct project phases. For example, you’ll need a specific budget for team member salaries throughout the entire project, but you may only need specific material during the last stage of your project timeline.  

People involved in the project: Identify exactly which team members will be involved in your project, including how many designers, developers, or managers you’ll need to execute every step. People are part of your project requirements because if you don’t have the team members you need, you won’t be able to complete the project on time. 

Project risks: Understanding your project risks is an important part of identifying project requirements. Use a risk register to determine which risks are of highest priority, such as stakeholder feedback, timeline delays, and lack of budget. Then, schedule a brainstorming session with your team to figure out how to prevent these risks.

Like SMART goals , your project requirements should be actionable, measurable, and quantifiable. Try to go into as much detail as possible when listing out your project budget, timeline, required resources, and team. 

Step 5: Get approval

Once you formalize your project requirements, you’ll need approval from stakeholders to ensure you’re meeting user needs. Encouraging clear communication can also prevent scope creep by ensuring your stakeholders know the limits of the project from the beginning. You can then proceed with your implementation plan , which may include acquiring resources and assembling a team. 

Step 6: Monitor progress

The last part of the process is monitoring the progress of your project . You can use project management software to track your project budget and other requirements as you move through project execution. The benefit of project management software is that you can see changes to your project in real-time and take immediate action when things go awry. 

Requirements gathering techniques

While the basic process of requirements gathering involves asking stakeholders for their input, sometimes stakeholders won’t know what’s best for a project. In those cases, you're responsible for gathering the information necessary to understand what your project requirements should be. 

Requirements gathering techniques

To ensure you’re fully prepared for the project life cycle, you can use the following research techniques.

Questionnaires: Questionnaires can be beneficial if you need to ask stakeholders the same question across the board. Share the questionnaire with stakeholders in advance, and give them time to answer questions about project requirements, to ensure no one leaves anything out. While questionnaires can be valuable ways to gather requirements, they’re not very effective for executive stakeholders, who may be too busy to fill them out.

Use case scenarios: A use case scenario is a written description of how you think your team members will execute the project. These scenarios may include who’s involved in the project, what you expect them to do, and the steps they’ll take to accomplish your project goal. Sharing a use case scenario gives stakeholders a clear picture of the project roadmap and planned deliverables. Stakeholders then have something to respond to if the use case doesn’t meet their expectations.

Mind mapping: Mind mapping is a visual form of brainstorming that’s particularly helpful for assessing what project requirements you need. In the center of your mind map, place your main project objective . In bubbles branching off from the main objective, list categories of things you need. As the map continues to branch out, you can include more detailed with your requirements until you’ve captured all of your project requirements. 

Prototyping: Interviewing your stakeholders may not be successful if they don’t know exactly what they want out of the project. In that case, try creating prototypes to show stakeholders what the potential deliverable could look like. This can help your stakeholders define what they do and don’t like so you can identify the exact requirements you need to launch the project. 

If none of these techniques feel quite right, check out other online tools to also help you gather information, like an idea board , a focus group, user stories, or a decision matrix template .

Why is requirement gathering important?

Requirements gathering is more than beneficial for your project—it’s essential. Can you remember why the last unsuccessful project you handled didn’t go well? Did you run out of resources or go over budget? Did you underestimate the time you’d need to complete the project? These are project risks that you can prevent when you follow the requirements gathering process.

Why is requirement gathering important?

There are many benefits of requirements gathering, which include:

Improves stakeholder satisfaction: When you follow an effective requirements gathering process, you improve stakeholder satisfaction by providing more on-target project deliverables. Your stakeholders will be happy when they know what to expect with your project.

Increases project success rate: Requirements gathering also increases your project success rate because the more prepared you are for your upcoming project, the less likely you are to encounter project risks. 

Reduces project costs: Encountering project risks can lead to increased project costs. By avoiding these risks, you can reduce costs and stay within budget. You understandably don’t want to spend more money on a project than necessary, so this is a big benefit of requirements gathering. 

Streamline requirements gathering with project management software

Requirements gathering is an important part of project planning. Whether you’re interviewing stakeholders or performing other types of research to compile your list of project requirements, having project management software that can hold all your information and seamlessly move it into the next phase will go a long way. 

When your stakeholders and your team members share access, you can communicate and collaborate from project start to finish and reduce any chance of setbacks.  

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UNCLASSIFIED (U)

Security Reporting Requirements

(CT:DS-372;   01-21-2022) (Office of Origin:  DS/SI and DS/DO/ICI)

12 FAM 271  GENERAL AUTHORITIES and DEFINITI0NS

(CT:DS-372;   01-21-2022)

a. The director of National Intelligence’s (DNI’s) Security Executive Agent Directive (SEAD) 3: Reporting Requirements for Personnel with Access to Classified Information or Who Hold a Sensitive Position (SEAD-3) established reporting requirements extending to persons who hold positions requiring access to classified information and persons who hold positions designated as sensitive.  This Directive applies to covered individuals as defined in 12 FAM 271.2 , Definitions.

b. All persons who have access to classified information or hold a sensitive position incur a special and continuing obligation to be aware of the risks associated with foreign intelligence operations and/or possible terrorist activities directed against them in the United States and abroad.

c.  Failure to comply with the reporting requirements may affect eligibility for continued access to classified information, continued contract performance, or the ability to hold a sensitive position, and may result in a referral for disciplinary action up to and including separation.

d. Covered persons must cooperate with the Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS) in investigating matters bearing on their eligibility for a security clearance or suitability/fitness for employment.  To the extent that DS identifies a specific security concern regarding an employee or contractor, DS may request an issue that may not otherwise be required as reportable under this policy.

    NOTE:  The required data elements identified in this policy outline basic initial information that should be included if applicable and available.  DS may request additional data following evaluation of an initial report.  Individuals who report information in conjunction with this policy must also include comprehensive relevant data in their subsequent “Questionnaire for National Security Positions,” Standard Form 86.

e. When circumstances arise that in DS’ view may affect an individual’s national security eligibility, DS will conduct an appropriate investigation.  An investigation conducted by DS, the Office of Inspector General, or other government entities may also provide the basis for a review of an individual’s national security eligibility.

f.  Failure of a covered individual to report information required by this policy may result in the initiation of an appropriate investigation, suspension of the individual’s security clearance (which may result in revocation), and/or referral for disciplinary action.  Failure of a contractor to report information required by this policy may also result in that contractor’s temporary or permanent removal from performance on a Department classified or Sensitive But Unclassified contract.

g. Covered individuals should use good judgment and discretion in recognizing and avoiding situations and/or behavior that would call into question their judgment, reliability, and trustworthiness to safeguard information and to hold a position of trust and responsibility.

12 FAM 271.1  Authorities

a. The Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1986, as amended, (Public Law 99-399;  22 U.S.C. 4801, et seq.)

b. Presidential Decision Directive of August 5, 1993, entitled, “Security Awareness and Reporting of Foreign Contacts” (PDD/NSC-12).

c.  Security Executive Agent Directive 3, Reporting Requirements for Personnel with Access to Classified Information or Who Hold a Sensitive Position, effective June 12, 2017.

d. Intelligence Community Standard (ICS) 703-02, Reporting Requirements for Individuals with Access to Sensitive Compartmented Information, dated August 11, 2016.

12 FAM 271.2  Definitions

(CT:DS-372;   01-21-2022)

Agency :  Any "Executive agency" as defined in 10 U.S.C. 105, including the "military department," as defined in 5 U.S.C. 102, and any other entity within the Executive Branch that comes into possession of classified information or has positions designated as sensitive.

Arrest :  The apprehension or detention of a person by a sworn law enforcement officer, such that the person’s freedom of movement is restrained, in order to answer for an alleged or suspected crime.  A simple traffic stop does not meet the above definition unless the individual is removed from the vehicle and restrained.

Classified national security information or classified information :  Information that has been determined pursuant to E.O. 13526 or any predecessor or successor order, or the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, to require protection against unauthorized disclosure.

Cohabitant:   A person with whom the covered individual resides and shares bonds of affection, obligation, or other commitment, as opposed to a person with whom the covered individual resides for reasons of convenience (e.g., a roommate).  Cohabitants may include, among others, one’s spouse, intended spouse,  domestic partner, or romantic cohabitant, and relatives, as well as nannies and housekeepers, who reside with the covered individual.

Contact:   All manner of personal or impersonal communication and connection, such as person-to-person contact or communication via telephonic means, postal system, Internet, etc.

Continuing association:   Association with an individual that continues to exist after the initial meeting and is more than limited or casual public contact.

Controlled substance:   Any controlled substance as defined in 21 U.S.C. 802.

Covered individual: For the purpose of these reporting requirements, covered persons are those  who perform work for or on behalf of the Department of State and have been granted access to classified information (Confidential, Secret, or Top Secret) or who occupy a sensitive position, for which the adjudicative determination for the security clearance, sensitive position, and/or access to sensitive compartmented information (SCI), was rendered by the Department.  Covered individuals are not limited to government employees and also include, but are not limited to, contractors, subcontractors, licensees, certificate holders, grantees, experts, consultants, etc.:

(1)  This definition applies regardless of assignment, for example: Foreign Service Family Reserve Corps members, fellows, re-employed annuitants (REAs), detailees to other agencies and those on excursion tours outside the Department, as well as contractor and subcontractor personnel performing on Department contracts; and

(2)  Individuals assigned to the Department from another federal agency must adhere to their home agency’s security reporting requirements and additional post or mission requirements.  Reporting information as required under this policy   does not fulfill or diminish the obligation to follow other/additional post or mission reporting requirements.

Drugs :  Any drug as defined in 21 U.S.C. 321.

Foreign Intelligence Entity :  Known or suspected foreign state or non-state organizations or persons that conduct intelligence activities to acquire United States (U.S.) information, block or impair U.S. intelligence collection, influence U.S. policy, or disrupt U.S. systems and programs.  The term includes foreign intelligence and security services and international terrorists.

Foreign national :  Any person who is not a U.S. citizen or a U.S. National. Section 101(a)(22) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) states that “the term ‘national of the United States’ means (A) a citizen of the United States, or (B) a person who, though not a citizen of the United States, owes permanent allegiance to the United States.” Therefore, U.S. citizens are also U.S. nationals.  Non-citizen U.S. nationality status refers only to individuals who were born either in American Samoa or on Swains Island to parents who are not citizens of the United States.  Because a U.S. citizen is not a foreign national, a U.S. citizen who has dual (or multiple) citizenship with another country/countries would not be considered a foreign national within the meaning of this Foreign Affairs Manual section.

Foreign national roommate(s):   Any foreign national(s) who co-occupies a residence for a period of more than 30 calendar days.

Media:   Any person, organization or entity, other than Federal, State, local, tribal and territorial governments:

(1)  Primarily engaged in the collection, production or dissemination to the public of information in any form, which includes print, broadcast, film and Internet; or

(2)  Otherwise engaged in the collection, production or dissemination to the public of information in any form related to topics of national security, which includes print, broadcast, film, and Internet.  NOTE : Depending on context, media may also refer to physical devices (e.g., magnetic tapes, optical disks, magnetic disks) which information is stored within an information system (see 12 FAM 010 ).

National security:   Those activities which are directly concerned with the foreign relations of the United States, or protection of the Nation from internal subversion, foreign aggression, or terrorism.

National security eligibility:   Eligibility for access to classified information or eligibility to hold a sensitive position, to include access to SCI, restricted data, and controlled or special access program information.

Sensitive position :  Any position within or in support of the Department, the occupant of which could bring about, by virtue of the nature of the position, a material adverse effect on national security, regardless of whether the occupant has access to classified information, and regardless of whether the occupant is an employee or a contractor.

Unauthorized disclosure:   A communication, confirmation, acknowledgement, or physical transfer of classified or administratively controlled unclassified (e.g., SBU) information, including the facilitation of, or actual giving, passing, selling, publishing or in any way making such information available to an unauthorized recipient.

12 FAM 272  REPORTING MECHANISMS

a. Reporting pursuant to this policy must be done via the Personnel Reporting Tool accessible on the DS Office of Personnel Security and Suitability (DS/SI/PSS) intranet through OpenNet or via email [email protected].  Foreign contacts under 12 FAM 273.3 must be reported to the DS Office of Counterintelligence (DS/DO/CI) through the DS-1887 form in myData.  Alternatively, a fillable form may be obtained from and submitted via email to [email protected].

b. Questions regarding these reporting policies or reports made thereunder may be emailed to [email protected].

c.  Additional reporting requirements specific to cleared contractors are outlined in 12 FAM 576.4 , Reporting Requirements.

d. Inquiries concerning those SCI-specific reporting requirements and reporting channels should be directed to the DS Office of Information Security, Special Security Operations Division (DS/IS/SSO), at [email protected]

e. If in doubt as to whether information is required to be reported, covered individuals should err on the side of caution and report.  Additional guidance on reporting and all required data elements/formats for reporting the various categories of information are located in the Personnel Reporting Tool.

f.  To mitigate any risk to the Department, all Department employees should report concerning behaviors that may be indicative of an insider threat to [email protected].

g. Each covered individual involved must file a separate report.  For example, if a married couple consisting of two covered individuals will reside with a foreign national, or are party to a financial anomaly, two reports must be filed.

12 FAM 273  Reporting Requirements for All Who Have Access to Classified Information or Hold a Sensitive Position

12 FAM 273.1  Applicability

The following reporting requirements are applicable to all covered individuals, defined at 12 FAM 271.3 as individuals who perform work for or on behalf of the Department of State and has been granted access to classified information (Confidential, Secret, or Top Secret) or who occupy a sensitive position, for which the adjudicative determination for the security clearance, sensitive position, and/or access to SCI, was rendered by the Department.

12 FAM 273.2  Reportable Actions by Others

a. All covered individuals have an obligation to report activities of other covered individuals that may be of a potential security or counterintelligence concern.  Persons with information they believe may have a bearing on another individual’s eligibility for access to classified information or to hold a sensitive position must report that information.  This includes, but is not limited to:

(1)  An unwillingness to comply with rules and regulations or to cooperate with security requirements;

(2)  Unexplained affluence or excessive indebtedness;

(3)  Alcohol abuse;

(4)  Illegal use or misuse of drugs or drug activity;

(5)  Behavior that may suggest a mental health issue where there is reason to believe it may impact the individual’s ability to protect classified information or other information specifically prohibited by law from disclosure;

(6)  Criminal conduct;

(7)  Any activity that raises doubts as to whether another covered individual’s continued national security eligibility is clearly consistent with the interests of national security; and

(8)  Misuse of U.S. Government property or information systems.

b. This information may be submitted via the Personnel Reporting Tool , via email [email protected], or directly to [email protected].

12 FAM 273.3  Unofficial Foreign Travel

a. All covered individuals must report the following via the PSS Reporting Tool, regardless of travel destination outside the United States, immediately upon return from travel:

(1)  Unusual or suspicious occurrences during travel, including those of possible security or counterintelligence significance; and

(2)  Any incidents involving foreign law enforcement or customs that are out of the ordinary.

b. Additional travel reporting at the post or mission level may be required for those under Chief of Mission (COM) authority, as determined by the regional security officer (RSO) or post security officer (PSO).  This reporting requirement does not fulfill or diminish the obligation to follow other/additional post or mission level security directives and reporting requirements.

c.  The Department’s policy on personal travel to critical Human Intelligence (HUMINT) threat countries is fully articulated in 12 FAM 264 .  This excerpt of salient points is provided in 12 FAM 270 only as a reference to sensitize the reader to those reporting requirements  These standards, which were cleared by the Overseas Security Policy Board (OSPB), apply to all Department employees and contractors domestically and those employees of agencies under the authority of a COM, abroad.  Implementation, application and management responsibilities concerning this policy are further outlined in 12 FAM 264 .

d. The Department requires prior reporting of unofficial travel to countries with a critical HUMINT threat post and to certain countries with which the United States does not have diplomatic relations, which are all listed in the Security Environment Threat List (SETL).  Prior reporting is required regardless of the threat level at the post where the covered individual is stationed or from which the employee departs.  The annual SETL ratings are distributed by classified ALDAC and can also be found by using the SETL link in the “Directories” section of the Department’s ClassNet homepage.

e. DS/DO/CI directly administers this program for Department employees stationed domestically and indirectly through the RSO or the PSO at a U.S. mission or post abroad.

12 FAM 273.4  Unofficial Foreign Contacts

a. Contact reporting is required if there is continuing association with known foreign nationals that involve bonds of affection, personal obligation, or intimate/sexual contact.  This reporting requirement is based on the nature of the relationship regardless of how or where the foreign national contact was made or how the relationship is maintained (i.e., via in person contact, telephonic, postal system, Internet, etc.).  The reporting of limited or casual public contact with foreign nationals is not required absent any other reporting requirement in this policy.  Reporting of foreign unofficial contacts is not required when there is only an exchange of personal information (e.g., information that can reasonably identify an individual, recorded in a material form or not) .  Following initial reporting, covered persons must file updates regarding continuing unofficial association with known foreign nationals shall occur only if and when there is a significant change in the nature of the contact.  These contact reporting requirements are in addition to the reporting required by the “Questionnaire for National Security Positions,” Standard Form 86, regarding foreign contacts.

b. In addition, the Department’s policy on counterintelligence contact reporting is fully articulated in 12 FAM 262 .  This excerpt of salient points is provided in 12 FAM 270 only as a reference to sensitize the reader to those reporting requirements.  Implementation, application and management responsibilities concerning the Department’s counterintelligence contact reporting program are fully outlined in 12 FAM 262 .

c.  All covered individuals (regardless of position or national security eligibility) must report:

(1)  Contact and/or association with persons or organizations who the employee knows or suspects advocate the unlawful overthrow of the U.S. Government; 

(2)  Contact and/or association with persons who the employee knows or suspects is a member or supporter of foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs ) as designated by the Secretary;

(3)  Unofficial contact with a person who the employee knows or suspects is a member of a foreign intelligence entity, regardless of nationality;

(4)  When illegal or unauthorized access to classified or otherwise sensitive information is sought; or

(5)  When the employee is concerned that he or she may be the target of actual or attempted exploitation by a Foreign Intelligence Entity.

d. Reporting contacts with foreign nationals under specific circumstances outlined in 12 FAM 262 provides the Department with an early warning mechanism for protecting the security of the United States by identifying situations involving possible foreign intelligence activities directed against its employees and information.  However, the Department recognizes its requirement to ensure the privacy of employees and their freedom of association.

e. Reports generated by covered individuals as a result of requirements described in 12 FAM 273 and further clarified in 12 FAM 262 must be filed with the RSO abroad or DS/DO/CI domestically.  Individuals to whom these regulations apply must use Form DS-1887, Foreign Contact Report (available on MyData), to report all contacts for which reports are required.  If the official duty station is a U.S. mission or post abroad, the report must be submitted to either the RSO or PSO.  If the official duty station is in the United States, employees and contractors of the Department must send the Foreign Contact Report to DS/DO/CI via MyData.  Form DS-1887 is encrypted when transmitted and is as secure as any online banking transaction an employee may conduct via the Internet.  A paper copy of Form DS-1887 may be scanned and submitted to [email protected] when there is no access to the Department OpenNet.

12 FAM 273.5  Cohabitants, Intended Spouses, and Foreign National Roommates

a. All cohabitants (regardless of citizenship), intended spouses (regardless of citizenship), and foreign national roommates must be reported to DS/SI/PSS. (See definition of “cohabitant” and “foreign national roommate” in 12 FAM 271.2 ) Reporting cohabitants and intended spouses to DS/SI/PSS does not fulfill the obligation to obtain COM and RSO approval for residing in U.S. Government-provided housing.

b. When posted abroad, an employee or contractor must obtain approval from the COM or principal officer (PO) prior to beginning to cohabit with a foreign national or a U.S. citizen, including intended spouses and roommates, in U.S. Government-provided housing.  Seeking approval to cohabit in U.S. Government-provided housing is separate and distinct from declaring a member of household (MOH) to the COM pursuant to 3 FAM 4181 .  An appropriate investigation by the RSO and approval to cohabit at post may be required to protect the safety of the post community and facilities.

c.  For all covered individuals, regardless of where the individual is posted, DS/SI/PSS must determine whether an intended spouse or living arrangement involving a foreign national will affect the covered individual’s eligibility for continued access to national security information, which is a determination that requires a background investigation.  DS/SI/PSS may request that the covered individual and/or his/her intended spouse, cohabitant, or foreign national roommate provide additional paperwork or information to make such a determination.  Abroad, the DS/SI/PSS determination occurs separate from COM approval.

d. Required data elements should be reported no less than 30 days in advance of cohabitation and/or marriage:

(1)  Name(s);

(2)  Citizenship(s);

(3)  Date of birth;

(4)  Place of birth;

(5)  Date of intended marriage (if applicable);

(6)  Occupation and employer;

(7)  Nature of relationship (e.g., roommate, relative, housekeeper/nanny, etc.);

(8)  Duration and frequency of contact(s);

(9)  Current status of the relationship(s);

(10) Date relationship was reported to COM or RSO;

(11) Current address;

(12) Employer, including address; and

(13) Contact Information (email and phone).

12 FAM 273.6  Foreign Activities

a. Covered individuals contemplating applying for foreign citizenship must report the following data elements when any act is initiated in furtherance of obtaining foreign citizenship:

(1)  Country;

(2)  Basis for citizenship;

(3)  Date of application; and

(4)  Date of receipt.

b. Covered individuals must also report the following data elements concerning application for, possession, or use of a foreign passport or identity card for travel:

(1)  Issuing country;

(2)  Date and reason of application;

(3)  Document number;

(4)  Dates of issuance and expiration;

(5)  Date and reason for possession; and

(6)  Date(s), country(ies), and reason(s) for use.

12 FAM 273.7  Other Reportable Information

Covered individuals must also report the following activities:

(1)  Attempted elicitation, exploitation, blackmail, coercion, or enticement to obtain classified information or other information specifically prohibited by law from disclosure regardless of means, to include the following data elements:

(a)  Date(s) of incident;

(b)  Name of individual(s) involved;

(c)  Nature of incident;

(d)  Method of contact;

(e)  Electronic address;

(f)   Type of information being sought; and

(g)  Background, circumstances and current state of the matter.

(2)  Media contacts, other than for official purposes, in which the media seeks access to classified information or other information specifically prohibited by law from disclosure, to include the following data elements:

(a)  Date(s) of contact;

(b)  Name of media outlet;

(c)  Name of media representative;

(d)  Nature and purpose of contact;

(e)  If classified information or other information specifically prohibited by law from disclosure was involved; and

(f)   Current status of the contact.

    NOTE : Covered individuals are not otherwise required to report media contacts related to the fulfillment of official duties of their position.

(3)  Any criminal charge of a felony; any criminal charge of a misdemeanor; any arrest (defined in 12 FAM 271.2 ); or any civil citation for possession of a controlled substance (defined in 12 FAM 271.2 ) regardless of the legality of the controlled substance under local or state law, to include the following data elements:

(a)  Date(s) of the incident;

(b)  Location(s) of the incident(s);

(c)  Charges and/or circumstances; and

(d)  Disposition.

    NOTE :  All reports must be made within 72 hours and are not to be delayed pending the conclusion of court proceedings or for any other reason.

(4)  Bankruptcy or over 120 days delinquency on any debt, to include the following data elements:

(a)  Type of issue;

(b)  Dollar value; and

(c)  Reason for the bankruptcy or delinquency.

(5)  Alcohol- and drug-related treatment, to include the following data elements:

(a)  Reason;

(b)  Treatment provider, to include contact information; and

(c)  Date(s) treatment provided.

    NOTE : Participation, progress, and/or successful completion of a treatment program are favorable factors that may mitigate security concerns relating to alcohol or drug consumption, involvement, and misuse.

12 FAM 274  Reporting Requirements for Individuals Who Have Access to Top Secret Information, Q Access, or Who Hold a Critical Special Sensitive Position

12 FAM 274.1  Applicability

In addition to the reporting in 12 FAM 273 above, covered individuals with access to Top Secret information, Q Access, or holding a Critical or Special Sensitive position are subject to the additional reporting requirements outlined in this section.

12 FAM 274.2  Foreign Activities

Covered individuals with access to Top Secret information, Q access, or holding a Critical or Special Sensitive position must report:

(1)  Direct involvement in a foreign business, to include the following data elements:

(a)  Nature of involvement;

(b)  Country/countries involved;

(c)  Name of business; and

(d)  Estimated value of the foreign business.

(2)  Foreign bank accounts, to include the following data elements:

(a)  Financial institution;

(b)  Country;

(c)  Estimated value of the foreign bank accounts; and

(d)  Reason(s) for owning the foreign bank accounts.

(3)  Ownership of foreign property, to include the following data elements:

(a)  Location;

(b)  Estimated value;

(c)  Balance due;

(d)  Purpose and use of property; and

(e)  How the foreign property was acquired.

(4)  Receipt of benefits or scholarships from a foreign government or entity. Provide:

(a)  Type of benefit or scholarship;

(b)  Estimated or known value (including stipends for incidentals, housing, health insurance, etc.);

(c)  How acquired;

(d)  Foreign government or entity provider;

(e)  Duration of receipt (beginning and ending dates).

(5)  Voting in a foreign election, to include the following data elements:

(b)  Foreign country; and

(c)  Type of election.

(6)  Adoption of non-U.S. citizen children, to include the following data elements:

(a)  Country involved;

(b)  Foreign government organization involved;

(c)  Foreign travel required;

(d)  Adoption agency or other intermediary; and

(e)  Adoptive parents' current linkage to foreign country.

12 FAM 274.3  Financial Issues and Anomalies

Covered individuals with access to Top Secret information, Q access, or holding a Critical or Special Sensitive position must also report:

(1)  Wage garnishment; and

(2)  Any unusual infusion of assets of $10,000 or greater, such as an inheritance, winnings, or similar financial gain, to include the following data elements:

(a)  Type of issue or anomaly (inheritance, gift, etc.);

(b)  Dollar value;

(c)  Reason for the issue or anomaly;

(d)  Source of infusion of assets; and

(e)  Date(s) of occurrence;

12 FAM 275  Reporting Requirements for Individuals who have Sensitive Compartmented Information Access

12 FAM 275.1  Applicability

These requirements apply in addition to those outlined in 12 FAM 273 , and 274 to individuals authorized access to SCI.  In accordance with ICS 703-02, individuals indoctrinated for access to SCI incur a special and continuing security obligation to be aware of the risks associated with foreign intelligence operations and/or possible terrorist activities directed against them in the U.S. and abroad.  These individuals also have a responsibility to recognize and avoid personal behaviors and activities that may adversely impact their continued eligibility for access to SCI.  These individuals shall report to their Cognizant Security Authority (CSA) via the Personnel Reporting Tool or via email [email protected] actual or planned involvement in any of the activities listed below prior to participation in such activities or as soon as possible following the start of their involvement.  Failure to comply with reporting requirements and resultant determinations made by DS/IS/SSO may result in administrative action to include, but not limited to, revocation of SCI access and denial of future SCI access approval and/or referral for disciplinary action.

12 FAM 275.2  Reportable Activities

Covered individuals with authorized access to SCI must report:

(1)  Full or part-time employment, business activities, or participation as an officer or director in an organization, to include the following data elements:

(a)  Name of employer, type of business activity, or name and type of organization;

(b)  Employer, activity, or organization address;

(c)  Point of contact;

(d)  Nature of employment, activity or participation, including duties and responsibilities;

(e)  Weekly hours involved;

(f)   Known foreign associations as a result of this employment; and

(g)  Potential incompatibility with the individual’s intelligence-related employment.

(2)  Any court appearances other than for official purposes, to include the following data elements:

(a)  Charges and/or circumstances;

(b)  Date(s);

(c)  Locations(s); and

(3)  Contemplated or actual disclosure of information that may contain or reveal intelligence or intelligence sources, methods, and activities, in either written or spoken form (e.g., speeches, books, articles, dissertations, resumes, Internet postings, social networking site, etc.), to include the following data elements:

(a)  Type of proposed public release;

(b)  Name of intended publisher;

(c)  Title of publication;

(d)  Proposed date of publication; and

(e)  Date of submission for pre-publication review.

    NOTE :  Disclosures must be reported to DS/IS/SSO and approved in advance. Additionally, employees should review 3 FAM 4170 Review of Public Speaking, Teaching, Writing, and Media Engagement and 10 FAM 130 Remarks and Writing for the Media or General Public for additional guidance on obtaining clearances from the Bureau of Global Public Affairs.

(5)  Unofficial visits to foreign diplomatic facilities and trade missions, to include the following data elements:

(a)  Country;

(b)  Name of foreign diplomatic facility or trade mission;

(c)  Address of foreign diplomatic facility or trade mission;

(d)  Purpose of intended visit;

(e)  Date(s) of intended visit; and

(f)   Source of invitation, if applicable.

12 FAM 276  Reporting Requirements Matrix

The below summarizes what is required to be reported by each level of security clearance/access to classified information and position sensitivity in accordance with this policy, SEAD-3, and ICS 703-02.  For specifics on exactly what must be reported, please see the individual FAM provisions above.

12 FAM 277  THROUGH 279  UNASSIGNED

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A user of almost any given software system or business application will require precise analytics in order to objectively measure its effectiveness, or the effectiveness of an associated product. These analytics –or reports—therefore, must measure the right criteria at the right time(s) in the right way in order to be useful to the user. For that reason, any newly proposed reporting function requires careful, measured, thoughtful and thoroughly vetted requirements in order to ensure its efficacy.

Wikipedia notes that report specifications “define the purpose of a report, its justification, attributes and columns, owners and runtime parameters.” 1  That is certainly true, but in fact, report specifications must do a lot more than that. In the course of creating strong general reporting requirements for any given system, an analyst must consider the following:

What are Report Requirements?

The report’s purpose. What is the purpose of this report? How do we expect the end user to use it? (An analyst will naturally want to verify these assumptions with a sampling of end users themselves.)

Industry standards. Any industry standards (according to ANSI or IEEE, for example) that are relevant to your field or the business application must be considered in conjunction with the business owner for their appropriateness of inclusion in the report. In most industries, a report is useless if it compares apples to oranges across applications or vendors. The purpose of an industry standard is to ensure that any report within a given profession always compares apples to apples, and therefore the information will remain relevant (and coherent) to the user.

User expectations. This is a broad area of consideration, encompassing a lot of potential costs and risks. Because of the vast difference in time and budget concerns that including some of these options may present, it may be most useful to get the business owners, developers, and database engineers in one meeting (or multiple meetings!) to explore what is most time-consuming, what is most feasible, and what is simply out of reach.

Will different types of users have different sets of expectations about how to use this report, or what it should contain? If so, do we need more than one report, or is a highly customizable report more feasible?

What types of rows and fields will the user expect to be included in this report? Are there industry standards that designate what rows and fields must be included? How will we determine if these are also relevant to our users? (Note that you may require a separate meeting just for field considerations. Some fields that users or business owners want may be readily available for inclusion, while others may require complex calculations to generate, thus slowing down the report creation time [and development time] of the report. In these cases, the business benefit must be weighed against the risk of the inclusion of complex fields.)

Can the user choose to exclude select rows and fields from the report? (And if they do so, will all of their data for those rows and fields be stored in the database in case they want to return to the default settings?) Also, can the customized versions of the report be saved? If so, does the user have a limit on how many?

What types of sorting and filtering capabilities will the user expect?

Will the standard report data need to have drill-down capabilities to reveal more granular data? If so, what should that drill-down data look like?

How often will the user want to run this report?

What are the user’s expectations regarding how long this report takes to run?

Should the report have the ability to be customized to run automatically at set intervals (i.e., the user automatically gets the report delivered to their inbox every Tuesday, or every April 15, etc).

What formats should the report be available in (Excel, XML, etc.)? Should the report data be available for display in pie charts, graphs, and so on, or is the data too intricate or the development time-prohibitive?

What are the expected delivery methods for the report (pre-generated and sent via email, displaying on the fly in a real-time web page, etc)?

Should the report be customizable (i.e., can the user remove fields, or create their own custom fields? Note that custom fields are not quantifiable by a system, but the inclusion of a custom field, such as a note field, is useful for many users in a report.)

What are the user’s expectations regarding the currency of the data? Will they expect it to be data that has been refreshed in the same day? The same week? That very second? This option may determine the difference between “canned” or cached data (relatively easy for engineers to implement) and data that is calculated on the fly (which may require much more complex calculations to implement).

What are the user’s expectations regarding the branding and appearance of the report? How polished should it look? Is a basic Excel spreadsheet acceptable to all, or is something more elaborate the expectation, such as a real-time graphical web page complete with colors, graphics, and company logo?

This is only a fraction of the options that the user may need or want. (For example, a user in Finland might appreciate having the report data translated into his native language. Every option is virtually impossible to anticipate without vetting users.) However, the above options cover many of the basics an analyst will want to consider. If any of the above options are deemed inappropriate for inclusion in your project, it may be prudent to put them in an Exclusions section of your requirements document, thus creating a record that notes that the option was considered and the reason for leaving it on the table.

Unique Identifiers. Within a report, each field (or data element) must be assigned a unique identifier in order for calculations to occur in the background. With fields that the user can edit, it is particularly important that any identifier assigned to the data element remain static in the background. (For example, if a field is given the default name “Cost” and the user changes it to “Expense”, the system must know that the field A1 is really pulling the cost from the database, no matter what the user names it.) Most engineers will likely appreciate the inclusion of an appendix of unique identifiers (alphanumeric or otherwise) assigned to each data element within your requirements . Before beginning your appendix, consult with the engineers to see if they have any ideas regarding what types of identifiers would make the most sense or be easiest to program.

The design of the report function. Too often, the following critical elements of the report design are overlooked during the requirements gathering phase. So be sure to consider:

  • Report title . The title should give a pithy and accurate picture of the report’s purpose and goal; i.e., “Widget System User Log-ins for September,” so that any viewers of the report will understand its objective at a glance.
  • Report header . Consider including relevant primary metadata such as a timestamp for the report’s generation and the user who generated it.
  • Report footer . Consider including relevant secondary metadata such as the report’s version number and page number count (i.e., page 3 of 12).=
  • Report filter criteria . Whatever filter criteria the report offers, the options that the user has selected should be readily apparent to the viewer. Date ranges, data ranges—are the filters clear? In other words, if the data range is specified to only show user log-ins that lasted an hour or greater, is that quickly clear in the report filter criteria so that the user isn’t confused into thinking that all user log-ins lasted an hour or greater?
  • Formatting . Consider whether certain data (such as accounts past due, data that is missing, balances below zero, and so on) should always be highlighted or stand out with bold, italic, or a color to draw the user’s attention.

The design of the report look. It is helpful to most stakeholders (especially software engineers and the database engineers) to include in your requirements an appendix of a template or templates of what the finished report might look like (even if the data included is not realistic). Of course you will want to run the report template by the business owners, and use appropriate vetting tools from the analyst’s arsenal such as surveys and focus groups to ensure that what the report developers build will be useful to the end user.

As you consider the report look, consider its primary users. If its main audience will be executives, marketing staff, or customers, then charts, graphs, and other user-friendly options could be an appropriate look. If its primary users will be accounting or engineers, more granular data will be needed.

Regardless of what features and fields are included or are not included, what makes a report successful is its precision and relevance. Do the research to be sure that the report provides those qualities for users, and your project will be a success.

1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_analyst

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