As you continue to advance through the levels of your degree programme, you will be tasked with completing assignments that have varying requirements. We’ll analyze the similarities and differences between essays and reports in this section so that you can choose the format that works best for you. This article will give you an overview of what to anticipate when reading a scholarly report or essay. You’ll need all of these capabilities, some of them, or something else entirely depending on the specifics of the topic you’re studying. Reports and essays are two different kinds of writing projects, and each requires a different strategy to complete successfully. In a nutshell:
- The length and depth of a report are highly conditional on the nature of the report and the material being reported on.
- Essays often contain well-defined topics and structures that prioritise coherence and readability. Some fields need just a quick overview of the subject and its context in the introduction. In contrast, others start out with a review of the available resources and then briefly highlight the topic.
Differences between reports and essays
A comparison of the typical report vs essay is presented. It is possible that the course and module handbooks, instructions from your lecturer, and topic norms will all provide insight into what is expected of you. However, keep in mind that your assignment will also vary depending on your field, the aim of your project, and the audience that you are writing for.
Report Outline
IMRaD is an abbreviation for the typical structure of a report, which stands for introduction, methods, findings, and conclusion. The following are some illustrations of the kinds of sections that are typically included in reports. In certain cases, we provide many heading options.
Table of Contents
The contents of your report will list each section, along with its page range, beginning and ending pages, number, and title. Instead of beginning in the margin or at the location that is specifically designated, all references to subsections and enumerations of subsections should begin directly beneath the section’s title.
Abstract
Typically, you will finish this report by writing its executive summary or abstract as the very last item.
Introduction
In the introduction, you need to explain the purpose of the report, why it is significant, and what you hope to achieve by writing it.
Literature review
This section, which frequently appears in the introduction, summarises the state of the art in regard to the subject matter or research question example that is currently being discussed.
Methodology
This section explains and defends the methods through which you collected the information that you have presented.
Findings
In this section, the findings of the study (or the processed data) are presented, and it is possible that they will primarily be displayed in the form of tables, charts, or diagrams.
Discussion
This section of the report summarises and discusses the findings obtained from the research.
Conclusion
In the conclusion of the report, the purpose of the report, as well as its goals, are stated once again.
Recommendations
In this section, the author makes use of the findings and interpretations presented in the report in order to provide advice that can be put into practice in order to solve the issue or problem at hand. The need for this is doubtful.
Appendices
An appendix is a useful place to store supplementary information like raw data or items used in your report. Graphs, tables, and other graphic representations of the data are commonplace. Number each item and label it as such: Table 1, Table 2, etc.
Essay Outline
Introduction
If you want your essay to be taken seriously, you need to make sure that the first paragraph does more than just introduce the subject or questions; it also lays out what the rest of the paper will be about.
Main body
The main body of your essay is broken up into paragraphs. Such paragraphs aid in creating smooth readability by breaking up the content into smaller chunks.
Conclusion
The conclusion of an essay often provides a brief review of the key arguments presented throughout. Do not include any new material in your conclusion.
Bibliography or Reference List
Here is a rundown of the sources you consulted when writing this paper. This is typically organised in alphabetical order by the last name of the writers.
