TMCnet Feature Free eNews Subscription
December 13, 2018

The Importance of Research Report Writing in Education with Key Tips on How to Handle the Writing




Writing research papers is part of college life, especially if you are taking a science, business or medical course. If writing the research paper is not hard enough, you may also be asked to write a report based on the research you have been doing. If you don’t know how to go about it, don’t panic, this article will demystify a research report, its purpose and give you some tips on how to write one.



What is a Research Report

So what is a research report? A research report is a paper that presents the research you are conducting in a summarized or condensed format. Even beyond college, many people are asked to write research reports every day for various purposes. Such purposes include publishing them in articles or journals, getting financial aid or grants to conduct further research, presenting findings at a conference or presentation or for clinical, educational and administrative use. So, as you can see, learning to do this well at a college level is highly beneficial.
 

Key Tips on How to Write a Research Report

Writing a report, especially a good one, is not an easy task to accomplish. But with proper guidance, anyone can get started and complete it in no time. To that end, here are some tips that will serve you well as you write your research report – always keep them on hand if you want to make it good:
 

Know Your Audience (News - Alert)

First things first, know who you are writing the report for and make the report suit their level of knowledge and preconceptions. In this case, your audience will be your professor and the research committee at your college. So tailor the content of the report according to them so that they are convinced of the importance of your research.
 

Start Prewriting

Start jotting down your ideas and making notes of important things you find during your research. You can even take the ideas you have written down and discuss them with your professor or a friend to find out if you are on the right track. If you are lacking some information, you can simply do more research.
 

Structure the Report

When it comes down to actually writing the report, the first thing you should write is the outline of the paper. This will keep you organized and serve as a blueprint that will use as you write the report.

Here is the basic structure for reports:

  • Title
  • Abstract
  • Table of Contents
  • Introduction
  • Methodology
  • Results
  • Discussion
  • Conclusion
  • Bibliography
  • Appendices

Write Clearly

When writing the report, use plain English and make sure each sentence is clear and concise. The point of any report is to present your findings in a way your intended audience will find easy to read and understand. If the report is hard to read and understand, you have missed the point – your readers will most likely miss it as well. You don’t want your readers to continue asking themselves what you mean when they read certain portions of your report.
 

Use a Consistent Format

Your professor might give you the required format to use when writing the report. Be sure to use it for all aspects of your report, such as pages, margins, fonts, headings, subheadings, lists, diagrams, and figures. If not, pick a format and be sure to stick to it throughout the entire report – common styling conventions for reports are APA and MLA.
 

Come Up With a Thesis Statement

Your thesis statement is what will tell the reader what your report is all about and familiarize them with the subject matter. However, if you are finding it difficult to write a thesis, you can always come back to it later after you have written a portion of your essay. But if you are ready to, make the thesis statement a part of the prewriting process; it can serve as another useful guide for writing the report.
 

Finalize the Title When You Are Done Writing

Many people find that finalizing the title after they have written the introduction, thesis statement and conclusion works best for them. This is because having the title formulated at the very beginning has been known to stifle creativity, leading authors to tailor their content to suit the title. This can be very limiting. The best way to come up with the best title for your research report is to first write the report and come up with the title in the end.
 

Proofread and Edit

After you are done with the first draft, you must edit the report to make sure there aren’t any grammar or spelling mistakes. If these remain in the report, they can make it unreadable or make you sound unintelligent. While editing the report, you can also refine certain sections to make sure they make sense. You can also take this opportunity to shorten some sections that are too long – the shorter the report, the better.
 

Get Feedback

No one is good at critiquing their own work, and that is why it is important to have someone else look at it and provide constructive criticism. If you want the criticism to be more genuine, pick someone who is not familiar with the research topic. If you can't find them, your peers and your professor are excellent candidates for feedback.

Now that you know what a research report is, its purpose and the key tips to writing one, you can stop panicking and tackle it with confidence. If you are facing other problems that are making you unable to write the paper, you can always hire an academic paper writing service and get a custom research paper professionally written for you. These services will make sure you get a good grade while you handle other college work that is overwhelming you.

 
 
» More TMCnet Feature Articles
Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. [Free eNews Subscription]
SHARE THIS ARTICLE

LATEST TMCNET ARTICLES

» More TMCnet Feature Articles