The main features of a report are described below to provide a general guide. These should be used in conjunction with the instructions or guidelines provided by your organization as-
Cover Letter/transmittal letter# - It is either attached to the outside of the report with a paper clip or it is bound within the report. It is a communication from you (the report writer) to the recipient, the person/organization who requested the report. The transmittal letter
explains the context of the events that brought the report about. It contains information about the report (in very short) that does not belong in the report.
NOTE- # Transmittal letter is a brief letter or note sent with a document or parcel to explain the contents.
In the example of the transmittal letter in the following, notice the standard business-letter format. If you write an internal report, use the memorandum format instead; in either case, the contents and organization are the same as-
First paragraph- Cites the name of the report, putting it in italics. It also mentions the date of the agreement of writing the report.
Middle paragraph- Focuses on the purpose of the report and gives a brief overview of the report's contents.
Final paragraph- Encourages the reader to get in touch if there are questions, comments, or concerns. It closes with a gesture of goodwill, expressing hope that the reader finds the report satisfactory.
Title Page- This should briefly but explicitly describe the purpose of the report. Other details you may include submitted by, submitted to, the date and for whom the report is written.
Terms of Reference- Under this heading, you could include a brief explanation of who will read the report (audience) why it was written (purpose) and how it was written (methods). It may be in the form of a subtitle or a single paragraph.
Summary (Abstract) - The summary should briefly describe the content of the report. It should cover the aims of the report. The summary should provide the reader with a clear, helpful overview of the content of the report, just as outline or main points.
Contents (Table of Contents) - The contents page should list the different chapters and/or headings together with the page numbers. Your contents page should be presented in such a way that the reader can quickly scan the list of headings and locate a particular part of the report.
Acknowledgements- Where appropriate, you may wish to acknowledge the assistance of particular organizations or individuals who provided information, advice or help.
Glossary of Technical Terms- It is useful to provide an alphabetical list of technical terms with a brief, clear description of each term. You can also include in this section explanations of the acronyms, abbreviations or standard units used in your report.
Introduction- In the introduction part, the aim and objectives of the report should be explained in detail. Any problems or limitations in the scope of the report should be identified, and a description of research methods, the parameters of the research and any necessary background history should be included. In some reports, particularly in science subjects, separate headings for methods and results are used prior to the main body (Discussion) of the reports, as-
(i) Methods- Information under this heading may include a list of equipment used, explanations of procedures followed, relevant information on materials used, including sources of materials, and details of any necessary preparation.
(ii) Results- It includes a summary of the results of the investigation or experiment together with any necessary diagrams, graphs or tables of gathered data that support your results.
Discussion- The main body of the report is where you discuss your material. The facts and evidence you have gathered should be analyzed and discussed with specific reference to the problem or issue. If your discussion section is lengthy, you might divide it into section headings.
Conclusion- In the conclusion, you should show the overall significance of what has been covered. You may want to remind the reader of the most important points that have been made in the report or highlight what you consider to be the most central issues or findings. However, no new material should be introduced in conclusion.
Appendix- Under this heading includes all the supporting information you have used that is not published. This might include tables, graphs, questionnaires, surveys or transcripts.