How to Write a Report | Format, Structure & Style
Knowing how to write a report is an essential skill in school, college, and many workplaces. Whether you’re writing a lab report for a science class, a case report for a professional program, or a business report to support decision-making, reports typically follow a structured format with clearly presented information organized into sections and a concise, objective writing style.
This article explains the most common types of reports and their defining features—such as standard section headings and stylistic conventions—to help you write reports that are clear, effective, and fit for purpose.
Report format
Reports are clearly organized into sections, which helps readers quickly locate information. While the exact report format depends on the type of report, they’re often divided into sections that serve the following functions:
- Purpose or objective: explains why the report was written and what it aims to address
- Background or context: provides essential information needed to understand the topic or situation
- Method or approach: describes how information, data, or evidence was gathered and analyzed
- Findings or analysis: presents key results, observations, or interpretations
- Conclusion or recommendations: summarizes what the findings mean and outlines implications or next steps
Report structure
Other common parts of a report include structural elements, such as:
- Title page
- Table of contents
- List of figures and tables
- References or bibliography
- Appendices
Workplace reports
People working in business, industry, and government often write reports to inform decisions, document activity, and communicate results within an organization. Although the exact format varies depending on purpose and audience, workplace reports are typically characterized by a clear structure and concise style that supports efficient action and decision-making.
Many workplace reports include sections that focus on:
- Providing a brief summary of the report: often presented as an executive summary for decision-makers
- Purpose or objective: why the report was written
- Background or context: essential information needed to understand the issue
- Findings, analysis, or key information: data, observations, or results
- Implications or risks: what the information means for the organization
- Recommendations or next steps: proposed actions or decisions
They also often include supporting materials, such as tables, charts, figures, or appendices, which provide additional detail without distracting from the key messages.
Professional report types
| Document title | Purpose | Examples of possible report-specific section headings |
| Memo | Report-style memos are used to communicate updates or decisions within an organization in a concise and focused way. | Background; Overview; Action required; Next steps |
| Progress/status report | To update stakeholders on the current state of a project, including completed work, upcoming tasks, and any issues affecting progress | Work completed; Overall progress; Risks and issues; Planned actions; Updated timeline |
| Incident report | To document an unexpected event, accident, or problem in a factual and standardized way, often for legal, safety, or compliance purposes | Date and location; Incident description; Parties involved; Immediate actions; Follow-up actions |
| SWOT analysis | To evaluate an organization, project, or idea by identifying strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats | Strengths; Weaknesses; Opportunities; Threats; Recommendations |
| Risk assessment | To identify potential risks, evaluate their likelihood and impact, and outline strategies for managing or reducing them | Risk identification; Risk analysis; Likelihood and impact; Mitigation measures; Monitoring plan |
| Impact assessment | To analyze the potential effects of a decision, project, or policy on people, organizations, or the environment | Scope of assessment; Affected stakeholders; Anticipated impacts; Evidence and assumptions; Mitigation strategies |
| Cost–benefit analysis | To compare the expected costs and benefits of a proposed action in order to support decision-making | Overview of options; Cost analysis; Benefit analysis; Cost–benefit comparison; Recommended option |
| Feasibility report | To determine whether a proposed project or plan is practical, viable, and worth pursuing | Project overview; Technical feasibility; Financial feasibility; Operational feasibility; Conclusions |
| Proposal | To recommend a course of action and persuade decision-makers to approve a project proposal, plan, or investment | Problem statement; Proposed solution; Scope; Timeline and milestones; Budget and resources |
| Policy brief | To inform public-sector or organizational decision-makers about a policy issue and recommend evidence-based actions | Issue overview; Background context; Policy options; Impact analysis; Recommended action |
| White paper | To explain a complex issue or solution in depth, often to inform or influence an external audience | Executive summary; Problem statement; Proposed approach; Supporting evidence; Implications; Conclusions |
| Product requirement document (PRD) | To define the features, functionality, and constraints of a product for development and stakeholder alignment | Product overview; User needs; Functional requirements; Non-functional requirements; Success metrics |
| Sales report | To track and analyze sales performance over a specific period for planning and evaluation purposes | Sales summary; Performance by product/region; Trends and patterns; Key drivers; Forecast or targets |
| Audit report | To present the findings of an internal or external review of processes, finances, or compliance | Audit scope; Methodology; Findings; Areas of non-compliance; Recommendations |
| Annual report | To summarize an organization’s activities, performance, and financial results over the past year for stakeholders | Year in review; Financial performance; Risks and challenges; Outlook and priorities |
Academic reports
High school and college studies involve writing assignments that fall into the category of reports and require students to demonstrate understanding, analyze sources or data, and communicate ideas in a clear, structured, and evidence-based way.
While expectations vary by subject and level of study, report-style assignments and papers written in educational and academic contexts generally follow established conventions for organization, citation, and style, and they emphasize clarity, accuracy, and a logical flow.
They often include sections that focus on:
- Purpose or research question: what the report seeks to examine or explain
- Background or literature: existing knowledge or sources relevant to the topic
- Method or approach: the procedures used to collect, analyze, and interpret information or data
- Analysis or discussion: interpretation of evidence or findings
- Conclusion or implications: what the results show and why they matter
They also commonly require formal citations and references and may include figures, tables, or appendices to support the main text.
Reports types in education
| Report type | Purpose | Examples of possible report-specific section headings |
| Book report | To summarize, interpret, and evaluate a book, demonstrating comprehension and critical reading skills | Plot Summary; Character Analysis; Major Themes; Evaluation |
| Research paper | To investigate a research question using scholarly sources and present an original argument or analysis | Abstract; Research Question; Literature Review; Methodology; Analysis; Implications |
| Literature review | To survey, compare, and synthesize existing research on a topic in order to establish context, identify gaps, or support a research project | Scope of the Review; Selection Criteria; Review of Key Studies; Synthesis; Research Gaps |
| Case report/case study | To examine a specific case, situation, or example and apply relevant concepts or theories | Case Context; Case Description; Key Issues; Analysis; Implications |
| Lab report | To document a scientific experiment and analyze results according to accepted scientific conventions | Aim; Materials and Methods; Experimental Procedure; Results; Analysis |
Report writing style
Workplace reports—such as progress reports, feasibility reports, or risk assessments—are written to be practical and easy to use. They’re organized into clear sections, and the sentences tend to be short and direct. The focus is on getting key points across quickly, so personal opinions and long arguments are usually avoided.
“A power outage occurred in Building C at 03:12 on March 3, resulting in the automatic activation of emergency power. The on-duty engineer restored primary power at 04:11, and no production systems were affected.” [Incident report]
“Option A has a higher upfront cost but lower projected operating expenses over four years, whereas option B requires less initial investment but carries increased maintenance and staffing costs.” [Cost–benefit analysis]
While some career-focused college programs include professional report formats as preparation for the workplace, most school and college reports—such as research papers and literature reviews—serve a different purpose.
These report-style assignments are designed to demonstrate understanding, critical analysis, and effective use of evidence, as well as to give students practice writing in the formats and styles commonly used in academic contexts. Compared with professional reports, they often use more precise, complex language, especially when explaining ideas, discussing evidence, or qualifying claims.
This report style for school and college assignments differs from essay style. Essays usually develop ideas through continuous paragraphs rather than short sections with headings and subheadings. However, some assignments called reports—such as book reports or certain research papers—may be better suited to essay style, where there’s greater emphasis on argument, interpretation, and flow.
“The findings suggest a strong correlation between stress levels and sleep quality; however, this relationship weakens when controlling for workload.” [Research paper]
“Across the reviewed studies, most researchers agree that remote work improves job satisfaction, though there is disagreement regarding its impact on collaboration and performance.” [Literature review]
Frequently asked questions about how to write a report
- What is a progress report?
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A progress report is an update on tasks that have been completed. It’s similar to a status report, though a status report gives a snapshot of the current state of a project, task, or team (i.e., completed tasks plus blockers and next steps).
To generate a progress report or status report with AI, use QuillBot’s free status report generator.
- What is the purpose of an executive summary?
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The purpose of an executive summary is to provide the reader with an overview of the content of a document, such as a report. It gives the key information and helps them decide whether they need to read the document itself. A well-written executive summary saves the reader time and helps prevent misunderstandings, especially if the document is complex or highly specialized.
QuillBot’s free AI executive summary generator can help you write a focused summary that’s tailored to your target audience.
- What is report writing style?
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Report writing style is clear and objective, with information organized in a structured way so readers can quickly find and understand key points.
Reports typically use section headings, concise sentences, and visuals such as tables or charts to present information efficiently.
QuillBot’s free AI Chat can give you feedback on your report writing style.
- What is report format?
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Report format refers to the overall layout and organization of a report. It describes how information is arranged into sections such as an introduction, findings, and conclusions, along with structural elements like a title page, table of contents, and references.
The exact format depends on the type of report and its purpose, but a good report format helps readers locate information quickly and understand how the report is structured.
QuillBot’s free AI Chat can give you feedback on how well you’ve formatted your report.
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Challenger, T. (2026, January 05). How to Write a Report | Format, Structure & Style. Quillbot. Retrieved January 9, 2026, from https://quillbot.com/blog/professional-writing/how-to-write-a-report/
