Sections of Informal Reports

Informal informational reports typically include the following three sections:

• Introduction or background
• Support or reasons
• Summary

Informal analytical reports typically include the following four sections:

• Introduction or background
• Support or reasons
• Recommendations
• Conclusion or summary

Introduction or Background

This is a short section introducing the reader to the “why” of the report. In more complex reports, the introduction may include a background, a problem statement, specific objectives, or all of the above.

Support or Reasons

This is where you’ll include your facts, findings, and data. Writers new to reports may make the mistake of providing lists of data and other information found as a result of research. However, most business managers can find the information on their own with time. The purpose of this section of the report is to present a summary of the main ideas from the research, not simply a collection of raw data.

If more detailed data is needed, an appendix is the most likely place for key selections of raw data. An appendix is a supplementary section at the end of the report.

The support section may also include the methodology of the research. The methodology would describe the procedures used to conduct research, to collect data, and to analyze the results.

Recommendations

This section is only found in analytical reports. It shows how data supports the recommendation given in the report. The author connects the logical data items in a way that points to the recommendation.

Remember that in an analytical report, readers are expecting a recommendation with supporting data. They are not expecting to work through all the data on their own.

Conclusion or Summary

This short section wraps up the report and gives a quick summary of the information provided.