How to write a report: academic examples and best practices.

Reports are everywhere – whether in academia, business, or professional environments.

An academic report is an efficient way to present insights and findings on any topic. So, if you’re in university or college, you’ll likely need to do your own academic report writing.

This guide will cover how to write an academic report, common structures and sections of a report, and more. Master writing your own with templates, examples, and advice from Adobe Express.

What is a report?

A report is a factual document written for a specific audience and purpose. Reports convey research findings, analysis, project developments, or solutions to problems.

Reports differ from essays as they discuss the results of a research method. They need extensive research and references to support their findings.

It’s common to write an academic report for your college or university assignments. But other types of report include scientific or business reports. Each report format follows specific guidelines or requirements depending on the audience.

Understanding how to write an academic report early on can set you up for writing future reports in your working life.

How to structure a report.

While reports have certain guidelines, most follow a similar structure. Whether you’re following an academic or scientific report structure, you can use this basic template.

Executive summary.

An executive summary is a standalone section that outlines report findings. They’re primarily used in scientific and business reports, so readers know what to expect. Executive summaries are the equivalent to the abstract of an academic report.

Introduction.

The report introduction sets up the main body of the report and the overall topic you’re going to discuss. Introductions include your thesis statement, objectives, and other important details before you review your findings.

Main body.

The main body is the key section of the report that breaks down your findings into headings and subheadings. This makes up the majority of your report to discuss the evidence or development of your research.

Conclusion.

The conclusion of a report ties together all the information and key points to offer a definitive interpretation of your research. This is where you reaffirm your findings and add your own opinions.

How to write an academic report in 6 steps.

Now you have the basic report structure, you can begin forming your academic report in six easy steps.

1. Determine the topic of your report.

First, you must choose your topic. This will inform your academic report, so it needs to be thoroughly understood.

Your professor might assign you a topic, or you might need to form your own angle. If this is the case, consider a topic that:

• Has enough information. There should be enough information to pad out your report, but not too much that you can’t discuss your own findings.
• You find interesting. Writing a report on a topic you’re personally interested in can keep you engaged in your research.

2. Research your topic.

Academic reports include extensive research. Depending on your chosen topic, you might need to conduct different types of research – from interviews and surveys to literature reviews.

Like other report formats, academic reports should only contain reputable sources. That includes research papers, case studies, official documents and articles. You may use studies cited in similar reports, but library material is always best.

3. Identify your focus and draft a thesis statement.

Once you’ve gathered enough research, you can begin writing your thesis statement. This summarises the overarching theme of your academic report.

If your research leads to notable patterns or significant findings, you should build this into your thesis statement. You can then expand on the thesis statement in the main body with evidence and supporting arguments.

4. Make a plan for your report.

Outlining your report helps you organise your findings into relevant sections. This is especially crucial during the research stage, when you begin to notice certain trends and patterns.

It can be useful to list all the key details and evidence you want to mention and separate them into headings and subheadings. This will form the skeleton – or outline – of your report, which you can fill out into specific or general categories.

5. Write your first draft.

The first draft of your academic report is your first attempt at collating all the information into your academic report structure.

Don’t worry about making it perfect right away. This rough draft is your chance to get all the information down on the page in a natural way. The fine-tuning can come afterwards. It can be helpful to follow your outline section by section to avoid leaving out any crucial details.

6. Edit and finalise your report – ready for submission.

Once you’ve completed your rough draft, it’s time to go over it again with fresh eyes. This will allow you to add details, fix any mistakes, and polish up your writing. You might also reframe your sentences, check your findings or cut entire paragraphs, if necessary.

Don’t forget to review your academic report a few more times to check for any grammatical or spelling mistakes. You can even ask someone else to read over your report for good measure. When you’re satisfied, you can finally hit submit.

How can Adobe Express help you write a report?

Writing a report is no easy feat. With Adobe Express, you have the tools available to conceptualise ideas, master your report layout and nail your academic writing.

1. Brainstorm your ideas and find key themes in your research.

Stuck on how to start a report? Bring your ideas to life with concept map templates. Organise your data and visualise complex topics to create detailed project outlines that are easy to navigate.

2. Use report templates rather than starting from scratch.

There’s nothing worse than staring at a blank screen. Our academic report templates let you edit and personalise your report to your tastes. Upload images, custom fonts and more to enhance your report.

3. Turn your data into simple infographics.

Sometimes long blocks of texts can look uninspiring. Create infographics and add some visual flair to your report layout. With editable templates built for endless creative design, your report can truly shine.

4. Prepare a proposal for your academic report.

Get the support you need with research proposal templates. Choose from a range of customisable professional formats for a unique, authentic design. Use fonts and colour schemes, add charts and more to fast track your proposal to the approval stage.

5. Turn your report into a presentation.

Need to present your report to an audience? Create a presentation and transform your written report into a verbal showcase. Improve your report structure with engaging slides and highlight your key findings with engaging graphs to enhance the experience.

Experience AI-powered templates and designs for your academic report.

Craft professional templates for academic reports with Adobe Express’s AI Template Generator. This tools uses advanced AI technology to generate high-quality templates tailored to your design needs.

Simply enter your prompt and the tool will generate fully editable templates in seconds. Explore high-quality reports in a variety of styles and personalise with images, logos, and colour palettes. You can even use the AI Text Effect Generator for your report title.

Whether you need design inspiration or a final format for your report, the AI Template Generator offers a seamless solution. Unlock a range of styles and take your academic report to the next level.

Try Adobe Express for free now

Good to know.

What is an appendix in a report?

An appendix is a section with additional information that supports the main body but is not essential to it. Appendices are usually found after the reference list at the end of a report. They can include raw test data, educational materials, sample surveys, interview transcripts and technical graphs or tables.

What is the difference between a report and essay?

Reports and essays appear in academia but serve different purposes. Reports are fact-based writing that present the findings from a specific experiment, project or investigation. In contrast, essays develop a discussion of a topic in a formal, analytical style. While reports focus on data presentation, essays emphasise critical thinking and structured arguments.

Is Adobe Express free?

Yes, our free plan offers many core features including thousands of templates, photo editing and effects, animation, and 5 GB of storage. See our pricing page for details and to compare plans.