By 5 Common Mistakes in Report Essay Writing That Can Ruin Your Grade
A report is a well-structured and researched document that informs its target audience about a topic. In addition, the purpose of a report is to inform, guide, or influence decision-making and the results of a course of action. (Source: Monash University Malaysia).
Report writing is a critical skill that not only influences a student’s academic grades. But also prepares them for stepping into a professional career.
Furthermore, whether you’re preparing for a project, research assignment, or organizational task, a well-structured review ensures clarity, coherence, and impact.
In academia, 85% of pupils face several difficulties in writing reviews. So let’s get into this guide and find out everything important!
Top 3 Report Formats
There are several types of reports depending on the purpose and to whom you’re writing. So, here’s the list of the top three report formats:
- Academic report: This tests a student’s understanding of the subject. It can be reviews of books, historical events, or biographies.
- Business report: this involves useful information in business strategies, such as marketing reports, internal memos, SWOT analysis, etc.
- Scientific report: This includes research findings, such as case studies, research papers, or science journals.
Structure of a Report
Before you follow this report structure, let me tell you that a structure is often given in the writing instructions.
So make sure to carefully read the review writing guidelines before you begin to write. However, if you aren’t given any particular guidelines, then follow this:
Executive Summary
Executive summaries are mostly written in official reports and less in academia. (Source: Grammarly Blog).
This section provides important information about a review. It summarizes the findings of the report for readers to know what to expect.
Introduction
This section sets up the body for the review and explains the overall topic that will be discussed. In addition, it includes a thesis statement and any important information that needs to be addressed for the readers’ better understanding.
Main Body
This explains all the discoveries about the topic, divided into headings and subheadings. In addition, the body makes up the majority of the report.
Conclusion
The conclusion is the ending part of a review. A writer summarizes and highlights the key findings and also adds their own opinions (if allowed).
To know more about structuring a report, read: Effective Simple Steps to Structure a Report.
Report Writing Mistakes That Jeopardize Academic Grades
Report writing has clear rules. If you are not aware of them, you might make mistakes.
And due to rushed work, many pupils neglect to read the instructions for writing a review.
These mistakes include:
Mistake #1: Inadequate Understanding of the Subject
The first step for writing a review is understanding the subject clearly. And this is the most time-consuming part, as students have to focus on each and every detail.
However, pupils often neglect this part and start writing the review. Hence, this leads to an improper or confusing document.
Solution
- Always begin by reading the guidelines.
- Make sure to discuss the topic with your professor to have a clear idea of what they’re looking for.
- Do some basic research about the topic.
- Write a short summary of the topic in your own words.
Furthermore, if you are confused about anything, then consider getting review writing help from experts.
Mistake #2: Lack of Structure and Organization
Have you ever read a well-written report? Notice how it’s in a proper logical order and well-structured, which completely makes sense of the content.
An assessor wants to see that your ideas connect logically. But if they don’t, your argument may feel weak.
Solution
Organizing your review is essential. But how to do it?
Here are the steps to follow:
- Plan your structure before writing
- Use headings and subheadings to divide the content
- Add transition words/linking sentences between sections
- Also, read your review aloud to check the flow
Mistake #3: Poor Research and Evidence
A report without relevant and authentic research is just an essay.
One of the most common review writing mistakes is poor research and not including evidence to support big claims.
Solution
It’s not enough to say that an XYZ statement is true; you need to show it by adding facts, examples, quotes, etc. Also, make sure to perform relevant research using credible sources, such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, and others.
For example, writing “Homework helps pupils learn faster” is a strong claim. But without proper evidence and proof, it doesn’t mean much to professors.
But if you add “A study conducted by Education Journal in 2021 found that students who submitted their homework scored 15% higher on tests.”
But if you are on a tight deadline, get report writing help Malaysia and ask these experts to aid in research.
Mistake #4: Neglecting the Audience
A review is written based on the audience. If you are not aware of your readers, you will never fulfill the purpose of your report.
Solution
Make sure to identify your audience. A student’s audience is typically educators and professors. In addition, they will look for evidence and not opinions.
Moreover, if you’re struggling to identify the audience, you can connect with Report Writing Help Malaysia to fix this problem.
Mistake #5: Failure to Proofread the Edit
The last step after writing the entire content in a review is to edit and proofread. But due to procrastination or rushed work, students often neglect the editing stage and submit their tasks.
A study conducted by the American Psychological Association in 2023 found that over 70% of pupils who regularly procrastinate review higher stress and lower academic performance.
Solution
To edit and proofread a review, follow these steps:
- Read your work aloud before submission
- Secondly, catch mistakes like typos, mispelled words, or confusing sentences
- Also, use online tools such as Grammarly to identify mistakes and fix them
- Lastly, take a break after writing and come back to edit with fresh eyes
Final Words
Writing a report for pupils is never easy. Hence, pupils often struggle and make mistakes in their writing.
From not understanding the subject, lack of structure, poor research, neglecting the audience, or failure to edit and proofread, these mistakes lead to lower academic grades.
So, read this guide carefully to avoid these errors. Also, you can seek help from experts for a better understanding.
