Writing: Genre-Specific Writing (B2) - Lesson 2: Writing Structured Reports (Basic)

B2 Lesson 2: Writing Structured Reports (Basic)

You have learned to write formal emails and persuasive essays. Today, we will focus on a specific type of formal, expository writing: the report¹. A report's main purpose is to present factual information about an event or topic in a clear, objective, and highly organized way.

This skill is essential for university assignments and many professional careers.

The Standard Structure of a Simple Report

Unlike a more fluid essay, a report follows a very clear, predictable structure with sections and headings. This makes it easy for a busy reader to find the exact information they need.

Report on Cafeteria Usage by University Students

Date: June 13, 2025

1. Introduction

The purpose of this report is to outline the usage patterns of the university cafeteria during the month of May 2025. It will identify the busiest times and the most popular food items in order to provide recommendations for improving service speed.

2. Findings

2.1 Busiest Periods

According to electronic sales data, the cafeteria experiences its highest volume of customers between 12:00 PM and 1:30 PM, with a smaller peak between 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM. The quietest period is from 2:30 PM onwards.

2.2 Most Popular Food Items

The most frequently purchased lunch item was the Khmer noodle soup (kuy teav), accounting for approximately 40% of all sales. The second most popular choice was pork and rice (bai sach chrouk).

3. Conclusion

In conclusion, the findings² indicate a clear lunchtime rush driven by the popularity of two specific noodle and rice dishes. The current staffing levels during this period are insufficient to meet the demand, leading to long wait times.

4. Recommendations

Based on these findings, it is recommended³ that:

1. Two additional staff members be assigned to the main food counter between 12:00 PM and 1:30 PM.
2. A separate, pre-prepared "express" counter be created for the two most popular dishes to speed up service.

Useful Phrases for Report Writing

• Introduction: The purpose of this report is to... / This report outlines/presents/describes...
• Findings: According to the data/survey... / It was found that... / The results indicate that...
• Conclusion: In conclusion, ... / To summarize, the findings show that...
• Recommendations: It is recommended that... / We suggest that... / Based on the findings, we propose the following actions:

✍️ B2 Simple Report Checklist

• ✔️ Does my report have a clear, specific Title?
• ✔️ Does the Introduction state the exact purpose and scope of the report?
• ✔️ Is the body of the report organized into logical sections with clear Headings?
• ✔️ Is the language in the Findings section completely objective and factual?
• ✔️ Does the Conclusion only summarize the main findings?
• ✔️ Are my Recommendations practical and based directly on the findings?

🧠 Practice Quiz: Which Section?

Read the sentences below. In which section of a report would you most likely find each one?

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1. "This report will analyze the survey data from the customer satisfaction survey conducted in May."

Answer: Introduction (It states the purpose and scope).

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2. "Therefore, we suggest that the company invest in additional staff training."

Answer: Recommendations (It suggests a future action based on findings).

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3. "The data shows that 75% of respondents were 'very satisfied' with the product quality."

Answer: Findings (It presents a factual piece of data).

📝 Homework: Outline a Simple Report

Your homework is to plan a simple report. You do not need to write the full report.

Scenario: You work for a company in Siem Reap. Your manager wants to know why employees are frequently late for work. You have done some research and found two main causes.

Your Task: In your notebook, create an outline for the report. Your outline must include:

1. A clear Title for the report.
2. One sentence for your Introduction that states the report's purpose.
3. Clear Headings for two sections in the Findings part (one for each cause of lateness).
4. One Recommendation to help solve the problem.

Vocabulary Glossary

1. Report: (Noun) - របាយការណ៍ - A formal document that presents information about a specific topic, event, or investigation in a structured way. ↩
2. Findings: (Noun, plural) - លទ្ធផលស្រាវជ្រាវ - The information or facts that are discovered as the result of an investigation or survey. ↩
3. Recommendation: (Noun) - ការណែនាំ - A suggestion that something would be good or suitable for a particular purpose or job. ↩
4. Scope: (Noun) - វិសាលភាព - The range of things that a report, activity, or subject deals with. ↩
5. Objective: (Adjective) - កម្មវត្ថុ - Based on facts rather than feelings or opinions.