What is Scientific Report Writing?
Scientific report writing is a structured method of communicating research findings concisely and objectively, typically following the IMRAD (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion) format.
Scientific reports have two primary goals:
To gather the information presented.
To know that the findings are legitimate.
The purpose of a science report is to clearly communicate your key message about why your scientific findings are meaningful. In order to do this, you need to explain why you are testing a hypothesis, what methodology you used, what you found, and why your findings are meaningful.
A scientific report should conform to the following general arrangement:
Title
Abstract
Introduction
Materials and Methods
Results
Discussion
References
TITLE: It should clearly and briefly indicate what the report is about. The title is never a complete sentence, and articles (a, an, the) are usually omitted. Use title case capitalisation.
ABSTRACT: It should be no longer than 200 words and should include the main objectives, findings (i.e., results), and conclusions. A reader should be able to grasp the full scope and significance of the work reported without having to read the entire report.
INTRODUCTION: It discusses the theoretical background to the investigation and places the present work in context. Relevant references should be cited and the reader’s attention moved from the general to the specific. The aims of the present study should be clearly stated at the end of the introduction.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This section should include all information required for an exact repetition of the work performed. Since you are reporting on work already done, it is customary to use the PAST PASSIVE tense. Compare the following:
PAST ACTIVE: We performed the experiment over three weeks.
PAST PASSIVE: The experiment was performed over three weeks.
The methods should not be written as instructions to the reader, nor presented as an itemised list. Subheadings may be appropriate. For work conducted in class, a reference to the appropriate practical manual may be enough in this section.
RESULTS: It consists of data and some comments that draw attention to the most significant aspects of the results. The data are usually presented in tables or graphs, but do not duplicate the data in different formats. Any comment on the results should be quantitative rather than just qualitative; that is, any comments should be backed up with data.
NO The treatment was more effective.
YES The treatment was 50% more effective.
DISCUSSION: It is usually the most important section of the report. It should include comments on the results, especially any unexpected results. The results should be compared to the standard value and be explained or justified in light of the original aims.
A scientific report moves from the general to the particular to the general. It begins in the Introduction section with the theory related to the experiment, moves on to the work carried out in the Methods and Results sections, and returns to general ideas in the Discussion section by discussing whether the results obtained are consistent or not with the theory. In many cases, it may be appropriate in the discussion to comment on the suitability of the method used in the experiment.
The conclusions are usually included in the discussion, but they can be separate. If they are separate, the discussion should be summarised and a comment made on the success, or otherwise, of the experiment.
REFERENCES: It should be an accurate listing of all the sources referred to. Entries must conform to the conventions of the referencing system used. Begin the list of references on a new page with the heading ‘References’ centred.
Formating a Report:
Fonts and spacing:
Font should be a minimum of 12 point and double line spacing is recommended unless otherwise specified. Titles and headings may be in bold font. A blank line is usually used between paragraphs, but no indentation is used.
Tables and figures
Tables, graphics, and photos are placed immediately after they are first referred to in the text. Tables and figures (graphic and photos) should be sequentially numbered in a separate sequence (i.e., Table 1, Table 2 and Figure 1, Figure 2). In large reports with many chapters, they are sequentially numbered in each chapter (i.e., for Chapter 2 you begin from Table 2.1 and Figure 2.1). In APA 7th style, titles for tables and figures are left aligned above the table. The source of the table or figure should also be included below the figure/table, usually in a smaller font (e.g., 10 point) and aligned at the left-hand margin.
References:
“Formatting Science Reports – The Writing Center – UW–Madison.” The Writing Center, https://writing.wisc.edu/handbook/sciencereport/. Accessed 25 January 2026.
“Scientific Reports – The Writing Center.” The Writing Center, https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/scientific-reports/. Accessed 25 January 2026.
“Writing a Scientific Report.” University of New England, https://www.une.edu.au/library/students/academic-writing/write-essays-reviews-and-reports/write-reviews-reports-and-more/Scientific-report.pdf.
