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Checklist for Reports

Questions to ask yourself before handing your reports to your readers.

General Checklist

• Did you begin by asking yourself: Who will read the report?; What do they want to know?; How should the report be structured?
• Have you planned and prepared the report with the reader in mind?
• Did you follow the format specified in your course or by your company?
• Did you use enough headings and make them in a clear hierarchy?
• Is the important information easy to follow?
• Does the document use the most appropriate typefaces, sizes, styles or alignments?
• Does the document have enough white space?
• Would you be willing to have your competence in your field judged on the basis of how you presented this report?

Informal Lab Report

• Has the introduction explained the problem you worked on and the purpose of your work?
• Did you adequately describe your apparatus and procedures if you were asked to do so or had a reason to do so?
• Does the body clearly indicate the data obtained, and have you discussed and evaluated your data?
• If you were asked to do so, did you include useful, clear conclusions and recommendations?

Short Memo Report

• Does the heading contain all the relevant information such as To, From, Date, Subject, and so on?
• Is your subject stated clearly and concisely, with the most important words at the beginning of the subject line?
• Does your introductory statement include the general problem (the “big picture”), the specific question or task being dealt with in your memo, a clear explanation of why the report is being submitted or what it is intended to do, and how significant it is to the reader?
• Have you tried to persuade the reader of the reliability of your methods?
• Have you presented your findings or results clearly and concisely with the most important results first?
• Have you put less important matter separately in an attachment or appendix?
• Have you discussed the significance of the results from the reader’s viewpoint?
• If your report is supposed to include your conclusions and recommendations, are they emphasized and stated clearly (e.g. numbered list)?
• Have you suggested some specific steps the reader could take to act on your recommendations?
• Have you used headings to help your reader survey and locate information on the page?
• Have you marked key points?
• If your purpose was to persuade, have you placed your strongest argument first? Is the report as concise as you can possibly make it?

Long Report

• Is the report organized so that the reader knows: What was done (the problem worked on)?; How it was done (the procedures)?; What results were found?; What conclusions and recommendations can be drawn, if requested?
• Does the body of the report move from general to specific?
• Are the results presented clearly and in the specific way you found out?
• Are there enough headings and subheadings to help readers find their way through the report, and are the headings in a clear hierarchy?
• Are all headings and subheadings listed in the table of contents?
• Is the important information easy to find?

Abstract

• Does it summarize the main points and include specific results?
• Is it clear and concise?
• Is it self-sufficient? (Can it be read without having to refer to the body of the report?)
• Are there any recommendations you can supply here?

Figures and Tables

• Are the figures located wherever readers would find them easily helpful or persuasive?
• Do all the figures and tables have numbers and captions?
• If the figures and tables are referred to in the text, are page numbers included?
• Are the figures and tables correctly labeled?
• Are the figures and tables explained or interpreted adequately?
• Are the figures and tables listed in the table of contents or in separate lists following the table of contents?
• Do the figures look attractive and easy to read?
• Are all units in the figures and tables clearly indicated?

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