Report writing

Habari Mwanafunzi! Welcome to the Art of Report Writing!

So, you've spent weeks, maybe even a whole semester, digging deep into a topic. You’ve conducted surveys, interviewed people, and maybe even spent late nights at the library fueled by chai and mandazi. You have all this brilliant information, all these fantastic findings! But now what? How do you present this treasure trove of knowledge so that your lecturer, your classmates, or even a potential employer can understand it and say, "Wow, this person really knows their stuff!"?

That, my friend, is where the magic of report writing comes in. It’s not just about putting words on paper; it’s about telling the story of your research in a clear, professional, and powerful way. Think of yourself as a detective presenting the final evidence in a big case. You need to be systematic, precise, and convincing. Let's get into it!

The Structure: Your Report's Skeleton

A good report has a clear, logical structure. It's like building a house; you need a solid foundation, strong walls, and a protective roof. Most academic reports follow a standard format. Let's call it the "IMRaD" structure, with a few extra rooms to make it complete.

  +-----------------------------------+
  |          TITLE PAGE               | <-- The Front Door
  +-----------------------------------+
  |            ABSTRACT               | <-- The 1-Minute Summary
  +-----------------------------------+
  |         INTRODUCTION (I)          | <-- Why you started the journey
  +-----------------------------------+
  |      LITERATURE REVIEW            | <-- What others have said
  +-----------------------------------+
  |           METHODS (M)             | <-- What you did, step-by-step
  +-----------------------------------+
  |           RESULTS (R)             | <-- What you found (Just the facts!)
  +-----------------------------------+
  |         DISCUSSION (aD)           | <-- What your findings MEAN
  +-----------------------------------+
  |           CONCLUSION              | <-- The final, powerful summary
  +-----------------------------------+
  |        RECOMMENDATIONS            | <-- What should happen next
  +-----------------------------------+
  |          REFERENCES               | <-- Giving credit where it's due
  +-----------------------------------+
  |           APPENDICES              | <-- The "Extra Goodies" (e.g., questionnaires)
  +-----------------------------------+

Image Suggestion: An energetic, vibrant infographic showing a group of diverse Kenyan students building a structure with blocks. Each block is labeled with a section of a report (Title Page, Introduction, Methods, etc.), visually representing the IMRaD structure as the core of the building.

Diving into the Sections: A Kenyan Example

Let's imagine our research topic is: "The Impact of Mobile Money (M-Pesa) on the Spending Habits of University Students in Nairobi."

• Introduction: Here, you set the scene. You'd explain the rise of M-Pesa in Kenya, state the problem (we don't fully know how it affects student spending), and clearly state your research questions. E.g., "This report aims to investigate whether the convenience of M-Pesa leads to increased impulse buying among students."
• Literature Review: What have other researchers already discovered about mobile money or student spending? You summarise their work here. You are standing on the shoulders of giants!
• Methodology: This is your recipe. How did you collect your data? Did you use a questionnaire? How many students did you survey (your sample size)? Be so clear that someone else could repeat your study exactly. E.g., "A quantitative survey was distributed to 100 undergraduate students at the University of Nairobi..."
• Results / Findings: Time for the big reveal! Present your data here without any personal opinions. Use charts, graphs, and tables. This is where you bring in the numbers.

Making Numbers Talk: Presenting Your Findings

Never just drop numbers on the page. Explain what they mean. For example, if you found that 80 out of 100 students use M-Pesa for daily purchases, don't just say "80 students...". Frame it clearly.

Example of a Clear Finding:

"The data indicates a high adoption of mobile money for daily transactions. A significant majority of respondents, 80% (n=80), reported using M-Pesa for daily expenses such as lunch, transport, and airtime."

Calculating percentages is a simple but powerful way to present data. The formula is straightforward:

Formula: (Part / Total) * 100 = Percentage

Step 1: Identify your 'Part' (e.g., 80 students who use M-Pesa).
Step 2: Identify your 'Total' (e.g., 100 students surveyed).
Step 3: Divide the Part by the Total.
         80 / 100 = 0.8
Step 4: Multiply by 100 to get the percentage.
         0.8 * 100 = 80%

• Discussion: This is the most exciting part! What do your results mean? Here, you interpret your findings. Did your results surprise you? How do they connect to what you found in the literature review? E.g., "The high prevalence of impulse buying (65%) among M-Pesa users suggests that the platform's convenience may lower the psychological barrier to spending..."
• Conclusion & Recommendations: Briefly summarise your entire journey. What is the main takeaway? Then, based on your findings, what do you recommend? Should students get financial literacy training? Should universities integrate this into their student wellness programs? Be bold and clear.

Image Suggestion: A close-up, top-down view of a student's desk. On the desk is a finished research report, a laptop showing a bar graph, a pen, and a steaming mug of Kenyan tea. The scene should feel studious, accomplished, and warm.

Tone and Style: Be a Scholar, Not a Storyteller

The language of a report is different from how we talk to our friends on WhatsApp or how you'd write a creative story. Keep it professional!

• Be Objective: Report what the data says, not what you feel. Avoid phrases like "I think..." or "I feel...". Instead, use "The data suggests..." or "It is evident that...".
• Be Clear and Concise: Use simple, direct language. No need for complicated words to sound clever. A short sentence is often more powerful than a long, winding one.
• Use the Past Tense: When you describe your methodology and results, you are talking about something that has already happened. So, use the past tense (e.g., "Participants were asked...", "The data showed...").

Final Checklist Before You Submit

Before you hit 'print' or 'send', do a final check. It's like checking your look in the mirror before leaving the house!

1. Title Page: Is my name, course, lecturer's name, and date included?
2. Numbering: Are all my pages numbered correctly?
3. Clarity: Is my language clear and professional? Have I checked for spelling and grammar mistakes?
4. Referencing: Have I cited all my sources correctly? (This is very important to avoid plagiarism!)
5. Flow: Does the report flow logically from one section to the next?

You've got this! Writing a report is a skill that will serve you well not just in college, but in any career you choose. It shows that you are a careful, logical, and analytical thinker. Now, go ahead and tell the story of your research with confidence. Sawa?