Business report vs essay
A business report is written for a reader who needs to make a decision. It is organised with headings so people can find what they need, and it usually ends with clear recommendations. An essay develops one continuous argument, often without headings, and does not always recommend an action.
Reports use short paragraphs, numbered sections, tables and charts, and they put the main conclusion near the start. Essays tend to build to their conclusion. Check your brief to see which one your lecturer expects.
Standard structure
A common structure for student business reports:
- Title page
- Executive summary
- Table of contents
- Introduction (purpose, scope and background)
- Findings or analysis
- Discussion
- Conclusion
- Recommendations
- References
- Appendices
Number the headings (1, 1.1, 1.2) if your university permits it. Keep the order logical: what you were asked, what you found, what it means and what should be done.
Executive summary
The executive summary is a short stand-alone version of the report for a busy reader. It states the purpose, the main findings, the conclusion and the key recommendations, typically in half a page or less. Write it after the rest of the report is finished.
Do not introduce new information, and do not use it to describe the structure ("Section 2 discusses..."). Someone who reads only this section should still understand what you found and what you advise.
Analysis and evidence
Every claim in the analysis needs evidence: financial data, survey results, industry reports, company documents or academic sources. Explain what each piece of evidence means for the business instead of just presenting it.
Use recognised frameworks only where they help, such as SWOT, PESTLE or Porter's Five Forces, and apply them to the specific case. Compare options on stated criteria, such as cost, risk and time. Show your calculations and assumptions so the reader can follow your reasoning.
Recommendations
Recommendations should follow directly from your findings. Make each one specific, realistic and actionable, and say who should do what and when, if the brief allows. Rank them or group them into short-term and long-term actions.
Link each recommendation to a finding ("Because customer complaints cluster around delivery times, the company should..."). Mention the main risks and costs, and avoid recommending things you have not supported in the analysis.
Formatting and visuals
Use a clean, consistent layout: readable font, clear heading hierarchy, white space between sections and numbered pages. Prefer a formal, concise tone and plain language over jargon.
Tables and charts should have a number, a title and a source. Choose the chart type for the message: lines for trends, bars for comparisons. Do not include a chart unless you explain what it shows. Keep the main text readable by moving large data tables to the appendix.
Checklist
Before submitting, check that:
- The report answers the brief and stays within scope.
- The executive summary matches the final content.
- Each recommendation is supported by evidence.
- Headings, numbering and page numbers are consistent.
- Charts and tables are labelled and referenced.
- Sources are cited and listed correctly.
- The language is formal and free of spelling errors.
- You have proofread the final file and kept a copy.