How Do You Write an Informational Report?

By Staff Writer | Last Updated August 4, 2015

An informational report contains an opening statement, a series of facts about the subject and a summary of the topic concluding the report. Extraneous information such as graphs, diagrams or maps can be used to enhance the material.

Unlike a persuasive report, which is intended to change the reader’s point of view, the goal of an informational report is simply to state facts. It is used to educate the reader about a given topic. Rather, it is designed to be simply a logical sequence of facts about the topic. There are three basic steps a writer must complete to put together an informational report.

Step 1: Write the opening statement

In any report, an opening statement is designed to grab the reader’s attention. It helps to set the tone of the report and gives the reader an idea of what information will be included.

Step 2: Write the body of the report

The body of the report contains the “meat” of the topic. Here is where the writer lists factual data, being sure to leave out any personal feelings or bias. Charts and graphs can be included in this section as well.

Step 3: Write the conclusion

Since this is an informational report, there is no true “ending.” The conclusion should be a simple summary of the information given on the topic.