 Essays vs. Reports You have probably written many academic texts during your time at PolyU and earlier at secondary school, but these were in all likelihood essays rather than reports. There are many differences between the two text types, and it is important that you are aware of them in this course. In your ELC courses you have learned to write different types of essays, but they share some of the same features. They tend to be descriptive, based on ideas, and quite subjective. They often take a stance or argue for or against something. Also, they typically share the same structure, consisting of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Scientific reports, on the other hand, are much more fact-based and objective, and tend to be highly structured with lots of subheadings. Rather than focusing on ideas, they present data and describe research. The broad topic of an essay or a report may be the same. For example, genetically modified produce, waste management, or fuel cells. The approach and purpose is different, however. If you look at the titles in this slide, you will notice that the ones on the left discuss pros and cons or take a stance. The ones on the right are more factual and descriptive. That's because the former are essay topics, and the latter are report topics. When you write your scientific report, it is important that you have a thorough understanding of the differences between the two genres. In your group report, you should present and compare the findings of two scientific studies, or journal articles, to a specialist audience familiar with the discipline. Your report should be clearly structured, and fairly formal and objective in tone. You will present the data from the two studies using tables or graphs, and you will then discuss and interpret the differences between them. You may offer recommendations for future studies, but you should not take a stance. Come to any conclusions as to which study is better, or talk about your personal opinions. If you want to learn more about the structure and content of scientific reports, a good way of doing so is to read some reports in your own area of study.