If you are required to write a scientific report, your aim is to explain a scientific or technological phenomenon in a way that will be understood by your readers, including those in other fields. In the following abstract from a scientific report, notice how, despite the presence of technical and scientific jargons, the process remains clear:
This work explored the biotechnological potential of the medicinal halophyte Artemisia campestris subsp. maritima (dune wormwood) as a source of health promoting commodities. For that purpose, infusions, decoctions and tinctures were prepared from roots and aerial-organs and evaluated for in vitro antioxidant, anti-diabetic and tyrosinase-inhibitory potential, and also for polyphenolic and mineral contents and toxicity. The dune wormwood extracts had high polyphenolic content and several phenolics were identified by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography—photodiode array—mass-spectrometry (UHPLC-PDA-MS). The main compounds were quinic, chlorogenic and caffeic acids, coumarin sulfates and dicaffeoylquinic acids; several of the identified phytoconstituents are here firstly reported in this A. campestris subspecies. Results obtained with this plant’s extracts point to nutritional applications as mineral supplementary source, safe for human consumption, as suggested by the moderate to low toxicity of the extracts towards mammalian cell lines. The dune wormwood extracts had in general high antioxidant activity and also the capacity to inhibit a-glucosidase and tyrosinase. In summary, dune wormwood extracts are a significant source of polyphenolic and mineral constituents, antioxidants and a-glucosidase and tyrosinase inhibitors, and thus, relevant for different commercial segments like the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and/or food industries.
A scientific report is a form of academic writing explaining a technical or scientific research. It is a specialized type of report that adheres to the scientific method characterized by attention to detail, reliance on test procedures, objective analysis, documented research, careful report and observations based on evidence (Smith-Worthington & Jefferson, 2011). Unlike the field report, it focuses on the process, development, and outcome of a scientific or technical research problem, giving recommendations, whenever appropriate, to supplement the explanation and to improve the scientific research process. It is strand-specific and is required of students in the sciences and technical fields.
A technical report is essentially the same as a scientific report, except that more details regarding the subject matter (e.g. specifics on experiments conducted, technical parameters of materials used, etc.) can be included. If there are a lot of these details to be noted, these are usually included in appendices to the report.
