Typically an acknowledgement is found at the very beginning or very end of a report. It gives the writer an opportunity to thank and acknowledge the individuals that have helped them finish their work, or contributed anything towards the report.
- You should look back through all of the reports, data and evidence that you collected for your project and write a list of all the individuals or companies that have contributed in some way. From this list you can then determine which of the contributions you actually used in your final piece.
- Ideally, you should only acknowledge anyone who physically added any information to your project or helped in the preparation. You should always mention your supervisor by name and other individuals that are mentioned will depend on the type of report you are writing.
- If it is a work report you should acknowledge your employer, while if it is an academic report you should acknowledge your school or professor. It is also a good idea to acknowledge anyone who might have helped you collect your data, or who participated in surveys or interviews.
The formality of your report will really be determined by the circumstances it is being written in. In most cases it will need to be reasonably formal and avoid any excessive praise. In some circumstances you may have the opportunity to be a bit more light-hearted with your acknowledgement, but don't go overboard and start thanking your cat!