Report Content Purposes of Sections
The purpose of sections, headings and subheadings is to help both the writer and the reader.
For the writer, they serve as a guide to cover all important elements of a research report. They also serve as an organizing tool. They encourage the writer to put all related material together.
For the reader, they serve as a content guide. Labeled sections and extensive use of headings and subheadings within each section help the reader navigate the document.
Putting related materials together is important but so is providing the reader with relevant information where it is needed. Repetition across sections means the reader will not have to flip back and forth or try to memorize materials located on previous pages. Also readers commonly pull apart a document, keeping only sections that are relevant to them. To ensure that all information needed to interpret any section is contained within that section, repeat purposely.
Importantly, a particular report might not explicitly include the sections described here. However, the content of those sections should be included.