Government Brief

Government Report Template Title: Concise, gives the government department name and details, and states that it is an annual report. No jargon, understandable to any audience and clearly states its purpose. Contents Page: Provides page numbers for each section. Executive Summary: Provides background information and highlights the success of previous schemes and achievements. Details current methods and acknowledges contributions. Department overview with mission statement and summary of outcomes. Outcomes: Details objectives and highlights key achievements, results and outcomes, as well as relevant legislation and budget details. Acknowledges staff and organisations responsible for progress. Provides information on programs and strategies in place and includes reviews and case studies. Figures included. Corporate outcomes: Details corporate governance, reviews performance and sustainability, explains human rights and resources. Examines financial positions and performance, details economic indicators, as well as providing stakeholder relations and policy advice. Appendices: Contains additional figures and tables related to the contents of the report. Financial statements: Large section containing all financial details related to the programs and outcomes examined in the report, including grants, monetary assets, interest and revenue, and cash flow expenses. Figures and tables are included. Explanation of Differences The structure of government and scientific reports are very different. While scientific reports are styled to be concise and direct, government reports employ stylised language and aim to position the reader to view information in a positive way. Scientific reports contain enough information to put the study in context and to allow the study to be repeated, while accurately reporting results and their scientific implications. Government reports contain the results and outcomes of multiple programs, schemes and studies that have been undertaken by the government department in question. While scientific studies have value in their own right regardless of the outcome, government reports are required to highlight successful outcomes and progresses to justify the spending of funds and support. These two different styles of reports are directed at difference audiences. The scientific community is much more focused on the science performed within the report, whereas the audience of government reports are more concerned with the justification of the use of resources and require some sort of gain to have been made from the programs.

Examples of Differences Results The way that results are presented in government reports is very different to how the results of scientific reports are displayed. Government Report The results contain the outcomes of various schemes and programs rather than a scientific analysis of an experiment or study Results are contained with the outcomes section, not presented on their own Results are described in a positive way, and aim to position the reader to accept a certain viewpoint Language used is carefully worded, and embellished for effect Some figures displayed Contain results and outcomes of multiple studies and schemes Scientific Report The results are concise and brief, with no additional explanation of their implications in this section Presented in their own section, and under their own subheading Emotional and descriptive language is not used; both positive and negative results are presented, although more space is spent describing significant results. Many tables and figures are used to give visual representations of the results Contain the results of one set of experiments or one area of study

Introduction The way that the reports were introduced varied greatly between government and scientific reports. Government Report Each section has brief introductory section, but the report itself is introduces in the Executive Summary section This section contains a review from the department secretary of successful programs and schemes Includes lots of background information Details portfolio structure and department overview Presents overview of the outcomes section Presents the senior executive team with professional history

Scientific Report The introduction is presented in its own section Includes relevant background information with references to existing literature

Explains relevance of study/experiment

Details aims and hypothesis of experiment

References Australian Government 2012, Annual Report, Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, Canberra, accessed September 2013, <http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/313a0d8d-99e8-4cf9-990ed2e98527a7d6/files/annual-report-2011-2012.pdf>. Foden, W. B., S. H. M. Butchart, S. N. Stuart, J-C. Vi, H. R. Akakaya, A. Angulo, L. M. DeVantier, A. Gutsche, E. Turak, L. Cao, S. D. Donner, V. Katariya, R. Bernard, R. A. Holland, A. F. Hughes, S. E. OHanlon, S. T. Garnett, . H. ekerciolu & G. M. Mace 2013, Identifying the World's Most Climate Change Vulnerable Species: A Systematic TraitBased Assessment of all Birds, Amphibians and Corals, PLoS ONE 8(6): e65427.