scientific-skills/scientific-writing/references/professional_report_formatting.md
This reference guide covers professional formatting for scientific reports, technical documents, and white papers. Use the scientific_report.sty LaTeX style package for consistent, professional output.
venue-templates skill for journal-specific formattingvenue-templates skill for conference requirementsKey Distinction: Professional report formatting prioritizes visual appeal and readability for general audiences, while journal manuscripts must follow strict publisher requirements.
The scientific_report.sty package provides:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Typography | Helvetica font family for modern, professional appearance |
| Color Scheme | Coordinated blues, greens, oranges, and purples |
| Box Environments | Colored boxes for organizing content types |
| Tables | Professional styling with alternating rows |
| Figures | Consistent caption formatting |
| Headers/Footers | Professional page headers and footers |
| Scientific Commands | Shortcuts for p-values, effect sizes, statistics |
\documentclass[11pt,letterpaper]{report}
\usepackage{scientific_report}
\begin{document}
% Your content here
\end{document}
Compilation: Use XeLaTeX or LuaLaTeX for proper Helvetica font rendering:
xelatex document.tex
Colored boxes help readers quickly identify different types of content. Use them strategically to highlight important information.
| Environment | Color | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
keyfindings | Blue | Major findings, discoveries, key takeaways |
methodology | Green | Methods, procedures, study design |
resultsbox | Blue-green | Statistical results, data highlights |
recommendations | Purple | Recommendations, action items, implications |
limitations | Orange | Limitations, cautions, caveats |
criticalnotice | Red | Critical warnings, safety notices |
definition | Gray | Definitions, notes, supplementary info |
executivesummary | Blue (shadow) | Executive summaries |
hypothesis | Light blue | Research hypotheses |
Use for major findings and important discoveries:
\begin{keyfindings}[Research Highlights]
Our analysis revealed three significant findings:
\begin{enumerate}
\item Treatment A was 40% more effective than control (\pvalue{0.001})
\item Effect sizes were clinically meaningful (\effectsize{d}{0.82})
\item Benefits persisted at 12-month follow-up
\end{enumerate}
\end{keyfindings}
Best Practices:
Use for highlighting methods and procedures:
\begin{methodology}[Study Design]
This double-blind, randomized controlled trial employed a 2×2 factorial
design. Participants (\samplesize{450}) were randomized to one of four
conditions: (1) Treatment A, (2) Treatment B, (3) Combined A+B, or
(4) Placebo control.
\end{methodology}
Best Practices:
Use for highlighting specific statistical results:
\begin{resultsbox}[Primary Outcome Analysis]
Mixed-effects regression revealed a significant treatment × time
interaction, \effectsize{F(3, 446)}{8.72}, \psig{< 0.001},
$\eta^2_p$ = 0.055, indicating differential improvement across
treatment conditions over the study period.
\end{resultsbox}
Best Practices:
Use for recommendations and implications:
\begin{recommendations}[Clinical Practice Guidelines]
Based on our findings, we recommend:
\begin{enumerate}
\item \textbf{Primary recommendation:} Implement screening protocol
for high-risk populations.
\item \textbf{Secondary recommendation:} Adjust treatment intensity
based on baseline severity scores.
\item \textbf{Monitoring:} Reassess at 3-month intervals.
\end{enumerate}
\end{recommendations}
Best Practices:
Use for limitations, caveats, and cautions:
\begin{limitations}[Study Limitations]
Several limitations should be considered:
\begin{itemize}
\item \textbf{Sample:} Participants were recruited from academic
medical centers, limiting generalizability to community settings.
\item \textbf{Design:} The observational design precludes causal
inference about treatment effects.
\item \textbf{Attrition:} 15% dropout rate may introduce bias.
\end{itemize}
\end{limitations}
Best Practices:
Use for critical warnings or safety information:
\begin{criticalnotice}[Safety Warning]
\textbf{Contraindication:} This intervention is contraindicated for
patients with [condition]. Monitor for [adverse effects] and discontinue
immediately if [symptoms] occur. Report serious adverse events to [contact].
\end{criticalnotice}
Best Practices:
Use for definitions and explanatory notes:
\begin{definition}[Effect Size]
An \textbf{effect size} is a quantitative measure of the magnitude of a
phenomenon. Unlike significance tests, effect sizes are independent of
sample size and allow comparison across studies. Common measures include
Cohen's \textit{d} for mean differences and Pearson's \textit{r} for
correlations.
\end{definition}
Best Practices:
booktabs rules (\toprule, \midrule, \bottomrule)\rowcolor{tablealt} to every other row\begin{table}[htbp]
\centering
\caption{Demographic Characteristics by Treatment Group}
\label{tab:demographics}
\begin{tabular}{@{}lcc@{}}
\toprule
\textbf{Characteristic} & \textbf{Treatment} & \textbf{Control} \\
& (\samplesize{225}) & (\samplesize{225}) \\
\midrule
Age, years, \meansd{M}{SD} & \meansd{42.3}{12.5} & \meansd{43.1}{11.8} \\
\rowcolor{tablealt} Female, n (\%) & 128 (56.9) & 121 (53.8) \\
Education, years, \meansd{M}{SD} & \meansd{14.2}{2.8} & \meansd{14.5}{2.6} \\
\rowcolor{tablealt} Baseline score, \meansd{M}{SD} & \meansd{52.4}{15.3} & \meansd{51.8}{14.9} \\
\bottomrule
\end{tabular}
\figurenote{No significant differences between groups at baseline (all \textit{p} > .10).}
\end{table}
\begin{table}[htbp]
\centering
\caption{Treatment Effects on Primary and Secondary Outcomes}
\label{tab:results}
\begin{tabular}{@{}lcccc@{}}
\toprule
\textbf{Outcome} & \textbf{Treatment} & \textbf{Control} & \textbf{Effect} & \textbf{p} \\
& \meansd{M}{SD} & \meansd{M}{SD} & \textbf{(d)} & \\
\midrule
Primary outcome & \meansd{68.4}{14.2} & \meansd{54.1}{15.8} & 0.95\sigthree & <.001 \\
\rowcolor{tablealt} Secondary A & \meansd{4.2}{1.1} & \meansd{3.5}{1.2} & 0.61\sigtwo & .003 \\
Secondary B & \meansd{22.8}{5.4} & \meansd{21.2}{5.1} & 0.31\sigone & .042 \\
\rowcolor{tablealt} Secondary C & \meansd{8.9}{2.3} & \meansd{8.5}{2.4} & 0.17\signs & .285 \\
\bottomrule
\end{tabular}
\vspace{0.5em}
{\small \siglegend}
\end{table}
\begin{table}[htbp]
\centering
\caption{Evidence Summary by Study}
\label{tab:evidence}
\begin{tabular}{@{}llccc@{}}
\toprule
\textbf{Study} & \textbf{Design} & \textbf{N} & \textbf{Quality} & \textbf{Evidence} \\
\midrule
Smith et al. (2024) & RCT & 450 & \qualityhigh & \evidencestrong \\
\rowcolor{tablealt} Jones et al. (2023) & Cohort & 1,250 & \qualitymedium & \evidencemoderate \\
Chen et al. (2023) & Case-control & 320 & \qualitymedium & \evidencemoderate \\
\rowcolor{tablealt} Lee et al. (2022) & Cross-sectional & 890 & \qualitylow & \evidenceweak \\
\bottomrule
\end{tabular}
\end{table}
The style package automatically formats captions with:
\begin{figure}[htbp]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=0.9\textwidth]{../figures/results_comparison.png}
\caption{Comparison of Outcome Scores by Treatment Condition and Time Point}
\label{fig:results}
\end{figure}
\begin{figure}[htbp]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=0.85\textwidth]{../figures/trend_analysis.png}
\caption{Trends in Key Metrics Over the Study Period}
\figuresource{Study data collected January--December 2024}
\label{fig:trends}
\end{figure}
\begin{figure}[htbp]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=0.8\textwidth]{../figures/conceptual_model.png}
\caption{Conceptual Model of Hypothesized Relationships}
\figurenote{Solid arrows indicate primary pathways; dashed arrows indicate moderated relationships. Numbers represent standardized coefficients.}
\label{fig:model}
\end{figure}
| Color | Use For | Avoid Using For |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Blue | Headers, important findings | Warnings, cautions |
| Science Green | Methods, positive results | Negative findings |
| Orange | Cautions, limitations | Positive findings |
| Red | Critical warnings | Routine content |
| Purple | Recommendations | Findings, methods |
| Gray | Definitions, notes | Key findings |
| Element | Font | Size | Color |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body text | Helvetica | 11pt | Dark gray (#424242) |
| Chapter titles | Helvetica Bold | Huge | Primary blue (#003366) |
| Section headings | Helvetica Bold | Large | Primary blue (#003366) |
| Subsections | Helvetica Bold | large | Secondary blue (#4A90E2) |
| Subsubsections | Helvetica Bold | normalsize | Dark gray (#424242) |
| Command | Output | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
\pvalue{0.023} | p = 0.023 | Report p-values |
\psig{< 0.001} | p = < 0.001 | Significant p-values (bold) |
\CI{0.45}{0.72} | 95% CI [0.45, 0.72] | Confidence intervals |
\effectsize{d}{0.75} | d = 0.75 | Effect sizes |
\samplesize{250} | n = 250 | Sample sizes |
\meansd{42.5}{8.3} | 42.5 ± 8.3 | Mean with SD |
| Command | Output | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
\sigone | * | p < 0.05 |
\sigtwo | ** | p < 0.01 |
\sigthree | *** | p < 0.001 |
\signs | ns | not significant |
\siglegend | Full legend | For table footnotes |
| Command | Output | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
\qualityhigh | HIGH (green) | High quality |
\qualitymedium | MEDIUM (orange) | Moderate quality |
\qualitylow | LOW (red) | Low quality |
\evidencestrong | Strong (green) | Strong evidence |
\evidencemoderate | Moderate (orange) | Moderate evidence |
\evidenceweak | Weak (red) | Weak evidence |
| Command | Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
\trendup | ▲ (green) | Increasing trend |
\trenddown | ▼ (red) | Decreasing trend |
\trendflat | → (gray) | Stable/no change |
\chapter*{Executive Summary}
\addcontentsline{toc}{chapter}{Executive Summary}
\begin{executivesummary}[Report Highlights]
This report presents findings from a comprehensive study of [topic]
involving \samplesize{450} participants across 12 research sites.
The research addressed [key question] using [methodology].
\end{executivesummary}
\subsection*{Key Findings}
\begin{keyfindings}
\begin{enumerate}
\item The primary intervention demonstrated a large effect
(\effectsize{d}{0.82}, \psig{< 0.001}).
\item Benefits were maintained at 12-month follow-up.
\item Cost-effectiveness analysis supports implementation.
\end{enumerate}
\end{keyfindings}
\subsection*{Recommendations}
\begin{recommendations}
Based on these findings, we recommend:
\begin{enumerate}
\item Implement the intervention in [settings].
\item Train practitioners using the standardized protocol.
\item Monitor outcomes using the validated measures.
\end{enumerate}
\end{recommendations}
\chapter{Methods}
\begin{methodology}[Study Overview]
This randomized controlled trial employed a parallel-group design with
1:1 allocation to intervention or control conditions. The study was
conducted across 12 sites between January 2023 and December 2024.
\end{methodology}
\section{Participants}
A total of \samplesize{450} participants were enrolled. Eligibility
criteria were:
\begin{itemize}
\item Age 18--65 years
\item Diagnosis of [condition] per [criteria]
\item No contraindications to [intervention]
\end{itemize}
Table~\ref{tab:participants} presents participant characteristics.
\begin{limitations}[Recruitment Challenges]
Recruitment was slower than anticipated due to [reasons]. The final
sample was 10% below target, which may affect statistical power for
secondary analyses.
\end{limitations}
\chapter{Results}
\section{Primary Outcome}
\begin{resultsbox}[Primary Analysis]
Mixed-effects regression revealed a significant treatment effect,
\effectsize{F(1, 448)}{42.18}, \psig{< 0.001}, with a large effect
size (\effectsize{d}{0.82}). The treatment group showed significantly
greater improvement (\meansd{16.4}{5.2} points) compared to control
(\meansd{8.1}{4.8} points).
\end{resultsbox}
Figure~\ref{fig:primary} illustrates the treatment effects over time.
\begin{figure}[htbp]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=0.9\textwidth]{../figures/primary_outcome.png}
\caption{Primary Outcome Scores by Treatment Group and Time Point}
\figurenote{Error bars represent 95\% confidence intervals.}
\label{fig:primary}
\end{figure}
\section{Secondary Outcomes}
Results for secondary outcomes are presented in Table~\ref{tab:secondary}.
\chapter{Discussion}
\section{Summary of Findings}
\begin{keyfindings}[Main Conclusions]
\begin{enumerate}
\item The intervention was highly effective (primary hypothesis
\highlight{supported})
\item Effects were clinically meaningful and durable
\item Evidence strength: \evidencestrong
\end{enumerate}
\end{keyfindings}
\section{Limitations}
\begin{limitations}
Several limitations warrant consideration:
\begin{itemize}
\item The sample was predominantly [demographic], limiting
generalizability.
\item Attrition was higher in the control group (18\% vs. 12\%).
\item Self-report measures may be subject to response bias.
\end{itemize}
\end{limitations}
\section{Implications}
\begin{recommendations}[Research Implications]
\begin{enumerate}
\item Replicate in diverse populations
\item Investigate mechanisms of change
\item Test implementation strategies
\end{enumerate}
\end{recommendations}
\begin{recommendations}[Practice Implications]
\begin{enumerate}
\item Adopt the intervention in [settings]
\item Train providers using standardized protocols
\item Monitor fidelity and outcomes
\end{enumerate}
\end{recommendations}
Before finalizing your report, verify:
scientific_report.sty packageassets/scientific_report.sty - The LaTeX style packageassets/scientific_report_template.tex - Complete report templateassets/REPORT_FORMATTING_GUIDE.md - Quick reference guidevenue-templates - For journal manuscripts and conference papersscientific-schematics - For generating diagrams and figuresgenerate-image - For creating illustrations and graphics