The Terms of Reference provides the reason and/or the purpose for which the report was developed. This information helps the reader to understand the perspectives and motivations of the author(s) of the report.

It may assist you to include the following ingredients in your terms of reference:

• Start by writing "The purpose of this report is to . . . "
• In your Terms of Reference you should state the desired outcome of the report (Why are you writing this report?)
• If your document is an academic pience of work, it is permissable for you to say this in your Terms of Reference.

The Terms of Reference does not need to be lengthy. A single paragraph of three sentences will suffice.