1. Report Writing

2. Report types
• A short report to a client may use a letter format
• Formal reports may contain formal elements such as a title
page, a transmittal, a table of contents, and a list of illustrations
• Informal reports may be letters and memos or even computer
printouts of production or sales figures
• Reports can be called:
- Information report if they collect data for the reader: Sales report,
Quarterly report,
- Analytical report if they interpret data but don’t recommend action:
Annual reports, audit reports, make-good or pay back reports.
- Recommendation report if they recommend action or solution: Feasibility
reports, justification reports, problem-solving reports

3. Report Structure
• Cover
• Title page
• Letter of transmittal
• Table of contents
• List of illustrations
• Executive summary
• Report Body
- Introduction
- Background (History of the problem)
- Body
- Conclusions
- Recommendations; Notes References; Work cited
• Appendixes

4. Title Page
• Contains the following items:
- Title of the report
- Whom the report is prepared for
- Whom it is prepared by
- The release date
• The title should be detailed
• The release date is normally the date the report is scheduled for
discussion.

5. Letter or Memo of transmittal
• Letter of transmittal if you are not a regular employee; a memo if
you are an employee
• Organize the transmittal in the following way:
- Tell when and by whom it was authorized and the purpose it was to fulfill
- Summarize your conclusions and recommendations
- Mention and points of special interests in the report
- Point out any additional research that is necessary
- Thank the reader for the opportunity to do the work

6. Table of contents and Illustrations
• Table of contents lists the headings exactly as they appear in
the body of the report
• If report is less than 25 pages you may list all the levels in the
report
• In a very long report pick a level and put all the heading on that
level
• A list of illustrations enables readers to refer to your visuals
- Tables are words or numbers arranged in rows and columns
- Figures are everything else
- Tables and figures are numbered independently

7. Executive Summary
• An Executive summary or Abstract tell the reader what the
document is all about
• It summarizes the the recommendations of the report and the
reasons for the recommendation or describes the topics the
report discusses and indicates the depth of the discussion
• A good abstract is easy to read, concise and clear.
• Using ‘you’ sparingly
• For experimental research: the purpose of the research, its
hypothesis, the experimental method, the significant results, the
implication for treatment, action or further research.
• Descriptive abstract indicate what topics the article covers and
how deeply it goes into each topic, but does not summarize
what the article says about each topic

8. Introduction & Background / History
• The introduction of the report always contains a statement of
purpose and scope and may include all of the parts in the
following list:
- Purpose
- Scope
- Limitations
- Assumptions
- Methods
- Definitions
• Background of the situation or history of the problem
• Enable later audiences to understand the basis of the report

9. Conclusions & Recommendations
• Conclusions summarizes points you have made in the body of
the report
• Recommendations are action items that would solve or
ameliorate the problem
• The sections are often combined if they are short
• No new information should be included in the conclusions
• Conclusions are usually presented in paragraphs; you could
also use a numbered or bulleted list
• Number the recommendations to make it easy for people to
discuss them

10. Time table for writing reports
• To use time effectively, think about the parts of the report before
you begin writing
• Much of the introduction comes from the proposal with minor
revisions
• You can write six sections even before you’ve finished your
research: Purpose, Scope, Assumptions, Methods, Criteria,
Definitions
• The background reading for your proposal can form the first
draft of your list of references
• Save a copy of your questionnaire or interview questions to use
as an appendix

11. Timetable for writing reports
• You can write the title page and the transmittal as soon as you
know what your recommendations will be
• After you’ve analyzed your data, write the Executive summary,
the body, and the conclusions and recommendations.
• Prepare a draft of the table of contents and the list of
illustrations
• When you write a long report, list all the sections (headings) that
your report will have
• Write the important sections early to get to the meat of the
report. The background, etc. can wait

12. Less formal report structure
• Title page
• Table of contents
• Abstract / Executive summary
• Body:
- Introduction
- Body
- Conclusions
- Recommendations

13. Informal report structure
• Introduction
• Body
• Conclusions
• Recommendations

14. Business Writing
• Written communication serves as a record, which follows
spoken communication
• You can refer to the material at a later stage
• Since in written communication there may be no face-to-face
interaction, there is a possibility that there could be some
misunderstanding

15. Principles of written communication
1. Orientation to the receiver: The recipient should be kept in
mind while writing. Use appropriate vocabulary and jargon.
2. Use short and simple vocabulary: Use short words, which are
simpler, in preference to long words
3. Use specific words to bring vitality and exactness: don’t use
ambiguous words
4. Use active voice in preference to passive voice: Active voice
conveys force and focus. Passive voice conveys half-
heartedness and defensiveness
5. Use action words: Conveys the force of your personality and
your sense of purpose

16. Principles
6. Be brief: Verbosity conveys a poor impression to the reader.
Managers don’t have time to go through long winded letters.
You need good vocabulary
7. Prefer short sentences to long, compound and complex
sentences:
8. Use gender unbiased words: Use plural or the work ‘or’ or /.
9. Use proper sentence design: In oral communication,
emphasis on a particular word changes the meaning. The
emphasis on each of the words have a particular meaning.
E.g. “I never said that”.
10. Flow: the structure of correspondence should be cohesive
and smooth flowing. Sentences must blend into paragraphs,
etc.

17. Principles
11. Sentence: each sentence should convey a single thought. This
provides clarity.
12. Paragraphs: Each paragraphs discusses an idea, which could
comprise a number of thoughts. A group of paragraphs can
further discuss a group of topics
13. Consistency and continuity: Each correspondence should deal
with only one subject.
14. Linkages: There must be a smooth flow of ideas and each idea
must merge into the next in an effortless and seamless manner.
Therefore, each paragraph should end in such a way that the
next paragraph appears logical.