Report writing in detail

Planning - The readers

• Find out who the audience is - each individual
• Determine what they need to know
• Establish what they already know about the subject and the background
• Establish what technical terms they will understand
• Determine what expect or want you to say
• Determine what their attitude is to the subject, do you need to do a selling job?
• How much time have they got for reading reports?

Planning - The purpose

• As a result of reading this report the reader will - WHAT?

Planning - Report structure

Title page - one page

• Title, author and date
• Report version
• Distribution list

Table of contents - one page

• List all sections including appendices and their page numbers

Introduction - one page

• Brief summary of the whole report - aims, methods and results
• Authority - terms of reference for the project
• Background to the project - purpose of the investigation
• Acknowledgements (name, job title and company) thanking people for their help

Management summary - two or three pages

• Summarize main findings
• Summarize conclusions and recommendations - do not give reasons these should be detailed in the main body of the report

Main body - two to six sections

• Method of investigation
• Main findings from investigation
• Discussion and interpretation of findings
• Conclusions - list main findings and give overall view
• Recommendations - short, medium and long-term

Appendices - all the detail that is not essential to an understanding of the main body, but might be useful reference

• Terms of reference
• Acknowledgements (if not in the introduction)
• Glossary of terms used
• Detailed cost calculations
• Summary of the training materials and their intended use
• List of people covered by the survey
• Examples of questionnaires used
• Tables of detailed data from investigation

Writing - Style

• Formal report - third person (they, the staff,...)
• Training guides - second person (you,...)
• Management summary, conclusions and recommendations - first person (I,..)

Writing - Sentences

• One idea per sentence; varied length, averaging not more than 20 words. Use short, simple words and always the right words. Ensure that there is only one interpretation of each sentence.

Writing - Headings

• Use headings and sub-headings to provide structure and help the reader skim. Use the decimal system:
• 1 Main headings
• 1.1 Sub-headings
• 1.1.1 Sub-sub-headings
• Do not go to more than three figures

Writing - Paragraphs

• Keep paragraphs short, but not too short; one per topic, each opening with a 'topic sentence' which makes the paragraphs point at the start

Writing - Lists

• Use numbered, or bulleted lists rather than a list in a block of text

Writing - Margins

• Ensure that there are ample all-round the page

Writing - Indentation

• Give paragraphs emphasis by providing a wider left-hand margin

Writing - Page numbering

• Number all pages except the title page if there is one

Writing - Tables

• Add a title
• Keep them small, divide large tables into separate ones if possible
• Vertical columns form their own eye-guide and do not need rulings. Use vertical rulings to separate different types of information e.g. row categories from data, data from totals
• Horizontal rulings help guide the eye but should not be overdone. Large blocks of data should be broken every 5th row, but with a double space rather than a rule
• Specify units of measure clearly
• Where columns are to be compared, put them next to each other
• Put columns of percentages or averages next to the data to which they relate
• Do not show derived figures to look more precise than warranted by the original data
• Round all figures to 3 or even 2 significant figures where appropriate

Writing - Bar charts

• Add a specific and informative title
• Bars to start at zero
• All bars to be labelled
• Each bar has a figure to show the amount
• Bars should not touch unless they are on a time scale

Writing - Pie charts

• Add a specific and informative title
• Each piece of the pie to be labelled
• Each piece of the pie has a figure to show the amount or percentage
• Do not exceed 5 pieces of pie

Writing - Line graphs

• Add a specific and informative title
• Select scales so that you are filling them both, normally giving a line going diagonally across the page
• Show zeros, break the scale if necessary to show zero
• Give clear dimensions for each scale
• Leave the original points when drawing a trend line
• Don't draw a line through scattered points
• Don't draw a line which fills in gaps
• Either put figures on the points or provide a grid

Checking a report

• Always read the report thoroughly to identify errors and/or omissions
• Put the report aside for two, or three days then re-check