Report Writing Hints and Tips
Report Writing Hints and Tips
Report Writing Hints and Tips
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<strong>Report</strong> <strong>Writing</strong><br />
<strong>Report</strong> <strong>Writing</strong><br />
<strong>Hints</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Tips</strong><br />
Graham Horn<br />
British Council
<strong>Report</strong> <strong>Writing</strong><br />
Presentation outline<br />
<strong>Report</strong> types <strong>and</strong> stating purpose<br />
Organisation<br />
Formality<br />
Vocabulary choice <strong>and</strong> sentence length<br />
Common language mistakes
<strong>Report</strong> <strong>Writing</strong><br />
Five Cs of good writing<br />
Complete<br />
report types <strong>and</strong> purpose<br />
Clear<br />
organisation<br />
Courteous<br />
level formality of formality <strong>and</strong> Plain <strong>and</strong> English plain English<br />
Concise<br />
vocabulary choice <strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> sentence length length<br />
Correct<br />
common mistakes <strong>and</strong> proofreading
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Complete<br />
Types of reports<br />
Performance report<br />
Feasibility study<br />
Evaluative report<br />
Audit<br />
Investigative report<br />
Survey report<br />
Executive summary<br />
What is the purpose of these<br />
types of reports?<br />
What characteristics would<br />
the reader expect to find?
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Complete<br />
Purpose<br />
to explain something<br />
that has gone wrong<br />
Characteristics<br />
recommendations of<br />
preventative action<br />
Performance report Investigative report<br />
Feasibility study Survey report<br />
Evaluative report Executive summary<br />
Audit<br />
Investigative<br />
report
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Complete<br />
Purpose<br />
to overview an<br />
existing situation to<br />
provide a basis for<br />
policy<br />
Characteristics<br />
identification of<br />
trends / patterns<br />
Performance report Investigative report<br />
Feasibility study Survey report<br />
Evaluative report Executive summary<br />
Audit<br />
Survey<br />
report
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Complete<br />
Purpose<br />
to overview an<br />
existing situation to<br />
provide a basis for<br />
policy<br />
Characteristics<br />
identification of<br />
trends / patterns<br />
Performance report Investigative report<br />
Feasibility study Survey report<br />
Evaluative report Executive summary<br />
Audit<br />
Survey<br />
report
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Complete<br />
Purpose<br />
to assess a proposal<br />
or a course of action<br />
Characteristics<br />
strengths /<br />
weaknesses / risk<br />
analysis<br />
Performance report Investigative report<br />
Feasibility study Survey report<br />
Evaluative report Executive summary<br />
Audit<br />
Feasibility<br />
study
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Complete<br />
Purpose<br />
to review a system,<br />
procedure or<br />
structure (on-going)<br />
Characteristics<br />
recommendation for<br />
changes /<br />
improvements<br />
Performance report Investigative report<br />
Feasibility study Survey report<br />
Evaluative report Executive summary<br />
Audit<br />
Evaluative<br />
report
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Complete<br />
Purpose<br />
to present an appraisal<br />
of whether a person or<br />
organisation or<br />
department has met<br />
targets or expectations<br />
Characteristics<br />
recommendations for<br />
alterations in targets<br />
or structure<br />
Performance report Investigative report<br />
Feasibility study Survey report<br />
Evaluative report Executive summary<br />
Audit<br />
Performance<br />
report
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Complete<br />
Purpose<br />
to check systems<br />
are in place <strong>and</strong><br />
procedures are<br />
being followed<br />
Characteristics<br />
Executive Summary /<br />
background / aims /<br />
objectives / etc<br />
Performance report Investigative report<br />
Feasibility study Survey report<br />
Evaluative report Executive summary<br />
Audit<br />
Audit
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Complete<br />
Purpose<br />
a brief overview so<br />
as to give a preview<br />
of contents<br />
Characteristics<br />
why the report was<br />
written, make clear<br />
conclusions <strong>and</strong><br />
recommendations<br />
Performance report Investigative report<br />
Feasibility study Survey report<br />
Evaluative report Executive summary<br />
Audit<br />
Executive<br />
summary
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Complete<br />
Executive summary +<br />
It is a summary of all key findings in the report<br />
Most important part of the report<br />
Generally cover:<br />
- purpose of the report<br />
- analytical approach<br />
- key findings<br />
- conclusions<br />
- recommendations<br />
Leave the writing until the report is finalized
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Clear<br />
Sections of a report<br />
Most reports can be broken down into five distinct<br />
sections. Other sections may also be added, depending<br />
on the type of report to be written.<br />
Introduction<br />
Background<br />
Findings<br />
Conclusion<br />
Recommendations<br />
What does the reader expect to<br />
find in each section?
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Clear<br />
Introduction<br />
introduces subject of report<br />
states aims/objective<br />
may include short summary<br />
title page<br />
table of contents<br />
list of illustrations<br />
Background<br />
introduces facts which help readers underst<strong>and</strong> findings<br />
sets the context<br />
terms of reference<br />
methodology
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Clear<br />
Findings<br />
facts discovered during the investigation<br />
states what the problem is<br />
may include other people's opinions<br />
Conclusions<br />
gives the writer's opinion based on the facts<br />
adds no new information<br />
may discuss the underlying or root cause<br />
Recommendations<br />
provides solutions<br />
discusses the next steps or actions<br />
follows logically on from the conclusion
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Courteous<br />
Courteous<br />
‘Write with your reader in mind. If you want to encourage<br />
people to read your report, give them a piece of writing<br />
that is lively <strong>and</strong> readable. Imagine you are presenting<br />
your report to your reader yourself. Talk directly to your<br />
readers in language they underst<strong>and</strong>. You will find that<br />
using shorter sentences <strong>and</strong> active verbs will already have<br />
made a difference.’<br />
Plain English Campaign<br />
http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Courteous<br />
‘I’ <strong>and</strong> ‘we’<br />
<strong>Report</strong>s used to be full of passive verbs with phrases like:<br />
- It was found that<br />
- It is accepted that<br />
- It is recommended that<br />
Let the readers know there is a person behind the<br />
print with phrases like:<br />
- We found that<br />
- I accept that<br />
- We recommend that<br />
Active voice: (subject+verb+object)<br />
Personal, short, clear, simple, warm, modern, friendly
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Courteous<br />
Please be informed that the next audit will be held on 8th<br />
August 2013.<br />
The next audit is on 8 August 2013.<br />
Enclosed herewith in Appendix B is a table of the raw data<br />
collected.<br />
In Appendix B you will find a table of the raw data<br />
collected.<br />
The matter will be investigated in due course.<br />
We will certainly investigate this drop in sales over the<br />
next quarter.
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Courteous<br />
Please review the attached proposal <strong>and</strong> let us know your<br />
decision by 30 June 2010<br />
Please find attached the proposal for your kind perusal<br />
<strong>and</strong> necessary action.<br />
Trusting this recommendation meets with the board’s<br />
approval<br />
I hope the board accept this recommendation.<br />
We are disappointed with the level of service our<br />
customers receive.<br />
Any inconvenience caused to our customers is regretted.
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Concise<br />
Concise<br />
“There is a tendency to write more than is required. The<br />
written English we want is clean, clear prose. I chose my<br />
words carefully - not elegant, not stylish, just clean,<br />
clear prose. It means simplifying, polishing, tightening.”<br />
Lee Kuan Yew<br />
Former Prime Minister of Singapore
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Concise<br />
Shorter words help keep your sentences concise.<br />
commencement<br />
regarding<br />
purchase<br />
subsequently<br />
additional<br />
start<br />
about<br />
buy<br />
later, after, then<br />
more, extra
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Concise<br />
amend<br />
beneficial<br />
pertaining to<br />
in excess of<br />
in the event of<br />
correct, change<br />
useful, helpful<br />
about<br />
more than<br />
if
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Concise<br />
Verbs instead of nouns<br />
Nouns tend to be more formal <strong>and</strong> longer <strong>and</strong> make<br />
sentences more complicated. To make your writing easier<br />
to underst<strong>and</strong>, it is better to use verbs.<br />
There was a failure in the system.<br />
The system failed.<br />
Nouns<br />
arrangement<br />
failure<br />
completion<br />
Verbs<br />
arrange<br />
fail<br />
complete<br />
Nouns<br />
provision<br />
utilisation<br />
investigation<br />
Verbs<br />
provide<br />
utilise<br />
investigate
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Concise<br />
Keep sentences short<br />
The Institute of Industrial Psychologists in the UK<br />
researched the link between readability <strong>and</strong> sentence<br />
length. They asked 100 people to read three sentences<br />
once only <strong>and</strong> then checked the comprehension levels of<br />
each person. Guess the results:<br />
Sentence length<br />
7 words<br />
17 words<br />
27 words<br />
Underst<strong>and</strong>ing after one reading<br />
98%<br />
80%<br />
4%
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Concise<br />
Maximum sentence length is 20 words so aim for an<br />
average of 12-17. By all means put in the occasional short<br />
sentence but an average sentence length of 7 words<br />
would not make a text flow.
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Correct<br />
Correct<br />
Know your common mistakes<br />
Proofread<br />
Get someone to read your report
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Correct<br />
Common Hong Kong errors<br />
The following areas account for two-thirds of all errors.<br />
Verb related 22%<br />
Word meaning 21%<br />
Noun / adjective / verb confusion 9%<br />
Singular / plural problems 5%<br />
Countable / uncountable nouns 4%<br />
Articles 4%<br />
Prepositions 3.5%
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Correct<br />
Verb related<br />
We stopped to sell the product in April.<br />
We stopped selling the product in April.<br />
They have started the new production in April.<br />
The They started the new production in in April.<br />
The production manager have resigned.<br />
The production manager has resigned.<br />
Staff needs to complete the training by April.<br />
Staff need to complete the training by April.
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Correct<br />
Word meaning<br />
All staff will undergo an IT course in April<br />
All staff will take an IT course in April.<br />
The printer is spoilt.<br />
The printer is broken.<br />
The sales rise in the last quarter was impactful.<br />
The sales rise in the last quarter was impressive.
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Correct<br />
Singular / plural problem<br />
Each sales managers need replacing.<br />
Each printer sales manager needs replacing. needs replacing.<br />
A new version that have more feature.<br />
A new version that has more features.<br />
Countable / uncountable<br />
Refer to a good English – English dictionary when you are<br />
not sure.
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Correct<br />
Articles <strong>and</strong> prepositions<br />
These are difficult because we do not register them when<br />
we read or listen.<br />
Therefore, spend time actively noticing them when you<br />
read.<br />
Refer to a good English-English dictionary for the correct<br />
dependent preposition.
<strong>Report</strong> writing - Correct<br />
Proofreading tips<br />
Wait 24 hours<br />
allows time to lose familiarity with the writing<br />
Read it out loud<br />
allows you to sense grammatical errors better<br />
Read it backwards<br />
allows you to focus more on specifics as the individual<br />
sentences do not flow together<br />
Proofread all the time<br />
trains you to become a natural editor
<strong>Report</strong> <strong>Writing</strong><br />
Remember the five Cs of good writing<br />
Complete<br />
What type of report am I writing? What is the purpose?<br />
Clear<br />
How am I going to organise my report?<br />
Courteous<br />
Who am I writing for? Does my report contain too much passive<br />
voice?<br />
Concise<br />
Have I used simpler vocabulary? Are my sentences a good length?<br />
Correct<br />
What are my common mistakes? Have I proof-read yet?
<strong>Report</strong> <strong>Writing</strong><br />
Q <strong>and</strong> A
Change language