Excellence in report writing

Excellence in report writing

You may have to learn how to prepare a report at some stage or the other in your career. Here are some guidelines.

Any one who wishes to become a good writer should endeavour, before he allows himself to be tempted by the more showy qualities, to be direct, simple, brief, vigorous, and lucid.

H.W. Fowler

You will have to write reports at some stage or the other in your career. Even a short technical report if written shabbily may damage your reputation in your organisation. The time spent to learn how to prepare a good report is never a loss.

Any report is a formal write-up. It may be on topics that cover different areas such as accident; employee appraisal; enquiry; feasibility; industrial relations; investigation; maintenance of equipment; progress of work; or research.

Any report should be prepared with the reader in mind. It is desirable that you follow a simple format that facilitates easy comprehension. If your report goes to a busy executive, a summary will prove to be useful. Any good report will have a structure comprising the following elements:
•Title: Precise; should tell what it is. There can be a contents page that shows the name of the report, its subject, authors, and the date of submission.

•Content list: List of items in the report, sections, sub sections, list of exhibits if any, and page numbers
•Introduction/ Preface: A short write-up that explains the background, the reason why it has been prepared, and acknowledgement of those who have helped in the preparation. Sometimes a preface is added by the authority that accepts and uses the report, before its publication.

•Abstract: Essential summary or overview of the contents and the prime message. This may be written after the preparing the body of the report.

•Method: Style adopted in gathering details and processing them.
•Results: The main findings. These may be presented using graphics as well.
•Discussion: Analysis of the results, their relevance, and implications. This may be a major component of your report. Practical suggestion for further steps can appear in this part..
•Conclusions: This is the final part of the main body. It can carry a pointer to the future.
•References
•Appendices: Information either too long or too detailed to be included in the main text of the report
In the case of reports to be published for wide circulation, you have to plan the type of printing, paper, colours, and so on. A suitable disclaimer may also be necessary. The glitter of the publication should however not be at the expense of the contents.
Planning a report
You cannot just jump into writing a report, without adequate planning and preparation. The reason why you have been asked to prepare a report has to be kept in mind, and further steps planned in tune with the specific requirements. Often the authority that has asked you to make a report may not have a clear picture of the objectives of the report. In such cases, you will have to seek clarification. A clear brief is essential.. Without this, your efforts may be found to be futile in the end.
The objectives, time available for submission of the report, its approximate length and nature of contents may have to be discussed beforehand. With this background, you may prepare a rough picture of the report in your mind.
The next stage is vital. Analyse the objectives in detail, and plan the strategies for gathering details in respect of each objective.
An outline of the contents will have to be drafted. This is the skeleton of your report. Flesh and blood will have to be added in the form of data, analysis, arguments, and conclusions.
If you have any doubts regarding the style of the report expected by the authorities, you may have a preliminary discussion on the well structured outline and the methodology contemplated.
Supporting facts
Any argument that you may put forward should be backed by facts. No report will be considered sound, unless it is well documented and supported by reliable data and convincing evidence. This takes us to the need for garnering and compiling information. This activity is sometimes termed research. You may have to explore various avenues such as perusing related documents and archives, using libraries, browsing the Internet, and interviewing people. Preparing a list of people or organisations to be contacted, and the type of information expected from each may be written down. Making a time schedule is essential, if the report has to be finished on time. You will have to stick to the schedule, perhaps with minor allowances..
Your efforts may yield too much of information. You will have to separate the wheat from the chaff, analyse the material, and come to logical conclusions. The physical part of preparation may be done following the usual pattern and format expected from you.
It is a good idea to go through a few reports that have been accepted by your organisation, before beginning to draft. The language that you use should invariably be simple. Clarity is of supreme importance in this type of business document.
Do not go for fancy fonts. Make your report look professional and elegant. Never think that your first draft is sufficient. You will find that there is ample room for revision, as you go through your draft repeatedly. Follow the basic structure of reports indicated earlier. The pages should be numbered, as also the paragraphs for easy reference.