Presentation Layout

Effective
Eff ti Report
R t Writing
W iti • What is a report?
(Short Reports) • Types of reports
By
• General structure of a report
Dr Tariq Majeed
Dr.
• Language of a report
DCE, DNE,
• Expressing
p g judgment
j g
PIEAS
• Report presentation
• Types of short reports and their
requirements

1 2

What is a Report? What is a Report?-1

• A report is a prepared account of what
happened, about a particular event,
presented in formal and organized format
backed with statistical evidence.
• Reports are documents that are used for
getting factual information
• They are usually presented in writing
• Reports can be ongoing or final in nature.
• It may be a single report or a series of
them.
3 4
• The main purpose of any report is to
provide the information needed for
decisions to be made and actions to be
taken.
taken
• Effective reports give a professional
image and get others to take your work
seriously.
• Institutions and individuals depend on
previous reports to make current
decisions.
 Some Truths About Reports Steps to Follow for a Good and
Effective Report
1. Everyone writes reports.
2. Most reports flow upward. 1. Define your aim
3. Today’s
y reports
p are written on 2. Collect your
y ideas
computers. 3. Select the material and decide how to
4. Some reports are collaborative efforts. show the significance of your facts
5. Ethical report writers interpret facts 4. Structure your ideas
fairly.
fairly 5 Start
5. St t on reportt writing
iti
6. Organization is imposed on data.
7 The
7. Th writer
it is
i the
th reader’s
d ’ servant. t
5 6

Types of Reports Standard Reports

• Information: • All reports must meet certain criteria:
– a short and periodic report – The content should be accurate.
accurate
• Analytic: – The purpose of the report should be apparent
to the reader.
– based on research and analysis leading to
– The organization should be clear to the
recommendations reader.
• Integrated:
I d – The discussion in the report should be
– combines both approaches coherent.
– The presentation of the report should be neat.
• Short reports
– The writing style should be clear and concise.
• Long formal reports
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 Language Language (cont.)
• Formal and impartial Example
• Precise (avoid jargon and long
long, We have analyzed the financial information
complicated sentences) for both companies and it shows that
• Simple (avoid abstract and obscure words) different methods of depreciation are used
by each company.
• Impersonal
• Never use the first person (I, we, us, you, Should be written in the third person:
the author).
An analysis of the financial information
• The reader is more interested in the issue shows that different methods of
than the person writing about the issue. depreciation are used by each company
for the major assets.
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Expressing Judgment Report Presentation

• Findings are factual, whereas • Use good quality, white A4 paper.
conclusions and recommendations • Leave space for big margins:
allow you to put forward judgments and – top, bottom and both sides.
possible interpretations
interpretations. • U
Use d
double
bl spacing
i between
b t
• Your interpretation or judgment can be paragraphs and sections.
expressed either by modal verbs and • Use single spacing between lines
auxiliaries such as may, might, could or
• Good bindingg (could
( be spiral,
p , or hard))
modal adverbs such as possibly,
possibly
probably, certainly. • Number all pages.
• Keep a copy for yourself
yourself.
11 12
Why Short Reports Are Important? Types of Short Reports
ƒ A short report is an organized ƒ Short reports can address a variety of
presentation of relevant data on any topics in the business world, but the
topic. It may indicate whether: seven most common types of short
reports are:
ƒ Work is being completed.
completed
ƒ Periodic reports
ƒ Schedules are being met.
ƒ Sales reports
ƒ C t h
Costs have bbeen contained.
t i d ƒ Progress reports
ƒ Sales projections are being met. ƒ Employee activity/performance reports
ƒ T i or conferences
Trips f have
h been
b successful.
f l ƒ Trip/travel reports
ƒ Locations have been selected. ƒ Test reports
ƒ Unexpected problems have been solved. ƒ Incident reports
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Guidelines for Writing Short Reports Periodic Reports and Sales Reports
ƒ The following guidelines will be helpful in ƒ Depending on needs, periodic reports may be
writing
g any
y short report
p successfully:
y daily, weekly, bimonthly, monthly, or quarterly.
ƒ Anticipate how and why an audience will use They help a company or agency keep track of
the report. the quantity and quality of the services it
provides and the amount and types of work
ƒ Do
D ththe necessary research.
h
done by employees.
ƒ Be objective and ethical.
ƒ Sales reports fulfill two functions:
ƒ Organize carefully
carefully.
ƒ As financial tools, records, they list costs per
ƒ Write clearly and concisely. unit, discounts or special reductions, and
ƒ Create a reader-cantered
reader cantered design. subtotals and totals.
totals
ƒ Include visuals/graphics/tables only when ƒ Managerial As managerial tools, they help
they are needed. businesses make both short- and long-range
ƒ Choose the most appropriate format. plans.
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 A Sales Report
Functions of Sales Reports
ƒ Sales reports fulfil two main functions:
ƒ Serve as financial tools
tools,
ƒ Help in maintaining financial records,
ƒ They list costs per unit
unit, discounts or
special reductions, and
ƒ Total amount of the expenditure
p
ƒ Serve as managerial tools
ƒ As managerial tool, they help
businesses make both short- and long-
g plans.
range p
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Progress Reports Main Parts of Progress Report

ƒ Progress reports can be written ƒ Introduction.
ƒ Indicate why you are writing the report, provide any
ƒ Att a
any
y interval
te a ((weekly,
ee y, monthly,
o t y, aannually,
ua y, necessary project titles and codes with dates,
dates and
etc.) help readers recall the job you are doing for them.
ƒ To inform readers about the status of on- ƒ Body.
y
going projects. ƒ Provide significant details about costs, materials,
ƒ They are intended for people who are not personnel, and times for the major stages of the
project.
project
working alongside you but need to know
ƒ Also describe any problems that may affect the work
your activities. in progress.
p g
ƒ Conclusion.
ƒ Give a timetable for the completion of duties or
submission of the next progress report
report.
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 Progress Report from a Student
Progress Reports from a Contractor

22

Employee Activity/Performance Reports Employee Activity/Performance Reports

ƒ Employee activity/performance reports provide ƒ Guidelines (continued)
employers with details on your specific tasks
ƒ Include
c ude ttraining
a g sess
sessions
o so
or workshops
o s ops
accomplished
li h d andd ongoing
i projects
j t during
d i a
you attended, licensure/certification
specified period.
updates, committee memberships, and
ƒ Main guidelines for writing an activity report: presentations you made.
ƒ Use the format dictated by your employer or
agency.
g y
ƒ Stress how your job accomplishments
ƒ Make sure you are honest, objective, and
benefited
f the company, your department,
accurate. or the community.
ƒ Describe your major accomplishments. ƒ Be
B prepared d tto verify
if your activities
ti iti with
ith
ƒ Be sure your accomplishments correspond with relevant documents.
your job description.
description
Employee Activity Report Email with Trip/Travel Reports
Att h
Attachmentst ƒ Travel/trip reports may be field trip reports, site
inspection reports, home health or social work
visits or sales/customer visit reports
visits, reports.
ƒ Suggested guidelines for writing the travel/trip
reports : Before you leave for the trip,
ƒ Obtain contact information,
ƒ Do background research,
ƒ Gather necessary documents,
ƒ Bring a laptop or notebook,
ƒ Get directions,
directions
ƒ List all appointments and job titles of people you will
meet, and
ƒ Bring a recording device.

Trip/Travel Reports
G id li
Guidelines (continued)
A Field Trip Report
ƒ When you return, write the report as
early
l as possible
ibl
ƒ In the report,
ƒ Mention details where all you stayed and
for how long (in required),
ƒ Exclude irrelevant details,
ƒ Be objective about,
ƒ Anticipate readers’ questions, and
ƒ Double check names and figures
g
 A Site Inspection Repost Using a Map Test Reports
ƒ Test reports, also called experiment, investigation,
laboratory or operations reports, collect and document
the results or tests.
ƒ Test reports must supply the following information:
ƒ Why you performed the test
ƒ An explanation of the reasons, your goals, and who
authorized you to perform the test.
ƒ How you performed the test
ƒ Under what circumstances and controls you conducted the
test,
ƒ what procedures and equipment you used.
ƒ What the outcomes were—your
were your conclusions.
conclusions
ƒ What implications or recommendations follow from your
test
ƒ What you learned, discovered, confirmed, or even disproved
or rejected.

A Short, Informal Test Report

Test Reports
ƒ Test reports, also called experiment, investigation,
laboratory or operations reports, collect and document
the results or tests.
ƒ Test reports must supply the following information:
ƒ Why you performed the test—an explanation of the reasons,
your goals,
goals and who authorized you to perform the test.
test
ƒ How you performed the test—under what circumstances
and controls you conducted the test, what procedures and
equipment you used.
used
ƒ What the outcomes were—your conclusions.
ƒ What implications or recommendations follow from your
test what you learned,
test—what learned discovered,
discovered confirmed
confirmed, or even
disproved or rejected.
 A Test Report Published in a Scientific Journal
A Test Report
p Published in a Scientific Journal-1

Incident Reports
Incident Reports-1
ƒ Incident reports are submitted after an
unexpected negative occurrence in the ƒ Because incident reports may be used
workplace,
o p ace, suc
such as a fire
e de
delivery
e y de
delay.
ay g records: Therefore,,
as official legal
ƒ They must contain the following: ƒ Submit your signed report promptly.
ƒ Identification details,, ƒ Keep a copy for your personal records also
ƒ The type of incident, ƒ Double-check spelling and grammar.
ƒ The time and location of the incident,
ƒ Be accurate,
accurate objective
objective, and complete
complete.
ƒ A description of what happened,
ƒ An indication of what was done after the ƒ Give facts, not opinions.
incident,
incident ƒ Do not exceed your professional
ƒ An explanation of what caused the incident, responsibilities.
and
ƒ Recommendations by the writer/committee.
An Incident Report in Memo Format
Summary and Conclusions
ƒ For successful short reports:
ƒ Take into account yyour readers’ needs and
expectations.
ƒ Document carefully what you write about.
ƒ Take accurate and complete notes.
ƒ Write objectively and ethically.
ƒ Present complicated data clearly and
concisely.
ƒ Provide background and context as
needed.
ƒ Include specific recommendations.