Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Today’s Goals:
• You will write a Report, or at
least an Executive Summary
• You will have fun doing it!
But first, let’s get introduced
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What What type of What do you
division do reports do badly need
you work in? you have to to learn
write? today?
• Usually, when you have to write a
report, you will already have such a
mass of information, you can’t
Planning the decide where to plunge in and
begin. So, before you start to write
Writing make some kind of PLAN.
A Title Should…
Define the Scope of the Report
• A powerful title catches your readers'
attention. Choose your words wisely, so
they make a strong first impression.
• Brainstorm possible titles that have
… Capture descriptive adjectives and clearly defined
nouns.
eaders’ Attention • Rewrite, revise and reword your title until it
accurately represents your report’s views.
• Effective report titles set the tone for the
rest of the piece. E.g. if your report is about
the impact a ‘political year” is having on
sales, your title might say, “Community
Activities Employ Wait-and-See Attitude
Approaching ‘Political Year’."
• Your title should be clear, descriptive
and not too long; 10 to 15 words is
sufficient. Your title could be a
question or a statement, as long as it
clearly explains the purpose of the
report.
… Be • Avoid using words such as, "study of,"
"analysis of" or “report paper on" in
Descriptive your title.
• It's important to use correct grammar
and capitalize nouns, pronouns, verbs,
adjectives and adverbs and the first
and last word. You should avoid
abbreviations.
It's important to include keywords in
your title that will show up in an Internet
search. This is especially important if
you or your Superior plan to post your
report on social networking or websites.
If you choose key nouns, readers who
are looking for your report can find it
online.
…Include Keywords
Avoid generic terms and be as specific
as possible. E.g., if your report is on the
need to combat hoaxes in the news ,
include words such as hoaxes, hate
speech, media literacy, media
responsibility, audience empowerment
in your title.
Writing the title and
abstract can be the easiest Be clear and concise. You
and most frustrating part of want everyone to know
writing a report. There are exactly what your report
two major things to keep in is about simply by
mind when writing your reading the titlee
title and abstract:
Write a Good
Title, Abstract,
Introduction
last Write the title, abstract (and
introduction) last. This may seem a
little strange, but it makes the most
sense to write them once you
understand what you reported, what
results you conveyed, and what you
want your audience to take away from
reading it.
• The title should describe what you
are reporting and to what effect. For
example: Participation in She- Leads
Training – Improving Women’s
Leadership in Media Literacy.
• This title hits all the main points:
Writing Your Title What: Women’s participation
Where: Literacy Leadership
Concept: She-Leads training by TJP
• This covers the basics and only the
basics. You don’t have to include
your event methods, nor results.
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Hit the main People will be
searching for
Will catch
people’s
Tell the
audience
points that: (Google,
Library, Data-
attention exactly what
the report is
bases,etc.) about.
The
ABSTRACT What you
learned/found/ar Writing a Good
gue and its Abstract
significance
good
paragraph (3-4
made your sentences
findings MAX!). Don’t
ramble. You only
abstract/ (method)
INTRODUCTION
The reasons Reporting Overview of
Your
findings
• Many times, when beginning any writing project,
you start with a “hook” (lead) to get your reader
interested. This is not always necessary in short
reports. It can, however, add to your report. It’s
acceptable but not required.
Start with a
• After covering everything mentioned, provide a one
“hook” (lead) paragraph roadmap of your report to give an idea of
how you present the document, e.g.:
This report will first discuss the relevant
literature and previously conducted studies
that relate to Chemonic’s field visit to Maros.
Secondly, we outline the method by which the
field visit was conducted, followed last by
a discussion of the results as well as future
implications of cooperation with the Maros
School for Women in Politics.”
• TIP: Don’t write your introduction first. As it is a
preview of the body copy, as in the abstract, it’s
usually best to write your introduction last.
• The introduction is the most read section of
any deliverable, and largely determines the
attitude of the reviewer toward the report.
Therefore, it is probably the most delicate part
of the writing of a report.
• Unfortunately, (for some, though not always) it
How to write an is a daunting task.
introduction: • A very simple method for writing a good
some suggestions introductory chapter is a core method that is
simple and efficient.
An Introduction should contain the following three parts:
1. Background.
In this part make clear what the context is. Ideally, give an idea of the
state-of-the art of the field the report is about. Keep it short. This part
should be less than a page long. Half-a-page should suffice in a normal
15-page report.
2. The Problem.
If there was no problem, there would be no reason for writing a
Report and definitely no reason for reading it. So, please tell the
reviewer why she should proceed reading. A simple sentence like "So
A Recipe for
far, no grassroots organization has done this well… " or "The above
mentioned solutions don't apply to the case ...", can sometimes be
Writing an
enough to clarify the point you want to get at. For this part, a few lines
are often sufficient.
have written
sentences.
• “To do our work, we all have to read a mass of papers. Nearly all
of them are far too long. This wastes time, while energy has to
be spent in looking for the essential points.
• I ask my colleagues and their staff to see to it that their reports
are shorter.
• The aim should be reports which set out the main points in a
series of short, crisp paragraphs.
• If a report relies on detailed analysis of some complicated
factors, or on statistics, these should be set out in an appendix.
• Often the occasion is best met by submitting not a full-dress
report, but an 'aide-memoire' consisting of headings only, which
can be expanded orally if needed.
‘Brevity – Memo to the War Cabinet (cont’d)’
• “Let us have an end of such phrases as these:
• 'It is also of importance to bear in mind the following
considerations', or 'Consideration should be given to the
possibility of carrying into effect'. Most of these woolly
phrases are mere padding, which can be left out altogether,
or replaced by a single word. Let us not shrink from using
the short expressive phrase, even if it is conversational.
• Reports drawn up on the lines I propose may first seem
rough as compared with the flat surface of officialese
jargon. But the saving in time will be great, while the
discipline of setting out the real points concisely will prove
an aid to clearer thinking.”
Sir Winston Churchill, 9 August 1940
Sir Winston Churchill
Prime Minister of
Great Britain
•1940 – 1945
•1950 - 1955