Report writing is not difficult if you approach it in a logical, efficient way but here are some questions which people often ask. We hope that our tips will help you.
"When I have a report to write I can't help putting it off until the last minute - I am always reluctant to start."
This is a very common problem - one which many people share - and it doesn’t only apply to reports.
Our advice here is to use 'willpower'. Force yourself to set a day and a time when you will start writing the report (preferably allowing plenty of time before the report is due for completion). Ensure that you have no other small jobs to do which you can use as an excuse to avoid getting on with it. Then clear your
mind before you start - it's a matter of discipline.
Also, you must remember that most people put off tasks which they dread. Once you are confident of your ability to write a report there is no reason for nervousness or delaying tactics. Once your facts are assembled and you have planned the order get straight on with writing it. The main thing is to actually make a start - you can always revise it later to cut out padding and correct any grammatical errors.
Your first sentence is usually part of the Introduction; so tell the readers what they are going to read about or why the report is being written. You should already be confident of this information so take your pen (or whatever you use) and start to WRITE!
"How long should my report be?"
There is no exact answer to this question. It all depends on the purpose and the aims. Each report is different and so varies in length.
You may receive a salesman's weekly report which is only 100 words long, or the report of an aeroplane crash which is the size of a book. It all depends on circumstances.
Ideally, a report should be long enough to contain all the facts, but still as short as possible. This means that the style of writing should be direct and simple, and all superfluous material must be cut out ruthlessly. Sir Winston Churchill always insisted that reports sent to him should be no longer than one
page. This had to contain a summary of the situation, the conclusions and the recommendations. He could then see the whole picture very quickly. This was important to him, because he was too busy to spend time reading long reports. Full supporting information was, of course, available if required.
We are not suggesting that reports should be restricted to one page. Many managers would not accept this. Your reports should be long enough to contain all the facts but as concise as possible. But when we say be concise, we do not necessarily mean brief. Remember, even a long report can still be
concise.
"How do I ensure that my report is relevant?"
By this we mean how do you pinpoint exactly what is required. Many people ask for reports but do not make it clear what aspect of a topic they want you to cover. If, for example, you were asked for a report on leasing company cars, would you be expected to simply collect facts or would the real intention be for
you to collect facts and then show whether this would be more advantageous to your company than actually buying cars? Your employer would be at fault for not giving clear instructions but you would also be to blame for not asking what was required.
So, rather than waste time by writing a totally irrelevant report, go back and ask questions until you are sure of what is required. You will then get it right first time.
Next, the use of a good title is helpful in making sure your report is relevant.
Consider carefully what your report is about, devise a satisfactory title and then keep checking back to ensure that the facts you are including and your general approach still fits in with it.
Finally, good planning is essential. Gather your information, decide what is relevant and leave out the rest. Do not be tempted to include material simply because it is available!
"I find the 'Conclusions' section very difficult to write - it often simply repeats my 'Findings' or anticipates my 'Recommendations'."
This is a very common problem and one to which there is no easy answer except reading other peoples' reports to see how they handle Conclusions. Also, you must practise. However, it might be helpful to bear in mind that nothing new should be introduced at this stage in a report.
The conclusions should simply be an unbiased comment on what has gone before. They should unify the report by reminding the reader of its purpose, summing up the main points and then directing them forward to the
recommendations.
Look upon your conclusions as either:
(1) a summing up of facts at the end of the report if no recommendations are required
or
(2) a tool to help you formulate recommendations if they are needed.
"I am never sure when to include graphs, tables, illustrations etc and which type is most relevant."
You should only use them if they make a point more effectively than you can do in writing. Used properly they can help you avoid long complicated explanations, but used carelessly they can be very confusing. They should always arouse or stimulate your readers' interest in the facts you are presenting.
Many people consider that visual information should be placed either:
(a) as near as possible to the part of the text which they explain
or
(b) if there are a considerable number of charts, diagrams etc. they should be included in clearly labelled appendices.
Another way of looking at this could be to include any illustrations which are essential to understanding the report at the point in the text where they are relevant. All visual information that merely gives supporting evidence should be included in appendices. |