THE ART OF WRITING

REPORT
AFTER READING THIS, STUDENTS WOULD BE ABLE
TO UNDERSTAND :-

1. What is report?
2. Purpose of a report
3. Types of report.
4. Principles or characteristics of report writing
5. The concept, types and format of report writing
6. The different parts of report.
7. Different stages of writing a report.

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Introduction :-
Some academic assignments ask for a ‘report’,
rather than an essay, and students are often
confused about what that really means. Likewise,
in business, when instructed with a request to
write a ‘report’ to a senior manager, many people
struggle to know what to write. Confusion often
arises about the writing style, what to include, the
language to use, the length of the document and
other factors.

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What Is A Report?
There is some confusion between reports and essays, and these two words are
sometimes used interchangeably, but reports are more likely to be needed for business,
scientific and technical subjects, and in the workplace.
Therefore, in a concise form we can say that an essay presents arguments and
reasoning, whereas a report concentrates on facts.

According to Oxford Dictionary, a report is a statement of the results of an investigation

or of any matter on which definite information is required. Essentially, a report is a short,
sharp, concise document which is written for a particular purpose and audience. It
generally sets outs and analyses a situation or problem, often making recommendations
for future action. It is a factual paper, and needs to be clear and well-structured.

In simple words, a report is a document characterized by information or other content

reflective of inquiry or investigation, tailored to the context of a given document.
Definition Of Report
*A report is an objective and presentation of
information in order to achieve some purpose. It is
a basic management tool used in decision-
making.
**According to Ramond V. A. Lesikar, “A business
report is an orderly, objective communication of
factual information that serves some business
purpose"
 Types of Report
Report

On the basis On the basis On the basis

On the basis
On the basis of of Frequency of Subject of Person
of Purpose
Structure of issues matter interested

By individual By committee
Fact
Formal Informal Analytical Routine Special determining
Informational Problem
determining

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A ) On The Basis Of Structure, Report
May Be :-
>>Formal report: Formal report is prepared usually in prescribed
format designed by an organization for its own use. These may be
statutory or non statutory. Example of statutory report may be
director’s report in a public limited company. And non-statutory reports
include committee reports, share allotment reports etc.

>>Informal report : Informal reports do not adhere to the formal

rules of the organization. They are prepared usually informally, usually
in memorandum of letters forms.
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B ) On The Basis Of Frequency Of
Issue, Report May Be :-
Routine report : Routine reports are prepared and
presented at regular, prescribed, intervals in the usual
routine of business. They may be submitted annually,
semi-annually, monthly, weekly or every day.

Special report: Special reports are related to a single

occasion or situation.
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C ) On The Basis Of Purpose, Report
May Be :-
 Informational report : Informational report is
prepared for providing information exactly as they
are. It is not a lengthy report.

 Analytical report : Analytical report contains
information but it also contains the opinion of the
report writer. Usually it is a lengthy report.
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D ) On The Basis Of The Subject Matter,
Report May Be :-
Problem determining report : When a report is
prepared to determine the causes of problem then
it is called problem-determining report.

Fact determining report : This report is prepared

to find out the actually existing problems.
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E ) On The Basis Of Persons
Interested, Report May Be :-
Report by individual: An individual like branch
manager may submit Report.

Report by committee: Sometimes report may be

submitted by more than one person, and then it is
called report by committee.
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From The Above Classification We Can Classify The Report Into
Three Major Categories :-
Academic Writing: The first thing to note is that academic writing is extremely formal.
Typically, it should be free of contractions and any sort of slang. It's also important, generally,
to write in the third person, eliminating pronouns like "I" and "we.“

Business Writing: Business writing will also take on a formal tone. However, it's allowed to be
slightly less buttoned up. The goal of a business report is to present new initiatives and "get
things done." Here, things like contractions would be permissible, along with ample imagery
and data.

Technical Writing: Technical reports focus on how to do something. While an academic or

even a business report will attempt to prove something, a technical report is more descriptive
in nature. Also, the report writing format for students and professionals may cite facts and
statistics to make their case, but technical reports are more likely to follow a logical, step-by-
step approach.

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Principles Or Characteristics Of A Report
1. Precision: In a good report, the report writer is very clear about
writing it. Precision gives a kind of unity to report and make it a
valuable document.

2. Accuracy of facts: Accuracy of facts is an essential principle of

writing a good report.

3. Relevance: The facts presented in a report should be not only

accurate but also relevant.

4. Reader orientation: A good report is always reader oriented. It is

needed for a reader to set up his mind. 13
5. Objectivity of recommendation: If the recommendations are made
at the end of a report, they must be impartial and objective.

6. Simple and easy language: A good report should be written in a

simple word. It should be free from all forms of complexity

7. Clarity: A good report should be clear. Clarity depends on the

proper arrangement of facts.

8. Brevity: The final principle is that a report should be brief. Brevity

should not be achieved at the cost of clarity.

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7. Font: Use just one font in your report. An easy-to-read font such as
Arial or Times New Roman is best for reports. Section headings can
be a different font from the main text if you prefer.

8. Headings and Subheadings: You can use headings and

subheadings throughout your report to identify the various topics and
break the text into manageable chunks. These will help keep the report
organized and can be listed in the table of contents so they can be
found quickly.

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 Presentation Tips
*Presentation is a key element in successful report writing. Formatting,
revising and proof reading are all necessary if the report is to be of a
high standard. All reports should have an abstract or Executive
Summary.

* This is a concise summary presentation of the essential elements of

the report, from the introduction, through to and including the
recommendations and outcomes. It should be independent, concise,
clear, comprehensive and as a general rule only 10–15% of the length
of the report. 16
* The Executive Summary should always be written in the writer’s own
words and contain no quotes.

* The report should be visually appealing and easy to read. Large

reports should include an index with page numbers. There are various
ways of enhancing the visual appeal of a report. Firstly, a typeface that
is easy to read should be chosen. Bullet points, italics or boldface can
be used for emphasis but should be consistent throughout the
document. The document must also be written in a consistent tense –
either active (preferable) or passive and there should be clear
headings and sections throughout the document.

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* Diagrams, figures, charts, and graphs will add interest to a report and
can be a valuable way of summarizing information. Charts, tables and
graphs are particularly useful for presenting quantitative information.

* All visual information should be clearly titled and referred to in the

text. It should be clear to the reader exactly what they are looking at
and where the information has come from.

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 The Main Sections Of A Standard
Report Are As Follows.
Title
If the report is short, the front cover can include any information that
you feel is necessary, such as the author(s) and the date prepared. In
a longer report, you may want to include a table of contents and a
definition of terms.
Summary
The summary consists of the major points, conclusions, and
recommendations. It needs to be short, as it is a general overview of
the report. Some people will read the summary and only skim the
report, so make sure you include all of the relevant information. It
would be best to write this when the report is finished so you will
include everything, even points that might be added at the last minute.
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Introduction
The first page of the report needs to have an introduction. Here you
will explain the problem and inform the reader why the report is being
made. You need to give a definition of terms if you did not include
these in the title section, and explain how the details of the report are
arranged.
Body
This is the main section of the report. The previous sections needed to
be written in plain English, but this section can include technical terms
or jargon from your industry. There should be several sections, each
clearly labeled, making it easy for readers to find the information they
seek. Information in a report is usually arranged in order of importance
with the most important information coming first. Alternatively, you
might choose to order your points by complexity or time.
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Discussion
If you wish, this optional section can be included at the end of the main
body to go over your findings and their significance.
Conclusion
This is where everything comes together. Keep this section free of
jargon as many people will just read the summary and conclusion.
Recommendations
This is where you discuss any actions that need to be taken. In plain
English, explain your recommendations, putting them in order of
priority.
Appendices
This includes information that the experts in the field will read. It has all
the technical details that support your conclusions.

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 Sample Report Format
Typical structure template for writing a committee report:
Members to which the report is meant for
[Name, institution, location, Chair]
[Name, institution, location, member]
[Date, Time, and Location]
[Provide simple documentation of any meetings of the committee or subset of the committee, in whatever mode and format, e.g., in
person, conference call, etc.]
Purpose
[Here you mention the purpose of the report in a brief. This enables the reader to understand the purpose behind writing the format.]
Issues [Write different issues as sub headings and explain their highlights in bullet points below the respective sub headings]
Current Status
•
•
Accomplishments / Issue 1
•
•
Future Goals
•
•
Main Body of the Report [Use Sub Headings as and where needed. In bullet form, outline near-term actions and plans as well
under those sub headings.]
Recommendation(s) [An opportunity to make recommendations, suggestions, and comments to the Board and Executive
Director]
Respectfully Submitted,
[<Author’s Name>]
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