Module 4-Report Writing

8/3/2019 Module 4-Report Writing

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Report Writing´ Opinion expressed for specific purpose after proper enquiry,

investigation, and consideration of facts affecting the situation´ How does it differ from a letter?´ Purpose´ To give information about company s activities, plans ,progress´ to recommend specific action´ To present facts to the management to help to decide the future course

of action´ Importance1. Provide findings & offer recommendations

2. Investigational reports provide detailed analysis´ which can act as a basis for planning & controlling3. Committee reports facilitate solving complex problems4. Progress reports act as control devices for taking corrective actions to

ensure successful implementation of plans.



y K inds of reportsy

1.Statutory reports- Annual reports, Auditor sreporty 2.Routine reports- written at regular intervals of

time

( Annual reports, Monthly sales statements)y 3.Special reports- Reports concerning special

situations ( Report on labor strike, feasibility report)

y 4..Committee reports/individual reportsy 5.Laboratory reports/ Technical reportsy 6.Informal reportsy

7.Formal reports



y 8 .Confidential reportsy 9.Press reportsy 11.Information reports ( Progress reports, sales reports}y 12.Analytical reports recommendation report, Proposal

reports, Justification reports)y 13.Market reports, Accounting reports,







5.Auditors reportThe auditor shall make a report to the members orshareholders of the company on the balance sheetnad Profit and loss account

6 .Press Report

Are written to inform the public through mediaabout important events occurring within acompany ,like change of managing director,expansion of existing project, entering into joint

ventures with foreign collaborations, mergers nadtake over.



Ess ential s of a Good Pre ss Report1.Interesting to reader2.Factual Accuracy 3.Brevity 4.Simple language

5.Five W s of Journalisma) Who? person involved in the eventb)What? Event that has to be recorded in the

reportc)When? event happenedd)Where?e)Why?



y Essentials of good business report1. Clarity

2. Consistency 3. User oriented4. Objectivity 5. Accuracy 6. Brevity 7. Interesting8 . Relevant

9. Tone



1.clarity This is possible only when author has clearpurpose and thought in mind. not only clarity inthought but clarity in expression. This can be broughtby presenting logically in different paragraphs withsuitable headings ,demonstrating its coherence with a

purpose.2.Consistency Consistent with a purpose of writing.

various stages like enquiry and collection of facts .theiranalysis and interpretation and recommendationsshould follow towards the main theme. It should notdeviate from the main theme.



3.Users Oriented report should be adaptedaccording to users communication ability.4.Objectivity in observation, collection of relatedfacts and writing a reportIt involves separation of thinking from emotions,freedom of oneself and taking things as it is withclear perceptions.

5.Accuracy- A misstatement of facts in statutory report resultsin heavy penalty under lawInaccurate and incomplete information in nonstatutory report misleads the management fortaking wrong decisions and actions which are very costly for the business.



6.Brevity should be brief and save the time of thereader and retain his attention.7.Interesting Report should look like living

commentary, not dead and dull record.

For this the writer should master the ways of creative writing and use visual aids at appropriate places.8 .Relevant relevant in making decisions and taking

corrective actions.

9.Tone- The tone of the report is more formal than forbusiness letter



´ The parts of a report´ Cover´ Title page´ Forwarding letter/ Letter of Transmittal´ ( Birds eye view of the report )´ Acknowledgements´ Peface ( Reasons for taking up the study, important findings, usesd,

problems faced during the study)´ Table of contents´ Executive summary ´ Introduction´ Discussion/Description

´ Conclusions´ Recommendations´ Appendix- Information supporting the data´ Bibliography ´ Glossary ´ Index



Rewriting s tage

y

Steps in Business report writing1. Pre writing stagey Establish the purpose of writing the reporty

Determine the intended readers of your reporty Collect the background research materialsy Collect other information through personal

observations, interviews and questionnairesy Analyze and evaluate the collected data



y 2. Writing Stagey Outlining & organizing the matter in logical

sequence. Business report may be short or long.Short reports is written in informal way where aslong report is presented in formal structure.

y Contents of short reporty 1.Subject and purpose of reporty 2.Data and its sourcesy 3.Methods of study y 4.Findings and conclusions.y 5.Recommendations



y Contents of Long Report1. Title page2. Letter of authorization3. Table of Contents4. Introduction

5. Body 6. Conclusions7. Recommendations8 . Bibliography



y 3. Rewriting stage

y Observe the following pointsy 1. Coherenty 2. Completey 3. Concisey 4. Cleary 5. Correct



y Short Report1. Title page

2. It is in direct order beginning with a summary or astatement summarizing the whole content3. Presents findings, analysis, conclusions and

recommendations.y Written in the form of Memorandum or letter.1. Subject2. Data & its sources3. Methods of study

4. Findings & conclusions5. recommendations



y Executive Summary y A detailed overview of a report which runs into one or two pagesy Contentsy main points and important detailsy Findingsy Conclusions & Recommendationsy Discussions

y Abstract- Summary of report s most important pointsy Written in about 200 words in just one paragraph.

y Typesy Descriptive Abstract- mentions only the topics discussed in

the report. No details are mentionedy Informative abstract- Presents subjects, Conclusions and

recommendations



Writing Memo s

y A memorandum is a short piece of writing generally used by the officers of an organization forcommunicating among them.

y It is also called as inter office memorandumy Short form as MEMOy Memo is used for internal communication between

executives and subordinates or between officers of thesame level. It is never sent outside the organization



y A memo can be used-to issue instructions to the staff -to communicate policy changes to the staff -to give/seek suggestions

-to request help or information-to confirm decision arrived-to intimate granting/withholding permission to do

something

-to seek explanation on some matter or conduct



Memo formaty A memo format is different from that of a letter.y It is essential to write the name of the person sending

the memo and the name of the recipient and

designation or department of the both persons.y It must also have refernece numbers

Documents

Module 4-Report Writing