Module 2b —
Report Writing
| Course Guide | Module 1 | Module 2a | Module 2b |
Common elements of reports
Although the types of reporting tasks covered in this module vary greatly in function and form, they do have some common elements:
- Analytical writing
- They all require some analytical writing. Few readers want a blow-by-blow description on how you arrived at your major points. They want you to do the work and give them the essence of the points you have arrived at.
- Appropriate length
- They need to be long enough to do the job and no longer. There is no intrinsic merit in length.
- Reader focus
- They need to focus on your readers, and the response you are trying to elicit from them.
- Executive summaries
- Executive summaries are useful for any reports that are not produced in summary template format. Even an extremely short executive summary up front will pay you good dividends in reader appreciation and increased understanding of your message.
- Structure
- Longer reports need structure: an introduction, a body and a conclusion.
- Variety
- Reports should be neither all continuous text nor all bullets or dot points. Let your consideration for the reader dictate how you write. If the relationship between various points is important, write in continuous prose (full paragraphs). If various elements or lists are involved, use bullet points to separate them and make it easier for your reader.
- Powerful writing
- Short sentences, a verb-based active style and simple vocabulary make writing more powerful and persuasive.