Report Writing

10/3/2019 DR SUDHIR NARAYAN SINGH
sudhirnarayansingh2009@gmail.com
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O B J E C T I V E S
After this session the participants will be
able to learn and understand :
A)What is report?
B)How pivotal is it in the professional life?
C)What are the qualities of a good Report?

O B J E C T I V E S...
D)Various aspects of a Report as technical
writing
E) Develop an effective style for writing
reports
F) How to write various types of reports
effectively?

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S E S S I O N : O N E
R E P O R T
EXCAVATING IT'S ORIGIN
DEVELOPMENT & TYPES

5
Conceptualising Report:
Few situational examples....
a)Two Young Kids
b)A three to four years child...
(Non Verbal … )

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Conceptualising Report: ...
( Description/story/account/version: All words for
a written or spoken account of events )
To give people information about something
that you have heard, seen, done etc.

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* A written or spoken account of an event,
especially one that is published or broadcast.¹
( Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary (2005)
Ed. VII, p.1286 )

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As Noun -
A report of the accident, account, statement, record,
exposition, delineation.
As Verb -
The latest findings bring word about, announce, pass
on, communicate, relay, relate, tell, recount, give an
account of, set fourth, document, narrate, describe,
delineate, detail, divulge, disclose, circulate.²
( The Concise Oxford Thesaurus (2004): A Dictionary of Synonyms, p.677 )

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REPORT: DEFINITION
An account of or a statement about
something that happened in the past.
Etymologically:
Report means 'to carry back'
because 're' means back and
'Portare' means to carry.
( Thus, the report is a description of some event
or situation that has already happened. )

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►Report means a statement or description of
what has been said, seen, done, witnessed etc.
►It contains facts figures, information, analysis,
opinions, suggestions, recommendations,
drafts, charts, pictures, statistical tables
specially complied for a particular purpose.

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A report is a formal communication written
for a specific purpose, conveying, authentic
information to a well defined audience in a
completely impartial and objective manner.
Written in a conventional or usable form, it
describes the procedures followed in the
collection and examination of data,
analyses, the facts collected, derives
conclusions from them, and gives
recommendations, if necessary.³
( Communication Skills (2013) Sixth Impression, p.-p.:511-512. )

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TYPES OF REPORTS
1) According to use:
External
Internal
2) According to period:
► Routine
► Special

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3) According to levels of management:
► Reports to Top Management
► Reports to Functional Management
► Reports to Junior Level Management
► Functional Reports

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4) Corporate Reports:
► Statutory report
► Directors’ report
► Auditors’ report
► Non-statutory report
5) Other Reports:
► Review
► Cost-Audit
► Interim
► Oral

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• Non-verbal Verbal
• Oral Written
• Informal Formal
• Informational Interpretative
• Routine/Periodic/Annual Progress
• Laboratory Inspection
• Inventory Confidential
• Solicited Non-solicited

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ACTIVITY
• Objective Outcome: Participants
will be able to :
{ Identify, relate and discriminate between
Subjective and Objective Language }

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S E S S I O N : T W O
TOWARDS
R E P O R T
WRITING

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REPORT WRITING:
(Mechanics of Writing/Writing Styles)
a) My-ways are Highways
(Seven Blinds Describing an Elephant...)
b) Subjective Expressions,
c) Objective Language,
d) Inductive Logic,
e) Deductive Logic,
f) Journalistic Approach

19
REPORT WRITING:
(Mechanics of Writing/Writing Styles)
Fog Index
Simple Language
KISS Formula
( Keep it Short & Simple )

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REPORT WRITING:
(FORMAT & STRUCTURE)
a) Front Matter
b) Main Body
c) Back Matter

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REPORT WRITING: FRONT MATTER
Cover Sheet Title Page
Frontispiece Copyright Notice
Forwarding Letter Preface
Acknowledgements Table of Contents
List of Illustrations Abstract
(or Summary or Executive Summary)

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REPORT WRITING: MAIN BODY
a) Introduction
b) Discussion
c) Conclusion
d) Recommendation

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REPORT WRITING:BACK MATTER
a) Appendices
( Additional charts and graphs, sample
questionnaires, worked out
calculations, site plans and so on. )
b) References ( List of Works Cited )
c) Bibliography ( List of Works Consulted )

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REPORT WRITING: BACK MATTER...
d) Glossary (If Needed)
( List of technical words & terms which appear
in the text of the report. )
e) Index
( List of various topics, sub-topics, and various
other significant aspects which have been
discussed inside the main body but could not find
a place in the table of contents. )

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REPORT CHECKLIST
1. Title page
►Title
►Writer
►Organization
►Date
►Person/group who commissioned the report

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2. Table of Contents
Accurate, clear layout
Section numbering system
and indentation
Complete
Page numbers
List of illustrations if
applicable

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3. Abstract
Appropriate length
Complete summary of key
information
Informative, not descriptive, in
form
Impersonal tone
Connected prose

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4 Introduction
•Relating topic to wider field
•Necessary background information
•Purpose of report
•Scope of report
•Explanation of arrangement of report sections
5.Body format
•Main headings indicating equal level of
importance

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►All subheadings relating to section
heading
►Choice of levels indicating hierarchy of
importance
►Hierarchy of importance shown by
careful and consistent use of features
such as capitals, different fonts,
underlining, bold, italics

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Indenting
Numbering/letter system
Space between sections to enhance
readability and layout
When using charts, statistics and
illustrations check for suitability,
captions, reference in text and
positioning

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►Acknowledgement of all sources, including
material referred to indirectly, direct
quotations, copied diagrams, tables,
statistics
►Ensure a systematic link between references
in the text and the reference list and
bibliography
6.Expression
►Correct
►Own words
►Concise
►Clear to intended reader
►Formal and factual

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7. Content
►Logical development of ideas from one
section to another, and within each section
►Citing evidence
►Relevant
►Objective
►Specific
8. Conclusion(s)
►Arising out of the facts
►Convincing
►A substantial basis for the recommendations

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9. Recommendations (if applicable)
►Based on the conclusions
►Practical
►Specific
►Well organized, with the most important first
10. List of references
►Sources in the text listed by the Harvard/MLA
or as per recommended/ required system

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11. Bibliography
►Texts consulted but not referred to directly in
the report
12. Glossary (if included)
►Arranged alphabetically
13. Appendix (appendices)
►Placed at end of a report if included
►Arranged in the order referred to in the report

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References/Works Cited:
(1) Hornby, A S. (2005) Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary,
Chief Ed. Sally Wehmeier, Ed(s). Colin McIntosh et al. Ed. VII,
Oxford University Press, New York, USA. p.1286. (Print)
(2) Kirkpatrick, Betty. (2004) The Concise Oxford Thesaurus : A
Dictionary of Synonyms, Oxford University Press, New Delhi,
India. p.677. (Print)
(3) Kumar, Sanjay & Lata, Pushp. (2013) Communication
Skills, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, India. p.-p.:511-515.
(Print)

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BIBLIOGRAPHY:
(1)Bovee, Courtland L. (2005) Techniques of Writing Business
Letters, Memos & Reports, Jaico Publishing House, Mumbai, India.
(Print)
(2)Chauhan, Narender Kr. & Singh, Sudhir N. (2013.) Formal Letters,
S. N. Singh, Pankaj Publication International, New Delhi, India.
(Print)
(3)Hornby, A S. (2005) Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary,
Chief Ed. Sally Wehmeier, Ed(s). Colin McIntosh et al. Ed. VII, Oxford
University Press, New York, USA. (Print)
(4)Kirkpatrick, Betty. (2004) The Concise Oxford Thesaurus : A
Dictionary of Synonyms, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, India.
(Print)

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BIBLIOGRAPHY:...
(5)Kumar, Sanjay & Lata, Pushp. (2013) Communication Skills,
Oxford University Press, New Delhi, India. (Print)
(6)Mounsey, Chris. (2005) Essays and Dissertations, One Step
Ahead...Series Ed. John Seely, Oxford University Press, New Delhi,
India. (Print)
(7)Seely, John. (2006) Writing Reports, One Step Ahead...Series
Ed. John Seely, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, India. (Print)

38
By
Dr Sudhir Narayan Singh,
Associate Professor (English)
Madan Mohan Malaviya
University of Technology,
Gorakhpur, U.P. India

Report Writing

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