2. Report types
• A short report to a client may use a letter format
• Formal reports may contain formal elements such as a title
page, a transmittal, a table of contents, and a list of illustrations
• Informal reports may be letters and memos or even computer
printouts of production or sales figures
• Reports can be called:
- Information report if they collect data for the reader: Sales report,
Quarterly report,
- Analytical report if they interpret data but don’t recommend action:
Annual reports, audit reports.
- Recommendation report if they recommend action or solution: Feasibility
reports, justification reports, problem-solving reports
3. Report Structure
• Cover
• Title page
• Letter of transmittal/Preface
• Table of contents
• List of illustrations
• Executive summary
• Report Body
- Introduction
- Background (History of the problem)
- Body
- Conclusions
- Recommendations; Notes References; Work cited(Bibliography)
• Appendices
4. Title Page
• Contains the following items:
- Title of the report
- Whom the report is prepared for
- Whom it is prepared by
- The release date
• The title should be detailed
• The release date is normally the date the report is scheduled for
discussion.
5. Letter or Memo of transmittal
• Letter of transmittal if you are not a regular employee; a memo if
you are an employee
• Organize the transmittal in the following way:
- Tell when and by whom it was authorized and the purpose it was to fulfill
- Summarize your conclusions and recommendations
- Mention and points of special interests in the report
- Point out any additional research that is necessary
- Thank the reader for the opportunity to do the work
6. Table of contents and Illustrations
• Table of contents lists the headings exactly as they appear in
the body of the report
• If report is less than 25 pages you may list all the levels in the
report
• In a very long report pick a level and put all the heading on that
level
• A list of illustrations enables readers to refer to your visuals
- Tables are words or numbers arranged in rows and columns
- Figures are everything else
- Tables and figures are numbered independently
7. Executive Summary
• An Executive summary or Abstract tell the reader what the
document is all about
• It summarizes the recommendations of the report and the
reasons for the recommendation or describes the topics the
report discusses and indicates the depth of the discussion
• A good abstract is easy to read, concise and clear.
• Using ‘you’ sparingly
• For research reports: the purpose of the research, its
hypothesis, the experimental method, the significant results, the
implication for treatment, action or further research.
8. Introduction & Background / History
• The introduction of the report always contains a statement of
purpose and scope and may include all of the parts in the
following list:
- Purpose
- Scope
- Limitations
- Assumptions
- Methods
- Definitions
• Background of the situation or history of the problem
• Enable later audiences to understand the basis of the report
9. Conclusions & Recommendations
• Conclusions summarizes points you have made in the body of
the report
• Recommendations are action items that would solve the
problem
• The sections are often combined if they are short
• No new information should be included in the conclusions
• Conclusions are usually presented in paragraphs; you could
also use a numbered or bulleted list
• Number the recommendations to make it easy for people to
discuss them
10. Time table for writing reports
• To use time effectively, think about the parts of the report before
you begin writing
• Much of the introduction comes from the proposal with minor
revisions
• You can write six sections even before you’ve finished your
research: Purpose, Scope, Assumptions, Methods, Criteria,
Definitions
• The background reading for your proposal can form the first
draft of your list of references
• Save a copy of your questionnaire or interview questions to use
as an appendix
11. Timetable for writing reports
• You can write the title page and the transmittal as soon as you
know what your recommendations will be
• After you’ve analyzed your data, write the Executive summary,
the body, and the conclusions and recommendations.
• Prepare a draft of the table of contents and the list of
illustrations
12. Less formal report structure
• Title page
• Table of contents
• Abstract / Executive summary
• Body:
- Introduction
- Body
- Conclusions
- Recommendations
