Writing a report

1. WRITING A REPORT
NEFA Unit 5

2. Key Success Factors
• Being clear and concise.
• Making sensible
recommendations based
on your observations.

3. STAGES
• PLANNING STAGE – Who?
What?
• PRE-WRITING STAGE – How?
• WRITING STAGE
• CHECKING STAGE

4. PLANNING STAGE
BEFORE WRITING
• Look carefully who the report is for and what they
need to know. This will help you choose the information
you have to include.
• Brainstorm the content. Decide what the subdivisions
are going to be within the areas of the report and think of
headings for them
• Plan your writing in advance so as to have some time left at
the end of the exercise to check for mistakes.

5. PRE-WRITING STAGE
BEFORE WRITING
Draft your report, using the
headings and suggestions you
worked on in the planning stage.

6. WRITING STAGE
WHILE WRITING
• In the introduction state what the aim of
the report is.
• For each paragraph state the situation -
strengths and weaknesses - and
then make a recommendation.

7. WRITING STAGE
WHILE WRITING
• VARIETY: Try to use a variety of expressions for
generalizing and making suggestions.
• CONCISION: Be concise; don’t repeat the same ideas
all over.
• COHESION: connect your ideas appropriately using a
variety of linkers
• REGISTER: Use an appropriate professional style
(formal vocabulary and grammar) avoiding very
informal expressions.

8. CHECKING STAGE
AFTER WRITING
• Edit the report, deciding if there is any
information that should be left out and
making sure the report is the right length.
• Check the report for mistakes in grammar,
spelling, punctuation, and register

9. CHECKING STAGE 1
Double-check for basic
grammar mistakes
Don’t let a painful 1st-year-English mistake spoil the
outcome of all your hard work this year.

10. CHECKING STAGE 2
Double-check for basic
grammar mistakes
Don’t let a painful 1st-year-English mistake spoil the
outcome of all your hard work this year.

11. CHECKING STAGE 3
Did I mention that you
should double-check for
basic grammar mistakes?
That way you won’t let a painful 1st-year-English mistake spoil
the outcome of all your hard work this year.

12. And finally …
Don’t forget to double-
check for basic
grammar mistakes
So as not to let a painful 1st-year-English mistake
spoil the outcome of all your hard work this year.