This document provides principles for good report writing. It discusses formatting a report, including having a table of contents, executive summary, clear and concise writing, interpreting data for readers, and using graphs. Key recommendations are to think about the audience, make information accessible, use clear and succinct writing, interpret findings rather than just reporting data, and provide succinct recommendations supported by rationale. The document also covers principles of good referencing, including being consistent, following a standard style guide, and ensuring in-text citations match full references in the bibliography.

1. Principles of
Good Report
Writing

2. Format of a business report

3. Aristotle
Greek philosopher C4th BC
‘ A speech has two parts.
You must state your case, and you
must prove it.’
From dissertation on ‘Rhetoric’

4. Principles of good report writing
Think about your audience
Make information accessible
1. Table of contents
2. Executive summary
3. Clear, concise, useful writing
4. Interpret data for the reader
5. Use graphs to highlight findings
6. Succinct recommendations

5. Principle 1: Table of contents
• Critical aid to accessibility
• Topics, sub-topics and page numbers
• Followed by list of tables, list of graphs, list of
appendices
• Auto generate to avoid errors and the need
for checking

6. Principle 2: Executive summary
Snapshot of the whole
–Aims of research
–Overview of the research design and process
–Major results, conclusions, and
recommendations
Written after report completed
–Needs to be clear and succinct

7. Principle 3: Clear, concise writing -
10 Rules (based on serious sins!)
1. Provide a topic sentence for each paragraph.
2. Do not have one sentence paragraphs. A paragraph
develops/argues a point.
3. Use short sentences (20 words) wherever possible.
4. Minimise the use of “this, these, those”. When you do
use “this, these, those”, state the subject afterwards, for
example, “This result..”, “These studies..”
5. Do not use “etc”, “various” or “so on”. They are imprecise.
If there are other cases, refer to them specifically.

8. 10 Rules for clear, concise writing
(continued)
6. Do not use contractions such as “don’t, didn’t, can’t”.
Write out the words in full.
7. Never use “it’s”; use “it is” (different from “its”).
8. Learn how to use apostrophes to show ownership
and if in doubt, do not use them.
9. Learn the difference between affect/effect and
their/there and use them correctly.
10. Write in active voice. That is, begin the sentence
with a name or subject.

9. Principle 4: Interpret for the reader
Make sure your report reports!
– Example for discussion
– What does this report tell you?
– How could it be improved?
Write sensible, useful comments
–Do not repeat the same things
–Do not over-interpret

10. Principle 5: Tables and graphs
Tables are useful but can be complex
– Each one must have a number and title
– Consider highlighting all or part in a graph
– Do not repeat what is in the table in the text – go to
the next level (think about the results)
Graphs are great for highlighting findings
– Select style carefully
– Use colour to assist whenever possible
– Be serious, not cute with illustrations

11. Adequate, predicted and perceived
quality

12. Adequate, predicted and perceived
quality – much easier to read!

13. Example of a diagram from the
newspaper – your comment?

14. Principle 6: Concise recommendations
State each recommendation in one sentence
Number the recommendations and place in a
logical sequence
Then, provide as appropriate:
– The rationale for each recommendation
– The implications with respect to actions or resources
– The means, if any, by which you could help further

15. Checking completion!
• Make sure research aims and overall
problem are addressed
• Discuss process and outcomes
– Do you need further information or
explanation?
– How could the research be improved?
– Could it have been done better this time?
– What follow-on research is desirable?

16. Principles of
Good
Referencing

17. Reference styles
• Be consistent.
• Follow style in the Student Manual - be familiar with this –
see Student Manual for citation details and how to construct
the bibliography, or simply set Endnote to APA (5th or 6th is
fine, consistency is the most important thing).
• See rules for books; journals; newspapers; web sites;
conference papers, etc.
• Check out an article and see how it is referenced.
• Use Endnote and all this is done for you, don’t use Endnote
and you have to do it all manually!

18. In-Text CITATIONS
(see Student Manual)
 Citing a single author
Lane attributes the subsequent 15 percent increase in sales to the new colours (Lane,
1991, p.34).
 Reference of two authors
There is evidence that these associations have some merit (D’Andrade & Egan, 1972,
pp.92-93).
 Single reference of more than three authors
However, cross-cultural comparisons were made using the Luscher colour cards
(Jacobs et al., 1991, p.71).
 Reference of multiple sources
Studies have shown particular colours have a cross-cultural meaning while other have
not (Fehrman and Fehrman, 2000, p.4; Hupka et al., 1997, p.56; Lakoff and Kovecses,
1987, p.78).
 Reference a secondary source
Campbell (cited in Tompkins, 2003) found in 2001 that…..

19. In-Text CITATION
(see Student Manual)
 Reference of an unsigned (non authored) article
 Multiple citation of the same author and year
(Smith, 2003a) (Smith, 2003b)
 Authors with identical surname
Using the initial of the author to distinguish between them, e.g.
(T. Brown, 1999) (W. Brown, 2004)
 One newspaper article (The Economist, March 18, 2004, pp.254-
255) states… - You need to include the name of the journal,
year, date of issue, page number).
 Author is an organisation - Recent studies (IBM, 2003)
suggest that…. (Abbreviation of organization, year)

20.  Only the sources that have been cited in the
text are in the reference list.
 All the in-text references must have a full
reference in the reference list.
All the guidelines are important. However,
these two are a recurring problem for RHD
students’ work. Please take good notice.
References List/ Bibliography
(For examples, see Student Manual)

21. Footnotes and Endnotes
 The difference – Footnotes appear at the ‘foot’ of the page
where the in-text reference appears; Endnotes appear at the
‘end’ of the chapter/article.
 What do they do? – They are meant to provide
information/comment on a point that is not directly relevant
to the argument being developed.
 Use them sparingly – If the point that you are making is
important, include it in the text. If it is not relevant, exclude
it.
 Be consistent – one or the other, not both.