REPORT WRITING

GROUP MEMBERS

Krishnakant Mishra
Vatsal Mohite
Gulamnabi Momin
Achyutsingh Naik
Pummi Tiwari
Paresh Valiya
CONTENTS

Introduction to report
Classification of report
Types of report
Procedure for report writing
Writing styles
Characteristics of good report
WHAT IS A REPORT???
 REPORT
Statement and description

Logical presentation of facts and information

Tool on which decisions can be based

Information needed to evaluate progress

and plan action

A communication from someone who has

some information to someone who needs
the information
WHY NEED REPORT???
 IMPORTANCE
Professional matters dealing with
business need reporting

Activities and decisions based on

reports

Make the information clear, convenient

and accessible

Save time by telling the readers what

they want to know-no more, no less
 Contd..
Repots written for different
purposes
Presenting accounts
Reviewing performance
Planning for future
expansion
Presenting market surveys
Displaying treatment profiles
in hospitals
QUESTION

Define report? 2 importance of the

same
CLASSIFICATION OF
REPORTS
 On the basis for formality
Informal reports
In the form of person to person
Does not follow any format
Informally conveys information

Formal reports
Prepared in prescribed form
Can be statutory or non-statutory
On the basis of frequency of
issue
Periodic reports
Presented at regular intervals
Time period could be annually,
semi-annually, monthly, weekly
or daily
Mere statement of facts
Eg: progress report, monthly
sales report
 Contd..
Special reports
Generated for a single situation
Deal with non-recurrent issues
An individual or committee appointed
Suggestions and findings to
management for decision making
Eg: project report, feasibility study
report, FIR
 On the basis of function
Informative report
Presents facts and information related to an
issue
Eg: report presenting sales figures for a quarter

Interpretive report
Analyses facts, draws conclusion to solve the
problem
Eg: a report that delves into the causes of low
sales for particular period
 On the basis of the nature of the
subject

Problem-determining report

Fact-finding report

Performance report

Technical report
QUESTION

Two complete classification of reports

 TYPES OF REPORT

Progress report
Performance report
Project report
Annual report
Feasibility report
FIR
 Progress report
About progress of a student,
employee or a project

Prepared as comments or filled in

standard format

Eg: bridge construction,

employees training program,
students progress through the
year
 Performance appraisal
report
Prepared for recording the
performance of an employee

Usually done by the immediate boss

Helps in giving feedback to an

employee

Available to other senior managers

 Project report

Written after a proposal takes shape

Helps in comparing work done by

different people

Used to decide future course of

action or may list out problems

For sanctioning finance, as a

planning tool
 Annual report
Requirement of Companies Act,
1956

Details all financial operations

Making aware of happenings in the

company

Contains- company profile,

auditors report, balance sheet,
P&L statement, cash flow
 Feasibility report
Prepared in following situations:
Organization proposes to launch a new
product
Before entering a new market
To start a new service
Before buying a new, expensive machine

Help in making go or no go decision

Used for granting loans

 F.I.R
First information report
Required in case of theft, accident, fire, etc.

Information available immediately after accident

Person present on the spot of the incident prepares

it
Submitted to any office of authority
QUESTION

Name any four types of report

PROCEDURE FOR REPORT
WRITING
 Stage 1: Planning
1. Defining the purpose
- make sure you know what's really being asked

2. Defining the audience

- determine your audience's level of understanding
- determine what your audience needs to know

3. Establishing parameters
- determine the scope and level of details required
- determine the length of the report and what can be covered in that
length

4. Gathering information
- make sure the information you gather is relevant, contemporary and
factually correct
- make sure that you transcribe facts and figures correctly
ACTIVITY
 Stage 2: Report Writing
Report Structure
Preliminary section
 Preliminary section
A title page:

Title of the report

who prepared the report
for whom the report was prepared
the nature of the report
the date the report was prepared
SAMPLE OF TITLE PAGE
 Abstract
Summarize the main points of the report
Contains: the aim or purpose
the procedures followed
the main findings and conclusions and
recommendations that are outlined in
the report
 Contents
This includes the page numbers of each
section
It does not include the title page or
abstract
 List of illustrations
Includes title and page number of all
graphs, tables, illustrations, charts, etc.

Acknowledgements
List of names of people or
organizations that helped in the report
writing
 Body of the Report
Introduction
Background
Methodology and methods
Use of illustrations
Analysis of data
Findings
Conclusions
Recommendations
 Supplementary section
List of references
Quote the place from where the material is taken and
who has authored it

Bibliography
Mentioning the secondary sources of information

Appendices
Something that has been used in the report such as
questionnaire, map, etc.
useful for those things that you consider important, but
that do not fit in the main presentation of your work
QUESTION

1st stage of report writing? Mention

points under it
 Stage 3: Formatting, Revising and
Proof-reading
Apply the following Report Checklist

1. Have I fulfilled the purpose of the report?

2. Are its facts correct?

3. Is it comprehensive?

4. Are the layout and presentation well thought out?

5. Does the abstract summarizes the report ?

6. Does the introduction adequately introduce discussion?

7. Is the discussion organized logically?

8. Is the conclusion section Properly Written?

9. Are the recommendations reasonable?

10. Does the table of contents correspond with the

actual contents? Are the page numbers correct?

11. Have I acknowledged all sources of information

through correct referencing?

12. Have I checked spelling, grammar and

punctuation?
QUESTION

Report structure (parts of a

report)???
QUESTION

Any six points of report checklist

 WRITING STYLE
Sensitivity to the audience

Relatively short sentences & paragraphs

Straightforward, concise, and natural wording

A coherent flow
 Avoid emphatic words like very, extremely,
highly

Never exaggerate

Write to inform not to impress

Observe three fys

Simplify
Justify
Quantify
 Brief writing style
Omit needless words
Combine sentences
Rewrite

Example:
Campus Jewellers' main objective is to increase
sales. Specifically, the objective is to double
sales in the next five years by becoming a
more successful business.
Campus Jewellers' objective is to double sales in
the next five years.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD
REPORT
Accuracy
Precision
Relevance
Brevity
Simple and unambiguous language
Reader orientation
Clarity
QUESTION

Any four writing styles???

 DOCUMENT DESIGN
Use no more than 5 fonts.
Use no more than 5 colors.
Use glossy paper.
Use white background.
Use templates.
Avoid double emphasis.
QUESTION

Four characteristics of a good

report???
CONCLUSION
What is a report
Why need report
Types of report
How to write a report
Essentials of writing a report