REPORT WRITING

Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

REPORT WRITING
is
an impartial,objective, planned presentation of facts to one or more persons for a significant business purpose

Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

Preparation
Define the problem, purpose, scope and ask:
hat is !anted" #o! much" h$" hen" %S& '#& F()M%*+ (F , s and # hat, hen, h$, ho , here - #o!
Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

Preparation
.onsider !ho !ill receive the report: /nternal &0ternal (verseas 1overnment

Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

+%D/&2.&
hat is the understanding level of reader" hat !ill the report be used for" hat decisions !ill be taken based on the report" hat are the ethical implications "

Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

&lements of )eport !riting 3.(P

.(2'&2' ()1+2/4/21 P)&S&2'/21

Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

'$pes of Data
Secondar$3all published !ork Primar$ data3 office records, original letters, 5uestionnaires, observations, e0periments etc

Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

.ontent3'erms of )eference
&vent Plot People /ssue Process #$potheses )evie! of *iterature 'heoretical frame!ork Problem (bjective Scope Methodolog$ )esults Findings .onclusions )ecommendations

Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

()1+2/4/213(
Flo! diagram P$ramid Mind map S)&. Statistics 1raphs 'ables &0hibits

Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

a$s of (rgani6ing 'e0t

7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 'opic or .riteria !ise (rder of (ccurrence 7 .hronological Space8*ocation Functional 3 Departments Procedure - Process (rder of /mportance3 Primar$ - Secondar$ (rder of Difficult$ Sources Problem - Solution .ompare - .ontrast .ase Stud$
Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

P)&S&2'/21 3S&.'/(2S
Prefator$ Main +ppendi0

Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

Report Writing- Prefatory

1. Cover design and wording of title: 'he
t!o are different. 2. For good titles :
7 7 7 7 7 %se five 9s 7 !ho, !h$, !here, !hen, !hat %se title length of :3;< !ords avoid articles like =a9, =the9 or report, surve$, etc. avoid vague broad titles avoid evaluations in terms of titles Title fly: blank sheet of paper bet!een title page and cover. Title page: consists of title, recipient name, sender9s name, and date >in that order?.
Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

3. 4.

Report Writing- Prefatory

6. Letter of memorandum of transmittal :
7 From !riter to reader in another organi6ation. 7 /n books there is a preface 8 fore!ord Generally in letter format with letterhead and inside address omitted

Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

-etails of report writing. prefatory 7. Table of ontents!

7 7 Prepared after te0t is t$ped, use leaders. sub 7 divisions in contents are permitted. separate for graphs, visuals,

". Table of tables!

tables, etc.

#. $bstra t% synopsis% e&e utive summary!

includes purpose, results, methods 7 placed bet!een contents and report bod$. '()* +),(F.

Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

Main Parts of a )eport3 /ntroduction

+uthori6ation Plan of presentation Define problem , objective, - scope Methodolog$ Data source @ackground >optional? Definition of terms >optional? *imitations: restrictions of time, mone$, research, assistance @rief statement of results8recommendations
Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

Main Parts of a )eport3 Main 'e0t

'his is the longest part of the report and
contains details like: elaboration of the problem methodolog$ data - anal$sis result , findings

Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

+PP&2D/A
Documents Maps Photographs &tc records

Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

P)&S&2'/213*+21%+1&
)eporting graphs Describing Process Sentences construction 1rammar Paragraphs

Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

)&P()'/21 D+'+
;. B. C. D. ,. Describing facts and figures Describing trends Summari6ing graph data Describing a process /nferences

Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

Describing Facts and Figures

Facts are different from opinions, because they are objective and often involve measurement . They are usually exhibited in Tables in Bar charts,Pie charts,and Histo rams. They express information in terms of !

2umbers 7Percentage Summar$ /nference

Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

Describing 'rends
*ine graphs are used to sho! a trend or a pattern !hich usuall$ takes place over a time span . hile describing look for : (verall pattern of line Significant features of the trend Describe in terms of the t!o a0es3 linked !ith time frames

Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

Describing a Process
;. rite an opening sentence about !hat is being described. 'his sentence should also summari6e the beginning and the end of process B. .hooses verbs that !ill describe the process best C. .hoose connectives that !ill be used to link the stages or parts of process. D. Figure out !hat $ou !ill sa$ in past and present and future tense >(&er ise on water Cy le/
Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

 + clear underl$ing structure is the skeleton on !hich !ords are fleshed Make a flo! diagram of the ke$ variables !ith bo0es and arro!s 7 sho!ing antecedent and conse5uents variables3 .(2.&P' M+P 'here are different !a$s to organi6e te0t

Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

P)&S&2'/213F()M+''/21
*a$out #eadings - subheadings 2umbering Pagination 1raphics Making tables #eader3footer
Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

Formatting
%se capitals, italics, underscore, boldface, more space , indentation and fonts variet$ to emphasi6e %se tables, figures, graphs , pictures !here ever the$ !ill help to clarif$ /n the introduction section do not give the title introduction, just !rite the paragraphs about the introduction
Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

 &ver$ page in the report e0cept the cover and title fl$ are numbered +ll page number are not t$ped on the page but are counted For prefator$ sheets use )oman numbers For main te0t use +rabic Prefator$ parts page numbers are centered at the bottom of the page .over page and title fl$7 do not count 'itle page 7 count but do not insert 'ransmittal 3count but do not insert 'able of contents 7 count - insert &0ec summar$ 7 count - insert /n the main te0t all pages are counted and inserted > $ou ma$ not insert the page number on the page of a ne! chapter or section?
Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

Pagination

P)&S&2'/213P)('(.(*S
.itations )eferences 1lossar$

Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

Footnotes - &ndnotes
'hese are of t!o t$pes : those that e0plain content and those that identif$ the sources of content , or citations. %se of footnotes improves the credibilit$ of the !riter

Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

Source of data
+n$ 5uotation, factual statement, etc., must be based on sources, else it is plagiari6ing .ross 7 reference footnotes directs the reader to another place !ithin the report &0planator$ footnotes discuss, e0plain, give additional information Superscripts refer the reader to footnotes or the reference section > use small +rabic nos. placed slightl$ above the line at the end of the sentence and beginning of foot note?
Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

@ibliographic citations
Determine !hich format is used in the compan$ Eno! these facts of the source regardless of format +uthor8s +uthors capacit$3 editor , translator ,compiler Date of publication 'itle of article or book &dition Page8s Folume Publisher Place
Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

*anguage
Present facts as the$ are Paragraph length of about G t$pe !ritten lines +ll paragraphs should have topic sentence as the opening line even if there is a heading +ppl$ the seven .s Do not use more than t!o or three levels of headings in short reports Sentences should on an average be of ;H3B< !ords .oncrete nouns Fe! adverbs - adjectives 1enerall$ !ritten in past tense
Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

First Draft Problems

$ tive01assive 2impli ity 3se of sub4e tive language 3nstru tured layout 1aragrap5 2prawl

Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

.orrections in the Final Draft

.heck the structure, content - st$le rite in Passive voice 2on personal - neutral language 3preferabl$ in the third person %se Past tense .ut and paste te0t to rearrange +rrange headings and subheadings
Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

1resentation
7 Leave wide margin for binding 7 1aragrap5s s5ould be s5ort 7 6eadings s5ould be 5ig5lig5ted 7 $ll diagrams s5ould be numbered and labeled 7 Te 5ni al glossary an be given
Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,

Feedback Parameters
1. 2. 3. 4. 9. 6. 7. ". Contents (&e utive 2ummary 7 transmittal 1it 5.Flow.2trategy.Con ept map 8rap5s 7 Figures 1refatory 2e tion Formatting% numbering % se tion 5eadings Citations Language.7 Cs 7 :rgani;ation
Dr. Mala Sinha, FMS,