REPORT WRITING

• Dr Dhishna Pannikot
• Associate Professor
• School of Humanities, Social Sciences & Management
DEFINITION

Etymology: Latin ‘Reportaire’ means to bring back

A report is a description of an event carried back to someone who was not present
on the scene.
a.A report is a formal statement of facts/information/account of something.
b.It is presented in a conventional form.
c.It is written for a specific purpose.
d.It includes information about the procedures of collecting data and the
significance of such data.
e.It contains conclusions reached by the writer.
f.It often includes recommendations.
 OBJECTIVES

•To present a record of accomplished work

•To record an experiment
•To record research findings
•To document schedules, timetables and milestones (a
report on a long term plan)
•To document current status (a inspection report)
•To record and clarify complex information for future
reference (a report on policies and procedures)
• To present information to a large number of people (annual
report)
• To present organized information on a particular topic (a
report describing working of various divisions of an
organization)
• To recommend actions that can be considered in solving
certain problems (recommendatory report)
CHARACTERISTICS

•Precision
•Factual details
•Relevance
•Reader orientation
•Objectivity of recommendations
•Simple language
•Clarity
•Brevity
•Grammatical accuracy
•Special format
TYPES

• Informative, Analytical (purpose)

• Periodic, Special (frequency)

• Oral, Written (mode of presentation)

• Individual, Group
FORMATS

• Manuscript : This is the most commonly used format for report and is generally
used for voluminous reports.

• Letter :When you send short reports of a few pages to outsiders, this format can
be used.

• Memo: A report you send to somebody within your organization will be in this
format.

• Preprinted: Reports containing routine matter and which are periodical in nature
may be written in form prescribed by the organizations.
PLANNING AND PREPARATION

•Purpose and scope

•Audience (Experts/executives/non-specialists)
•Sources of information (internal
records/library/internet)
•Methods of data collection (personal observation/
telephonic interview/personal
interview/questionnaires)
OUTLINE

• Topic Outline: It labels the subject that will be discussed.

• Talking Outline: It may be in question or summary form. It

suggests more about the meaning of the issues.
STRUCTURE

• Front matter

1 Cover

2 Frontispiece (optional)

3 Title page

4 Copyright notice (optional)

5 Forwarding letter (optional)

6 Preface (optional)

7 Acknowledgements

8 Table of contents

9 List of illustrations

10 Abstract/Summary (optional)
 Title of the Report
A Project submitted in partial fulfilment of B Tech in…(dept)

Submitted by:
Name of the Student
Register No, B Tech

Submitted to
Name of Faculty
Designation
Dept Name

Logo of the Institute

Name of the Institute, Place
Day Month and Year of Submission
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Sl No. Title Page no
Abstract ii
Certificate iii
Declaration iv
Acknowledgements v
Chapter 1. Introduction 2
Chapter 2. Air Pollution 8
2.1 Effects 10
2.2 Health 10
2.3 Chemical 11
2.4 Biological 13
2.5 Economic 14
Chapter 3. Water Pollution 16
3.1 Waste water treatment 17
3.2 Water Harvesting 18
Chapter 4. Air Pollution 19
4.1 Industry Pollutants 20
4.2 Deforestation 21
4.3 Global warming 22
Chapter 5. Conclusion 23
• Main Body

1 Introduction
2 Discussion/description
3 Conclusion
4 Recommendation
HOW TO WRITE AN
INTRODUCTION?
• Elements.
1.Background of the report: Conditions/events giving rise to the project/survey or details
of previous investigations and studies.
2.Purpose and scope: Terms of reference, clear objectives, what you plan to accomplish
with your report, issues you will cover and issues will not cover.
3.Authorization: authority who has assigned you to do this project/survey. In short
Recipient’s name and designation.
4.Basic principles or theories involved.
5.Methods of gathering data: methods and sources of data collection
6.General plan in developing the solution( brief outline of methodology)
7.General structure of the report (organization of various sections)
RECOMMENDATION AND
CONCLUSION

•Conciliatory
•Tentative
•Mandatory
•Back matter
1 Appendices
2 List of references
3 Bibliography
4 Glossary
5 Index (optional)
 LETTER REPORT
• Date
• Senders full Address
• Receivers Address
Salutation
Subject Line: A Report on……….
Introduction
Discussion
Analysis
Recommendation
Conclusion
Complimentary Closure
Signature
Enclosures
CC
BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Book with one author :

Palmer, Frank. 1972. Grammar. Second Edition. Middlesex,
England: Penguin Books Limited.

• Book with two authors:

Mohan, Krishna and Singh, N.P. 1995. Speaking English
Effectively. New Delhi: Macmillan India Limited.
BOOK WITH MORE THAN TWO
AUTHORS
Churchill, Ruel V. et. al. 1974. Complex Variables and
Applications. New York: McGraw Hill Book Company Ltd.

An Edited Book
Dow, Hume, Ed.1967. Science Speaks. London: Ginn and
Company Limited.
ONLINE ARTICLES OR PAPERS

• Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of

publication). Title of article. Title of Journal,
volume number. Retrieved month day, year, from
http://www.someaddress.com/full/url/
• Kenneth, I. A. (2000). A Buddhist response to the
nature of human rights. Journal of Buddhist
Ethics, 8.Retrieved February 20, 2001, from
http://www.cac.psu.edu/jbe/twocont.html
THANK YOU