Writing%20a%20Formal%20Report%20%20%20

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How To Write A Formal Report
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WHAT IS A REPORT?

• The word report is derived from the Latin
  reportare which means to carry back
• Reback portareto carry
• A report is a description of an event carried
  back to someone who was not present on the scene

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• A formal report presents in an organized
  form the information that has been
  requested by an authorized person.
• Philip
  and Reynolds

• A business report is an orderly, and
  objective communication of factual
  information that serves some business
  purpose.

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Report is

• Formal statement of facts
• Presented in conventional form
• For specific audience
• Procedure and significance
• Conclusions of writer
• Includes recommendations

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DEFINITION OF A REPORT

• A technical report is a written statement of the
  facts of a situation, project , process or test
  how these facts were ascertained their
  significance the conclusions being drawn from
  them , the recommendations that are being made.
  -John Mitchell

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Prerequisites
Background What led to the study?
Purpose Why are you doing the study? What decisions will be made based on the study?
Objectives To give information To make a decision To keep record
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QUALITIES OF A REPORT

1. Precision
2. Accuracy of facts
3. Relevance
4. Reader orientation
5. Objectivity
6. Simple and unambiguous language
7. Clarity
8. Brevity
9. Grammatical accuracy
10. Coherence

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WRITTEN REPORT

• 1.Informative
• Routine
• 1.Progresss
• 2.Laboratory
• 3.Inventory
• 4.Inspection
• 5.Confidential
• 2.Interpretive
• Analytical
• Survey
• Feasibility
• Special Report

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LABORATORY REPORTS

• Heading
• Experiment no
• Date
• Statement of objects
• Apparatus used
• Method or procedure followed
• Observations
• Conclusions
• signature

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INSPECTION REPORTS

• Incorporates the result of the inspection of a
  piece of equipment to ascertain whether it is
  functioning properly or requires any repairs or
  replacement
• Indicates the result of inspection of a product
  as a part of quality control

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INVESTIGATIVE

• What will you do ?
• Why did you do it ?
• How did you do it ?
• What did you find out ?
• What do the findings mean ?

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FEASIBILITY

• Process begins with NEED
• Description of problem or situation
• Solution / Alternatives
• Effectiveness of alternatives
• Organized by alternative solutions

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ANALYTICAL

• Brief and to the point
• Including an abstract or statement of objectives
• Compressed procedure
• Background statement is omitted
• Supporting documents attached

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PROGRESS

• During the course of the project
• Prepared at fixed times monthly, quarterly
• Short and to the point

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The Report Writing Process

• 5 steps
• Preparing to write
• Organizing the information
• Writing the words (draft)
• Editing the information
• Revising the text

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Preparing to Write

• Define your purpose and scope
• Determine your audience
• Collect your data
• Organize the material
• Make an outline

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Determining the audience

• Kinds of audience

• Knowledge on the subject

• Background, training and experience

• Consider the people who are farthest in
  knowledge

• Place yourself in your readers place

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Collecting data

• Methods
• Personal observation
• Telephonic interview
• Personal interview
• Questionnaires

• Sources
• Internal records
• Library

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Personal observation

• You conducted an experiment

• Performed a job

• Eye-witness to an event

• Careful observation

• Accurate recording traits

• Keep a note-book and a pencil ready

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Research

• Primary
• Interviews, surveys, questionnaires,
  observation, unpublished documents
• Secondary
• Published material, catalogues,handbooks,
  brochures, college website, etc

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Generating Your Own Sources

• Once you have exhausted library and Internet
  sources, pamphlets and catalogues, you will want
  to generate some of your own sources in other
  words, conduct primary research
• Conduct and experiment, survey a group of people,
  or interview an expert

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Conducting an Interview

• An interview can be especially helpful for a
  project because it allows you to ask questions
  precisely geared to your topic
• You can conduct an interview in person, over the
  telephone, or online using email
• A personal interview is preferable if you can
  arrange it, because you can see the persons
  expressions and gestures as well as hear his or
  her tone and words

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• Few guidelines for interviews
• - Call or write for an appointment.
• - Tell the person exactly
• why you are calling
• what you want to discuss
• how long you expect the interview to take
• - Be true to your words

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• Prepare a list of open-ended questions to ask
  perhaps ten or twelve for a one-hour interview.
• Plan on doing some research for these questions
  to discover background on the issues.
• Give your subject time to consider your
  questions. Dont rush into silences with more
  questions.
• Pay attention to your subjects answers so that
  you can ask appropriate follow-up questions and
  pick up on unexpected but worthwhile points

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• Take care in interpreting answers
• Keep thorough notes. Take notes during an
  in-person or telephone interview, or tape-record
  the interview
• Verify quotations with the interviewee
• Send a thank-you note immediately after an
  interview.

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Organizing the Information

• Create an outline even a very basic one of
  your report
• Start with listing headings for your major topics
  and any subheadings that arise
• Keep the audience in mind
• Reject the material which is not required
• Principles of organization
• Logical ordering
• Coordinating
• Subordinating
• Numbering

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ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

• Introduction
• 1.1 Definition
• 1.2 Causes of pollution
• 1.2.1 Population growth
• 1.2.2 Increased productivity
• Types
• 2.1 Air pollution
• 2.2 Water pollution
• 2.3 Thermal pollution
• 2.4 Land pollution
• Suggestions for reducing pollution
• 3.1 Publicity about its hazards
• 3.2 Advisory services
• 3.3 Collective effort

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Writing is a simple process(But no one said it
was easy)

• Prewrite
• Write
• Rewrite

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Prewrite

• Gather your data and writing materials
• Write a preliminary summary
• Organize your data
• What defines the issue?
• What describes what was done?
• What shows the results, the impact?
• Make notes on what you want to say

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Write

• Try writing your Report in this order
• The Report Specifics
• The contact person(s)
• The cooperators
• The funding sources
• The year and title(?)
• Report Statement
• Issue
• What was done
• The Report Summary

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Rewrite

• Rewrite for content remembering to
• Shorten
• Simplify
• Show results
• Proofread for grammar and spelling errors
• Have another person check it over as well
• Send it off!

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PHRASING

• The words , sentences or phrases that are used
  should have parallel grammatical construction.

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EXAMPLE 1

• Advantages of nationalization
• 1.1 Mobilization of national resources
• 1.2 Promotes agricultural development
• 1.3 Encouragement of new classes of
  entrepreneurs
• 1.4 Channelizing peoples energy towards
  productive purposes

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EXAMPLE 2

• Advantages of nationalization
• 1.1 Mobilization of national resources
• 1.2 Promotion of agricultural development
• 1.3 Encouragement of new classes of
  entrepreneurs
• 1.4 Channelization of peoples energy towards
  productive purposes