1. Basics of Report Writing
part 1
Session 11-12

2. The big picture
“A report describes 1000 situations, like a picture speaks a 1000 words”
Effective business reports solve problems
and answers questions systematically
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3. What are reports?
An orderly and objective communication of
factual information that serves a business
purpose

4. Business reports are systematic
attempts to answer questions and solve
problems. They include the following
activities.
PlanningPlanning ResearchResearch OrganizationOrganization PresentationPresentation
What Are Business Reports?

5. Purpose of Business Reports
 A business report conveys information to assist in decision-
making. The report is the means to present this information.
 Some reports might present the actual solution to solve a
business problem; Other reports might record historical
information that will be useful to assist in future decision
making.
Either way, information is being "reported" that will be useful
in making decisions.
In order for the writer to have a clear understanding of why a report is
written, a written purpose sentence is essential. However for analytical
reports, you should give a problem statement before statement of
purpose.

6. Problem Statement
It defines What your report is going to
investigate.
Asking the following questions can help you
define your problem statement:
What needs to be determined?
Why is this issue important?
Who is involved in this situation?
Where is the trouble located?
How did the situation originate?
When did it start?
(Refer to pg 394 Table 12.1)

7. Statement of Purpose
It defines Why you are preparing the report,
and helps you keep the report to the point.
This purpose sentence could be written as either a
statement or a question. However it is more useful to
use an infinitive statement (to plus a verb) for
phrasing your purpose of statement.
For example:
 To determine ways to improve employee morale. (statement)
 To design a new procedure for the company’s annual inventory. (statement)
 Should new computers be purchased to replaced the older models? (question)
 Should the office arrangement be open or modular? (question)

8. Steps in Writing a Routine
Business Report
 Your assignment will be to write a memo report to help solve a business-related problem.
 Think of a job you currently have (or have had in the past). Is there something you would change? Have you noticed a
procedure or on-going situation that could be improved? Perhaps new equipment is needed or the physical layout is
inefficient. Perhaps the work flow needs to be revised or company policy needs to be reevaluated. I'm sure there is
something you would like to see improved.
 Once you have a topic, you're then ready to start thinking in terms of a report. Don't decide on a solution right now. I want
you to go through some steps to come to the RIGHT solution.
 In creating your report, follow these steps:
Determine the Scope of the Report
Consider Your Audience
Gather Your Information
Analyze Your Information
Determine the Solution
Organize Your Report

9. Determine the scope of the report
 A common fault of many reports is making the scope of a report too general or too vague. When you choose a subject for
a report, one of the first steps is to narrow the scope to a report length. Your statement of purpose should help you to limit
the scope.
 The scope of the report is defined by determining the factors which you will study. You need to limit the amount of
information you will gather to the most needed and most important factors.
 For example, factors to be studied to determine ways to improve employee morale might include:
Salaries
Fringe benefits
Work assignments
Work hours
Evaluation procedures
You could study many other factors relative to improving employee morale. Some may be important, and you may want to
consider them later. For any one report, however, a reasonable scope must be clearly defined by determining what factors
will be included.

10. Consider Your Audience
 Unlike letters and memos, reports usually have a far wider distribution.
Many people may be involved in a decision-making process and have
need to read the information in the report.
 Your job is to make it easy for the reader. In order to make reading your
report easier, think in terms of the reader.

11. Analyze Your Information
The purpose of the analysis is to make sense, objectively, out of the
information you have gathered. You will not want personal bias of any kind to
enter into the analysis.
 Information is compared and contrasted in an effort to try to find new ideas or
the best ideas. Separate facts and figures need to be interpreted by explaining
what they mean--what significance they have.

12. Analyze Your Information-
For Example:
 If you were doing a study to determine which computer to buy for your office, you would
collect information on;
 The type of work you are currently doing in your office and the kinds of work you want to do.
 Then you would gather information on computers. This information might include cost,
compatibility, speed of operation, machine capacity, machine dependability, maintenance
availability, potential for upgrading, and other factors.
 Then you would compare and contrast (analyze) the different computers to determine how
well they can do what you want done, what their potential is, how dependable they are, and
so on. Once all the information is gathered, you are ready to determine solutions

13. Determine the Solution
Based on your analysis, you will be then be ready to
offer a solution (or solutions) to the problem you have
been studying.
 Example: Which computer would be the best buy for the word processing center or what
office arrangement would be the best for effective work flow?

14. Types of Report

15. Report Functions
 Informational reports
(To explain)
 Analytical reports
(To convince the audience that the conclusions &
recommendations developed in the text are valid)

16. Purpose of Information Report
 Monitoring & Controlling
 Implement Policies & Procedures
 Comply with legal or regulatory requirements
 Document work performed for clients
 Informational Reports
 Providing information to the reader
 Not persuasive
 It provides answers to question without
 offering recommendations

17.  Introduction
 Identify the report and its purpose.
 Present a brief overview of the report’s organization, especially for longer reports.
 When readers are unfamiliar with the topic, briefly fill in the background details.
 Body
 Group facts or findings into three to five roughly equal segments that do not overlap.
 Organize by time, component, importance, criteria, convention, or some other method.
 Supply functional or talking heads (at least one per page) to describe each section.
 Use an informal, conversational writing style unless a formal tone is expected.
 Use bullets, numbered and lettered lists, headings, underlined items, and white space to
enhance readability.
Writing Informational Reports

18. Summary/Conclusion
 When necessary, briefly review the main points and discuss what action will
follow.
 If relevant, express appreciation or describe your willingness to provide further
information.
Writing Informational Reports

19. Typical informational business reports
 Periodic reports
 Describe production, sales, shipping, service, and other recurring
activities.
 Trip, convention, conference reports
 Describe an event, summarize three to five main points, itemize
expenses, and estimate the event’s value.
Writing Informational Reports

20. Typical informational business reports
 Progress and interim reports
 Explain continuing projects, including work completed, work in progress,
future activities, and completion date.
 Investigative reports
 Examine problems and supply facts; provide little analysis.
Writing Informational Reports

21. Student Progress Report
DATE: ~~~~~~
TO: ~~~~~~
FROM: ~~~~~~
SUBJECT: ~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Background
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Work Completed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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DATE: ~~~~~~
TO: ~~~~~~
FROM: ~~~~~~
SUBJECT: ~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Background
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Work Completed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

22. ~~~~~~~~~~ Page 2 ~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Work To Be Completed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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~~~~~~~~~~ Page 2 ~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Work To Be Completed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Student Progress Report

23. Informational Reports
Tips for writing
Not so casual ( reader do not struggle to find main points)
Proper heading / Bullets / Graphical highlighting

24. Periodic Reports
Generated after a regular interval
Purpose is to keep management informed
These are for monitoring and for making
strategies
 It contains
 Facts and figures
 Sales volumes
 Shipment delivered
 Accounts payable
 Format
 Summarize regular activities
 Describe irregular events
 Highlight special needs and problems
 Example Sales Report
 Summary
 Competitive update
 Product problems
 Needs

25. Situational Reports
Covering non-recurring events ( Trips/Conferences)
It is bit difficult to write
Generally prepared in form of Memo
How To Write
 First ask who has authorized
 Introduction (Briefing)
Conclusion ( Comments)
Do not write in chronological order

26. Situational Reports
Trips and conferences
Sent for one day training
Begin with identifying event and previewing topics to cover
Summarize in body
Conclusion ( what actions would be taken )

27. Situational Reports
Progress and Interim reports
Special Project
 Purpose and nature of Project
Describe the work completed
In progress work
Problems and remedies
Future plans and activities and expected completion date

28. Investigative Reports
 Direct report as informational
 Intro
 Body (Facts and finding)
 Summary completion date
Compliance Reports
 Following any Law ( from govt authority )
 Format
 Describe the action plan
 Enclose relevant material
S

29. From here on…
We discuss
 Analytical Reports
 Justification / Recommendation Reports
 Direct and Indirect Patterns
 Feasibility Reports
 Yardstick Reports
 Research Studies

30. Purpose of Analytical Reports
 Guide decisions on particular issues
 Get products, plans or projects accepted by others

31.  Introduction
 Explain why the report is being written. For research studies, include the
significance, scope, limitations, and methodology of the investigation.
 Preview the report’s organization.
 For receptive audiences, summarize the conclusions and
recommendations.
 Findings
 Discuss the pros and cons of each alternative. For receptive audiences,
consider placing the recommended alternative last.
 Establish criteria to evaluate alternatives. In “yardstick” studies create
criteria to use in measuring each alternative consistently.
Writing Analytical Reports

32.  Findings
 Support the findings with evidence: facts, statistics, expert opinion,
survey data, and other proof.
 Use headings, enumerations, lists, tables, and graphics to focus
attention.
Conclusions/Recommendations
 Develop reasonable conclusions that answer the research question.
Justify the conclusions with highlights from the findings.
 Make recommendations, if asked. Use action verbs. Explain needed
action.
Writing Analytical Reports

33. Typical analytical business reports
 Justification/recommendation reports
 Make recommendations to management; provide data to solve
problems and make decisions.
 Feasibility reports
 Analyze problems and predict whether alternatives will be practical or
advisable.
 Yardstick reports
 Establish criteria and evaluate alternatives by measuring against the
yardstick criteria.
Writing Analytical Reports

34. Analytical Report-1
 Analytical Reports Emphasize On
 Reasoning
 Conclusion
 Example:
Product Engineers at Pepsi Cola persuading their management to
launch “Mineral Water Bottles”

35.  Direct Reports
 Concludes and provides recommendation early in the report
 Generally taken up by more experienced and valued writers
 Pattern can also be applied for topics that are more commonly understood
Analytical Report-2

36.  Justification/Recommendation Reports
 Different hierarchy levels are required to prepare such reports
 More frequently written
 Larger organizations use
 Forms with conventional headings
 Topics / Audience / Writers Credibility determines the report pattern
Analytical Report-3

37.  Direct Pattern
 Non-sensitive topics
 Recommendations agreeable to readers
 Pattern
 Problem identified at the beginning
 Announcement of recommendation, solution, with action verbs
 Discuss “Pros” and “Cons”, Costs, etc
 Conclusion with summary specifying actions to be taken
 Example: Pepsi Sells Mineral Water
Analytical Report-4

38.  Phase I: Pre-Writing
 Analyze the purpose
 Anticipate the audience and response
 Adapt to direct and straight forward presentation
 Phase II: Writing
 Research to collect appropriate data
 Organize the data that leads to the desired conclusion, by discussing overall effects
 Compose the report for presentation
 Phase III: Revising
 Revise to ensure each supporting argument is highlighted
 Proofread to ensure good quality of presentation
 Evaluate critically if the user would except the argument
Analytical Report-5

39.  Indirect Pattern
 Make general reference to “The Problem”
 Use statistical data, analytics, authoritative quotes to highlight the issue
 Discuss alternative solutions, the most promising comes last
 Evaluate proposed solution by giving “Pros” and “Cons”
 Summarize recommendations and actions
 Invite authorization to proceed
 Example: “Drive to Stop – Smocking”
Analytical Report-6

40. Feasibility Report-1
 Analyzes whether a proposal or plan will work
 Presents
 Decisions
 Back ground
 Information
 Benefits
 Problems
 Costs
 Schedule

41. Feasibility Report-2
 Announce decision early
 Description and back ground of the problem
 Benefits of the proposal
 Estimated cost to execute
 Time frame for execution
Example:
General motors setting up “Chevy Assembly Plant
in Pakistan”

42. Yardstick Report-1
 Problem with Two-More Solutions
 Establishes criteria for comparison between alternatives
 Advantage is to compare the alternatives with the same criteria

43. Yardstick Report-2
 Describe the problem / need
 Explain possible solution / alternative approaches
 Establish criteria for alternative’s evaluation
 Discuss each alternative in terms of the criteria
 Draw conclusion and recommendations
Example:
McDonnell’s choice of outplacement of services

44. Research Report-1
 Examines problems, collects data to solve
the problem and reaches results from
growing out of the findings
 Leads the reader through all steps to reach the conclusion

45. Research Report-2
 Identify the purpose of the report
 Significance, scope, limitation, and methodology
 Preview the organization of the report
 Summarize conclusion and recommendations
 Finding
 Discuss pros and cons
 Establish criteria for evaluation
 Provide reasonable evidence for findings
 Organize findings for logic and readability
 Conclusion / Recommendations
 Draw conclusion
 Make recommendation

46. Report Formats
 Letter format (outside the organization)
 Memo format (with in the organization)
 Manuscript format (longer formal reports)
 Printed forms (repititive data ,monthly etc)