Report Writing

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Report Writing

• Presentation by Sarah LaDow

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Purpose of a Report

• Reports function as a part of a cycle of emerging
  problems, decisions, and solutions.
• Report writing is used to spur action.

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Structure of a Report

• Overview frame the big picture first
• identify the occasion, the organizational
  problem, and the report's purpose
• -- highlight the structure of the report
• -- use visual organizers (table of contents if
  formal table if informal)
• Solution, recommendations, or conclusions
• Details to support the answers you present

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Sections of a Report

• Each section moves from its general position to
  explanation
• opening sections orient non-specialized readers
• discussion and appendices provide detail for
  specialized readers

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Paragraphs of a Report

• Paragraphs, too, move from point to support
• a general point is made in the first sentence
• support for the point follows

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White Papers

• Also called "backgrounders," white papers are a
  type of report commonly used to summarize the
  accepted thinking on a process, product, or
  solution to a common problem.
• They might
• catch long-term professional up on current trends
  and developments
• bring legislators and others up to speed on a
  topic that is vital to making good policy
  decisions
• identify positions on solving problems and
  advertise the expertise of a particular
  organization
• compare products and offer solutions to
  widespread problems

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White Paper Audience and Organization

• The white paper is organized to help readers
• (1) identify key issues
• (2) learn about the merits of potential
  solutions in an orderly way
• (3) it may also provide them with a language for
  asking appropriate questions

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White Papers as Teaching Tools

• White papers serve a teaching function.
• Consequently, a white paper must maintain a
  balanced treatment of the various issues (or
  topics) it raises.
• Readers expect it to sound like a teacher
  explaining the history and research about X.
• If the tone is scornful of one approach, or if
  the solutions it favors sound likes sales
  pitches, then the readers will not accept the
  white paper as authoritative.

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White Paper Formatting

• White papers look more like research papers
  written for first-year composition than do any
  other business and technical reports.
• They typically start with an academic-sounding
  title, information about the person who prepared
  the paper, an abstract/executive summary, and an
  introduction.
• Then they discuss the approach that is no longer
  sufficient, the innovations that lead to some new
  answers, and the conclusions that the report
  supports.

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White Paper Sections

• Executive Summary
• Reason for report and conclusions

• Title
• Prepared for the Group or Organization Name
• by Person or Committee
• date

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White Paper Sections

• Introduction
• problem addressed by the report, the types of
  research reviewed, goal of report

• Previous Approaches
• identify the current, accepted approach and its
  limits

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White Paper Sections

• New Research Findings
• summary of research findings
• use charts or pictures if helpful

• Discussion
• why the new approaches work better
• the situations in which they do not work better
• the work that is currently proceeding

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White Paper Sections

• Sources
• Use the appropriate documentation style to cite
  the sources consulted in writing the report

• Conclusion(s)
• conclusions stated, with the limits of their
  reach noted

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Adapting White Paper Sections

• Most reports will adapt the standard white paper
  sections.
• For example, short reports often combine the
  executive summary and the introductionyour
  overview material should not be longer than your
  reporting of research.

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Tables and Visuals

• Present Data in Tables and Other Visuals
• Because visuals are often taken from reports and
  used elsewhere, make visuals
• responsive to readers needs
• independent of the report

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Tables and Visuals

• Use general depictions such as pie charts and bar
  graphs to nonspecialist busy readers.

• Use more detailed depictions of datasuch as data
  tables, flow charts, and wiring diagramsfor
  specialized readers.

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2 Types of Report Readers

• Skeptical Readers will
• study your conclusions
• question your assumptions
• look for proof of your claims
• need to be convinced that there is a problem or
  need and that it is significant enough to warrant
  treatment
• need to be convinced that you are a credible
  source

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2 Types of Report Readers

• Busy Readers will
• skim your report, rarely reading from beginning
  to ending
• scan the report to determine its overall argument
  or to find specific sections of interest
• require clear and specific headings (and other
  kinds of visual guides)
• begin reading in any major section and should be
  able to follow your line of thought

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Ten Tips for Better Report Writing

• Be a client advocate (or, the customer always
  comes first)
• --Be honest
• --Give them all the facts
• --Be sure of the benefit before recommending a
  course of action

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Ten Tips for Better Report Writing

• 2) Have something worth saying (or, research
  matters)
• --Are the information and analysis you provide
  worth the clients time and money?

• 3) Be wary of certainty
• --Suggestions that are 100 sure are suspicious
• --Be a skeptical researcher and writer
• --Dont trust any single source

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Ten Tips for Better Report Writing

• 4) Back up what you say
• --Do you have enough evidence to support your
  recommendation?
• --Is your evidence convincing?
• --Do you prove what you claim?

• 5) Be visual
• -- Use tables, figures, charts, diagrams,
  formatted/bulleted lists, clear and specific
  headings
• -- Use words sparingly

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Ten Tips for Better Report Writing

• 6) Put important things first, less important
  things last
• --Arrange information in order of importance to
  your client/reader.
• --Delete irrelevant information.
• --Put relevant but secondary information in an
  attached appendix.

• 7) Provide summaries
• --Provide a synopsis of the entire report on
  page 1
• --From the start, tell the reader what the main
  point is, what problem/question the report is
  addressing, and what your main conclusions and
  recommendations are

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Ten Tips for Better Report Writing

• 8) Avoid generic headings and labels
• -- Label things clearly, concisely, and
  accurately
• --Be descriptive in your labeling

• 9) Sweat the details
• --Edit and proofread carefully
• -- Misspellings, grammatical glitches,
  sloppiness, smudgesall these things detract from
  your professional image

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Ten Tips for Better Report Writing

• 10) Check for format consistency
• --Are all the first-level headings formatted the
  same way? The second-level headings?
• -- Is spacing between paragraphs and between
  sentences consistent throughout the report
• -- Are all the figures and tables labeled
  appropriately (typically, figures below, tables
  above)?