Report Writing

Course Overview

Facts, figures and conclusions depend tremendously on the reports that present these details to the world. Be it in a newspaper, magazine, web publication or any white paper, a report is required to be accurate and credible with well-presented data.

Once published, reports can also be used as evidence in a court of law. This is why, at ‘Zoe’, we take a keen interest in developing the report writing skills of our participants by providing close guidance and showing them how they can apply master techniques to this skill.

The Advanced class on this subject will take our delegates a step ahead on their ability to write high level reports on behalf of their organization in a recommendable manner.

Course Objectives

The main objective of this course is to empower professionals with—

• the ability to write all kinds of reports in a globally recommended structured manner, in keeping with their organisational brand values

• real-time feedback on their overall written communication with a specific focus on report writing

• the ability to recognise language and formatting errors in their own reports

• tips to reports concise and easy to read

• capability to correct their own errors in writing and errors in any other potential publication material before publishing

• understanding of the requisites of a good report as a formal and informal document

• make a good presentation of a report with logical sequencing of data

• proofread a draft before sending it out

understand the potential of a well-written report in the business world

Course Outline

The course will cover the following areas that are important in the skill of Report Writing. It aims to increase the participants’ ability to practice this skill in a recommendable way.

Module 1 – Introduction to Report Writing

• What is a Report?

• Definition & Features of a Report

• Elements of a Report

• Essential and Optional Elements

• Practice Assignment (Pre-work)

Module 2 – Getting Started

• Preparation and Planning

• Know your Brief

• Report Objectives

• Importance of Conciseness

• Global Designs, Layouts and Templates

• Practice Assignment & Feedback

Module 3 – Structure of A Report

• Introduction

• Main Body

• Conclusion

• Recommendation

• Executive Summary

• Table of Contents

• Practice Activities & Feedback

Module 4 – Report Writing Styles

• Know your Audience

• Information Relevance

• Succinct Report Writing

• Chronology of Facts

• Presentation of Findings

• Presenting a Conclusion

• Making Recommendations

Module 5 – Proofreading a Report

• Importance of a Draft Revision

• Steps to Revise & Edit a Report

• Guidelines, Schedules and Order of Information

• Accuracy of Information

• Formatting and Presentation

• Practice Assignments

Module 6 – Categories of Reports – 1

• Assignment Review and Feedback

• Informal & Informal Reports

• Detail Reports

• Business Reports

• Informational Reports

• Analytical Reports

• Summary and Assignments

Module 7 – Categories of Reports – 2

• Assignment Review and Feedback

• Proposal Report

• Vertical and Lateral Reports

• Functional Reports

• Periodic Reports

• Research Reports

• Recap and Summary

Module 8 – Report Writing | Tips and Examples

• Use a Neutral Tone

• Use the Correct Tense

• Grammar and Sentence Construction

• Good vs Bad Report

• Examples of Good Report Writing

• Summary & Feedback