UNIT 7: REPORT WRITING

Content

(i) Meaning of the term Report

(ii) Roles of Reports in an Organization

(iii) Types of Reports and forms of Reports

(iv) Preparation for Report writing

(v) Report Writing

Learning objectives

By the end of this unit, you should be able to;

(i) Explain the meaning of the term report,

(ii) Explain the role of reports in an organisation,

(iii) Identify different types and forms of reports,

(iv) Prepare effective reports, and

(v) Adapt reports to various audiences.

WHAT IS A REPORT?
A report is a logical presentation of facts and information. It provides feedback to the managers on
various aspects of the organisation. A report presents information needed for reviewing and
evaluating progress, for planning future course of action and for taking decisions. Every
organisation has a system of routine periodical reporting on the progress and the status of
different activities. Besides, management assigns some special studies for the purpose of taking
decisions. Special Reports may be written by an individual or by a group of persons to whomthe
task has been assigned. The report is submitted to the authority that assigned it.

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A report can also be defined as:
• An orderly presentation of facts about specific business activity or program.

• A communication from someone who has information to someone whowants to use

that information (C.A. Brown)
• A document in which a given problem is examined for the purpose of conveying
information, reporting findings, putting forward ideas and at times making
recommendations.
• A written statement of the facts of a situation, project, process ortest; how these facts
were ascertained; their significance; the conclusions that have been drawn from them
recommendations that are being, made. [for a technical report]
Common definition of a report:
• It is a formal statement of an account, facts, information etc.

ROLES/USES OF REPORTS

Reports are used:

a) to review performance of a unit in an organisation,
b) to keep a check on a continuing activity in an organisation,
c) to plan for the future needs of the organisation,
d) to survey the market needs for products or services of an organisation,
e) to submit standardised information to the management of an organisation etc.

TYPES OF REPORTS AND FORMS OF REPORTS

Types of Reports

a) Oral Reports

Oral report is simple and easy to present. It is face to face communication from the person

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 who has some information which has to be given to other who has to use it for a business
purpose. Resorted in to in case of an emergency or immediate action required to be taken
to correct the situation. No record is kept; hence receiver requires to listen very carefully
and understand since every word may not be accurate. May leave ambiguity due to poor
communication.

b) Routine Reports

Includes representatives reports on sales, manager’s report on the work of the departments,
equipment and maintenance reports, progress reports and accident reports.

c) Special Reports

Written in response to requests for specific information. Also made on special topics after
research and investigation. They could be regarding a change of policy or market research
reports. The main reason for reports is to provide a foundation for decisions to made and
action to be taken.

d) Formal Reports
Written by a committee or a group of people after investigation and research

Formats of Reports

a) Letter format/form

• Suitable for informal reports

• It should start with the heading/title, address, date,

salutation.The body should have:
(i) Introduction – terms of reference – who, what, when, deadline and
statement ofsubmission

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 (ii) Procedure – methods used to gather information

(iii)Findings – (Facts) – use headings and numbering

(iv) Conclusion (deductions)/logical implications of the findings

(v) Recommendations – (suggestions) for action to rectify a problem/decision making

(vi) Complimentary close

(vii) Signature

(viii) Name

(ix) Designation

b) Memorandum

Memorandum

(i) To:
(ii) From:
(iii)Ref:
(iv) Date:
(v) Subject:
(vi) Terms of Reference
(vii) Procedure
(viii) Findings
(ix) Conclusion
(x) Recommendations

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 (xi) Report Compiled by:
[ Signature]
[Name]

c) Schematic Format
(i) Title

(ii) Terms of reference

(iii)Procedures -e.g. In order to obtain the necessary information, thefollowing

procedures were adopted/used

(iv) Findings -Facts/objective – use headings/numbering

(v) Conclusion -Reductions/logical implications of the findings

(vi) Recommendations -Based on the findings:

▪ Suggestions of action that should be taken to solvea

problem or help in decision making.

Report compiled by
[Signature]

[Name]

[Designation]

[Date]

PREPARATION FOR REPORT WRITING

1. Audience analysis – know the nature and the communication needs of the audience
2. Reading skills – ensure you can skilfully read any sources of information and deduct the
necessary details. Yous be able to proofread your report thoroughly before submission
3. Data collection – ensure that you have all the data collected in place with there

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 methods of collection noted
4. Data analysis – ensure that the data collected has been analysed and interpreted for easier
presentation

REPORT WRITING
A report has several sections which enable the writer(s) to lay out all the complex informationin
an easy-to-read form. All reports do not require all the sections but long reports need to include
all the parts.
A report generally includes the following sections. The essential sections marked with an
asterisk (*); the other sections may be included depending on the type, length and purpose ofthe
report.
➢ Letter of transmittal
➢ Title page*
➢ Table of contents
➢ List of abbreviations and/or glossary
➢ Executive summary/abstract
➢ Introduction *
➢ Body*
➢ Conclusion*
➢ Recommendations
➢ References
➢ Appendices

1. Letter of Transmittal
This is typed on the organisation's letterhead. This is a letter addressed to the person who
commissioned the report; in this letter, you effectively hand over your report to that person.The
letter includes:
• a salutation (e.g., Dear Ms Bhatia)
• the purpose of the letter (e.g., "Here is the final version of the report on 'Underwater
Welding' which was commissioned by your company.")

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 • the main findings of the report
• any important considerations
• an acknowledgement of any significant help
• an expression of pleasure or thanks (e.g., "Thank you for giving us the opportunity to
workon this report.”)

Example:

Dear Mr. Pitt,

Please accept the accompanying Work Term Report entitled "Colour Sonar Imaging Tool for
Fish Stock Assessment."

This report is the result of work completed at the Institute of Marine Biology,' Department of
Fisheries, Government of Karnataka. During my second work term as a University of Osmania
student, I was engaged to assist in field sonar data collection, and the subsequent computer
processing of this data, for the purpose of herring stock assessment. In the course of this work,I
developed innovative colour sonar imaging software in an effort to process the data more
efficiently and accurately. This new method of processing sonar data is the subject of this report.

During the course of the term, I had the opportunity to learn much about electronics repair,
digital signal processing, computerized data acquisition, and sonar. I feel that this knowledgewill
be helpful in future work terms, and in my career.

I would like to thank my manager, Supervisor, for his patience and good judgement, as wellas
the technologists who were always willing to help.

Yours sincerely,
signature
Student

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 2. Title page
This must include:
• report title which clearly states the purpose of the report
• full details of the person(s) for whom the report was prepared
• full details of the person(s) who prepared the report
• the date of the presentation of the report

A short report of two to three pages does not need a title page, but it must have a title. It
must indicate the subject of the study and the purpose of the study. The title appears at
the top of the first page, before the text of the report, as follows: Report of Committee
appointedto investigate the Decline in Sale of Cycles in Tamil Nadu between January and
June, 2007.In an individual letter form report, the title is in the form of subject line,
indicating the topic,for example: Subject: Decline in Sale of Cycles in Tamil Nadu between
January and June, 2004

3. Table of Contents
This is given after the title page. It is used only if the report is long, say ten pages. It is a list ofthe
headings and appendices of the report with the page number on which each begins. If thereport is
long and complex, you can give a list of the tables, and a list of illustrations (or figures),
separately. The correct page numbers must be shown opposite the contents. Wordprocessing
packages can generate a table of contents.

4. Abbreviations and Glossary

If the report includes abbreviations which may not be known to all readers of the report, an
alphabetical list of them is provided. If there are many technical terms, a glossary is also
provided. A glossary is an alphabetical list of the terms, with brief explanations of their
meanings.

5. Acknowledgements
This is a list of names of persons who helped the writer of the report with information, collection
of -data, references, discussion, and so on. It can be written in one paragraph or a few short

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paragraphs.

6. Abstract or Summary or Executive Summary

An abstract is a summary used for a scholarly, academic work and an executive summary isused
for a business report. An Executive summary is written for an executive who most likelydoes not
have the time to read the original. It is not longer than 10% of the full report (usually one paragraph,
and not longer than a page).
An executive summary:
• Gives readers the essential contents of the report document in 1-10 pages depending on the
length of the report.
• Previews the main points of the report enabling readers to build a mental framework
for organizing and understanding the detailed information in the report.
• Helps readers determine the key results and recommendations reported in your
document.The summary includes one or two sentences for every main section of the report.
For example,it may include:
✓ the context of the research
✓ the purpose of the report
✓ the major findings (you may need several sentences for this)
✓ the conclusions
✓ the main recommendations

The summary is written after the report is completed. It should be the last thing you write even
though it is usually the first thing read by others. Its concise length and summary formatenable the
reader to quickly understand the main points of the issue.

7. Terms of Reference or Introduction

This is the first section of the report. It gives (a) details of the assignment and, (b) the purpose and
scope of the study. In some reports this section is given the roman number (I).
(a) Details of assignment
Include: who assigned the report and/or appointed the committee, on what date and how the
appointment was made (that is, by a resolution at a meeting, or by letter or office order).In the

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case of a committee, the names of the members of the committee are included. It alsostates what
the assignment is, what the date for submitting the report is, and whether the report is expected
to make recommendations.

Example: The committee was appointed by the following resolution adopted at the meetingof
the Board of
Directors, held on 8 July, 2003: Resolved that a committee consisting of Mr. A. (Convener),
Mr. B. and Mr. C, be, and is hereby, appointed to investigate the decline in the sale of cycles in
Tamil Nadu between January and June, 2003, and to report with recommendations in one month's
time.

If the assignment is made by letter by the CEO or any other authority, the terms of referencemust
give the number and date of the letter, the name and title of the appointing authority,the purpose
of the report, and the time allowed.

According to the DIO letter no. xxx, dated xxx from Ms. Zarine Chowna, M.D., a committee
consisting of Ms ABC, Mr. DEF and Ms. PQR was formed to examine the complaints of
customers in xxx region. The committee was asked to report with recommendations in three
weeks.

An individual writing a letter form report includes the authorization in the first paragraph ofthe
letter.
• In accordance with your letter no xxx dated xxx, I have examined xxxx and am
presentingthe report below.
• As you requested, I have investigated xxx and am happy to present my findings as
follows.
(b) Purpose and Scope
This includes information about the area surveyed or the problem examined, and the
limitations imposed on the study by constraints like time, finance, or non-availability of data.
• Owing to constraints of time, the committee limited its study to five most populous
cities inTamil Nadu.

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 • As data related to xxx was not available, this study is limited to yyy only.

8. Procedure
This is the second section of the body of the report and may be numbered II. Methods
usedfor collecting information are stated in this section. It begins with the meetings held
by the committee, for example: The committee met three times, on 26 July, and 12 and 20
August,2007.

Other methods of collecting information depend on the nature of the study. There are
severalmethods.
(i) Records of the organisation can provide data on production, sales, recruitment,
marketing, expenditure, etc. A comparison of figures for different periods may
suggestuseful conclusions.
(ii) Observation consists of watching certain phenomena involved in a problem, and
recording what is systematically observed. This method is useful for problems
like wastage of time in movement of material in a factory, or the circulation of
traffic duringcertain hours or buyers' behaviour at the point of purchase.
(iii) Interrogation is the method of asking questions. It may be done by (a)
interviewing, if the number of persons to be questioned is small, (b) getting
questionnaires filled in, ifthe number is large, (c) meeting experts and asking for
their opinion, (d) informal talkswith randomly selected concerned persons can be
used for collecting information, provided that questions are asked skilfully.
(iv) Reference to books, directories, standard publications.
(v) Visits and personal inspection are necessary when suitable sites are being
surveyed orwhen there is need to observe the procedures or working.
(vi) Experimentation is done by various kinds of tests for different kinds of inquiries.

The committee's work of investigation is recorded in passive voice, for example,

✓ meetings were held with the members of the sales department.
✓ All the three sites were visited by the committee.
✓ Buyers' choice decisions were observed for three days.

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The value of the findings, conclusions and recommendations depends on the thoroughness ofthe
investigation, and the methods used. Therefore, a report must indicate the methods used for
collecting information.

9. Findings
This is the most important section. It may be numbered III in a report that numbers the
sections. Presentation of findings is the main part of the report. The collected facts and
information have to be organized into a presentable form, with headings and sub-headings.The
mass of collected information is analysed and divided for easy and readable presentation.The units
are joined by a numbering system.
The basis for division into units may be time periods, or geographical location, or cause- and-
effect, objectives or any factors which enable classification of the data. Details may be inthe form
of numbered statements. This section may end with a brief summary of the most important
findings or some conclusions which emerge from the findings. If the conclusions are very important
and significant, there may be a separate section.
Use of illustrations in giving the findings makes a report much more readable, clear and
effective
Such as use diagrams, graphs, charts, plans or maps. There are several advantages in using
illustrations.
• They clarify and support the verbal analysis.
• They can present a large amount of complex data in a compact form and with precision.
·
• Comparisons of data can be seen at a glance in a graph or chart.
• Pictorial representation is more attractive and interesting to most people.
Every illustration should have a number and a title and should be mentioned in the text of the
report. A table has a number and title placed above it i.e., Table 3.5: Sales volumes, meanstable
number 5 in chapter 3 illustrating volume of sales of different products. Illustration should be placed
as near as possible to the point where it is mentioned for the first time in the text.Complicated
illustrations are given as Appendices. All diagrams, graphs, charts, maps etc. used as illustrations
must have:
• proper labels to show what information is being represented

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 • the scale used
• the key to colour/shading/symbols used
• the date of the information it contains

10. Conclusion.
The conclusions are drawn from the major findings.
Example: The study concludes that the reducing sales figures are as a result of:
(a) Poor marketing strategies
(b) Competition from similar products

11. Recommendations
This is the last section of the body of the report. Recommendations are proposals for action
suggested by the report writer(s) to the appointing authority. This section is included only ifthe
assignment has asked for it. Recommendations should be written in the same order as the problems
are stated in the findings, as far as possible. They may be numbered, and must be in the same
grammatical form. Recommendations may be introduced with a sentence like,
• The committee makes the following recommendations.
• The sub-committee recommends the following steps:
• The following steps are recommended:

12. Signature, Designation, Date

A committee report must be signed by all members of the committee. The signing involves
Name, Responsibility, Signature and Date.

13. References

References mean the list of books and articles used by the report writer. It is arranged in

alphabetical order of the surnames of the authors. Publication details are usually included. APA 6th
edition is the most common referencing style.

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 14. Appendix (plural: appendices or appendixes)
This is supplementary material given at the end of the report. This may be a copy of a
questionnaire used, or plans of buildings, maps or other material which is referred to in the body
of the report, but need not appear in the body. Any interested reader can refer to it since it is
mentioned in the report. If there is more than one appendix, they are numbered, i.e., APPENDIX
IV: MAP OF KIBERA

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SAMPLE REPORT
Report on the fire that occurred on the 24th of May 2015, Block C
Men’s Hostel Utumishi Technical College

Terms of Reference (Introduction)

On 24th of May 2022, the Block C of Men’s’ Hostel Utumishi Technical College caught
fire. Nothing was salvaged during the inferno but there was no loss of human life. As the
Warden of the hostel, the Principal requested that I investigate the fire and make
recommendations by the 30th of June 2015. Members of the investigativeteam include the
dean of students, the students’ welfare representative, the cleaning crew of the hostel and
the warden.

Methodology (Procedure)
Students and staff were interviewed and samples taken from the debris for analysis ina
crime lab in the city.

Findings

The fire was found to be a result of:

i) Faulty fencing around he hostels
ii) Students cooking in hostels hence overloading the sockets
iii) Poor quality of food served to the students the dining hall.

Conclusion
Students should be frisked before while coming to school to avert entry of cooking and
water heaters. A regular impromptu inspection should be conducted in the students hostels
to comb for any illegality.

Recommendations

i) Rewiring all hostel blocks.

ii) Students be prohibited from cooking in the hostel.
iii) If found the result would be expulsion from the hostel.
iv) The food in the dining hall beimproved in quality and quantity.

Report Compiled by:

[Signature]
[Name]
[Designation]
[Date]

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Revision Questions

1. You have been requested to write a report on the status of equipment in

yourorganization. Outline two details that you would include in this report.

2. State three functions of business reports in organizations.

3. Highlight three qualities of a good report.

4. The hostel block of Utumishi Technical Institute was recently destroyed by fire.
Youhave been requested to investigate the matter. After having investigated, write a
report and make recommendations.

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