DEFINITION OF A REPORT

• A report is a document containing an

orderly and objective examination of a
situation or problem. It sets out wherever
necessary the relevant information,
findings, conclusions and/or
recommendations. It is also directed to a
particular reader or audience for a specific
purpose
 THE REPORT AS A MEANS OF
COMMUNICATION
Vertically:
• Downward
• Upward

Horizontally

Radially:
• Internal reports
• External reports
FUNCTIONS OF A REPORT
1. Disseminate information
2. Show progress of work being carried out
3. Help the management to arrive at a decision
4. Get reliable and valuable information from a
witness or witnesses for making decision
5. Give the findings of an investigation
6. To provide analysis of the findings
7. To provide the recommendations based on
the conclusions
 CLASSIFICATION OF REPORTS
BY DELIVERY:
• Oral
• Written
BY LENGTH:
• Short/Informal
• Long/Formal
BY FORM/FORMAT:
• Letter; Memorandum; Printed Form Reports
• Schematic Reports: material is classified, analyzed and labelled.
The schematic format consists of the following 5 sections:
-Terms of Reference
-Procedures
-Findings
-Conclusions
-Recommendations
BY TIME
BY FUNCTION:
• Information/Informational Reports: present an organized set of facts and findings based on a situation. Eg:
eye-witness report/descriptions of recent experiences or problems
Usually employs short informal report:
Introduction, Body and Conclusion – no recommendations are required
• Analytical Reports: present solutions to problems and are used as a basis for decisions. Such reports usually
adopt the schematic format
E.g: market survey, feasibility studies
An analytical report requires conclusion and recommendations based on the findings given.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD
REPORT
• UNITY
• CLARITY
• ACCURACY
• CONCISENESS
• READABILITY
• OBJECTIVITY
• COMPLETENESS
• GOOD ORGANISATION
• GOOD PRESENTATION
 MECHANICS OF REPORT
WRITING
• CAPITALIZATION
• PUNCTUATION
• UNDERLINING/ITALIC
• UNDERSCORING /ITALIC
• HEADING AND SUBHEADING
• NUMBERING SYSTEM:
Alpha numeric system:
I. MOBILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION
A. STAFF MOBILITY
1. Rationales
a)mmmmm
i)
2. Benefits
B. STUDENT MOBILITY
II
III
Arabic numbering system: 1,2,3,4,
Decimal numbering system:
1.0
1.1
2.0
Roman numbering
I
i)
ii)
II
II
• INDENTATION
• DOCUMENTATION OF MATERIALS