The Reporting Skills and Professional Writing Handbook © ELD Publications 2008

6
The Reporting Skills and Professional Writing Handbook

Not for Distribution except Under Licence
ELD Publications 2008

www.reportingskills.org
1: Introduction: Professional Writing and the Writing

Process
Whether you've bought this Handbook as an ebook or CD, or are just browsing online, you've made a
good choice. Keep going and you will soon be saving time and effort and turning out reports that really
make a difference. You'll find a lot of benefits from the upcoming tools in other aspects of your
professional life, too - anywhere where you need to set objectives, plan, organise and communicate
your ideas to others.
Perhaps you have been facing problems with your writing you have donors or a line-manager
constantly querying what you submit, or you just feel the whole writing business is too much trouble.
Perhaps you just feel that you could improve your communication sharpen the tools you already have
and create more impact. Maybe you are just curious, or want to develop a new skill.
Whatever reason you have for picking this up, Im going to do my best to make sure you dont put it
down again. If you work through this programme, it is fully within your ability to become a professional
writer you can do this.
Professional writing is relatively easy and straightforward. No-one is born a good writer: its a simple
skill pretty much anyone can pick up. Youve already got all the knowledge and abilities you need to
apply a simple method and approach to take your writing to a higher level where you not only get the
results you want but also send a positive message about who you are as a writer.
Youll also find this programme simple and straightforward. I aim to get you as involved as possible,
with many thinking / discussion tasks which you can do alone or with colleagues. (I also promise a full
explanation of each point.) There is also lots of practical work, both short and longer exercises, to help
you develop your skills. And, finally, I will be sharing with you lots of things Ive found useful in over 15
years experience: methods, stories, real examples.
This programme has been 10 years in development, since the basic concepts were devised for a
training programme for one UN agency. Since then, the programme has grown and developed as
thousands of development professionals of all levels and from many cultures have participated in over a
hundred training programmes in Nepal, Laos, Thailand and Pakistan. We are now sharing the best and
most effective approaches and tools with you.
I look forward to receiving your feedback so that we can even further improve what has already proved
itself to be an effective programme and invite you to join us on our web forum to further share ideas and
suggestions.
Neil Kendrick (RSA DELTA, Dip. Educational Management)
Director of Education, Language and Development Training Programmes (UK Charity no. 1083385)
Bangkok, Thailand
2008
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Self Assessment Task

The following two tasks will encourage you to consider:
What you expect to achieve and how you will get there. This will give you a personal 'baseline' for
what's coming.
Look at your current strengths and weaknesses.
Expectations
Lets start as we mean to go on. Throughout this programme of developing your skill as a writer, you
should apply the same professionalism you bring to your other work. You are going to need a baseline
a snapshot of your current situation so that as we progress through the course you can reflect on /
monitor your achievements, and when you complete the programme and you will, promise yourself
that you will be able to measure your success. (Id also like to get your feedback and evaluation of the
course so we can make the next edition even clearer and better, but first things first.)
So, before you begin to work through this programme, it will be useful for you to focus on your
expectations. We are always more likely to achieve the expected results if we are clear about these.
Take a few minutes to consider and note down your expectations in terms of:
Method How do you enjoy learning? What sort of tasks, exercises, explanations and
illustrations help you to absorb new information?
Content and Learning What knowledge do you want to acquire? What areas do you want to
see covered?
Change in Skill What do you want to be able to do or do better as a result of working through
this programme?
Effectiveness How will improving your skill improve how you and your organisation deliver?
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Here are some typical expectations from one of the numerous training courses we have conducted on
this topic.
Strengths and Challenges

This second task is about your specific strengths and areas for improvement. You may already have
some clear ideas about what you want to improve, but dont ignore what you are good at also. List, if
you can, between 6 10 points in each box.
You may already have received feedback on your writing from donors / line managers. If you havent,
its really important you get this second opinion from your readers after all, however happy we are
with our writing, its whether the reader is happy that really matters. So, make sure you get someone
else to tell you what she thinks is good or needs improvement in your writing.
My strengths as a writer are:
My areas for improvement are:
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Discussion
You may have found it hard to come up with 10 strengths. Dont worry about that we can sometimes
be more aware of our limitations. Theres probably one strength you didnt include, which youve
already demonstrated by coming as far as this page: your commitment to improvement. Enthusiasm
and a positive approach to developing your skills is a big strength that will at least get you started on
this course. Its my job as author to make sure that I keep your interest and enthusiasm high by
providing you with clear and simple explanations and tasks that keep you motivated.
Typically, almost every writer, whatever their level, will quote similar challenges: organising their ideas,
choosing the right words, deciding what to include and leave out, the writing is too long, and so on.
Some will go a little further and conclude that the remedies are I need more vocabulary or My
knowledge of grammar is not sophisticated enough.
While we will be sharing tools to address the first points, I want to make it clear what this course is NOT
going to be about. You wont be learning a lot of new words and phrases here, nor will there be much
focus on grammar. Grammar and vocabulary themselves will not necessarily make your writing more
professional. While having a sufficient knowledge of the language is important in communicating well,
this course presents an approach to writing which, regardless of your level of language knowledge, will
ensure your writing gets the right results.
In this introductory module we will discuss and answer three key questions:
What is Professional Writing?
Why is it important to write well?
What makes writing effective?
When you have completed the tasks you will fully understand:
How professional writing differs from more traditional, academic writing
One surprising benefit of writing in a professional style
What things we must get right if our writing is going to achieve results
Before we discuss these points, write your own answers to these questions.
Why is it important to write well?
What makes writing effective?
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Professional Writing is about action.
Its about change, getting results: making something happen. Recommendations followed, proposals
accepted: these are just two examples. Every time we write we are trying to make a change in the real
world.
Professional Writing is not about informing or sharing. While sharing information may lead to results,
this only happens when the information is relevant to the action we wish to make happen. Giving
information may be enough in academic writing after all, in most academic writing we are trying to
show how much we know and are writing to experts to demonstrate our knowledge.
In Professional Writing, however, you are the expert. You are the one who has first- hand knowledge of
the project, who has conducted the research, or who has links with the community / end users. You
know more than the reader. You are the one who has gathered and analysed the data, and your
conclusions and opinions matter.
Reporting is NOT repeating. Its a lot more than presenting facts and figures. Think of the reporter
more like a private investigator someone who has to use various methods to gather information, piece
the puzzle together and come up with a solid conclusion based on hard facts. Or like the hard- nosed
journalist who has to sift through all the facts to come up with the big story.
As a reporter, then, you have more responsibilities than to just inform your reader. Your job is to:
Investigate
Analyse
Understand
Describe
Explain
Draw conclusions
Recommend
Help your reader decide on action
So remember throughout this programme that we are writing for action. How we organise our writing,
how clear our ideas are, the language we use, our style, and the correctness of our writing all certainly
do matter: but only because they contribute to the results we want.
Why is it Important to Write Well?

This may seem like an odd question. After all, good writing is going to make action more likely, save
time and effort and be in many ways more useful and efficient. But there is one more reason:
Writing tells others who we are
Everything we write sends a message to our reader about who we are: whether we are focused on
action or process / bureaucracy: whether we think and act in an organised way: whether we are efficient
or inefficient, traditional or modern, formal or informal, careful or careless.
How our writing does that is something we will look at in the next section.
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What Makes Writing Effective?

We have identified 6 features of effective writing.
Clear Objective
Most important, of course, is whether the writing has a clear objective. The purpose in writing - and this
applies not just to documents but also to every single paragraph you write - must be 100% clear. If not,
your reader cannot take action.
Good Organisation
Well-organised writing starts with its conclusion or action to be taken. Documents are usually arranged
in Order of Importance. Paragraphs should always start with their conclusion: the supporting data /
explanations should come after the main point.
Clear, Brief and Concise
Writing should be concise. The amount of information should not be too much, so we avoid
unnecessary details and background wherever we can. Sentences should be short (average 15 words)
so as not to strain the reader, and, typically, we should try to use shorter, more familiar words wherever
possible.
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Appropriate Language
Appropriate Language means choosing words appropriate to your reader; avoiding unnecessary
terminology; and using simple, modern and brief words wherever possible.
Modern, Relaxed Style
Style is something personal. Its how you express your ideas rather than what you say. Your style
should aim to be persuasive and interesting.
Correct Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation
And, of course, accuracy is important. However it is for good reason at the bottom of our list. A
successful report or proposal does not depend on our spelling, grammar and punctuation; it depends on
our ideas and ability to persuade others. Even so, being accurate is important to give the right
impression.
Writing Sends a Message

Earlier we mentioned that writing tells others who we are. Before the task which closes this
introductory module, lets look at those features of effective writing again. For each one we will now look
at what message each feature sends to others about who we are.
Aspect of Writing
Message
Clear Objective
We are results-focused
We dont lose sight of the big picture
We can organise our thinking and our action effectively
Good Organisation
We prioritise tasks
We are confident in our point of view
We are efficient
We get maximum results with minimum resources
We are clear and direct in all our dealings
We do not hide behind terminology

We seek to be understood and transparent
We are confident
We are approachable
Correct Spelling,
Grammar and Punctuation
We are thorough
We pay attention to detail
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Task
These six key features of effective writing are best illustrated by looking at some examples. Although
you have not yet covered the topics, we want you to analyse the following writing samples according to
the six criteria. After you have done this we will discuss the results.
Example 1
Extract from evaluation report on Reproductive Health Initiative for Youth in Asia
Summary
RHIYA is a unique and valuable programme in various respects. Firstly it has targeted a longneglected group adolescents and youths (AYs) in addressing their Sexual and Reproductive Health
(SRH) needs. Secondly, it is comprehensive in nature with all components of reproductive health (RH)
issues addressed by its programme. RHIYA has a highly integrated project management modality with
all seven partners working in coordination towards the same programme outputs.
The programme is highly relevant to its target group. Furthermore, it has supplemented and
complemented the strategies of the Government and other donors working on SRH issues. While the
Government has set strategies and formulated policies for the SRH of AYs, it doesnt have any special
programme itself to address this issue. Similarly, many donors also perceive RHIYA to be the most
relevant existing programme for the SRH of AYs and appreciate its contributions.
It has been highly effective in achieving outputs despite various uncertainties, particularly the political
instability which has typically delayed all development work in the country. The project spent the first
two years of its lifetime in creating a strong foundation for sustainability, while the third year has seen
more than 100% achievement in most targets.
The programme has been responsive to demand from communities and, without going off track, has
incorporated some innovative ideas other than those originally envisaged in the planning period. It has
been highly successful in advocating SRH issues and as a result generating widespread support from
central to grass roots level stakeholders. Massive use of varieties of media on this issue has created
awareness and consequent demand for quality services in a society where talking about SRH issue
was once taboo. Through the capacity building of various stakeholders and solid foundation work, it has
developed a ground for sustainability with its huge number of peer group members and other trained
professionals.
Overall, achievements of the programme can be summarised as:
Breaking social barriers on SRH issues
Creating knowledge of and a high demand for quality SRH services among vulnerable AYs
from poor and marginalised groups
Capacity building of various stakeholders and sharing of expertise among its partners
High quality production of information, education and communication (IEC) materials on the
issue which are widely used by many other organisations and projects.
Despite its immense achievements, many stakeholders have similar perspectives when identifying
gaps:
As a regional programme with its own strategy, it is difficult to adapt to changes of Government
strategy at country level
Considering the enormous demand of AYs for SRH, coverage is still too limited.
By virtue of its nature, other age groups tend to be excluded as primary beneficiaries of the
programme.
Obviously one opportunity is to scale up the programme i.e. extending the geographical programme
areas to reach more AYs and other beneficiaries. Most stakeholders agreed on following ways forward
for increased programme effectiveness:
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Strengthening Youth-friendly Service Delivery Centres (YFSDC) and Youth Information Centres
(YIC) mechanisms instrumental in delivering both SRH knowledge and quality services to the
target group
Mobilising Peer Educators for other developmental / social activities. Peer educators and
mobilisers have a great capacity for moving beyond SRH, using their potential in any change
process so that other developmental sectors also receive the benefits of matured and confident
change agents.
Improving sharing and dissemination among national-level stakeholders will help all to learn
from each other and link micro-level lessons with policy formulation. Such sharing will help
various stakeholders in further linkage development, as well as in replication and scale-up of
the programme in their project areas.
Diversifying clients is necessary as just one segment of the population is getting services and
knowledge on SRH. There are many groups with typical SRH problems that also need
attention. The RH issue of middle-aged women needs to be addressed. Partnership with other
donors and bilateral organisations already working on the issue could be one better option in
sharing knowledge and expertise to address the needs of more diverse clients.
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Example 2
Overpopulation and Sustainable Development
According to Paul Ehrlich, the population bomb has detonated. As the global population continues to
grow, demand for land increases and options diminish. A rapidly expanding population burdens
transport infrastructure, and the resulting surge in private vehicle ownership damages environmental
health. Many large cities have water supply problems and inadequate sewage facilities, which
contribute to the spread of disease. Overpopulation creates intense pressure on the environment and
inhibits sustainable development.
Over two centuries ago, Thomas Malthus examined the intricate relationship between population
growth and the environment within the framework of famine. He declared that while population growth is
infinite, land is a finite resource. That is, population growth will exceed Earths capacity to provide
subsistence. Thus, overpopulation leads to food availability decline, which ultimately produces famine.
The number of people that can be supported by a given environment, or carrying capacity, is crucial.
Malthus asserted that there is a limit to the manageable population because there is a maximum level
of productivity that Earths land can achieve. Although Malthus underestimated the impact of technology
on Earths capacity to produce yields, overpopulation translates into a global carrying capacity crisis
which threatens to overwhelm the long-term goals of sustainable development.
The concept of sustainable development is not a new phenomenon. The term was prominently featured
in Our Common Future (1987), commonly known as the Brundtland Report. The concept was given
further weight when, in 1992, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio
de Janeiro created Agenda 21, a document outlining a global partnership for sustainable development.
As a result, most industrialised nations have designed a sustainable development strategy. The
Brundtland Report defines sustainable development as development that meets the needs of the
present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (WCED, 1987).
This definition implicitly highlights the tension between the crucial concepts of human needs and limits,
and sets out the principles of intergenerational and intragenerational equity. Emphasis is given to the
essential needs of the worlds poor because poverty and resource disparities are seen as significant
causes of environmental ruin. The notion of limits requires that humans must moderate demand on
natural systems in spite of their immediate needs. Overpopulation effectively increases demand on
natural systems, thus placing constant detrimental pressure on the environment.
Sustainable development is a multi-faceted concept, and its meaning is often contested. Several
different versions of sustainable development have emerged. The continuum of sustainability levels
varies according to the ways in which human and environmental resources are valued. The amount and
degree of substitutability of human capital for natural capital is controversial. Very strong sustainability
assumes no substitutability. All elements of natural capital must be preserved. Strong sustainability only
allows for the depletion of natural capital when it is compensated for through rejuvenating processes
such as reforestation, or by social improvements. Weak sustainability conserves certain critical natural
processes deemed essential to life, such as rainforests, but allows for substitution of other types of
natural capital. Finally, very weak sustainability assumes infinite substitutability so that declining natural
resources are compensated for by human capital. The flexibility suggested by such a wide range of
definitions makes sustainability an often challenging policy objective, which is made only more difficult
in times of overpopulation.
Ideally, sustainable development widens choices for all people, while preserving the environmental
systems on which all life depends. The Brundtland Report directed attention to the wider political and
social issues that exist within the context of sustainability. Similar to other political views, such as
justice, sustainable development is a positive force with broad boundaries. The cornerstones of
sustainable development are the principles of democracy and equitable distribution. An atmosphere of
active participation and democracy is conducive to sound policy. It is vital that all interests, whether
poor or rich, participate in planning and decision-making.
The Brundtland Report also highlights another important relationship: ecology and economy are ever
more interwoven locally, regionally, nationally, and globally into a seamless net of causes and
effects (WCED, 1987). The struggle to survive in the poorest countries inflicts huge pressures on
natural resources. Agricultural development programs have effectively promoted the production of
harsh cash crops in order to optimally increase foreign earnings. Production of cash crops, at the
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expense of food security, creates havoc on precious land. The resulting resource depletion perpetuates
a downward spiral of impoverishment by forcing more people onto fragile lands. This spiral is
accentuated in the Philippines, where the combination of overpopulation and scarce land led to
uncontrolled deforestation (CIA, 2006). The result has been erosion, water shortages, and extreme
poverty, much of which is irreversible. Poverty hinders the ability to use natural resources in a
sustainable manner. A world in which poverty is endemic will always be prone to ecological and other
catastrophes (WCED, 1987).
Sustainable development is concerned with identifying environmental limits, meeting basic needs, and
equity. By highlighting a complex system of political, social, economic, and environmental trade-offs,
the Brundtland Report taught us to analyse sustainable development not as a static structure, but as a
dynamic process. The economy and the environment are mutually interdependent. Unfortunately, a
thriving and sustainable environment is challenged by a world marked by overpopulation.
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Evaluate the Examples

Aspect of Writing
RHIYA
OVERPOPULATION
Clear Objective
Good Organisation
Correct Spelling,
Grammar and Punctuation
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Discussion
RHIYA
The objective is pretty clear, and it does a good job of summarising through short paragraphs, each
with a specific focus. The paragraphs themselves begin with their conclusions before giving the main
points. The use of lists is also effective in breaking up some of the longer ideas.
Theres no unnecessary detail here, just the main points. Obviously, it doesnt include support for all the
points made, as that is what the main body of the report will do. In some places, however, sentences do
get pretty long and cause some strain for the reader.
This is partly due to terminology, but also in some cases simpler language could be used to make the
flow of writing smoother. However, this is a serious report. Perhaps its one of those cases where we
have to use language to reflect the importance of what we are writing about. (Actually, this is the draft
version. The final version is much more dense and technical.)
Everything is accurate.
Overpopulation and Sustainable Development
Actually, this is a piece of academic writing, so its rather unfair to use our professional writing criteria
here.
From the point of view of organisation, then, its very scientific. It builds up each paragraph and draws
its conclusions for example It is vital that all interests, whether poor or rich, participate in planning
and decision-making at the end of each. While this is appropriate in most academic contexts, it can
be time consuming for readers.
Similarly, the academic show how much you know style means that the reader is presented with a lot
of information that she probably already knows.
The authors use of vocabulary and grammar is also very advanced. However, the frequent use of long
sentences and complex words affects the readers concentration.
The language is appropriate in the academic context, but this text would be hard for most lay people to
easily follow. The terminology can stay, but a lot of other language could be simplified to improve
understanding.
Everything is accurate.
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The Writing Process

Lets clarify something here. Reporting is a complex process with many steps. However, sitting at a
screen typing is not reporting thats just one stage, and its called drafting. Drafting is a mechanical
activity. You dont need to think, you just follow your plan. You do have a plan, dont you? Perhaps we
need to backtrack here.
Before I learned how to write professionally, I
used to write and think at the same time. I was
always in a hurry to get my thoughts down before
they escaped. Whats the expression? Ready,
Fire, Aim.
It certainly felt productive, but I also knew it
wasnt the most efficient way to get my message
across to the best of my ability. And while sitting
at a screen was OK for composing my thoughts
in short letters and mails, I definitely faced some
difficulties and stress when trying to get my
reports to work.
Problems included frustration, false starts,
wasted effort and time. A typical session at the
keyboard would be something like this:
Sit down at the computer and open a

new document or template
Stare at the screen
Type a few phrases
Delete a few phrases
Do nothing
Wait for the first line to come
Look out of the window
Type a few sentences
Read through whats been written so far
Make a few changes
Continue writing
Keep stopping every few lines to:
Change words
Correct spelling
Insert sentences
Delete sentences
Take a break for coffee
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As soon as we decide the purpose in writing, our thoughts start flowing automatically. Ideas occur to us
in no order at all, often unrelated to the topic. However much we know about our topic, this is
uncontrollable. We are writing, we are thinking about what to say, we are thinking about how to say it,
and we are editing our ideas all at the same time. It is like a team trying to achieve its objectives with
each member pulling in a different direction. All this costs us time, effort and patience, creates stress
and leads to writing which does not represent the best that we can do.
The readers problems will be more important: she can waste time and effort trying to extract the
message and, in some cases, may miss the point altogether.
In all professional writing we suggest that you approach writing as four distinct tasks in the following
order:
Analysis
Planning
Drafting
Editing
This programme covers all of the steps.
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Analysis
This stage follows the earlier
stages of setting evaluation
objectives and selecting data
gathering methods. In the
analysis stage we follow three
steps. Firstly, we read through
everything, while bearing our
evaluation objectives / purpose in
writing in mind. Next we break it
down, try to classify or find some
sort of structure for the evidence
we have gathered. Finally, we
synthesise the data into a
complete framework and look for
linkages and crosscutting issues.
Sounds complicated? Actually,
none of it is as long as you
follow the steps in order. Dont
worry about drawing conclusions.
Analysis is simply using a few tools to look at the data we have from enough perspectives that we
understand it well enough and especially the significance of the findings so that we can
communicate these to our readers. Conclusions dont have to be looked for if you follow the steps
the conclusions will usually come and find you.
Planning
This stage typically doesnt take
long. Here we decide what to
include, what to leave out, and
how to organise our ideas. We will
also consider in Module Two
(Setting Objectives) how to work
with fixed report formats.
Referring back to our original
purpose in reporting helps us
here, and analysing the SubjectPurpose- Reader (SPR) will help
us in getting the language and
style right as well. We may want
to add Reader Profiling to our
planning tools, especially if we are
writing for publication. This is all
fully discussed in Module Four.
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Drafting
We can sum up the drafting stage in three
words: Follow the plan. At this stage you
shouldnt be getting any new insights, and
your plan will be pretty clear about what you
want to say and how you want to organise it.
You dont need to worry about spelling,
language and grammar too much they can
be refined at the final stage. Just follow the
plan.
Editing
Theres a lot more to editing than just
running a spell checker. In the final module
we discuss how to check for clear
objectives, good organisation, and for flow
of ideas, appropriate language and style.
Finally, you are going to need to proofread
your report or get someone to proofread
for you.
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Endnote
Weve reached the end of this first module, and you will by now have grasped a few important points.
First of all, writing is a process, and drafting your report the actual writing part is just one stage of
that process. As writers we need to think / analyse and plan before drafting, and resist editing until after
we have followed the plan. You may also have revised your opinion of what Professional Writing really
is. Forget those dense, technical reports and writers who impress you with their vocabulary: theres a lot
more to writing well than manipulating language and sending your readers to the dictionary every five
minutes.
Before anything else, Professional Writing is about creating action and achieving your purpose in
writing simply and efficiently. To do this, we need to organise our ideas well and present these clearly
and briefly. It will also help if we select language our reader can easily understand; use a style that isnt
too dry; and ensure the resulting writing is correct. After all, everything we write sends a message to
others about who we are.
The following modules will take you, step by step, through this reporting process, from setting
evaluation objectives to proofreading your work. Along the way you will acquire a useful toolkit that you
can apply for many purposes.
The upcoming modules are as follows:
Module Two covers the preparatory phase of the investigation: setting your research and
evaluation objectives and selecting the methods to gather data.
Module Three moves into analysing and interpreting information. We will look at how to
interpret statistics in charts and tables; and then walk through the three steps of data analysis:
read everything, break it down and then synthesise. We will present and you will practise some
useful tools which will make analysing data both straightforward and enjoyable.
In Module Four we cover the planning stage of the process. Here you will learn how to analyse
your Subject, Reader and Purpose, as well as how to build a profile of your reader and plan a
structure for the report.
Modules Five and Six form the core writing skills part of the programme. In Module Five we
cover the skill of how to write clearly so that your writing is easy to follow and your message
stands out. As in all the modules, there are frequent tasks and discussions as well as
explanations of each point. The sixth module looks at organisation of writing. Here you will
learn not just the basic principles, but also how to draft paragraphs that comunicate your
analysis effectively.
Module Seven takes the practical work to a new level. With the case study introduced in
Module Two and developed throughout the programme, you get an opportunity to apply all the
tools practised so far. We walk you through the process of transforming the analysis and the
plan into well- organised and effective writing.
The final module completes this programme as we look at finishing off the report. Areas
covered include drafting the summary, creating the cover page, style and language, the editing
process and proofreading.
Theres a lot to cover and we suggest you try not to finish the programme too quickly. Set yourself a
schedule where you can cover a major section of each module every few days. Even in a workshop
setting the course can be quite an intensive five days, and this programme contains a lot more than is
covered in a typical course probably around 80 hours work.
And remember to enjoy the process. Writing badly is hard work. Writing well is easy and, as one
training participant said, I used to be afraid of writing, but now its fun. This is something I fully agree
with. The challenge of the reporting process, if approached with a clear method and equipped with the
right tools, should be an enjoyable, creative and satisfying exercise. So, please, forget about your fear
of writing and relax and enjoy the programme.
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The Reporting Skills and Professional Writing Handbook

ELD Publications 2008

1: Introduction: Professional Writing and the Writing

ELD Publications 2008

Self Assessment Task

Look at your current strengths and weaknesses.

ELD Publications 2008

Strengths and Challenges

My strengths as a writer are:

My areas for improvement are:

ELD Publications 2008

What is Professional Writing?

Why is it important to write well?

What makes writing effective?

How professional writing differs from more traditional, academic writing

One surprising benefit of writing in a professional style

What is Professional Writing?

Why is it important to write well?

What makes writing effective?

ELD Publications 2008

What is Professional Writing?

Help your reader decide on action

Why is it Important to Write Well?

ELD Publications 2008

What Makes Writing Effective?

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Writing Sends a Message

We do not hide behind terminology

Modern, Relaxed Style

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Breaking social barriers on SRH issues

ELD Publications 2008

ELD Publications 2008

ELD Publications 2008

ELD Publications 2008

Evaluate the Examples

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ELD Publications 2008

The Writing Process

Sit down at the computer and open a

Stare at the screen

Type a few phrases

Delete a few phrases

Wait for the first line to come

Look out of the window

Type a few sentences

Read through whats been written so far

Make a few changes

Keep stopping every few lines to:

Take a break for coffee

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This programme covers all of the steps.

ELD Publications 2008

ELD Publications 2008

ELD Publications 2008

ELD Publications 2008

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