WRITING VALUE

ADDED REPORTS

What is a report?
A report is an organized body of information that
provides one or more people inside or outside an
organization (Lehman, et. al, 1999) some data or
facts needed in planning or operating an activity
in the corporate world.

Purpose of a Report
1.
2.
3.
4.

To research on a feasibility of a project

To interpret information gathered
To evaluate certain business developments
To account periodically or occasionally for the status or
progress of an activity or project being undertaken
5. To justify the undertaking of some business or technical
activities
6. To present the routine and non-routine activities
undertaken

The Report Writing Process

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Decide on the 'Terms of reference

Decide on the procedure
Gather information
Decide on the structure
Draft the first part of your report
Analyze your findings and draw conclusions

The Report Writing Process

7. Make recommendations
8. Draft the executive summary and table of contents
9. Compile a reference list
10. Revise your draft report
11. Finalize your report

Step 1: Decide on the 'Terms of

Reference
The 'terms of reference' is the section where
thepurposeof the report or the problem it addresses is
explained , and who authorized it.
This is how to start:

1. Read the request for a report.

2. Find out the purpose of the report.
3. Reread the request or instructions and then answer these
questions: What exactly is required? Why is it required?
When is it required? Who requires it?

Step 2: Decide on the

procedure
Decide on the procedure you'll follow, i.e.planyour
investigation, or research, and how you'll write the report.

Step 3: Gather information

Find the information you need.
Document what you find.
Make sure the information you find is relevant and
appropriate.

Step 4: Decide on the

structure
All reports are divided into sections; they have a similar
structure (or format) but some details may differ. How
they differ usually depends on:

The type of report.

The length of the report.

Step 5: Draft the first part of

your report
Use the structure you've decided on, write the headings
down, and start filling in the gaps, i.e. draft the first part of
your report. By now you should be able to draft the
1.
2.
3.

Terms of reference
Procedure
Findings

Depending on the type of report you are writing, you may

also wish to include photos, tables or graphs to make your
report more readable and/or easier to follow.

Step 6: Analyze your findings

and draw conclusions
This is the part where you interpret the information you
have found.
The conclusions must be based on your findings.

Step 7: Make
recommendations
Remember:
1. Your recommendations must be based logically on your
conclusions.
2. Recommendations should be ordered from most to least
important.
3. Recommendations are usually written as a numbered list.

Step 8: Draft the executive summary and table of

contents

Anexecutive summary, sometimes known as

amanagement summary, is a short document or section
of a document, which summarizes a longer report or
proposal or a group of related reports in such a way that
readers can rapidly become acquainted with a large body
of material without having to read it all.

Step 9: Compile a reference

list
Sources of information
Appendices
Bibliographies

Step 10: Revise your draft

report
Add or Remove
Rearrange or rewrite sections and paragraphs

Step 11: Finalize your report

Check that the wording of each chapter/section/subheading is

clear and accurate.

Check that you have adhered to the instructions in your report
regarding format and presentation.
Check for consistency in numbering of chapters, sections and
appendices.
Make sure that all your sources are acknowledged and correctly
referenced.
You will need to proof read your report for errors of spelling or
grammar.