Report Writing

Checklist 051

Introduction
Reports are a standard management tool with many managers needing to write them frequently. However,
although managers are expected to write reports, they are often not provided with any training to do so.
Writing a good report can be the difference between achieving your objective or failing to achieve it. An
effective report can contribute to business success, therefore impressing your superiors as well as improving
possible career prospects.

A clear and well presented report can greatly assist in the process of planning and decision making. But a
report that is badly structured, uses inappropriate language and is not well presented may confuse the
reader and prejudice the outcome. A report must keep the needs of the readership clearly in mind. A long-
winded and lengthy document is unlikely to be welcome. A good structure with clear conclusions and/or
recommendations plus a summary is vital if an effective report is to be produced.

The basic guidelines for report writing are the same whatever type of report you are writing, whether it be a
research report, staff appraisal report, accident report, standard monthly report or any other type of report.

This checklist looks at the key stages of successful report writing and is intended both for those new to report
writing and for experienced report writers who wish to improve their current style.

Definition
Reports are written, or oral, statements analysing a particular issue, incident, or situation, usually with
conclusions drawn and some form of recommendation for future action.

Action checklist
1. Defining the purpose/objectives of the report

Putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) is not the way to start the report writing process. It is necessary
to plan what you are going to produce if you want it to be an effective document. In preparing for the actual
writing process you should consider:

the terms of reference (definition of the task) or precise purpose of the report
the reason why the report is needed
who will be reading the report
the type of report it should be
the scope of the subject that is to be covered
the time scale.

It is important to identify the readership since this will help you pitch the report at the correct level. Is the
person who requested the report the primary reader? Who else will see the report? How much do they know
about the subject already? What do they need to know about the subject? What do they not need to know
about the subject? What are their expectations of the report?

Approaches used in report writing depend on individual circumstance. A report outlining a specific proposal
may not need to address counter-arguments, whereas another type of report may need to present evidence
and opinion on a range of different options.
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Be sure to establish the objectives in your own terms so that you are clear about what is to be achieved.
Taking a few minutes at the start of the process to think about the objectives may save you hours of work
later.

2. Gathering and organising the information

With most reports you will not have all the information needed to hand, so some form of research or data
collection will be required. You will need to:

decide what information you need

collect the material
collate and organise the information.

This may entail identifying and reading other reports, interviewing people, carrying out primary research or
drawing together data from a number of different locations. Gathering too much information is not a bad fault;
gathering too little definitely is - but bear in mind what you want the information for, otherwise you can bury
yourself in a mound of data.

3. Structure your report

Analyse the information you have gathered in order to identify what is most important and what provides
supporting evidence. To achieve this you should refer back to your objectives and your readership.

Once you have decided on the content of your report, you need to determine the order in which to present
the information. To work out a logical order, it is helpful to organise your information into themes or to group
individual pieces of information together under common headings. A well-planned structure can save you a
lot of work, avoiding explanatory notes referring to other parts of the report, making it easier for writer and
reader alike. Restructure the report if the order does not seem logical and if it fails to convey the message
you want.

Plan the layout of your report following the house style of your organisation if applicable. A simple framework
can form the basis of most reports. This can be adapted for particular circumstances. A report can be set out
using the following elements, although it may not be necessary to use them all:

title or title page (inc. the date)

executive summary/summary (inc. a summary of the conclusions or recommendations)
contents list
introduction (this sets the scene by giving the background to the report and should include terms of
reference and the methodology)
main body of the report
conclusions
recommendations
references or bibliography
supplementary evidence/appendices (including full tables and graphics that would obstruct the
reading of the main report)

A shorter report may not need to include a title page, but should have a title. Only longer reports are likely to
need a contents list. A summary is useful in any report of more than a couple of pages. It should provide the
reader with the main messages in case they do not have time to read the whole report.

4. Write the report

Once all the information has been collected, sorted, checked and organised, it must then be translated into a
readable report.

Put the report together initially as a draft, using your objectives to guide you. It may be helpful to write the
report in a single sitting so that you retain your original train of thought. The deadline provided will help focus
your mind.

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Tips for writing the report:

write as you speak, but avoid slang/jargon/clichés

avoid complicated language that your reader will not understand - when transferring the spoken word
on to paper we can overcomplicate sentences, therefore, adapt your style to accommodate the
readership so that the report does not lose its clarity or effect
start a new paragraph each time there is a new line of thought - a straight body of text with no or few
paragraph breaks or white space is likely to be daunting to the reader
avoid long and complex sentences - use short words and phrases for conciseness and clarity
include only the information the reader needs to know
utilise technical terms only where they are unavoidable or where you are sure that your audience will
understand them - a glossary may be required to assist your readers
use bullet points/numbering where appropriate to emphasise, or summarise information, but do not
overuse them.

Senior managers and decision makers will want a report on a specific proposal to provide them with a simple
decision: do we do it or don’t we? In general terms the person who wrote the report is considered to be the
best person to draw conclusions and make recommendations. Conclusions are not a needless repetition but
a necessary reminder of the main points of the report and allow the reader to avoid the necessity of flicking
back and forth through the report to check. Points are most appropriately made using numbers or bullets.

Recommendations should not be omitted. If the conclusion is that nothing is wrong or should be changed,
then it is important to state that no action is necessary at this stage. Recommendations may not need to be
more than a simple statement but multiple recommendations should be summarised. Recommendations
should be achievable, should include a time-scale for completion and be listed in order of importance. Be
prepared to accept responsibility for the recommendations when signing the report.

Graphics including line graphs, bar graphs, pie charts, pictographs, and illustrations, such as flow charts and
photographs, as well as tables of data, are invaluable for expressing complex information. They should be
formatted with care, clearly numbered and titled and introduced within the text. If the graphic is included to
help explain a key point it should be placed as close to that point as possible. If it is supplied for
documentary support it can be placed in the appendices at the end of the report.

5. Review what you have written

Always allow time to review what you have written in order to make any necessary amendments. Most
reports need to be completed by a specific time or within a stated time-period, so aim to have it completed a
day or so prior to its submission. It is not recommended that the report is reviewed immediately following its
writing. Revising the document a day or two later can be more effective as the ideas will still be clear in your
mind, but you will have been able to take a step back from it. This will assist you in critically analysing what
you have written.

Take time to consider whether the report says what you want it to say. Be sure to check that:

it fully covers your objectives

it is readable - if necessary make use of such techniques as Gunning's Fog Index or the Flesch
Reading Ease Scale
your conclusions sufficiently differentiate between those drawn from information presented in the
report and your own personal comments
recommendations for future action are based on the report findings.

In addition:

check the overall structure of the report, particularly any cross-references

check spelling, punctuation and grammar
ask a colleague to proof-read the report and to consider issues such as ease of understanding,
structure, persuasiveness, clarity and objectivity.

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any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the
prior permission of the publisher.
6. Printing and submission

First impressions are vital and the presentation of the report will be the first thing the reader notices. There
are two aims to the presentation of the report:

to make it look readable

to make it look organised.

Your readers will associate you personally with the qualities they attribute to the report. Therefore, if you
want them to see you as organised and professional, these are the qualities you need to apply to your report.

House style may dictate how your report should be printed. If you do not have a house style, consider the
following when looking at the layout of your report:

font and size of type

spacing and margins
justification of lines and paragraphs
page numbering
presentation of titles and headings
numbered sections
starting each section on a new page (advisable for longer reports)
colours if you have graphics (and potential printing costs)
binding (for example, stapled together, spiral or ring, treasury tags, etc).

Finally, check how many copies of the report are required and aim to submit the report ahead of schedule or
distribute it accordingly.

Managers should avoid

providing incomplete information

writing with a lack of clarity
making the report unnecessarily long
omitting relevant but sensitive or inconvenient information
including irrelevant information
conveying a lack of confidence in what you are trying to put across
making it too technical
submitting it late.

Additional resources
Books

Executive writing skills for managers: master word power to lead your teams, make strategic links
and develop relationships, Fiona Talbot,
London: Kogan Page, 2009

Business writing: a guide to doing it well, Rev.ed., Sidney Callis,

Cirencester: Management Books 2000, 2008

The report report, Alasdair Drysdale

Cirencester: Management Books 2000, 2004

Report writing in a week, 3rd ed, Katherine Heritage

London: Hodder and Stoughton, 2003

Read this: business writing that works, Robert Gentle

Harlow: Pearson Education, 2002

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in
any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the
prior permission of the publisher.
Write in style: a guide to good English, 2nd ed, Richard Palmer
London: Routledge, 2002

Dissertation skills for business and management students, Brian White

London: Cassell, 2000

How to write proposals and reports that get results: master the skills of business writing, Ros Jay
London: Prentice Hall, 2000

This is a selection of books available for loan to members from CMI’s library. More information at:
www.managers.org.uk/library

Internet Resources
Plain English Campaign www.plainenglish.co.uk
A useful free guides section includes ‘How to write reports in plain English.’

This is one of many checklists available to all CMI members. For more information please contact

t: 01536 204222 e: enquiries@managers.org.uk w: www.managers.org.uk

Chartered Management Institute

Management House, Cottingham Road, Corby NN17 1TT.

This publication is for general guidance only. The publisher and expert contributors disclaim all liability for
any errors or omissions. You should make appropriate inquiries and seek appropriate advice before making
any business, legal or other decisions. Where legal or regulatory frameworks or references are mentioned
these relate to the UK only.

Revised March 2011

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in
any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the
prior permission of the publisher.