Professional and Technical Writing/Reports
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[edit] Composing Business Reports
Business reports are used as a way of communicating to other businesses and investors the successes and future plans of the company. Therefore, business reports are essential to every company. Typically, a business report will start with a formal introduction that states a problem the business aims to solve. Then, the body of the report gives facts and hypothesis as to how these problem/s will be solved. The conclusion will tie up all loose ends and give goals to be reached in future business ventures.
[edit] Writing A Business Report
When writing a business report, it is important to keep in mind the following tips:
- Know the audience that will be reading the report.
- Use a professional business style that is void of personal opinion.
- Include as much factual information as possible to prove your statements.
- Organize this factual data in easy-to-read charts and graphs.
- Keep all sections well-organized and easily-navigable.
[edit] Audience
The audience of the report should be identified early in the writing process. An audience's background, knowledge, and need for the information need to be characterized for the report to be usable. Further questions as to why the audience needs this information should also be identified. What circumstances brought about the need for this information? In answering these questions early within the writing process, the author will be able to anticipate questions the reader will have.
[edit] Purpose
Remember when compiling a business report that it needs to hold the interest of the reader. To accomplish this goal, one must be attentive to the overall design. There should be enough factual information to make the report credible, but not so much dry, technical language as to lose the reader on the first page. By interspersing charts, graphs, and pictures, the author will increase the likelihood that the report will hold the readers’ interest.
It is always a smart move to begin the report with an eye-catching picture or question. This can persuade the reader to read further to find the answer or to see how the picture fits into the overall report. After this it is important to include factual data. If possible, ask questions of the reader throughout. This allows the reader to become more involved in the overall process, which keeps their attention. A business report should be written assuming the reader has no knowledge of the company because these reports are read by those in and out of the organization. Business reports should have a cohesive message so readers to not draw incorrect conclusions.
[edit] Graphics
A report should include graphics. Graphics are visual descriptions of information that should be easily understood by the reader. Examples of graphics are pie charts, bar graphs, trend graphs, and pictures. If good graphics can not be manufactured for the report, the topic may need tweaking.
[edit] Factual Detail
A good report includes factual details that support the purpose of the report. Keep the reader in mind when selecting these details because too many technical details may be over the reader's head. The details should support the purpose of the report and be necessary for the reader to be persuaded.
[edit] Informational Sources
Several informational sources should be used within a report. Along with books and articles found in the library, one can also use surveys, interviews, and professional brochures as informational sources.
[edit] Documentation
Information borrowed from another source needs to be cited. Variations of citation methods can be used for the report. The most important part is making sure to do it.
