Report writing

Principles of report writing

Establish the purpose of the report

It is important to be clear in your mind as to who will read the report and why they will be reading it, eg a report on a leaking roof so that the owner may have expert advice on the cause and a remedy, or a report on an historic building, so that the owner may be assisted in deciding to demolish or not demolish. Keep the objective in mind.

Identify relevant information

In collecting information prior to the writing of a report, the writer should filter out irrelevant material at that early stage. Remember that you have an objective and that you are looking for specific information on a particular topic.

Assemble the information in a logical sequence

The logical and accepted order for reports is to progress from introductory material, through a discussion of facts and evidence to a reasonable conclusion – which may include recommendations if that is part of the objective. In arranging your material, again consider relevance.

Adopt a format which presents your material systematically

There should be a rational division of the report into separate parts and subdivisions. The reader's overview will be aided by good use of headings, subheadings, spaces, numbering of pages and parts, references and cross-references, underlining, changes of typeface, page layout, etc. It is usual to include an executive summary up front, which encapsulates the essence of the report and briefly summarises the key points and conclusions.

The report should be a visual and physical communication tool to convey mental images, ideas and messages. The closer the reader's understanding of the report is to the writer's, the more successful it has been. The physical form of the report should also assist the reader's understanding. It is important to determine at an early stage what the report will look like on the inside – not just on the cover.

Use clear, unambiguous language

Good language skills and use of plain English are essential in the verbal presentation of information in reports. Such skills include recognising and avoiding ambiguity, selecting the right words, using punctuation to advantage, economising in the use of words, assembling sentences and ensuring the report flows logically to meet its objectives.

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Parts of a report

A report generally has three main sections, which can each be subdivided into smaller parts.

Section 1 - Cover and preliminary pages

Cover

This has two functions: it must protect the report physically; and it must also provide filing information accessible without opening the report, which would usually include a title, the author's name and date.

Letter of transmittal

A report is usually accompanied by a letter of transmittal which can be incorporated into the front section of the report. This is addressed to the person(s) who authorised or requested the report. It formally records the conveyance of the report.

If a report has been prepared by a group, it is usual to explain in the letter how the group operates, how many meetings they had, etc. In such cases it is sometimes also stated whether the conclusions and recommendations are unanimously or otherwise given.

Title and title page

The title must be the correct title if it has been provided by others. If the writer has to decide on the title then it should be appropriate and address the following questions:

• What: is it an analysis, a study, a review, an investigation or what?
• Of what: attitudes or densities or investment options or weather-resistant properties or what?
• Where: in south-east Australia or Darwin or Kangaroo Island or where?
• When: this year or in the future?

For example, An Analysis of Weather-Resistant Properties of Bamboo in Cocos Island Houses in 2012.

The title page should provide, in addition to the title, the authorship, the authority for the report, a date, and, if for more than one recipient, a list of persons to whom it is addressed or distributed. 

Table of contents

A table of contents helps the reader to have an overview of the whole structure of the report, to see the pattern of presentation and to locate the various parts. It must be accurate. Headings should match precisely the headings in the text. Page numbers must be given. It need not show all the subheadings used in the text – an over-detailed table of contents can be confusing.

Executive Summary

This should enable the reader to grasp the essence of the report quickly and without having to read the whole document. It should summarise the purpose and scope of the report (in that order), the most important findings and any recommendations. Generally, this is the first and most-often read part of the report; it should not be longer than one page and it should summarise more than just the conclusions.

It is usually easiest to write the summary after everything else is written, even though it usually appears near the front of the report.

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Section 2 - Body of the report

Introduction

Every report needs an introduction which leads the reader into the subject matter in as natural and as interesting a way as possible. Remember that some potential readers may have no knowledge of, or little personal interest, in the topic.

The introduction should reveal why the report exists and explain the scope of the report and all known omissions and assumptions which were made in the course of establishing the scope.

State any intentional limitations, eg 'This report does not refer to economics of design solutions', define any special terms of a technical nature which a reader is not likely to know (a glossary of terms may be included) and disclose the sources of information used.

Information reported

This part is the real reason for the report. It is the culmination of all the preparation and other tasks by the author and is where the reader should find:

• evidence, facts, findings, results of investigations, descriptions of procedures used – especially any new procedures
• discussion which analyses, interprets and evaluates evidence and findings in the light of stated objectives
• nothing irrelevant to those objectives.

Because of the importance of this part, it should set out all the above information logically and in clear language. A means of testing this is to invite another person, preferably a disinterested party, to read it in draft form and give an opinion on its structure, sequence and sense. In final form, it should always be proofread very carefully.

Conclusion

The conclusion should flow naturally from the evidence and information presented. It should not introduce new material. If a conclusion cannot genuinely be drawn from the material, then there is something wrong, either with the material or the manner in which it has been presented or no such conclusion should be drawn else it undermines the credibility of the report. If this is the case, the writer should re-trace some steps and review the assembled material. If the writer really cannot draw a conclusion (or the right conclusion), it is unreasonable to expect a reader to do so. It is always worth remembering that apart from confidential reports, they may find their way into the hands of others you did not envisage as recipients.

Recommendation(s)

Recommendations should be given if they are requested by the person who commissioned the report. In other cases, discretion must be used by the report writer.

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Section 3 - Appendices, references and supporting documents

Appendices

In order to keep your report concise and to a reasonable length, some of the supporting information – especially graphs and tables – may be included as appendices.

References

These may be listed at the foot of a relevant page in a report or in a single list at the end of the report. In either case, there must be a number or other identification symbol in the text to correspond with the identification symbol in the footnote or list.

There are a number of referencing methods in use which can be studied in a variety of publications. Having adopted a system, you should then be consistent and make sure that all the referenced sources are correctly identified.

Bibliography

A bibliography can also be included to provide a reading list of sources consulted and referenced.

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Further reading

Commonwealth of Australia (2022) Style manual, Australian Government Style Manual website. 

Kliment, S (1998) Writing for design professionals, A guide to writing successful proposals, letters, brochures, portfolios, reports, presentations and job applications for architects, engineers and interior designers. WW Norton & Co.

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