Writing Reports: The basics

© Ross Woods, rev. Jul. 2012

Start by clarifying the purpose of your report as best you can. The purpose will often become clearer as you write several drafts and process your thoughts, so don't worry if it's not perfect in your first draft.

• Accountability is about reporting what has already happened. This is fairly easy; just get the basics right.
• Decision-making is about looking at the future. Suggesting change is fairly easy to do. It is usually much more difficult to look at trends to forecast changed environments and to anticipate them with responses. The Delphi technique is quite helpful if your data is people's personal observations. (See more on the Delphi technique. Link opens new window)

Your organization

1. Check that they really want the report. (It’s no use writing it if they don’t want it.)
2. Check exactly what it is that needs to be reported on.
3. If you’re writing for a meeting, make sure it gets on the agenda.
4. Does you organization have a standard or required format?
5. Comply with any confidentiality requirements.
6. Whose intellectual property will the report be?

Language

1. Use simple, concise, formal language.
2. Be objective, balanced and fair. (People spot bias quite easily.)
3. Check your facts.
4. Decision-makers don’t want unnecessary academic verbiage, but they will usually want a good idea of the factors that shaped your proposal, including an honest statement of any risks or dangers and your response to them.
5. Be accurate, but don’t be too simplistic. Briefly qualify your statements if necessary. Your recommendations appear weak if you oversimplify or over-generalize.

Different parts of the report

1. Give it a clear title and put your name and the date on it.
2. State simply the basic background facts early so you’re all on the same page. It might seem too obvious to you, but it might not be obvious to everybody else. (E.g. purposes, basic principles, historical background on the issue, etc.)
3. Express your main points very clearly, briefly, and accurately. If you can’t say each one in about six words, you probably don’t understand it well enough yourself.
4. Put the main points in an order that makes sense to the readers, not just to you.
5. State your recommendations or conclusions clearly and simply.
6. If you must go over two pages, put a brief summary at the beginning. Most people just need the main points and don’t need to slave over the details.

Developing the document

1. If possible and if confidentiality factors permit, have someone (or several others) check your drafts. They might interpret it differently from you. Besides, they’ll probably discuss it with you and you’ll give you early feedback on your ideas, not just your presentation. People feel privileged to get a preview and it can help win over people. But be careful not to be manipulative.
2. Go through several drafts if necessary, but don’t polish it too much that you’re just wasting time. It’s the law of diminishing returns.
3. Typing and layout need to look professional. It should look good, but don’t overdo the glitz. You want people to take the substance seriously.
4. File it afterwards. (Even a rejected idea might one day be useful.)