Report Writing Skills
The ability to write good reports is critical to success in business and accurate inter-departmental information flow. This programme teaches people to write concise, easy-to-read, and professional technical and general reports for any business context. Participants will apply the skills practically throughout the programme, and should ideally use examples of their own business reports, to ensure application in their work and achievement of individually required outcomes. By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Write strategic, results-orientated reports
- Write persuasively and concisely, using correct expression and convincing language
- Reduce the negativity surrounding report-writing
Who Should Attend:
Any person who writes regular or occasional reports of any description, including professionals, consultants, engineers, managers, business owners and admin. staff.
Course Duration:
1 day or 2 days, depending on the level of language enhancement required.
Programme Outcomes:
1. Introduction
- Understanding the various purposes of reports
- Skills needed to write good reports
- The Stages of Report-Writing
- The importance of a good brief
2. Planning and Organising Reports
- Pre-writing and planning questions
- Using mind-mapping to plan reports
- Collecting and organising information
- The Content of the Typical Report
o Preliminaries
o The body of the report
o Ending off - Incorporating graphics into reports
3. Language and Tone in Report-Writing
- Choosing the appropriate tone
- Sentence and paragraph structure
- Common punctuation and grammar errors
- Language guidelines for reports
- Developing accuracy and objectivity
- Distinguishing fact from opinion
- Recording and interpreting facts in correct, simple, concise language
- Stating information in a positive way
- Ensuring readability and avoiding ambiguity
- Clear and appropriate visual layout
- Arranging information in a logical sequence
- Conclusions and recommendations that generate action