Why is a report important?
- Preparing budgets
- Obtaining new business
- Proposing official changes
2 definitions of a report?
- A formal or official presentation of facts
2. To represent w conclusions and recommendations
6 main stages in report writing ?
- Objectives - establish the brief
- Content - Gather and organise data
- Structure - Creating a clear argument, logical flow
- Writing - choose writing style. Accuracy, Concise, clear
- Layout - Create an attractive document but relevant
- Pacakaging and delivery - completing the process
What questions to consider while considering the “Objective” step of report writing?
Purpose?
Context?
What type of doc?
Audience?
What questions to consider while considering the “Content” step of report writing?
Source material? Organise my material Focus on key issues Structure argument Identify visual evidence
What questions to consider while considering the “Packaging and Delivery” step of report writing?
Final reflection
Delivery method
Follow-Up
3 things Objective consists of?
- Purpose
- Scope
- Generic Purpose
Explain Purpose in objectives ?
Framing of question is the most imp. process of all!
Why are you writing this?
a.Why does this issue warrant a report?
b.What will report produce
Explain Scope in objectives ?
What is in and what is out?
Better to deep than broad
Explain Generic Purpose in objectives ?
Why is a report needed?
- Monitor operations
- Help implement policies
- Obtain new funding
- Comply w legal funding requirements
- Document work progress
- Guide decisions on particular issues
- Analyse and interpret
Other reasons for writing reports? (Generic Purpose)
- To delay a decision that could be taken on available evidence
- Add bureaucracy and red tape that already limits us
- Provide marginally useful info., for competitiveness
- Demonstrate our own abilities as part of a learning programme
Regardless of reasons/generic purpose must always as yourself and the person who commissioned the docs?
- What is the general purpose?
- Exactly what do you want to know that we already don’t
- What is report to achieve
- What is scope of report
What kind of document is needed?
See page 21 in notes
Who are the readers?
Know the purpose of these readers as they vary.
Keep in mind the important readers
If 2 parallel audiences there may be a conflict to resolve but do not make 2 reports its a waste of time.
Who are your secondary readers?
Effect on them.
Careful with blame, remarks and justifications
What do you know about your readers?
Attitude, Motivation, level of knowledge, want to know, unfavourable to you?
Don’t overuse TLAs - over frustrating for ppl who are unfamiliar w the subject
When you think of readership consider (4 things)?
Level in org
Background (attitudes, culture, values)
Views on subject of report
Outlook (subjective/objective)?
How to read reports? (8 points)
Not word to word Title (Topic) Author (credibility) How substantial? Where to start? This section is interesting More detail? Look at appendices and signpost them Agree with the report
Details on Content of report.
- Report must convey something reader doesn’t already know
- Report only as good as the factual material within it
- Start gathering data early - long process
Key factors to consider to gauge amount of research needed?
- Importance of report
- Overall objective
- Time/resources available
- Level of detail required
4 Types of research purposes?
Exploratory Descriptive Explanatory Policy-orientated May intertwine and find use for all as research progresses
Explain Exploratory Research?
Might involve a literature search or holding focus groups
To identify key issues/variables so a clear definition of objectives/ exploration of new phenomenon
E.g Research on new management technique
Explain Descriptive Research?
To accurately describe observations of a phenomenon
Similarities between A and B (A and B are diff. departments in same org)
These descriptive comparisons lead to useful insights and lead to hypothesis-formation
E.g Detailed set of data on the profile of clients
Explain Explanatory Research?
Looks for explanations on nature of the similarities
See pg.60 in Guidebook for table
