Report writing (4)

After your title and date, you want to check out your reference number. This is the number given to the report; however, this will depend on company practice. What I mean is that some organisations number all reports sequentially; others do so by department, and yet others add some personal reference (perhaps the initials of the author).

The copyright is the next important detail in a report. That said, the decision whether to refer to copyright depends on the nature of the report. For the report writer, the main interest in the English law of copyright is its intention to prevent the copying of a ‘substantial part’ of any literary work without permission. The word ‘literary’ covers any work expressed in printing or writing, provided it is substantial enough to have involved some literary skill and labour of composition.

One other component of the report is confidentiality. You may decide to stamp your report ‘secret’ or ‘confidential’. The latter is a particularly useful marking when the report is about a member of staff, as it would be a strong defence against any subsequent charge of libel. Again, the more routine reports arouse exceptional interest when marked ‘secret’. Conversely, a report giving a foolproof method of how to become a Bet Millionaire would probably go unnoticed if it was not given a security marking.

Finally, the title page should include the distribution list of the report. Ask the person who requested the report to tell you who should see it. Their names will generally be listed in order of seniority. However, if you foresee any problems or disputes, perhaps because of internal politics, or if the report is to be sent outside your organisation, list the recipients alphabetically or by geographical location. Also, remember to include at least one copy for file. Record this at the foot of the list.

We move on to examine the foreword. Though it is hardly used in a report, when included, it is generally not written by the report writer but by some other acknowledged expert on the subject matter – it could be the person who commissioned the project. Do not forget to encourage whoever writes it to be concise.

The preface is another uncommon component. How do we use it in reports? It is used when a writer wants to convey some personal background details behind the report’s production. Please note this.

Additionally, the acknowledgements’ section is used to convey thanks to people and/or organisations who helped during the preparation of the report. For example, they may have provided information, help, finance, or granted permission for you to use some copyright material. Do not go over the top with your thanks and try to keep it balanced and in perspective. If many people assisted you, it may not be possible, or even desirable, to name them all. One way of getting round this is ‘to thank the management and staff of ABCDE Enterprises.’ Yet another alternative would be to record a blanket acknowledgment such as, ’I also wish to thank everyone else who assisted during the preparation of this report’. In this way, you are covered if you ever forget to mention somebody by their name.

As a rule, it is unnecessary to express your gratitude to people who would have been expected to help you (such as your staff), unless they made some special effort on your behalf. Read acknowledgments in books to see how they should be written. Sometimes this section is placed at the end of a report.

Furthermore, a contents page is essential for any report exceeding three pages. It should be on a separate sheet of paper, and it should list the various sections of the report in the order in which they appear. The headings on the contents page must be identical to those used in the text, with the appropriate page number alongside them. If you have used more than just one or two illustrations, then provide a separate list of those below the section headings. Your page numbering and paragraph numbering systems should be both simple and consistent.

The summary/abstract/synopsis component is particularly useful when you have a diverse readership. The main functions of this component are to provide a precis of what the recipient is about to read or has just read, and to provide an outline of the report if the recipient is not going to read the entire report.

Please note the following – and I have seen it happen during my speed-reading mastery trainings for professionals: an average manager’s reading speed is between 200 and 250 words per minute, and they comprehend only about 75 percent of this. This makes it extremely important to highlight the salient facts and the main conclusions and recommendations, if any. Obviously, it cannot be written until after the other components of the report. Do keep it concise and ensure it doesn’t exceed one page. Do not introduce any matter which is not covered within the text of the report.

That noted, a summary could contain just five paragraphs. The first could be your intention (your purpose and scope); the second – your outline (what was done and how it was done); the third – main findings; the fourth – main conclusions; and the fifth – main recommendations (if necessary).

Note also that the more senior the reader, the less detail they will require. For this, a reader is sometimes sent a summary instead of the entire report. When this is done, the covering letter should offer a copy of the full report, if required.

Now to the introduction. This section sets the scene. While the title page gives a broad indication of the subject, the introduction tells the reader what it is all about. A good introduction will pique and engage the readers’ interest and include everything that they will need to know before moving on to the main body of the report. It will contain certain essential preliminaries which would not be weighty enough individually to justify headings of their own. In the fifth part of this series, more details will be shared on a winning introduction, and we will proceed to other parts of the report.