Assignment On Report Writing: Submitted by

Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 8

FBS, 47th batch, MGT-105, ASMBC

Future in Your Hands

Assignment On Report Writing


Submitted By:
1) (1637) Pranto Datta [L]
2) (1613) Tahia Tasnim
3) (1632) Jannatul Shifa
4) (1638) Mehedi Hasan Shaikh
5) (1641) Mehedi Hasan

Semester : First
Major : Management Studies
Batch : 8th
Course Name : Business Communication
Course Code : MGT 105

Submitted To:
Name: Abu Sayef Md Muntaquimul Bari Chowdhuri
Designation : Assistant Professor
Department of Management Studies

Faculty of Business Studies, Jahangirnagar University

Date of Submission : May 10, 2018


REPORT WRITING
What is a report?
A report is a specific form of writing that is organized
around concisely identifying and examining issues, events,
or findings that have happened in a physical sense, such as
events that have occurred within an organization, or
findings from a research investigation.

It is written for a clear purpose and to a particular


audience. The information is presented in a clearly
structured format making use of sections and headings so
that the information is easy to locate and follow.

The structure of a report


The main features of a report are described below to
provide a general guide. These should be used in
conjunction with the instructions or guidelines.

Title Page
This includes the name of the author(s) and the date of
report preparation. It should briefly but explicitly describe
the purpose of the report.

Terms of Reference
Under this heading a brief explanation could be included
of who will read the report (audience) why it was written
(purpose) and how it was written (methods). It may be in
the form of a subtitle or a single paragraph.
Summary
There needs to be a summary of the major points,
conclusions, and recommendations. It needs to be short
as it is general overview of the report. Some people will
read the summary and only skim the report, so it has to be
made sure that it includes all the relevant information. It
would be the best to write this last so one should include
everything, even the points that might be added at the
last minute.

Contents (Table of Contents)


The contents page should list the different chapters
and/or headings together with the page numbers.
Contents page should be presented in such a way that the
reader can quickly scan the list of headings and locate a
particular part of the report. One may want to number
chapter headings and subheadings in addition to providing
page references. Whatever numbering system is used, it
has to be sure that it is clear and consistent throughout.

Introduction
The main body of the report is set in the introduction. The
target and goal of the report should be explained
thoroughly. If there is any problem or binding, it has to be
identified clearly. Description of research methods and the
set of the measurable factors should be described. Any
important history created while researching should be
included. In some reports, particularly in science subjects,
individual headings for Methods and Results are used
prior to the main body of the report.
Methods
Under this heading information may be used like: list of
equipment which was used in research, description of
those equipments like how they were used, explanation of
the strategy which was followed, topical information on
used materials, including sources of materials and details
of any preparation. One should mention the problems one
has been faced with and the posterior changes in
methods.

Results
A summary of all the results of the experiments and
investigations of any important diagrams, graphics, and
tables of gathered data that represents one’s report
should be included in this heading. Have to present a
report in a logical pattern without any comment.

Discussion
This is the main part of a report because under this
heading someone should discuss the material of one’s
report. The facts and evidence one has gathered should be
analyzed and discussed with specific reference to the
problem or issue. If the discussion is lengthy then one
should make segment into section headings. This
segmentation should be in logical process and should
maintain the chain of command. This divided section
should be easy to follow. One should use headings and
subheadings to make the report discussion clear. Have to
use bullet points to present a series of points in an easy to
follow list. As with the whole report, all sources used
should be acknowledge and correctly referenced.
Appendices
Under this heading one should include all the supporting
information which has been used but not published. This
might include tables, graphs, questionnaires, surveys or
transcripts. Refer to the appendices in the body of his
report.

Bibliography
One’s bibliography should list, in alphabetical order by
author, all published sources referred to in the report.
There are different styles of using references and
bibliographies. Referring to the study guide Referencing
and Bibliographies and checking his departmental
handbook for guidelines. Texts which was consulted but
did not refer to directly could be grouped under a
separate heading such as Background Reading and listed
in alphabetical order using the same format as in his
bibliography.

Acknowledgements
One may wish to acknowledge the assistance of particular
organizations or individuals who provided information,
advice or help.

All reports need to be clear, concise and well structured.


The key to writing an effective report is to allocate time
for planning and preparation. With careful planning, the
writing of a report will be made much easier. The
essential stages of successful report writing are described
below.
Stage One: Understanding the report brief
This first stage is the most important. One needs to be
confident that understand the purpose of the report as
described in the report brief or instructions. Consider
who the report is for and why it is being written. One
should check that he understands all the instructions or
requirements, and ask the tutor if anything is unclear.

Stage Two: Gathering and selecting information


Once we are clear about the purpose of your report, we
need to begin to gather relevant information. Our
information may come from a variety of sources, but how
much information we need will depend on how much
detail is required in the report. One may want to begin by
reading relevant literature to widen the understanding of
the topic or issue before you go on to look at other forms
of information such as questionnaires, surveys etc. As we
read and gather information we need to assess its
relevance to our report and select accordingly. Keep
referring to our report brief to help us decide what is
relevant information.

Stage Three: Organizing your material


Once we have gathered information we need to decide
what will be included and in what sequence it should be
presented. Begin by grouping together points that are
related. These may form sections or chapters. Should
remember to keep referring to the report brief and be
prepared to cut any information that is not directly
relevant to the report. Choose an order for your material
that is logical and easy to follow.
Stage Four: Analyzing material
Before you begin to write your first draft of the report,
take time to consider and make notes on the points you
will make using the facts and evidence you have
gathered. What conclusions can be drawn from the
material? What are the limitations or flaws in the
evidence? Do certain pieces of evidence conflict with
one another? It is not enough to simply present the
information you have gathered; you must relate it to the
problem or issue described in the report brief.

Stage Five: Writing the report


Having organized the material into appropriate sections
and headings we can begin to write the first draft of your
report. You may find it easier to write the summary and
contents page at the end when you know exactly what
will be included. Aim for a writing style that is direct and
precise. Avoid waffle and make your points clearly and
concisely. Chapters, sections and even individual
paragraphs should be written with a clear structure. The
structure described below can be adapted and applied
to chapters, sections and even paragraphs.
Introduce the main idea of the chapter/section/paragraph
Explain and expand the idea, defining any key terms.
Present relevant evidence to support your point(s).
Comment on each piece of evidence showing how it relates to
your point(s).
Conclude your chapter/section/paragraph by either showing
its significance to the report as a whole or making a link to the
next chapter/section/paragraph.
Stage Six: Reviewing and redrafting
Ideally, we should leave time to take a break before
someone review your first draft. Be prepared to
rearrange or rewrite sections in the light of your review.
Try to read the draft from the perspective of the reader.
Is it easy to follow with a clear structure that makes
sense? Are the points concisely but clearly explained and
supported by relevant evidence? Writing on a word
processor makes it easier to rewrite and rearrange
sections or paragraphs in the first draft. If we write our
first draft by hand, try writing each section on a separate
piece of paper to make redrafting easier.

You might also like