10 Tips to Writing a Successful Report

Important documments need professional writing

1. Understand reports - Reports aim to inform the reader about actions that have been undertaken and their results. They are formally structured in sections. Also confirm with all parties what sections are needed in your report.

2. Find aims and objectives - Read your brief carefully and identify the aims of your Audit (general goals) and its objectives (specific stages). These will be different for different types of reports

3. Write it right – Keep your writing style clear and concise. Avoid complicated phrases, jargon, colloquialisms and subjective descriptions. Keep to the 3rd person or passive voice.

4. Introduce your work – your introduction should explain what your subject is (background and major debates), why it’s worth reviewing and how you’re going to approach it.

5. Describe methods clearly – this section should be clearly written and detailed enough to enable the reader to replicate your report findings exactly.

6. State your results – Use graphs, tables, diagrams or pie charts and if required present the same data in two different communication mediums. Describe your data in writing and add any statistical analysis.

7. Interpret your findings – This section is where you interpret and discuss your results. Link these with the aims you set out in your introduction. Note the strengths and limitations of the report findings, and any implications of these findings.

8. Present conclusions – Summarise the main points of your findings and discussion and show how they answer the original brief. You might also make some recommendations for future actions. Conclusions should not contain new material.

9. Reference accurately – Check your note findings to ensure that all references are in line with your. Acknowledge every idea – not just those you quote directly as support if challenged. Give short references in the text, and full references in your reference list.

10. Compose your abstract – though this will come before your introduction in the finished piece, you should not write it till after the report is finished. It should summarise your work in about half a page, including your aims and objectives, methods, key findings and recommendations.