LONG REPORTS

SHORT / LONG REPORTS

ITS TONE IT IS ALWAYS CONVEYED IN A VERY

PROFESSIONALLY MANNER. ALL PARTS ARE DIFFERENT FROM

SHORT REPORTS THE LEVEL OF LANGUAGE IS DIFFERENT THE WAY IT IS CONVEYED IS DIFFERENT

…

WE CAN ADOPT ANY ORGANIZATIONAL PLAN , IT CAN BE DIRRECT OR INDIRECT

IT CAN BE FEWER THAN TEN PAGES OR FEWER THAN TEN PAGES.

IT CAN BE WRITTEN WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION OR OUTSIDE THE ORGANIZATION.

PARTS OF A FORMAL REPORTS THERE ARE THREE BASIC DIVISIONS OF A FORMAL

REPORTS

1. PREFATORY PARTS2. TEXT PART 3. SUPPLEMENTARY PARTS

PREFATORY & SUPPLEMENTARY PARTS ARE NOT THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE REPORT BUT THEY HELP IN COMMUNICATION OR IN THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE MAIN TEXT e.g.

A book without a title

PARTS OF A FORMAL REPORTS1. PREFATORY PARTS

2. TEXT PART

3. SUPLIMENTARY PART

PREFATORY PARTS

COVER TITLE FLY LETTER OF AUTHERIZATION LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE LETER OF TRANSMITTAL TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ILLUSTRATION SYNOPSIS OR EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PREFATORY PARTS

COVER USE COVER ONLY FOR LONG REPORTS USE A SYURDY, PLAIN,LIGHT CARDBOARD

WITH GOOD PAGE FASTENERS. WITH THE COVER ON.THE OPEN PAGES

SHOULD REMAIN FLAT. CENTER THE REPORT TITLE AND YOUR NAME

3 TO FOUR INCHES FROM THE UPPER EDGE.

PREFATORY PARTS

TITLE FLY

It is a plain sheet of paper with the title of the report on it.

Title page

1. The title of the report

2. The name title and address of the person/group that authorized the reports prepared for/ submitted to

3. The name title and address of the person/group that prepared the reports prepared by/ submitted by

4 The date on which the report is submitted

PREFATORY PARTS

Place of title page items Do not number your title page, but count it as

page (1) of your prefatory page. Center the title horizontally on the page. 3 to

4 inches below the upper edge. Using all capital letters. If the title is longer than 6 or 8 words. Center it on two or more lines

PREFATORY PARTS

Letter of authorization & letter of acceptance if you received written authorization ( a

letter/memo) you may want to include. It usually has direct request plan. Letter of

acceptance (or memo of acceptance) acknowledges the assignments.

It follows good-news plan confirming time & money restriction and other pertinent detail

PREFATORY PARTS

Letter of transmittal( or memo of transmittal)

it conveys your report to your audience it has less formal tone it says what you would say if you were

handing the report to this person who authorized you.

PREFATORY PARTS

Depending on the situation Acknowledge those who helped with the

report Refers readers to section of special interest Discuss the needs and approaches for follow

up investigation Suggest some special use of information Urge the reader to take immediate action

PREFATORY PARTS

Table of contents it contains the table outlines of the text &

the prefatory parts List preliminary items ( transmittal letter,

abstract) in your table of contents Numbering the pages with small roman

numerals. Such as glossary, appendix, notes and bibliography section:

Number these pages with Arabic numerals

PREFATORY PARTS

2. include no headings in the table of contents

3. use different types of styles and indentations to show the various levels of head

PREFATORY PARTS

List of illustrations for simplicity sake, some reports prefer

all visual aids as illustration or exhibits

put the list of figures on separate page if they won’t fit on one page with the table of content

PREFATORY PARTS

SYNOPSIS OR EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

A synopsis is a brief overview (one page or less) of report’s most important points. It is also called abstract. Executive summary is a fully developed mini version of the report and is comprehensive .

PREFATORY PARTS

SYNOPSIS OR EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. Make your summary able to stand alone in meanings- a mini-reports.

2. Make it intelligible to the general reader. Readers of summaries will vary widely in expertise. Perhaps much more than those who read the report itself . So translate all technical data into plain English.

PREFATORY PARTS

SYNOPSIS OR EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. ADD NO NEW INFORMATION IN SUMMARIZING THE REPORTS

2. Stick to the order of report

3. Emphasize only major points

Text part

Introduction Body Closing

It is just like a letter , or a long letter

Text part

Introduction It has a number of functions and covers a

wide variety of topics and helps the reader follow and understand information

We are writing the purpose of reports

Body

This section contains information that supports conclusion and recommendations as well as analysis.

Interpretation of the information . It must be very logical.

Text part

Closing You summarize the main idea of your report

highlighting your conclusion or recommendations and list any course of action.

In long reports this section may be labeled summary , conclusion and recommendation

This is the part of the report for which this report is written.

It is the most important section

Supplementary part

Appendix/appendixes Bibliography index

Supplementary part

Appendix/appendixes it includes 1. Statistics or measurements2. Maps3. Complex formulas4. Long quotation5. Photographs6. Related correspondence (letter of inquiry)7. Texts of law , regulations etc

Supplementary part

Bibliography It Is technical & difficult It is a list of source material on a

particular subject In a formal report what books and other

library materials were consulted It includes all the work mentioned in the

foot notes

Supplementary part

Index an index is the alphabetical lists of names

places and subjects mentioned in the report Along with the page in which it occur. they

rarely is not included.