Report Writing Guidelines Writing Support Services

Transcription

1 Reprt Writing Guidelines Writing Supprt Services Overview The guidelines presented here shuld give yu an idea f general cnventins fr writing frmal reprts. Hwever, yu shuld always cnsider yur particular writing cntext carefully and let it guide yur writing. Fr example, if yu re new t writing reprts in yur wrkplace, find ut if yur rganizatin has a set f reprt-writing guidelines and lk at previus reprts. Whatever yur writing cntext, yu shuld always keep yur purpse and audience clearly in fcus. Begin by asking yurself What d yu want t accmplish with yur reprt? What are yur key bjectives? Wh will be reading yur reprt and fr what purpses? What is their backgrund? Hw familiar will they be with yur tpic? What basic infrmatin will they need? D yu expect them t be receptive r hstile t yur findings and recmmendatins? What might yur readers expect in terms f cntent, level f detail, and frmat f yur reprt? Reprt Structure Letter f transmittal * Title page* Executive Summary* Table f Cntents* List f Figures / List f Tables* Glssary (ptinal)* Intrductin* Methds & ther sectins in the bdy f the reprt Cnclusins Recmmendatins References* Appendices* The letter may accmpany the reprt r be included after the title page, in which case it is paginated as a preliminary element. Paginatin. Cnventinally, these preliminary elements in a reprt are numbered in lwercase Rman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv ), with n number n the title page. T d this in MS Wrd, Begin paginating yur preliminary pages by clicking n INSERT PAGE NUMBERS FORMAT (chse lwer- case Rman numerals) Befre p. 1 (the first page f the bdy f yur reprt), click n INSERT BREAK SECTION BREAK: Next page Begin paginating the bdy f yur reprt by clicking n INSERT PAGE NUMBERS FORMAT (chse nrmal Arabic numerals) Paginatin. Cnventinally, the rest f the reprt, beginning with the Intrductin, is paginated starting frm p. 1, 2, s frth t the end f the appendices. T set up page numbering fr yur reprt in MS Wrd, see the instructins abve. Sectin numbering. It s nt necessary t number the sectin headings in yur reprt, but if yu d s using a decimal system, the Intrductin shuld be numbered 1.0, the next sectin shuld be 2.0, and s frth, with subsectin headings numbered as 2.1, 2.2, etc. The References and Appendices shuld nt have sectin numbers. Appendices shuld be presented as Appendix A, B, C, etc., and each appendix shuld be infrmatively titled. * All sectins marked by an asterisk in the left clumn shuld begin n a new page. All ther sectins shuld fllw the preceding sectin n the same page if space permits.

2 Reprt Writing: Checklist fr Revisin 1. Des the letter f transmittal fllw frmatting cnventins (i.e., using single spacing with a blank line between paragraphs)? include all necessary elements, including the return address, date, inside address, salutatin, subject line (ptinal), cmplimentary clse, and signature? intrduce the reprt by name? acknwledge any assistance received frm the recipient f the letter? briefly highlight key findings, cnclusins, and recmmendatins frm the reprt? maintain a prfessinal tne? 2. Des the title page include an infrmative title that indicates the fcus and nature f the reprt (e.g., evaluatin, recmmendatin, feasibility study, survey, labratry reprt)? include the date and the authr's name, title, and rganizatinal affiliatin? indicate fr whm the reprt was written? 3. Des the table f cntents list all first- and secnd-level sectin headings (and, ptinally, third-level headings)? reprduce the headings and numbering exactly frm the bdy f the reprt? include the full titles f all appendices? Technical tip: In MS Wrd, if yu frmat yur headings using the Style feature (FORMAT STYLE Heading 1, 2, etc.), yu can have the prgram autmatically prduce a table f cntents fr yu by clicking n INSERT INDEX AND TABLES TABLE OF CONTENTS 4. D the list f figures and the list f tables list all figures and tables (under separate headings), giving page numbers fr each? reprduce exactly the numbering and full titles f each figure and table? 5. If included, des the glssary present specialized terms in alphabetical rder? define terms in a grammatically parallel way (e.g., all in sentences r all in phrases)? Nte that integrating definitins int the bdy f the reprt is generally a gd strategy. 6. Des the executive summary summarize the reprt in such a way that it culd stand n its wn and wuld make sense t a managerial, public, r nn-technical audience? stay within ne r tw pages (preferably ne) and within a 500-wrd limit? briefly explain the fcus, cntext, and research methd fr the reprt? summarize the key infrmatin frm the reprt, cncentrating n the prblem, cnclusins, recmmendatins, and financial implicatins (if relevant)? exclude any infrmatin nt presented in the reprt itself?

3 Nte that abstracts are brief (50- t 250-wrd) summaries typically fund in research reprt based n experimental research. They generally address a technical audience and cncisely present key infrmatin abut the study, its methdlgy, its principal results, and their significance. Sme reprts may cntain bth an executive summary and a technical abstract. 7. Des the intrductin sectin explicitly intrduce the reprt and briefly explain the fcus and cntext fr the reprt? Fr example, des it explain the prblem r pprtunity that prmpted the reprt t be written? Nte: d nt assume that the executive summary has already dne the jb f intrducing yur reprt; yur reprt shuld be able t stand n its wn withut the executive summary.) prvide sufficient backgrund (technical infrmatin, key definitins, etc.) fr general readers? refrain frm presenting cnclusins r recmmendatins? Nte that the intrductin may be fllwed by related sectins r subsectins, including Objectives f the study (ften frmatted as a list f T pints) Scpe (indicating what yur analysis includes and excludes) Backgrund (e.g., abut the prblem r rganizatin being discussed) Review f research (literature review) 8. Des the research methd sectin explain when, where, and hw the research was dne? describe yur research methd in sufficient detail? Fr example, if yu cnducted a survey, did yu explain wh yu surveyed and hw (e.g., in persn, by phne, by , via an nline tl like SurveyMnkey)? include infrmative subheadings if apprpriate (e.g., evaluatin criteria, ethical cnsideratins, usability testing prcedure)? 9. Des the bdy f yur reprt present, interpret, and discuss yur findings in a series f sectins with infrmative headings and subheadings (e.g., "Envirnmental Cncerns"; Ecnmic Cnsideratins ) rather than the mre generic "Findings")? present findings clearly and cherently, with a brief intrductin t each sectin? use lists, tables, and figures (e.g., graphs) t present infrmatin where apprpriate? refrain frm presenting cnclusins and recmmendatins? include prperly frmatted citatins fr all infrmatin taken frm surces? Nte that in research reprts, it s cnventinal t present results separately frm yur discussin (and interpretatin) f thse results. Hwever, in sme cntexts, it has becme cmmn t present and discuss results in the same sectin. If yu re nt sure which apprach t use, check with yur supervisr instructr if pssible.

4 10. Are all figures and tables numbered in separate series (e.g., Table 1, Table 2, Figure 1, Table 3, Figure 2)? infrmatively titled (e.g., Table 1: Annual precipitatin in Calgary, )? prperly frmatted, with the title fr tables abve and that fr figures belw? accmpanied by legends r ftntes t explain abbreviatins r prvide infrmatin necessary t interpret the infrmatin presented? referred t and discussed in the bdy f the reprt? accmpanied by a surce citatin, if the infrmatin was brrwed r adapted? 11. Des the cnclusins sectin summarize the mst imprtant findings in the reprt and indicate their significance (answering the reader s implied questin s what )? include nly cnclusins that flw frm the data and discussin presented? shw hw the reprt's bjectives have been met? refrain frm intrducing new infrmatin? 12. Des the recmmendatins sectin suggest actins that shuld be taken r cnsidered in light f the reprt s cnclusins? present recmmendatins in a numbered list (if there are several)? Nte that while it s cnventinal t include separate Cnclusins and Recmmendatins sectins, nt all reprts include recmmendatins and in sme reprts, the Cnclusins and Recmmendatins sectins are ccasinally cmbined. 13. Is the writing style generally characterized by sensitivity t the audience (e.g., by including definitins and aviding jargn fr general readers and by using gender-neutral terms and prnuns)? paragraphs that begin with a tpic sentence? straightfrward, cncise, and natural wrding (e.g., "use" rather than "utilize", "nw" rather than "at this pint in time," and "We" rather than "The writers")? precise wrding (e.g., aviding general terms like "a large increase")? the use f strng verbs and active vice? (e.g., "The Ministry f the Envirnment investigated the prblem rather than The prblem was investigated. ) Nte that Research Methds sectins are ften presented in the passive vice. grammatical parallelism in lists and headings (e.g., We prpse t identify the factrs cntributing t the prblem, t evaluate their impact, and t recmmend slutins )? relatively few sentences ver 30 wrds r tw typed lines? relatively few paragraphs ver a half-page lng? apprpriate use f verb tense (e.g., the past tense t describe wrk cmpleted and the present tense fr cnclusins and general statements)? a cherent flw, linking new infrmatin t knwn r previusly given infrmatin? crrect grammar, punctuatin, and spelling? (Hint: keeping generalizatins in the plural, e.g., writing users rather than the user, may eliminate sme prblems.)

5 14. Are appendices included as necessary t prvide detailed additinal infrmatin that is nt essential in the bdy f the reprt but that wuld be f interest fr specialist readers? infrmatively titled and labelled as Appendix A, Appendix B, etc., accrding t the rder in which they are mentined in the text? 15. Des the frmatting f the reprt use typgraphy, lists, and infrmative headings t make the structure f the reprt clear, the appearance attractive, and the infrmatin accessible? 16. Is infrmatin frm primary and secndary surces used in the reprt used effectively (e.g., quted nly if the riginal wrding is imprtant)? frmatted s that wrding taken directly frm the riginal surce appears in qutatin marks r inset blck frmat (fr quted passages ver 40 wrds)? (Nte that fllwing the sentence structure f the riginal and substituting a wrd here and there cnstitutes plagiarism even when the surce is cited.) whether quted r paraphrased, accmpanied by an in-text citatin r reference number acknwledging the surce accrding t a standard frmat (e.g., APA r IEEE) and directing the reader t mre cmplete publicatin infrmatin included in the reference list? 17. Des the reference list fllw a standard frmat (e.g., APA r IEEE)? list all surces cited in the reprt (and nly thse surces)?