WRITING REPORTS IN THE WORK PLACE
Discussion
Hi Folks
I am involved in some project work at my work place.
I have created graphs, illustrations, pies charts etc using excel. I now need to write up a few reports. However, I am not very good at writing reports, and my English grammar is terrible.
Can someone recommend any free on line courses that I could go on, in order to improve my skills in writing reports, or is it better if i just do a 'Google' search of courses available?
Thank You
I am involved in some project work at my work place.
I have created graphs, illustrations, pies charts etc using excel. I now need to write up a few reports. However, I am not very good at writing reports, and my English grammar is terrible.
Can someone recommend any free on line courses that I could go on, in order to improve my skills in writing reports, or is it better if i just do a 'Google' search of courses available?
Thank You
If your employer values the quality and consistency of any reports generated, especially if they are to be distributed outside the company they should be offering report guidance and templates. As well as a review process for technical and overall content.
Report writing is a skill that needs to be developed. I've had to go through the same learning curve over the last three years.
Report writing is a skill that needs to be developed. I've had to go through the same learning curve over the last three years.
Write out what you want to /should say, warts and all. Leave it for 24 hours, then come back and edit it down again and again and again.
Hand it over to someone else for them to critique.
Think “lots of pictures not words”.
See what has been written before and in what format, font, and general construction – copy that. There are many discussions to be had on formatting reports and documents with pedants in most organisations.
Know who your audience is for the report, and where it’s going.
If a senior edits it a sixth time to something that was written 4 edits ago, tell them to do it.
Spend your time fighting MS word instead of using it!
Hand it over to someone else for them to critique.
Think “lots of pictures not words”.
See what has been written before and in what format, font, and general construction – copy that. There are many discussions to be had on formatting reports and documents with pedants in most organisations.
Know who your audience is for the report, and where it’s going.
If a senior edits it a sixth time to something that was written 4 edits ago, tell them to do it.
Spend your time fighting MS word instead of using it!
Sorry, bit late on this.
I'm a Gas Engineer (Mechanical) working for a large consultancy. A significant part of my job is report writing and report governance from the team I work in.
Knowing your audience is key, filtering down into your language and dumbing down of technical aspects you make take for granted.
My work can be extensive feasibility studies for the government through to technical studies for gas network operators.
A long time ago, myself and a group of engineering grads went on this course.
https://www.synergietraining.co.uk/courses/new-tec...
Very informative.
As others have said, peer review is key. Just getting words down is often the hardest part.
Always remember the below words regarding a structure, still stuck with me.
Tell them what you're going to tell them, tell them, thell them what you've told them
I'm a Gas Engineer (Mechanical) working for a large consultancy. A significant part of my job is report writing and report governance from the team I work in.
Knowing your audience is key, filtering down into your language and dumbing down of technical aspects you make take for granted.
My work can be extensive feasibility studies for the government through to technical studies for gas network operators.
A long time ago, myself and a group of engineering grads went on this course.
https://www.synergietraining.co.uk/courses/new-tec...
Very informative.
As others have said, peer review is key. Just getting words down is often the hardest part.
Always remember the below words regarding a structure, still stuck with me.
Tell them what you're going to tell them, tell them, thell them what you've told them
Just to add to the advice already given, when writing don't feel that you have to get it right first time, putting something down is better than staring at a blank screen, then work at refining it or adding to it.
If you find it hard to explain what you are trying to say have a call with a colleague and talk it through, I find that this helps me find a 'flow'.
I work in Internal Audit so my day job revolves around writing reports that are presented to board level.
If you find it hard to explain what you are trying to say have a call with a colleague and talk it through, I find that this helps me find a 'flow'.
I work in Internal Audit so my day job revolves around writing reports that are presented to board level.
Don’t think of it as a long report, consider it a bunch of questions e.g.
What is the problem you are trying to solve?
What options have you considered?
What option do you recommend and why?
What do you need from the reader?
What are the next steps?
Once you have worked out the questions the report becomes much easier to write. Keep it short, sharp and focused on answering those questions, I try to go for 2-4 pages max but it will depend on the topic. Use tables and graphs.
Get someone to proof read it, ideally someone who knows nothing about the topic so you can check you haven’t used jargon and it makes senses from a structure and grammar perspective.
What is the problem you are trying to solve?
What options have you considered?
What option do you recommend and why?
What do you need from the reader?
What are the next steps?
Once you have worked out the questions the report becomes much easier to write. Keep it short, sharp and focused on answering those questions, I try to go for 2-4 pages max but it will depend on the topic. Use tables and graphs.
Get someone to proof read it, ideally someone who knows nothing about the topic so you can check you haven’t used jargon and it makes senses from a structure and grammar perspective.
I used to write a lot of specifications for electrical works & projects. I always imagined I was writing them exactly how I would present them to someone to make sure they understood what I was on about.
Clear, plain language, use brief paragraphs and other techniques like bullet points and tables to get your point across as simply and clearly as possible.
It might be helpful to find some professional reports in your field of work and read through them, to get a feel for the writing style.
As someone else has said above, if you have something on the tip of your tongue or an idea pops up, write it down before you forget and you can work it into the report.
Also, it helps to have a clear set of headings to help standardise your reports. I can't comment on your industry but for me it would be along the lines of,
Introduction & Background
Abbreviations
Site Details
Safety Requirements
Detailed description of works
Schedule of materials
Standards
Photographs
Diagrams
Having the template to work to made things easier.
Best of luck!
Clear, plain language, use brief paragraphs and other techniques like bullet points and tables to get your point across as simply and clearly as possible.
It might be helpful to find some professional reports in your field of work and read through them, to get a feel for the writing style.
As someone else has said above, if you have something on the tip of your tongue or an idea pops up, write it down before you forget and you can work it into the report.
Also, it helps to have a clear set of headings to help standardise your reports. I can't comment on your industry but for me it would be along the lines of,
Introduction & Background
Abbreviations
Site Details
Safety Requirements
Detailed description of works
Schedule of materials
Standards
Photographs
Diagrams
Having the template to work to made things easier.
Best of luck!
Edited by foxbody-87 on Thursday 10th February 15:20
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