Writing Reports and Proposals

Quick Reference Guide

customizable
courseware

Nine Rules of Writing

The Rules of Evidence

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)

Rule 1: Look at the evidence and follow where it leads.

The trick here is not to let your own bias lead you into selecting
only the evidence you agree with. If you arent careful, you can
unconsciously start forcing the evidence to fit the design that
seems to be emerging. When fact A and fact B both point toward
the same conclusion, there is always the temptation to make fact
C fit.

Use familiar words

Prefer short, simple words
Use concrete words
Prefer active to passive verbs
Avoid camouflaged verbs
Arrange sentences for emphasis and clarity
Keep sentences short
Ensure modifying words and phrases relate to
nouns and pronouns
9) Use words economically

The Four Stages of Report

Writing
1) Investigation: Where the purpose of the report is
clearly defined and, guided by this, all necessary
and relevant information is collected.
2) Planning: Where information is, selected
according to who is going to read it, sorted into
section and given a heading, and arranged in a
logical sequence.
3) Writing: Where all the information and ideas are
presented clearly, concisely, completely, and
correctly.
4) Revision: A thorough and relentless check is
made of the first draft of the report.

Planning Your Report

The planning sequence for writing a report can be
remembered by the acronym PAFEO.
Purpose
Audience
Format
Evidence
Organization

Rule 2. Look for the simplest explanation that accounts for

all the evidence.
When the lights in the room go out, the sudden darkness might be
taken as evidence of a power failure. But a quick investigation
turns up other evidence that must be accounted for: the
streetlights are still on; the refrigerator is still functioning. So a
simpler explanation may exist, and a check of the circuit breakers
or fuse box would be appropriate.
Rule 3. Look at all likely alternatives.
Likely alternatives in the example just discussed would include
such things as burned-out bulbs, loose plugs, and defective
outlets, so all alternatives should be examined in the investigation
stage. During the writing stage, however, do not overload the
reader with a detailed examination or eight or ten alternatives. If
there are more than three, reduce the number for discussion to
three, or perhaps four, alternatives. The others can usually be
discussed and dismissed in one brief paragraph.
Examining alternatives has two other major advantages: it saves
the reader raising the question in his or her mind, Didnt the
writer of this report look at anything else?, and it gains credibility
for the writers objectivity.
Rule 4. Beware of absolute statements.
In the complexity of the real world, it is seldom possible to marshal
sufficient evidence to permit an absolute generalization. Be wary
of writing general statements using words like all, never, or
always. Sometimes these words can be effectively implied rather
than stated.

The Ten Steps of Proposal

Writing

Persuading Your Audience

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)

To be successful, persuasion must accomplish all six of these

steps:

Clarify your objectives

Analyze your audience
Get your thoughts on paper
Group and label your thoughts
Sequence your thoughts
Make an outline
Write your draft down
Edit
Add the finishing touches
Proofread and edit

Common Types of Graphics

2005-2011, Velsoft Training Materials Inc.

1) You must get your message to the audience.

2) You must get someone to pay attention to it.
3) The message must be understandable. People are more likely
to read things they can understand. They wont come over to
your side if they dont understand what your side is.
4) Your arguments must be convincing.
5) The audience must be willing to give in or to yield.
6) They must remember their new attitude and be willing to act.


Area graph (pie chart): Simplest breakdown
of percentages.

Bar graph: Versatile; easy comparison of

amounts, subdivisions, relations.

2005-2011, Velsoft Training Materials Inc.

Column graph: Useful for comparison of related items

having two different measurement units.

Curve: Most flexible for graphing and comparing trends.

Surface: Useful for special emphasis on a feature within a

trend.

The Direct Approach

Synopsis

Statement of the
problem
Scope and limitations
General findings
Purpose

Recommendations

List in order of
importance

Body/Discussion

Background
Methods used
Results obtained
Analysis of results

State the theme of each

section
Link themes together

Summary

Conclusions

Relate to
recommendations
Support
recommendations
Use the same order as
recommendations

Tips for Organizing Information

Write only one point on each card.
Arrange the cards/notes into piles, putting all closely
related points together. All evidence related to marketing
goes in one pile, all evidence related to product
development goes in another pile, and so on.
Arrange the piles of cards/notes in one of the following
basic ways. (The choice of sequence will depend largely
on the logic of the subject matter and the needs of your
audience.)
o Time. From past to present to future.
o Background, present status, future prospects.
o Place. By location.
o Factor. Depends on the topic and factors selected.
o Problem-analysis-solution. Description of problem,
why it exists, what to do about it.
o Order of importance. From least important to most
important or vice-versa.
Go through each pile and arrange the notes in an
understandable sequence within your basic plan. Which
points need to precede others in order to present a clear
picture?
Write out your organization plan (outline) and use it as
your road map while you write the report.

Using Headings
MAJOR HEADING (centered, all capitals, bold)
MAJOR SUB-HEADING (flush left to margin, all capitals,
bold)
Minor Sub-heading (flush left to margin, initial capitals,

2005-2011, Velsoft Training Materials Inc.

The Indirect Approach

Executive
Summary

Major result/findings
Principal
recommendations

Introduction

Statement of the problem

Purpose of the report
Background
Methods used
Organization of the report

Body/Discussion

Results/findings
Analysis of results
Alternative solutions

Conclusions

Relate to body
Most important first

Recommendations

List in order of importance

Checklist for Revision

1) Check the Facts
Its embarrassingand possibly fatal to your reputationto
build a whole case on incorrect facts or figures. Be careful
not to treat an assumption as a fact.
2) Check the Length
Make sure you're given your readers the details and
examples they need to see your point and accept it. But
dont make the frequent mistake of assuming that readers
are interested in a blow-by-blow account; you can smother
the important points in too much detail. Not every bit of
information uncovered in your research needs to be
included.
3) Check the Organizational Structure
Your report ought to have a beginning, middle, and an end,
and each part should do its job effectively. The beginning
should make clear what the communication is about. The
middle should develop and support the main idea with
specifics: details, figures, examples, quotations. The ending
should summarize, reinforce the point, and perhaps make
recommendations.
4) Check the Style
In general, be on the lookout for lengthy, obscure sentences,
wordiness, pretentiousness, overuse of the passive voice,
and imprecise language. Read your work aloud, noting the
parts where you stumble or misread and the parts that
sound dull and boring, even to you.
5) Check the Spelling, Grammar, and Punctuation
Look up the spelling of words you habitually misspell and
check if you are doubtful. Be alert to possible problems in
agreement or the placement of modifiers; be sure every
pronoun has a clear reference. See that your punctuation is
both correct and appropriate. Remember that you can spoil
an otherwise good piece of writing by a blatant, distracting
error. Since it is very difficult to see your own errors, dont be
afraid to have someone else read the piece over, looking

underlined)
Secondary Minor Sub-heading. (flush left, initial
capitals, bold, period after sub-headings, type that follows
begins on the same line)

2005-2011, Velsoft Training Materials Inc.

specifically for errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar.