Report

A report can be defined as a communication in which the writer gives information to some individual or organization because it is his responsibility to do so. It is an assigned communication for a purpose and for a specific receiver.

Report writing plays a very important role in business environment. The word report derived from the Latin word reporture which consist of two words Re= back + porture = to carry. Thus, it means TO CARRY BACK. Thus, a report is a skillful presentation of an event carried back to someone who was not present on that occasion. In a broad sense, many news items, letters and various kind of memorandum are reports.

Definition

“A business report is an orderly and objective communication of factual information that serves a business purpose”.

“A report is communication for someone who has information, to someone who wants to use that information”.

Features of report

© Accuracy

© Orderly

© Objective

© Communication

© Well structure forms

Types of business report

Informational reports

Interpretative reports

Analytical reports

Research reports

Routine reports

Informational report

It provides factual information which is required to take certain decisions. It contain onlt the data collected. It does not recommend anything.

Interpretative report

Interpretative report like a informational report. Include factual information But at the same time, an evaluation or interpretation of data is also given. They also consist of recommendation given at the end. They may also called recommendation report.

Analytical report

These report present an analysis of data which may enable the decision maker to arrive at a particular decision.

Research report

These report carried out by researcher’s in various universities and educational institutions. They consist of information, its analysis and the reporter’s conclusion.

Routine report

Routine reports are written to keep the administration well informed. These reports include progress reports, inspections report and investing reports etc.

Qualities of good business reports

• Accuracy and brevity
• Lack of self-interest
• Complete objectivity
• Neat format and style
• relevance

Short reports

A short report is concise, accurate and unbiased. All inferences depend on supportive evidence to help reader make an informed decision.

Features of good report

1. Short report can be presented in a letter or memo form.
2. They are primarily concerned with day to day business problems and their solutions.
3. They consist of an opening, body and ending.
4. They are thoroughly impartial and without any bias.
5. They consist of relevant information and appropriate recommendation.
6. They concentrate on 3 p’s that is problem, process, product.
7. They avoid slang, vulgar and clinches.
8. They are comprehensive and convey understandable information to achieve the business goal.
9. Short report are also include periodic reports, situational reports and progress reports.

Formal of short report

Opening

For short, routine memos, use the subject line of the memo form and the first sentence or two of the text as the introduction.

For all other short reports cover the topics in the introduction: purpose, scope, background, restrictions in conducting the study, source of information and method of research and organization of the report.

If using direct order, place conclusions and recommendations in the opening.

Body: - finding and supporting details:

© Developing points around conclusion or recommendation.

© Use an appropriate writing style.

© Use informal style for letter and memo reports.

© Use an impersonal style for more formal short reports in manuscript format.

© Maintain a consistent time frame by writing in either the present or the past tense, using other tenses only to indicate prior and future events.

© Give each paragraph a topic sentence.

© Link paragraphs by using transactional words and phrase.

© Strive for readability by using short sentence, concrete words and terminology that is appropriate for your reader’s.

© Be accurate, thorough and impartial in presenting the material.

© Avoid including irrelevant and unnecessary details.

Ending

In informational reports, summarize major findings at the end, if you wish.

Summarize points in the same order in which they appear in the text.

In analytical reports using indirect order, list conclusion and recommendation, at the end.

Conclusion and recommendation follow logically from facts presented in the text.

Consider using a list format for emphasis.

Avoid introducing new material in the summary, conclusion or recommendation.

Specimen copy of a short report

Tata textiles

17, Nehru nagar karnal- 132001 (Haryana) India

Ph: 0180 2403456, fax: 8709876

MEMORANDUM

To: - Sh. S.k.jain (chairman)

From: - Sh. B.k. bhandari (marketing manager)

Date: - november12, 2010

Subject: - report on shifting the office of the company

Suggestion: - Tata textiles should purchase silver building.

Formal report or long report

A formal report is a long report. It is that report which include more detail, more prefecture information, more visual and more supplementary forms of support. A formal or a long report involve greater length and depth of discussion of more complex problems. Some long reports extend from few pages to several hundred. Even in to several volumes of information.

As for as long and detailed reports are concerned, it needs greater attention in designing the structure so that reader’s attention is retained for a long time. To enable the reader to find his way through easily, the structure of long reports should be in the following way

PREFACTORY PART MAIN BODY BACK MATTER

Cover introduction appendices

Title page analysis and description references

Authorization letter conclusions bibliography

Letter of transmitted recommendation glossary

Preface index

Forward

Acknowledgement

Table of contents

List of illustration

Executive summary

Prefactory part

Cover

Cover is the outer wrapping either of hard sheet or card which is done for the purpose of protecting the manuscript from damage and giving the report a nice appearance:

The cover contains: -

Title of the report

Its numbers

Date

The classification as top secret, secured or confidential

Name of the author

Name of receiving authority

Cover page

Secret

Report no

Nagarjun construction limited

Delhi

A report on inventory and purchasing practices

By

Arjun kumar

Title page

Title page is the first right hand page of the report. It usually contains the same information and contents which appear an cover of the report. It is a page displaying the title, identification of writer and recipient and date.

Title page

Report no

A report

On

Inventory and purchasing practices

Prepared for

The board of director

Nagarjun construction limited

Delhi

By

Arjun kumar

Authorization letter

The authorization letter authorizes the researcher to begin the investigation and present findings. This letter usually contain a brief statement of the problem, indicates the scope and limitations of investigation.

Forwarding letter

Mostly formal reports contain some form of personal communication from the writer to reader in the form of transmitted. This letter is necessary because the longer and formal reports can deprive the reader of understanding the subject matter quickly. This letter of transmitted helps the receiver to have a bird’s eye view of the report without reading it. This letter should contains

Brief introduction the reports and history in the light which the writer was asked to prepare the report.

Brief account of work done and methodology adopted.

Gratitude’s for the person’s who cooperated in the study.

Limitation’s and problems faced during the study.

Preface

Preface is the preliminary message from the writer to the reader. It introduce the report to the reader by giving a brief account of reasons to take up the study. Important findings, its uses and problems encountered during the study.

Forward

To enhance the grace and credibility of the report a forward by some expert or authority on the concerned subject added. It is different from the preface written by some one expert in that particular area.

Acknowledgement

Acknowledgement contains author’s expression of gratitude and indebtedness to the person’s, institutions or team member’s who helped in preparation of report.

Table of contents

Table of contents is a list of topics, along with pages, covered in the report. It gives the reader an overall view of the report and guide, like a route map to locate a particular topic.

Table of contents

Preface 1

Acknowledgement 2

Summary 5

Introduction 7

Objective of study 10

Research methodology 15

General and business environment 20

Industrial environment 25

Conclusions 27

Recommendations 29

List of illustrations

If the report has a number of tables, charts, graphs, diagrams, a separate list of illustrations is given the content table.

Executive summary

The executive summary also called synopsis, digest or highlights of reports. Concisely summaries all the ingredients of the report. It serves as a preview and also review for the person’s who will study the report thoroughly.

Main body

Introduction

The purpose of the reports introduction is to introduce the subject matter to the reader and to orient him to the problem at hand. This chapter tells what the report is about, and why it is prepared.

The following items are include in the part of reports

Origin of the report, specifying historical and technical background.

Objective of the study

Scope of the study

Methods of collecting data and its sources and the technique of analyzing data.

Definitions of special terms and symbols

Limitation of study.

Analysis and description

The analysis and description part analysis the collected data and present with it tables, graphs, diagram etc. this matter discussed under different headings and subheadings that highlights the various findings of the report.

Conclusion

After discussing the matter in the main part of the body, the writer states the outcomes of the report in the form of conclusion. The conclusion’s are the findings of the report written in brief. These conclusions are always drawn in the light of the objective.

Recommendations

Usually research reports, investigation reports and market reports contain recommendatory part that specific a course of action to be taken. This is based on writer’s interpretations derived from the conclusions of the reports. These recommendations should be listed in the descending of their importance. They also framed in simple, direct and easy language.

Back matter

Appendix

All supportive material and documents- questionnaire, detailed data, news clipping, pictures, definition for certain terms etc. they are presented in this part of report under the head appendix.

Reference:

If the writer has quoted and referred to certain books, articles and other unpublished material, he should give credit to those works by citing such works. If the number of such references is small, they may be mentioned in the footnotes at the same page on which they are citied. If they are large in number, they can be cited under the title reference.

Bibliography

It is alphabetically order list of publications and unpublished works which the writer has consulted before or during the preparation of report. It is different from reference. The bibliography lists the works which the writer has read whereas reference point out the specific locations of an idea or piece of information in the original source. While preparing the bibliography, states the name of the author, title of the book, publisher address, year of publication.

Glossary

It contain list of technical terms and their definition and meaning that have been used in the report. This is alphabetically arranged to facilitate the reader to understand the report in true sense.

Index

It contain different terms that have discussed in the report. This is constructed in alphabetically order among with page number’s. It facilitate the reader to locate any topic or subtopic quickly in the report.