Report Writing Skills

Report Writing Skills

Assignment No. 01
By:

Rabia Eman

SP19-BAF-009

Submitted to:

Sir Shahkar Ullah Khan

March 01, 2020

COMSATS University of Information Technology,

Attock Campus

DEPARTMENT OF MANGEMENT SCIENCES

 Report Writing Skills

Q: What are the differences between a formal and an informal

report?

Informal report
Informal reports are commonly used as internal reports, and that circulate within
organization to members of the department and department heads. These
member also use this reports that circulate throughout the company. They use
personal pronouns and compressions. Though the report is several sections long,
it is regularly much shorter than a formal report. No contents page is included.
Informal reports is design like a memo.

Informal Structure:
The introduction and conclusion is included in the body of the report and there is
no overview. Often include concise paragraph and short headings, if required. In
the introduction, initially describe the problem, what you have found and your final
judgment or conclusion You've reached an intended audience, so communicate to
them effectively in your discussion. Address the facts and do not embellish the
details, but make sure that the study is understandable. Remind the conclusions to
the reader. Include your recommendations and the steps you have made in solving
the problem. Be optimistic in respect to goals and recommendations.

Formal Report:
You'll need a formal report if you're writing a report for higher management or for
any other organization. Formal reports are often used for research on higher
education. Formal reports are well conducted and are longer. Formal reports have
an abstract and never use personal pronouns or contractions. Summaries are found
on separate pages and typically headings and subheadings are being used. A
proposal may also be followed by structured reporting. Add a content section if
your report is longer than five pages.

Formal structure:

Include a page which matches a cover of a book. Within one page or less, the
abstract briefly summarizes the issue, the research process and the final findings.

DEPARTMENT OF MANGEMENT SCIENCES

 Report Writing Skills

The title, the person who prepared the report the publication, and the date of
dissemination will be included in your title page. Resume your original thesis or
research purpose and include all the information required for the comprehension of
the subject by your audience. Include a contents index, and a list of tables and
figures. Including an outline of the study and final findings and feedback, for the
body of your paper.

Q: When we talk about the language of report, it’s said

objectivity can be achieved by avoiding the use of first person
singular and plural. Explain.

Objectivity can be achieved by avoiding first person pronouns because if we use

first person singular and plurals which means that we are giving our opinion or our
point of view that is consider as subjective writing that cannot be calculate,
evaluate or verify. Author does not use references or cited sources to support its
idea or discussion in subjective writing.

Objectivity in Report Writing

The first person view is mainly used for autobiography, such as a personal essay
and a memoir. Researchers and journalists generally avoid writing first-person
because it is assumed to enhance the objective of writing; We know that flesh and
blood researchers are doing, thinking and writing behind those impersonal
sentences.

Report writing is formal in tone and meant to be objective, using cited sources to
support an argument or position. This assumes the focus is not the author, but
rather the writing. By using I, we, me, mine etc; your writing will seem more
subjective. You shouldn’t even say things like “Now, I’ll explain the second
point…” When you do this, the reader assumes that you will inject your ideas and
opinions into your writing.

 Examples of objective statements supported by fact:

“Research suggests that…” “Authors Smith and Kline (2012) argue…”

DEPARTMENT OF MANGEMENT SCIENCES

 Report Writing Skills

The first person point of view is considered informal, and is not encouraged in
academic writing. First person can appear to weaken the credibility of the writer in
research and argument, as it reads as the writer’s personal opinion.

 Examples of personal opinion: “I believe…” “I think…” “In my opinion…”

“I would say that…”

The third person point of view is often used as an alternative to first person as the
“voice” in academic writing. Examples of using effective alternatives to first
person:

• Original example: I am writing this paper to discuss how I believe climate change
is a major problem. (1st person)

• Stronger example: Climate change is a significant issue and over time may result
in glaciers melting and the accelerated rise of sea level. (3rd person)

The original example presents a personal opinion of climate change with no

supporting facts. The stronger example is more assertive and direct, supporting the
claim that “climate change is a significant issue” with facts that can be cited.

DEPARTMENT OF MANGEMENT SCIENCES