Long Formal Report Writing

Sultana, Nigar;
Associate Professor 1
 o The heading (Title of the report)

o Short, clear & unambiguous title

o Name & affiliation of the author (s)

o The Department & date of issue

The Title Page

Sultana, Nigar;
Associate Professor 2
 o The writer of the report
should thank everyone
associated with the
assignment and the
preparation of the report. He
or she should be generous in
expressing gratitude.

Acknowledgements
Sultana, Nigar;
Associate Professor 3
I thank my organization, Nestle Bangladesh Ltd, for giving
me the opportunity to conduct this research project. A
special word of thanks to Mr. Suresh Kumar (Director & Chief
Executive), Mr. Nitin Khanna (DGM), and the executives of
Nestle Bangladesh Ltd for giving me the necessary guidance
and help.

I also thank all the respondents of the survey, who gave me

valuable information to carry out the study.

Finally, I wish to thank my colleagues in the marketing

department, whose inputs were invaluable to the research.

Example of Acknowledgment
Sultana, Nigar;
Associate Professor 4
 Table of contents usually place after the
acknowledgements and before the executive
summery

It identifies the topics and their page numbers

in the report

Table of content maintains the hierarchy of

topics and their sequence and mentions the
main sections of the report exactly as they are
worded in the text

Table of Contents
Sultana, Nigar;
Associate Professor 5
 Normally a report has either an abstract or an
executive summary, based on the length of the
report and expectations of readers

A company may practice both an abstract and an

executive summary with long reports

A summery should have the context of the report

Should provide the most important findings,

conclusions & recommendations

Abstract & Executive Summary

Sultana, Nigar;
Associate Professor 6
 Should act as a time saver for busy management
executives

An abstract is a summery of reports most

important points

It is mostly informative and written about 200

words and in one paragraph

An executive summery gives a more detailed

overview of a report than an abstract does

Continued
Sultana, Nigar;
Associate Professor 7
 A descriptive mentions the topics discussed in the
report, it is not providing any details of those
topics

The reader has to go through the report

Busy executives has little patience with such a

thin account of a reports important conclusions &
recommendations

Descriptive abstracts are less popular with writers

of business reports

Descriptive Abstract
Sultana, Nigar;
Associate Professor 8
 Informative abstract discusses the main subject
& presents conclusions and recommendations

Scientific & technical articles often use an

informative article

Informative Abstract
Sultana, Nigar;
Associate Professor 9
 An executive summery covers all the major elements of a
reports content:

Background of the problem

Major topics

Important details

Main conclusions

Recommendations

Discuss of how implementation of the recommendations

would affect the company

Executive Summery
Sultana, Nigar;
Associate Professor 10
 It discusses findings & analyses results

The writer selects and arranges the major topics

in the order are left out

Here the writer could describe the effect of one

variable on the subject and then proceed in
chronological order to determine the cumulative
effect of the variable on the subject

The writer may choose the sequence according to

the variable he or she wants to recommend or
emphasize

Discussion & Findings of Report

Sultana, Nigar;
Associate Professor 11
 The information can be organized concept wise.
This means that the writer develops his or her
argument and reasoning on the lines of his or her
thoughts

The analysis should be logically organized & the

narration interesting & convincing

Continued.
Sultana, Nigar;
Associate Professor 12
 It is used to give a variety of information
separately when its inclusion in the main body
could interfere with the smooth reading

It includes:
Questionnaires or other instrument of survey
Tables
Flow charts
Maps
Summaries of raw data
Details of mathematical formulation

Appendix
Sultana, Nigar;
Associate Professor 13
References usually come at the end of a text
(essay or research report) and should
contain only those works cited within the text. So,
use the term 'References' to cover works cited, and
'Additional Bibliography' to refer to works read as
general background

A Bibliography is any list of references at the end of

a text, whether cited or not. It includes texts you
made use of, not only texts you referred to in your
paper, but your own additional background
reading, and any other articles you think the reader
might need as background reading

Bibliography & References

Sultana, Nigar;
Associate Professor 14
 Both Refs. & Bibliog. must be in alphabetical
order; and each entry must be laid out in a
strictly ordered sequence. Examples:

Cuba, L. (1988) A Short Guide to Writing in the

Social Sciences. London: Scott Foresman.Chs. 2, 4
& 6.

The information varies according to the types of

source. We look at the three main sources; books,
journal articles & book chapters or articles in a
book

Continued
Sultana, Nigar;
Associate Professor 15