Thursday, August 12, 2021

REPORT WRITING

समझने के लिए वीडियो जरूर देखें। 

REPORTS

Reports are the means of communication that are based on past incidents. it gives an account of something either seen or heard or done etc. Word 'Report' has been derived from a Latin word ‘reportare’ which means to carry back.

A report is a special form of narrative which aims chiefly at conveying information based on facts.----STANLEY

We must have seen our report cards; that was the first report we encountered in our childhood. After school or college when we join a profession or business or job, reports become an integral part of our day-to-day life.

A report is one of the formal written documents that are written for a specific audience to meet a specific need. It may contain

1.      facts of a situation or project or process;

2.      analysis and interpretation of data, events, and records;

3.      inferences or the conclusion, drawn from data or suggestions, and

4.      recommendations.

In a profession, a report is a factual and systematic account of a specific business or professional activity. Reports generally move in an upward direction and are used to communicate to the senior level in an organization. It is a major form of technical/business/professional communication. A report can be written by any person who has certain facts, or suggestions which are useful for a course of action. In this way, he transmits the information to another person who wants to use it.

 

Hence, we can say that report is usually a piece of factual writing, based on evidence, containing organized information on a particular topic on a specific purpose for a targeted audience. It discusses the topic in-depth and contains conclusions and recommendations if required.

 

PURPOSES/OBJECTIVES OF REPORT

1.      To present a record of accomplished work(project report)

2.      To  record an experiment(laboratory report)

3.      To record research findings (detail report of a new product)

4.      To document schedules, timetables and milestones(a report on a long-term plan)

5.      To document current status (inspection report)

6.      To record & clarify complex information for future reference(report on policies and procedures)

7.      To present information to a large number of people(annual report)

8.      To recommend actions that can be considered in solving certain problems(recommendatory report)

9.      Presenting data

10.   To describing problems and suggesting solutions

11.   To discuss and analyzing data

12.   To record events

13.   To analyze situation

14.   To give feedback, suggestions, recommendation

TYPES OF REPORTS

1.      Informative report: - The reports which give this or that information to either internal or external sources. It merely presents facts pertinent to an issue or a situation.

2.      Analytical report (Investigating report): - These reports are also called investigative reports. These reports analyse the facts, draw conclusions and makes recommendations. 

3.      Periodic/routine report: - Periodic or routine reports are prepared and presented at regular, prescribed intervals in the usual routine.

4.      Special report: - These reports are related to a single occasion or situation. These reports deal with non-recurrent problems.

5.      Oral report: - The report which is presented orally. There is no need for a written record. These are simple and easy to present.

6.      Written report: - Any kind of report which requires a written record is called a written report. It may vary from one page to several pages.

7.      Formal report: - The reports are formal when these are submitted to the department or to a very reputed person or team.

8.      Non formal report: - These reports are normally presented orally on a routine basis to either your head of the department or next line manager

9.      Long report: - These reports are very lengthy and include very serious kinds of matter or cases.

10.   Short report: - The length of the report is quite short and it helps the seniors to come to a conclusion.

11.   Progress report:- These are presented daily or weekly or fortnightly to show the progress of the work during the desired period.

12.   Audit report: - Audit reports are related to finance and budget.

13.   Staff report: - These reports help the departmental head in smooth functioning as these reports provide a report about the working of staff members.

14.   Confidential report: - The reports which are written on a very confidential matter are called confidential reports.

15.   Technical report: - A project report on a technical subject is called a technical report.

16.   Evaluation report: - Reports which evaluate either performance or a matter are called evaluation reports.

17.   News-paper report: - Report writing about an incident is called a news report.

IMPORTANCE/SIGNIFICANCE OF REPORT

Report writing is an essential requirement for a person, involved in a professional field/ business’ organization. The importance of a report lies in the fact that a number of business decisions and research conclusions are made on the basis of information presented or recommendations made in reports. By helping in the dissemination of ideas, views, and suggestions; reports develop information and understanding essential for effective decision making.

Students can be called upon to write project reports, seminar reports, progress reports, research reports, dissertations, or thesis. Effective report writing skills are necessary in order to be successful at the workplace. As a person advances in his/her chosen career, he/she may be called on to prepare different kinds of reports. Reports are vital to the success of an organization. The relevance of report writing can be summed up in the following points:

1.      Reports provide information in a scientific way.

2.      Reports help in planning new ventures.

3.      On the basis of reports, the officials evaluate the performance of their employees and promote them accordingly.

4.      Reports help in keeping records which provide necessary feedback.

5.      Sometimes, reports persuade and motivate the readers. They serve as stimuli to action

6.      A report on policies and procedures records complex information for future reference.

CHARACTERISTICS OF REPORT

Reports  -  

1.      are précis                  

2.      are Reader-oriented             

3.      relevant

4.      have the objectivity of the recommendation

5.      are simple and unambiguous language(clarity, brevity, grammatical accuracy)

6.      have special format            

7.      are illustrative                           

8.      have homogeneity

9.      are documented         

10.   are based on facts              

11.   are objective in approach

12.   have precision (no play of imagination and have exaggerated expressions.)

13.   are reader-oriented.                                                

14.   are properly documented

STYLE OF REPORT WRITING

Reports are used in various fields and the readers of the reports also vary in their interest and status. The style of a report should match to the

·        purpose

·        context and

·        reader of the report.

Generally, the style of a report should have the following features -

1.      Formality in language: formal words, specific terminology, and unambiguous language is used in reports.

2.      Objectivity: reports should be free from any personal ideas or emotions.

3.      Impersonal tone: No personal tone should be used in a formal report.

 

WRITING STRATEGIES OF WRITING A REPORT

OR

PROCESS OF WRITING A REPORT

1.      Analysis of problem and purpose:

We should analyze the problem to which we would discuss in our report and then we should think about the purpose of discussing that problem. It will help us to move in the right direction. Example- to inform, to analyze, etc.

2.      Determine the scope of the report:

After deciding the purpose, we should look into the scope of the report writing. The report must be beneficial to the maximum targeted audience.

3.      Determine the need of the audience:

Our report should be the audience centered. The report should discuss the important points which are concerned to the targeted audience.

4.      Gather all the information:

After following the above steps, we should start gathering information. We can use various methods for gathering information. For example- interviews, questionnaires, etc.

5.      Analyze and organize the information:

The gathered data or information must be read carefully and after analyzing  we must organize the collected data into a format/structure.

6.      Writing of 1st draft:

The first draft of wring report helps us to find out the real rough look of our report. It is an important part which suggests improvements needed for the final draft.

7.      Revise, review and edit:

It is a very important step. It requires utmost care as well as attention as during this process we remove all the mistakes which were present in the first draft.

8.      Writing of the final draft:

Now it is the time for final draft. After editing we will write the final draft with all the required formatting and structure.

TYPES OF FORMATS OF REPORT WRITING

1.      Blank report (Pre-printed): -

reports containing routine matter and which are periodical in nature may be written in a form prescribed by the organization. All you need to do is to fill in the blanks in a preprinted form.

2.      Letter: -

When you send short reports of a few pages to outsiders, you can opt for a letter format. Besides all the routine parts of a letter, these reports may include headings, illustrations, and footnotes.

3.      Memorandum: -

a report you send to somebody within your organization will be in a memo format. Your analysis, conclusions, and recommendations are included in the main text part of the memorandum, the other parts being the same as the inter-office memorandum.

4.      Manuscript: -

This is the most commonly used format for reports and is generally used for formal reports. The length of such reports can range from a few pages to several hundred. This format can be used for all kinds of reports. As the length of these reports increases more elements are added like abstract, summary, appendix, glossary, and so on.

ELEMENTS/STRUCTURE OF REPORT

A.     Prefatory part

1.      Cover page

2.      Frontispiece(O)

3.      Title page

4.      Copyright note (O)

5.      Preface (O)

6.      Certificate(O)

7.      Acknowledgements

8.      Forwarding letter/ letter of transmittal(O)

9.      Table of contents

10.   List of illustrations (O)

11.   Abstract/executive summary: (purpose of report, problem of the report   addresses, conclusions, the facts on which conclusions are based, the recommendation).

B.     Main text

1.      Introduction

2.      Discussion/ Description

3.      Conclusions

4.      Recommendation

C.     Supplementary

1.      Appendix

2.      References

3.      Bibliography

4.      Glossary

5.      Index

A. PREFATORY PARTS

A.1. COVER PAGE: 

It not only gives an elegant appearance but also protects the main text from damage and gives a brief note about the report and its writer. It includes classification (if any), number, the title of the report, writer’s name with department & organization, and date. Don’t overload the cover page with so much information.

 

REPORT ON

……………………………………….

PREPARED BY

…………………………………

SUBMITTED TO

……………………………….

ON

………………………

 

COVER PAGE

 

A.2. FRONTISPIECE: 

These are illustrations that may be superimposed on the cover pages like photographs, drawings, diagrams, etc to arouse the interest of the reader.

A.3. TITLE PAGE: 

It is an important part that includes classification (if any), number, and title of the report, writer’s name with department & organization and date. Other than these it also include name and designation of intended audience and name and designation of the approving authority, if any.

 

……TITLE OF REPORT…..

 

PREPARED FOR

………………………

 

PREPARED BY

…………………………………

APPROVED BY

…………………….

SUBMITTED ON

…………………

TITLE PAGE


A.4. COPYRIGHT NOTE:

It is a form of protection. It means if anyone sees, hears, and/or touches it then it is protected. Copyright laws grant the creator the exclusive right to reproduce, distribute, and perform work publicly.
A.5. PREFACE:
It is the preliminary message from the writer to the reader. It includes the need for this study, various sections of the report, important observations and findings, significance, and acknowledgment. It appears only when your report gets published.

A.6. CERTIFICATE: 

It contains the statement testifying the original work, place, date, and signature of the project supervisor or guide. It is normally required in project and research reports etc.

 

Certificate

This is certified that the project entitled…………………………….. embodies the original work done by Dr/Mr/Mrs/Ms/………………………………. Under my supervision.

 

Place

Date

Signature with stamp

 

 A.7.      ACKNOWLEDGMENT: 

This section is to show your thankfulness to the people who helped you in completing your work.

 

 

Acknowledgment

I am extremely thankful to……………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………

 

Thanks

………………………………..

 

 

 

 

A.8. LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL: 

It conveys your report to your audience. It is less formal and has a conversational tone. It appears right before the table of contents. It contains objectives, scope, the methodology adopted, highlights of analysis, important results, the significance of your study, suggestions, etc. 

 

Letter of Transmittal

 I am glad to put my observation, suggestion, and recommendation on (topic) ………………………….. in front of you ……....................

…………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………

 

 

 

A.9. TABLE OF CONTENTS:

It is required in lengthy reports. It is a list of topic including page numbers. It helps in finding the desired topic in lengthy reports. Roman numbers (I, ii, iii……….) are used for the elements before the main body and later cardinal numbers (1, 2, 3…) are used for the later part. 

 A.10. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS:

If a report has a number of illustrations and tables etc, a list for these is provided separately.

A.11. SUMMARY:

the whole report in brief is written in the form of a summary. It is meant for all readers.

B. MAIN BODY

B.1. INTRODUCTION: 

Its main function is to put the whole report at a glance. It includes background, purpose & scope of the report, authorization, and basic principles involved methodology of gathering data and structure of a report.

B.2. DISCUSSION/ DESCRIPTION: 

In this section figures, tables, charts, information and data are presented, analyzed, and interpreted. Meaning, ideas, and facts are made clear to the reader.

B.3. CONCLUSION:

It states the result of all the discussions.

B.4. RECOMMENDATION: 

Recommendations are the clear suggestions made to improve a condition. These are the desirable steps to solve a problem.

 

C. SUPPLEMENTARY PART

C.1. APPENDIX (plural- APPENDICES): 

This section of your report is used for information that has some relevant to the report but cannot be easily fitted into the text. Included material should relate to the subject of the report. It generally includes sample documents, detailed calculations, experimental results, statistical data tables and graphs, specimen questionnaires, etc.

C.2. REFERENCES:

List of references contains the specific information about a particular part that has been taken from some other source. Report writer should give information regarding the sources.

 Ex- Anderson, G.  2001, Information Technology. Chicago: Global Publishing House.


C.3. BIBLIOGRAPHY: 

It is the list of the books that have been consulted or should be consulted for further. It contains the names which should be or have generally studied on the subject. It gives an account of the writer, the publication, the edition, the place, and the year. The page numbers are not mentioned in it. The order of the books must be alphabetical. 

Ex---- Spencer, Clara: Our Heritage and Perils. 

C.4. GLOSSARY:

It is a list of words that might be unfamiliar to the reader and hence need explanation. The technical terms which are likely to confuse the reader can be included in the glossary (If writer and reader are from the same technical field, there is no need for a glossary).


C.5. INDEX:

It is given only at the end of a very long report in the form of a book. It is more helpful than a table of contents. It is arranged according to topics, sub-section, terms, and names, etc. in alphabetical order. It guides the reader directly to the spot where he can find a particular piece of information.

 

FORMATS OF REPORT WRITING

1.    Blank report (Pre-printed): -

        reports containing routine matter and which are periodical in nature may be written in a form prescribed by the organization. All you need to do is to fill in the blanks in a preprinted form.

2.    Letter Format: -

When you send short reports of a few pages to outsiders, you can opt for a letter format. Besides all the routine parts of a letter, these reports may include headings, illustrations, and footnotes.

 

 

 

1. LETTER HEAD                            (if a letter is written from an organization, the heading should be written in the center but if a letter is written by a person the name of the place is written in the  left)                     

2. DATE                                              12th march 2020

3.  INSIDE ADDRESS                       (Designation and Address of receiver)

4. SUBJECT                                        (it should be underlined and in capitals)

5. SALUTATION                               Dear/Respected/Mr./Mrs.

6. BODY                                              (1. introduction

                                                                2. detail

                                                                3. conclusion/recommendation if asked.)

7. COMPLIMENTARY CLOSE      (It is also called Subscription)

8. SIGNATURE BLOCK                  (Signature-

                                                                  name in capital

                                                                  designation)

 

 

3.    Memorandum (Memo) format: -

      a report you send to somebody within your organization will be in a memo format. Your analysis, conclusions, and recommendations are included in the main text part of the memorandum, the other parts being the same as the inter-office memorandum. It is used to publish a report in a magazine, newspaper etc.

MAGAZINE REPORT FORMAT

1.      Heading- A  descriptive title that is expressive of the contents of the report.

2.      Byline- Name of the person writing the report. You are not supposed to mention your personal details in your answer if a name is not given in the question.

3.      The opening paragraph (introduction) – It may include the answers of WHAT, WHY, WHEN, WHERE, etc.

4.      The detail account of the event- Sequence of programme with detail is given here.

5.      Conclusion- This will include a description of how the event ended.

NEWSPAPER REPORT FORMAT

1.      Headline- A descriptive title that is expressive of the contents of the report.

2.      Byline- Name of the person writing the report along with the designation. you are not supposed to mention your personal details in your answer if a name is not given in the question.

3.      Place and date of reporting- it is an important point in the news report.

4.      Opening paragraph- it includes the overview of the report.

5.      The account of the event in detail- It has two parts-

·        a complete account of what happened

·        the witness remarks.

6.      Concluding paragraph- This will include the action that has been taken so far or that will be taken.

4.    Manuscript: -

      This is the most commonly used format for reports and is generally used for formal reports. The length of such reports can range from a few pages to several hundred. This format can be used for all kinds of reports. As the length of these reports increases more elements are added like abstract, summary, appendix, glossary, and so on. This format is used in lengthy reports.

EXAMPLES-

 

  1. Write a report on Annual Day celebration of your college. (2013, 2014)

Answer: I am writing report in MEMO FORMAT.

A REPORT ON ANNUAL DAY CELEBRATION

By – Anubhav Goswami

 

Yesterday (13th December 2020) we have celebrated our 25th Annual Day in our campus at Kund Nagar, Meerut. It was celebrated on a grand scale. The preparation has been started before a month. Other than parents, many guests and dignitaries were invited to grace this occasion.

Function started at 3:30 pm as the Chief guest Shri P G Parker arrived and lit the lamp. He was welcomed by presenting a memento by the Chairman of our college. The first Cultural programme of Saraswati Vandana was presented by the students of the BJMC Department. Then the students of BBA, BCA, B.Sc, B. Com, BA, and MA presented their cultural programmes on the stage. The meritorious students were awarded by the chief guest and chairperson. Each student was given a certificate trophy and a cheque of Rs 25, 000/-.

Stage coordination was superb. Anchoring was done by Mrs. Sudesh Pandit and Mr. Rahul Khem. More than 2,000 people have attended the function but the discipline committee did its job perfectly. At the end of the programme chief guest congratulated the management and team for the successful completion of 25 years. The programme was ended with the thanks note of our director Shri Arun Chauhan.

 

 

  1. Prepare a report of celebration of Independence Day in your college for publication in your school magazine. (2015)

Answer: I am writing this report in ‘MAGAZINE FORMAT’.

A REPORT ON INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION

By – Gurga Das

Yesterday (15th August 2021) we have celebrated ‘Independence Day’ wholeheartedly in our campus at Basant Nagar, Meerut. It was celebrated on a grand scale as our college won gold medals in many programmes this year. The preparation has been started before a week. Other than parents, many guests and dignitaries were invited to grace this occasion.

Chief guest Shri S. S. Sharma, The CDA, arrived at 7:30 am in the campus. He was escorted by a group of trained students. After 20 minutes he reached the prayer ground amidst the crowd to unfurl the Tricolour, our proud flag. Our National Anthem was sung by all present there. After National Anthem, the Chief Guest delivered an enthusiastic speech. His voice was reaching the top floor. Then few patriotic songs were presented by the students of the junior section while the middle section presented skits based on ‘Azadi Ke Dewane’. In the end, The senior section presented a very beautiful and emotional screenplay on the life of our soldiers. Our eyes got wet. A huge round of applaud was given to the performance.

The Chief Guest and Director Announced a special treat to the participants. Programme was ended with the speech of our Director sir at 10:30 am.

 

  1. You are the Chief proctor of your college. Write a report to submit to the Principal about violent clash among students during convincing for the election of Students’ Union. (2018)

 

Answer: I am writing this report in ‘LETTER-BLOCK FORMAT’

XYX Institute

Meerut

 

The Principal

XYX Institute

Meerut

 

SUBJECT: REPORT ON VIOLENT CLASH AMONG STUDENTS ON 13TH FEB 2021

 

Respected Sir

 

With due regards I would like to submit my report regarding the Violent clash among The students on 13th Feb 2021 during convincing for election of Students’ Union. My findings are as follows-

  1. Students were divided into three groups- AD, WN, and SL
  2. Before the clash day. All were busy in their campaign till 12:30 pm
  3. Three days before on 10th Feb,2021, Two of the students of the WN group behaved rudely with the students of the AD group who were involved in the campaign.
  4. On 13th Feb, those two students were beaten by the students of the WN group when they were sitting in the canteen.
  5. During the clash Aman, Vijaya, Rahul and Sanket were injured badly. More than seven students got the scratches.
  6. The matter was resolved by Grievance Cell and Proctor Cell. Mr. Shekhar Raha headed the meeting.

 

Recommendations:

  1. Students involved actively in the clash should be suspended till the parents' meeting.
  2. Two cameras should be placed near the canteen also to keep watch on them.
  3. Corridors should not be left empty.
  4. Students must not be allowed to come out of the classrooms during lectures.
  5. HODs should appoint duty teachers and they should monitor it strictly.

 

I hope that we can avoid such incidents by following the recommendations mentioned above.

 

Regards

 

ABC

Chief Proctor

(XYX Academy)

 

 

  1. You are a reporter in ‘the National Herold’. Write a report on how the ban on plastic bags is being ignored and what damages it is causing to the environment. (2019)

 

Answer: I am writing this report in ‘NEWSPAPER FORMAT’.

 

REPORT ON IGNORING THE BAN ON PLASTIC BAGS

 

By Lakshman Rahu


Dashrath Pur

 13th Dec 2021

 I am surprised to see that people are creating a plastic world for themselves by ignoring the ban on plastic bags. Last week Government passed a law to ban plastic bags and requested people either to use paper or clothe bags or containers when they go out to purchase something but, to my surprise, people started blaming the government and did not pay attention to it.

After the law was imposed, only very few people took it seriously but the rest of the people of Dashrath Pur only discussed this matter on the crossing or in parks or in shop counters. Still today they forget to take cloth bags with them to bring things from the market. They argue with the shopkeeper to give them plastic bags to carry things. If shopkeepers try to remind them of the law, they moved to another shop. Hence, shopkeepers start keeping plastic bags for the fear of losing their customers. For the first few days, they were using plastic bags by hiding them from police but after four to five days they carry these bags fearlessly.

These plastic bags are choking drainage which forced the drain dirty water to overflow on the road and create unsanitary conditions in the locality. These bags are giving a threat to land quality. These plastic bags contain harmful chemicals which may contaminate food if carried in these bags. Other than this, people throw left food by keeping it in plastic bags. Hungry animals eat that food with plastic bags, get seriously ill and die. 

People must think seriously to check the use of plastic bags.

 

 

 

 

  1. You are very disappointed by the conditions and services provided by your school canteen. You decide to write a report to inform your school principal about the poor conditions and services of the canteen.

 

Ans: I am writing this report in ‘MEMO FORMAT’

 

To        :         The Principal,
                      ASL Academy

                       Meerut

From:          Mr Dhanush Bhardwaj

                      Volunteer Group-II

                      ASL Academy

                       Meerut


Date    :          24 March 2020



REPORT ABOUT THE SCHOOL CANTEEN


I am writing this report is to draw your attention to the school canteen.  Many of the students of our academy are unhappy about the conditions at the school canteen. There were lots of complaints regarding this issue like-

  1. In the first place, there are insufficient tables and benches. Our school has a student population of over 1 000. More than 80 percent of the students go to the canteen during recess to buy food and drinks. Unfortunately, there are only about twenty-five tables and fifty benches. As a result, many students have to stand while eating.
  2. The food sold at the canteen is not only expensive but lacks of variety. Sometimes it tastes bad. The menu is the same every day.
  3. The food and drinks are not covered. Their lackadaisical attitude and dress make the food contaminated.
  4. Canteen workers are rude and arrogant. They often shout at students.

Recommendations:

  1. A supervisor may be appointed.
  2. An unplanned/surprised visit by the management will be helpful.
  3. Menu cards will be scanned by the supervisor

We hope that conditions at the canteen will improve. We hope that you will look into our complaints and take steps to remedy the situation.

 

 

 

Your faithfully
Mr. Dhanush Bhardwaj

Volunteer Group-II

  1. Write a report to the Editor to be published in the daily Newspaper about the Price hike during the festive season.

Answer: I am writing this report in ‘MEMO FORMAT’.

 

30th June 2018

To:       The Editor

             Amar Ujala

             Meerut

 

From:  Mr Vivek Sharma

            Reporter

            Amar Ujala

 

SUBJECT: PRICE HIKE IN THE FESTIVE SEASON

Sir,

As a reporter of your Newspaper I have prepared a report on the topic of temporary inflation during the festive season. Due to this, the general public suffer a lot, so I want to highlight the problem through this Newspaper.

As we all know, that the festive season has started and people keep fast and purchase items of their use during festivals. But some hoarders and traders do business and they create a temporary inflation and price hike during festivals.

The hoarders hoard the necessary things of life and are successful in creating a temporary shortage of the necessary things. In this way, they set the prices of the daily useable items at their will.

The common people are forced to buy these things at high prices.  Financial weaker people are unable to buy these things at high prices.

I would like to give some suggestions to check this social evil

Suggestions:

1. the involved hoarder, traders, and businessmen should be arrested and fined heavily.

2. The Price Control Committee should work on the ground level.

3. Electronic media and other social platforms should raise a voice against this problem.

4. The religious Heads should motivate businessmen to be fair during festive season and help the people to enjoy their festival without debt.

5. even people should refuse to buy high priced items to teach a lesson to the hoarders.

                                                                                                              

 

Mr Vivek Sharma

Reporter

Amar Ujala