Business Report
REPORT WRITING
Business English, Summer Semester, 2018
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Business Report (BR)
- The main purpose of a business report is to make data that is relevant to the company
- The report needs to make this data easy for the reader to understand.
- The best way to do that is to have clearly defined sections with labels and headings.
Types of report
| External report | Internal report |
| Provides information for decision making outside an organization | Move up the chain of command and gives a chance to showcase the quality of ones work to managers |
Formality and Writing style
- FORMALITY:
- Formal reports end to be written in objective style
- Use third person-pronouns (they, he, she, them & it)
- Informal reports tend to be written in personal style
- Use the first-and second-pronouns (I, you, we, our,& us)
- WRITING STYLE:
- Ensure that ALL information is accurate and presented in an objective manner
Parts of a report
PARTS OF A REPORT
Title Page
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Introduction
Findings
Conclusions
Recommendations
Bibliography/References
Appendices
Body of report
PARTS OF A REPORT
| Part | Description |
| Title Page | Title, Author’s name, Date of submission |
| Table of Contents | List of sections, sub-sections, appendices, etc. |
| Executive Summary | Summary of entire report |
| Introduction | Purpose, Background, Methods of Investigation, Scope |
| Findings | Analysis of facts obtained |
| Conclusions | Deductions based on findings |
| Recommendations | Suggestions and advice based on conclusions |
| Bibliography/References | List of references |
| Appendices | Supplementary materials e.g. other supporting data |
Executive Summary
- Summarize the main points of the report, such as the report topic, the data obtained, the data analysis methods, and recommendations based on the data.
- The summary could be as short as a paragraph or as long as four pages, depending on the length of the full report.
- The executive summary comes first in a business report
BODY OF REPORT
Introduction
Findings
Conclusions
Recommendations
INTRODUCTION
- The introduction sets the stage for what is included in the report. It highlights the major topics that are covered and provides background information on why the data in the report was collected.
- Four sections: Purpose, Background, Method of Investigation, Scope
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Purpose
States the purpose of the report
Includes what the report will recommend
Example 1
The purpose of this report is to investigate the reasons behind the rise in computer gaming addiction among teenagers. The report will also recommend preventive measures for computer gaming addiction.
INTRODUCTION
1.2 Background
Provides information on the problem or situation that gave rise to the investigation
May refer to secondary data, e.g. newspaper report (i.e. data that was discovered by someone else)
INTRODUCTION
Example
A recent study on game technology (Tan, 2010) shows that nearly 75% of teenagers in Singapore play computer games regularly and the majority of them show signs of addiction. The rise in computer gaming addiction among teenagers is a growing concern and the Ministry of Media Development (MMD) would like to find out the reasons behind this trend.
The report was commissioned by the Director of Corporate Communications, Ms Julie Sim, on 31 May 2010.
INTRODUCTION
1.3 Method of Investigation
States how investigation was carried out, e.g. questionnaires issued to [how many people] for [how long]
This is called primary data (i.e. data that is discovered by you, the writer of the report)
May include references to secondary data
INTRODUCTION
Example
Questionnaires were issued to 100 teenagers from 25 educational institutions on 25 June 2010. Three teenagers who were former addicts were also interviewed to get more in-depth views. References were also made to books and newspaper articles.
INTRODUCTION
- 1.4 Scope
- States the areas of investigation, e.g. reasons, consequences, etc., i.e. what information you need in order to meet your purpose
- First scope item is respondents’ profile
- There should be at least 3 other scope items
Findings:
Analysis of facts obtained:
Charts and Graphs to Create Effective Reports
Column Chart (Vertical Bar)
Horizontal Bar Charts
Pie Charts
Line Charts
Spider Diagram
Histogram
1. Column Chart (Vertical Bar)
2. Horizontal Bar Charts
3. Pie Chart
4. Line Chart
5. Spider Diagram
6. Histogram
Conclusion & Recommendation
- The conclusion explains how the data described in the body of the document may be interpreted or what conclusions may be drawn.
- The conclusion often suggests how to use the data to improve some aspect of the business or recommends additional research.
Reference
- The references section lists the resources used to research or collect the data for the report. References provide proof for your points and enable readers to review the original data sources themselves.