Tips For Power point Presentation

Presentation structure:

1. INTRO SLIDE:

• Title of presentation, date, presenter name

2. OUTLINE SLIDE:

1. Main points of what you will talk about
2. Then follow the structure you've laid out
3. Start broad, finish specific
4. Rank Information (What NEEDS to go on the slide)
5. Simplify

3. CONTENT SLIDES:

1. Cover detailed information based on your outline
2. As many slides as you need, as many as 1-2 per minute
3. Remember Powerpoint is more visual than verbal: "a picture is worth a thousand words"

4. FINAL SLIDE:

1. Audience will likely take away the last thing you say
2. So make a point to have the last slide be meaningful
   • provide contact information for followup?
   • pose a question for discussion?
   • finish with a joke/or light hearted conclusion?
3. At the very least put a blank slide at the end
   • provides a non-distracting placeholder for discussion
   • prevents clicking through back to Powerpoint application

5. Slide types:
TEXT:

1. Highlight your presentation, don't create a substitute for it
2. Bullet points, not complete sentences
3. 4-6 points per page
4. No large blocks of text, audience stops listening, and reads
5. Consider showing one point at a time, using animation
   • helps the audience focus on what you are saying

6. IMAGES:

1. Avoid clip art… everyone has seen it before, lacks emphasis
2. Images should be good: not pixilated, out of focus, too dark
3. Cropped to remove distractions

7. GRAPHS/DIAGRAMS:

1. Make them as simple as possible
2. To be grasped in just a few moments, not studied at length

8. Design issues:
TEMPLATES:

1. Use a consistent background and layout for all slides
2. The template sets the tone of your presentation
3. choose it carefully
4. Avoid really bright backgrounds, or cluttered layouts

9. FONTS:

1. Choose two at most, nothing cursive or ornamental
2. Stick to sans-serif fonts, for legibility
3. Minimum of 18 point, 20 to 24 is better
4. Main points/titles bigger than subpoints/content

10. COLOR:

1. High contrast dark on light, or light on dark
2. Use color with care, to emphasize your talk
3. Avoid extremely bright colors, hot pink, neon orange, acid green
4. Do not combine red/green, yellow/purple, or blue/orange

11. ANIMATION:

1. Use sparingly, and be consistent
2. Avoid distracting or annoying sound effects

12. How to Embed YouTube Videos Directly into PowerPoint

1. "This is the easiest approach and recommended if are sure that the presentation venue will have great connectivity. Download the YouTube Wizard plug-in from skp.mvps.org and upon installation, this will add a new "Insert YouTube Video" command to your PowerPoint Toolbar."
   
2. Extract the contents of the zip to a folder.
3. Launch PowerPoint.
4. Click on Office Button | PowerPoint Options.
5. In the PowerPoint Options dialog, select the Add-ins tab.
6. Select 'PowerPoint Add-ins' from the Manage drop down and click 'Go...'
7. On the Add-ins dialog, click 'Add New...' .
8. Navigate to the folder where the contents of the zip file was extracted and select 'YouTubeVideo2k7.ppa' and click on OK.
9. You might be prompted with the macro virus warning. Enable the macros. When the Add-in is properly loaded, it will display a checkmark against the add-in name

13. Check your work carefully:

1. Check for spelling mistakes and grammatical errors
2. Check for logic and the flow of information
3. Try to test your presentation in the room before your talk
   • you may need to adjust the colors/templates/font size for the room/equipment
4. Be prepared to give your talk without a PowerPoint slideshow
   • technical glitches do happen

Presentation hints :

1. Practice your presentation
2. Make eye contact with your audience
3. Do not read the slides to your audience
4. Leave time for Q&A at the end
5. Don't forget to summarize your main points
6. Use Powerpoint to enhance your talk
7. (NEVER the reverse)

Font Size of CV

Different fond And size to write your CV

Font	Size	Use
Arial	14	Subheading
Arial	12	Subheading / normal text
Arial	11	Normal text
Arial	10	Normal Text
Verdana	14	Subheading
Verdana	12	Subheading / normal text
Verdana	11	Normal Text
Verdana	10	Normal Text
Times New Roman	14	Subheading
Times New Roman	12	Subheading / normal text
Times New Roman	11	Normal Text
Times New Roman	10	Normal Text

CV Format

CV format  

Personal details

  Your name and contact details including address, telephone number and email address. 

Education and training

A summary of your education , starting with your most recent studies, making sure you include all training that's relevant to the job you're applying for.

Employment history

Start with your most recent work history and work backwards chronologically, listing the name of the employer, your job title, the dates you worked there, and your responsibilities, tasks and achievements. Make sure you include everything that's relevant to the job.

Skills and abilities

A list of the things you're good at. These can be general skills or skills specific to a particular job. List them under broad headings such as "Communication" and "Teamwork".

Career objective

Tell the employer what type of job you want end up with; this shows that you've given thought to your future career.

Interests

A list of your hobbies and interests; this gives employers more information about you and also shows other areas of your life where you've gained experiences such as teamwork and commitment.

Referees

List people who can talk about how good a worker you are. Make sure you get their permission before including them on your resume.

Report Writing Format

Report writing can come in different shapes, depending on your topic and supervisor’s requirements. It can also contain all or just part of report writing components. We will give the full list of requirements for successful report writing.

1. The Letter of Transmittal

General guidelines:This is a separate document that accompanies report writing. It is usually brief. By sending a transmittal letter you let your recipient know that you are sending a report, and will also give him an idea about what is being sent and what are your basic requirements.

Our advice on writing a report:

• This document has to be written in accordance with the letter etiquette. Be sure to include address, a name of your recipient, and all the important information. Also, end a transmittal letters with a one-sentence paragraph that establishes goodwill by thanking or complimenting the recipient.
• Do not include a transmittal letter unless specifically requested to do so.

2. The Title Page

General guidelines:There are four main pieces of information that have to be included into the title page:
- the report title;
- the name of the person, company, or organization for whom the report has been prepared;
- the name of the author and the company or university which originated the report;
- the date the report was completed.

A title page might also include contract number, a security classification, or a copy number depending on the nature of the report you are writing.

Our advice on writing a report:

• A tutor might have a specific request as to your title page. Ask him.

3. Acknowledgments

General guidelines:
Good report writing includes a page of gratitude to those who helped the writer in his process: his supervisor, teachers/professors, librarians, family, etc.

Our advice on writing a report:

• Make them look sincere. Don’t just say, “Thank you…” and give the list of names, but refer to each one separately and thank him/her for something specific.

4. The Summary Abstract

General guidelines:
The Abstract communicates the scope of your paper and the topics discussed to your reader, and, in doing so, it facilitates research. When doing a summary of your report writing, go over the main parts of it (Introduction, Body, etc.), and summarize each of them in one sentence. 

Our advice on writing a report:

• It’s better to write Summary Abstract last. By this time you will know the content of you report, and will be able to outline its most important features.

• To make a good outline, ask yourself, why would another researcher be interested in this research, or what should a reader be sure to know about the research?

5. The Table of Contents

General guidelines:The table of contents is a reflection of report writing structure. Sections and subsections should be numbered and titled in such a way as to help the reader find his way through your report.
- list all headings and subheadings (excluding the title page, table of contents, and other preliminary matter), giving page numbers for the first page of each section;
- reproduce the headings and numbering exactly from the body of the report;
- include the full titles of the appendices.

Our advice on writing a report:

• Make a draft table first. It will help you to organize your materials and thoughts. Remember that it can be altered during the process of writing.

• Dot leaders from the heading to its page number make navigation around the Table of Contents easier for you and your readers

6. The List of Figures, Tables, Illustrations

General guidelines:
The figures/tables/illustrations should be numbered in order with the chapter number and the figure/table/illustration number within that chapter. When there are six or more figures, tables and illustrations, they are listed on a separate page with their corresponding page numbers in the text. If only a few exist, then they are included in the table of contents’ page. 

Our advice on writing reports:

• In some report writings a correct sequence is essential: 1) list of figures, 2) list of tables, 3) list of illustrations. Don’t make a page break between them.

7. The Executive Summary

General guidelines:This part of report writing is usually no more than one page in length, and includes:

- the purpose of the report
- background to the report
- sources of information
- main findings
- conclusions and recommendations.

Our advice on writing a report:

• While abstracts are brief summaries that address a technical audience, executive summaries represent report writing in such a way that it could stand on its own and would make sense to a non-technical audience.

8. The Introduction

General guidelines:The Introduction should be a brief but thorough discussion of the context of the problem. A typical introduction is about 1½ to 2 pages long. It includes:
- purpose or objective of writing the report;
- background information (for example a brief history of the organization, context of topic or problem);
- literature review (what researches have already been made in this field)
- scope, that is, the size or extent of study, amount of data collected, time frames, focus of data collection or discussion (for example, a department or whole organization);
- methodology, that is, the kind of data used (for example, who was interviewed, what type of material was referred to);
- assumptions and limitations, (for example, given the above material, any assumptions that were made and any limitations placed on the material included in the report);
- plan that briefly overviews the argument, framework or logical structure of report writing.

Our advice on writing a report:

• Don’t begin your Introduction with a sentence that is either too broad, or too narrow. Be specific.
• If you include illustrations into your introduction, you will help the readers get a better understanding of the context.
• Before writing about the purpose, make sure you understand it clearly. If you don’t, your reader won’t, either.
• When giving literature review, try to make comparisons. Introduce two different opinions on one topic, and out of them make your own point of view/conclusion.

9. The Body

General guidelines:The Body of the report writing is the main part that includes all the facts and materials essential for the understanding of the problem. It usually has three sections:
- Theories, models, and hypotheses. This section is optional. By giving it, you introduce the theoretical basis for your project;
- Materials and methods. This is a part where you describe (and illustrate) the materials used, and give a step-by-step report on how you were completing your task;
- Results. This section summarizes your efforts and gives information about what you discovered, invented, or confirmed through your research.

Our advice on writing a report:

• If you made a mistake during any of your steps, write about it, too. It will show the depth of your research, for you had to correct it.
• Results have to be presented in a straightforward way.
• Tables and illustrations are the best way to demonstrate your materials and results. By providing them, you secure your reader’s understanding of a problem.
• To make the parts of your Body paragraph fit together, give a short summary of every sub-section, and provide a smooth transition from one part to another.

10. The Conclusion

General guidelines:
This is the last part of your report writing. Sum up the main points and refer to any underlying theme. If any questions or issues remain unresolved, mention them in the conclusion. Write in a brief, concise manner, for your readers are already familiar with everything you talk about. 

Our advice on writing a report:

• Don’t introduce any new information.
• Before writing a conclusion, make a draft of it. Go over your report writing, and underline all the important information that has to be repeated. Your conclusion has to stress the importance of the research.
• Make a smooth transition from the Body to the Conclusion.

11. Recommendations

General guidelines: Give directions/propositions on how a problem you’ve investigated can be solved. List them clearly, and rely on the materials that you used. 

Our advice on writing a report:

• A numbered list is always a good idea. It gives quick access to your recommendations, and doesn’t send your readers wandering around the section.

12. References

General guidelines:
List all the sources of information that you used during your report writing. Use an alphabetical order. 

Our advice on writing a report:

• To keep track of numerous sources, begin writing them down in the very beginning of your report writing. There is nothing worse than going back and desperately looking for information.

13. Appendices

General guidelines:
Include data tables, background calculations, specification lists for equipment used, details of experimental configuration, and other information needed for completeness, but which would bog down the discussion in the body of the report. Your Appendices must each have a footer with numbered pages for that appendix. 

Our advice on writing a report:

• Include in an appendix any supporting evidence, such as tables, which is not possible to incorporate in the main body of the report.

Business Report Writing Tips

If you have a job that requires you to prepare business reports of one type or another, it is important that you understand the best way to create and pull together the most effective business reports possible. Through this article, you are provided business report writing tips that will allow you to impress your superiors and colleagues. 

Concise and Direct Writing is Key 

The first tip that you need to appreciate and come to utilize when it comes to business report writing is keeping your documents concise and direct.  What this means is that when it comes to preparing a business report, don't beat around the bush.  Don't use unnecessary, excess language. 

The bottom line is that when it comes to business report writing quantity does not trump quality.  In the realm of business report writing, you most definitely do not get more “points” for making a report longer than it absolutely needs to be to get the message across. 

In this day and age, people simply do not have the time to spend reading long reports.  You will develop a strong reputation for professionalism and intelligence by preparing reports that cut right to the chase and provide vital information in the least amount of space.

Use Standard Language When Possible

Many individuals who are charged with writing business reports whip out the thesaurus as they prepare to go to work.  These people think that they will impress the powers that be by using “big words” rather than using direct and standard language.
 

The reality is that when you are preparing a business report, you should use standard and even basic language whenever possible.  The only time when you should use “big words” (so to speak) is when you are preparing some sort of technical document that requires the use of specialized words.

The fact that you should use standard and basic words when you write a business report does not mean that you should not write well.  The point that you need to understand is that positive writing techniques do not involve the use of inappropriately complicated language.

Don't Over Write

As mentioned a moment ago, you need to keep your writing concise and direct.  What some mistakes people make, when it comes to business report writing, is that they repeat and then repeat again points that have already been appropriately made in a business report.

Another problem that occurs when it comes to business report writing is including information that has nothing to do with the topic of the report itself.  Writers do this for many reasons:  to add length to a report, to demonstrate to a superior how knowledgeable a writer is, and so forth. 

The bottom line recommendation is that you absolutely should never over write a business report.  Do not add materials and information that are not absolutely necessary to convey vital and absolutely necessary information.

Prepare an Outline

Before actually beginning the task of writing a business report, prepare a thorough and comprehensive outline.  By developing an overall and comprehensive outline, you will be better able to make certain that you include all of the items that need to be addressed in a particular business report.

One point that you will want to understand when it comes to developing an outline is that the outline itself is not something set in concrete.  You need to be able to be flexible when you start doing your actual report writing.  The outline is a basic road map to help you make certain that you completely cover the issues that need to be addressed.  However, as you go about actually writing a report, you will likely come up with points that need to be included within the business report itself.

Take the Time to Revise

Don't fall into the trap of thinking that you only have to do one draft of a business report.  Those individuals who have done the best when it comes to business report writing are those same people that will spend the time to revise and re-draft.  By taking the time to revise and re-draft, you will be able to eliminate many of the business report writing problems that commonly can occur and that have been discussed previously in this article.

Edit ... Edit ... and Edit Some More

Once you have all of the words to your business down on paper (or saved to your computer disk), you are not yet done with your efforts.  You still have a very important step to take, to make certain that you write the best business report possible.  You need to closely and completely edit your business report.

You simply cannot bypass the editing process.  Many people do – but they do it at their own peril.  Odds are that when you begin editing your business report, you will find mistakes.  In fact, odds are that you might even find some significant mistake or mistakes in the business report.  In the end, it can be extremely detrimental if you present a business report that contains errors that you should have caught through an editing process.

A Second Set of Eyes

A final pointer that may be helpful to you when it comes to preparing an impressive business report is having a second set of eyes take a look at what you have done.  Even if you revise and then thoroughly edit your business report, because you have spent so much time with it, you may miss something. Therefore, if you really want to be absolutely certain that you prepare the very best of business reports, have someone you trust – and who understands the issues you are addressing – read and review (and double check) your work.

Final Thoughts

By following the tips, pointers and suggestions that have been outlined for you in this article, you will be in a position to prepare better business reports.  Of course, the net result for you of preparing better business reports is career advancement and the development of a reputation of a very capable professional.

COMMON ERRORS IN REPORT WRITING

A few of the common errors in writing that hinder good communication

Ain't:

Some people believe that we should never use the word "ain't" in the English language. It is, however, a legitimate and valid word – if it is used in the right place. It is a contraction for "am not."

The sentence, "I ain't going to school today," is therefore correct. It means, "I am not going to school today." It can be used only for the first person singular (I). It can not be used with "we," "they," "you," "thou," "he," "she," or any proper noun.

Advice versus Advise:

Advice is a noun, something that you give. It is a thing. Say, "Please give me some advice."

Advise is a verb, something that you do. It is some action. Say, "Please advise me."

Affect and Effect:

As verbs, they differ. To affect some thing is to have some influence upon it. To effect some action is to cause it to happen.

As nouns, they also differ. Affect is like affection, related to emotion. Effect is a result.

Apart and a Part:

One is a single word; the other includes two words. "Apart" means two things are separate or away from each other. A "part" means one thing is a portion or an element of another.

A wall is usually seen as a "part" of a house, for example, while a fence is seen as "apart" from the house.

Complement and Compliment:

The change from an "e" to an "i" makes a big difference in these two words. The word "complement" is related to the word "complete." If one thing complements another, then the two together make a whole.

In contrast, the word "compliment" is an observation of some good quality in a person. It is considered more sincere than flattery.

Datum and Data:

The word "data" is a plural noun, like "facts." Do not use it as a singular noun (like fact) or as a collective (like water). Right: "There are many data in that report."

If you want the singular of data (one bit of information) then use the word, "datum." Right: "I need only one datum from that report." This is very seldom used nowadays.

etc:

End of thinking creatively (E.T.C.). Avoid using "etc."

Fewer and Less:

"Fewer" is used for counting while "less " is used for measuring. You can say Kwaku has fewer litres of fuel than Kwame, if litres are discrete things, or you can say Kwaku has less fuel than Kwame, because you measure fuel, not count it.

You can say that Akua has fewer shillings than Efua, or you can say that Akua has less money than Efua. (You can not say that Efua has less shillings or that Kwaku has less litres). Money is measured while coins and bills are counted.

Grocery store managers display their illiteracy when they put up signs in the express lanes saying ten items or less instead of ten items or fewer.

Forum and Fora:

A forum is a place being used for communication within a group or collection of persons. Historically it was a physical gathering place, but metaphorically it could be in a newspaper or on the internet.

More than one "forum" is not "forums." They are "fora." The word has a Latin origin so we do not make the plural by adding the letter "s." The word "fora" refers to several places for discussion. Few people use the word "fora" any more.

In general, "s" is not used to indicate plural for words that are borrowed from Latin. The singular (one) should end in "um" while the plural (more than one) should end in "a." Examples include: stadium, stadia; medium, media; datum; data. (The word "media" means more than one medium of communication; ie newspapers, radio and TV).

Hippopotomonstrousquipedalianism:

Do not use long words.

Hopefully:

Do not use "hopefully" unless you state exactly who is doing the hoping. Say: "They stood hopefully in the rain waiting for the rock star to appear."

Do not say: "Hopefully the bear will stay out of the village," or "Hopefully I will come in time." Say "We hope that the bear will stay out of the village," and "I hope that I will come in time."

Avoid all "...fully" words if you do not specify who is doing the action.

In Spite:

There is no such word as "inspite." Make sure you use the two words separately, "in" and "spite."

Input and put in?

An "input" is a noun, a thing, It is what you put into a project or a process.

"Input" is not a verb. You can not say you input something into a project or a process. You put something in, where "put" is the verb.

Isn't it?

When you make a statement, then immediately ask if it is not true, you can use "isn't it" only if the question used the verb "to be" (ie "is" or one of its forms), the original question was positive, and if the subject of the sentence is third person singular (it). It is correct to say, for example, "It is coming, isn't it?"

In many other languages, "isn't it" can be used without having to modify it to relate it to the original question. In English, you must make it consistent (with both the subject and the verb) – and negative. Thus: "He is coming; isn't he?" "I am coming; ain't I?" "You are coming; aren't you?" "He ate the food: didn't he?" "You will bring the gift; won't you?" "You will not do that; will you?"

Kindly:

It is rude to use it when talking to a single person. It implies that the listener is in an inferior class or is your servant and you are annoyed with him or her. When asking an individual to do something, it is best to use the word, "Please."

Loose and Lose:

The two words, "loose" and "lose," look similar, especially to those who speak English as a second language. It is easy to mix them up.

The word, "loose," means something is not tight or securely fastened down. It might easily fall apart or fall off. The word "lose," in contrast, means to have something go away and become lost.

Number of:

Do not use the phrase "a number of" to indicate an unknown number of something. Instead, use the word "several."

Remember that zero is a number, so it is true that I had a number of sexual adventures with beautiful Hollywood starlets.

Opposed to:

Do not use "opposed to" when you mean "contrasted with". Opposed means there is a conflict between the two. Contrast means there is a difference

Passive Voice:

The word "obfuscation" means to write or speak in such a way as to look as if you are saying something, but reveal very little. Using the passive voice is a common way to say less than people want to read or hear. In the passive voice you say, "The orange was eaten."

That way you hide the subject and so do not reveal who ate the orange. If you use the active voice, you must reveal the subject. "Aziz ate the orange." The active voice is simpler, and it always identifies the subject, ie who did the action. Nothing is hidden.

Always use the active voice in writing or speaking.

Quotation Marks:

English is not a logical language. We would think, if we are logical, that we should put a full stop, as the end of a sentence, after the closing set of quotation marks. Not so. We first put the full stop (period) to end a sentence, then we put the closing quotation marks.

The same with a comma. When we use quotation marks, the second set of marks are put after the comma, not before, as we might logically assume.

For other punctuation marks, they go inside the quotations if they refer to the content of the quotation, or outside the quotation marks if they refer to the sentence as a whole.

Revert:

To revert means to degenerate to an earlier condition. Say, "They reverted to barbarism." It does not mean to reply, as in "reply to a message." Say, "Please reply to this email message."

Slash:

A slash (/) can be used as "either or" when the choice is between "and" and "or." Say: "She is bringing chocolates and/or wine." Do not use the slash, however to make the same statement about nouns (do not say chocolates/wine) or in other places where the two concepts are interchangeable.

Substantive and Substantial:

Do not say substantive when you mean substantial. Substantial refers to a large amount. Enough or more than enough for the purpose. Substantive refers to content, in contrast to form or superificial characteristics.

Upholding and Holding Up:

When you uphold someting, you support and help to maintain it. When you hold something up, you hinder it or prohibit it from continuing or developing.

Unique:

The word "unique" means "one of a kind." There can only be one of that kind. This is an either/or situation; either something is unique or it is not. It can not be more or less.

That means something can not be "very" unique or something can not be "more" unique than something else. It is like being pregnant; either you are or you are not; you can not be just a little bit pregnant, or less pregnant than Isobel.

English is not Logical:

Up and down are supposed to be opposites. What do we do with a tree? We cut it down. Then what? We cut it up.

Can you read these correctly ... the first time?

1. The bandage was wound around the wound.
2. The farm was used to produce produce.
3. The landfill was so full, they had to refuse more refuse.
4. Please polish the Polish furniture.
5. He could be in the lead if he would get the lead out.
6. Since there is no time like the present, it is time to present the present.
7. A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
8. When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
9. I did not object to the object.
10. The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
11. There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
12. They were too close to the door to close it.
13. The buck does strange antics when does are around.
14. A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
15. To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
16. The wind was too strong for us to wind the sail.
17. I shed a tear upon seeing the tear in the painting.
18. I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
19. I need to intimate this to my most intimate friend?

There is no egg in eggplant, no ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins were not invented in England nor French fries in France. Sweetmeats are candies, while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat.

We find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig. And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth, beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese?

You can make amends but, not one amend? If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it? If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? How is it that people recite a play and play at a recital; ship by truck and send cargo by ship; have noses that run and feet that smell?

How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? Your house can burn up as it burns down; you fill in a form by filling it out and an alarm goes off by going on. When the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible. Why doesn't "Buick" rhyme with "quick?"

Their, There and They're

"Their" is an adjective. It describes something that belongs to them. "There" is a place; further away from here. "They're" is a contraction for "they are." (Amanda Ashton)

Should of

The phrase "should of" is wrong. It must be "should have." (Amanda Ashton)

sourced from 

article by Phil Bartle, PhD

Report Writing Technic

Introduction

Report writing is an essential skill for professionals.

A report aims to inform, as clearly and succinctly as possible.

Below we give some general guidelines, but you should check with your lecturer for more detail on what is expected.

A report is similar to an essay in that both need:

• formal style
• introduction, body and conclusion
• analytical thinking 
• careful proof-reading and neat presentation

A report differs from an essay in that a report:

• presents information, not an argument
• is meant to be scanned quickly by the reader
• uses numbered headings and sub-headings
• uses short, concise paragraphs and dot-points where applicable
• uses graphics wherever possible (tables, graphs, illustrations)
• may need an abstract (sometimes called an executive summary)
• does not always need references and bibliography
• is often followed by recommendations and/or appendices

A report should generally include the following sections.

(Sections marked with an asterisk (*) are essential: others are optional depending on the type, length and purpose of the report.)

• Letter of transmittal
• Title page*
• Table of contents
• List of abbreviations and/or glossary
• Executive summary/abstract
• Introduction*
• Body*
• Conclusion*
• Recommendations
• Bibliography
• Appendices

Presentation and style are important. First impressions count, so consider these simple tips:

• use plenty of white space
• ensure the separate parts of your report stand out clearly
• use subheadings
• allow generous spacing between the elements of your report
• use dot points/ numbers/ letters to articulate these elements
• use tables and figures (graphs, illustrations, maps etc) for clarification.
• number each page
• use consistent and appropriate formatting
• use formal language

Avoid these:

• the inclusion of careless, inaccurate, or conflicting data
• the inclusion of outdated or irrelevant data
• facts and opinions that are not separated
• unsupported conclusions and recommendations
• careless presentation and proof-reading
• too much emphasis on appearance and not enough on content.

End of Summary

Introduction

Report writing is an essential skill for professionals in almost every field: accountants, teachers, graphic designers, information scientists (the list goes on). That’s one of the reasons why your lecturers will almost certainly require you to write reports during your period of study at the University of Canberra.

A report aims to inform, as clearly and succinctly as possible. It should be easy to read, and professional in its presentation.

Exactly what you include in your report and how you present it will vary according to your discipline and the specific purpose of the report. Here we give some general guidelines, but you should check with your lecturer for more detail on what is expected.

Reports and essays—what’s the difference?

A common problem is that students transfer what they have learned about essay writing to report writing.

Both essays and reports need:

• formal style
• careful proof-reading and neat presentation
• introduction, body and conclusion
• analytical thinking

But there are some essential differences between the two.

A Report	An Essay
Presents information	Presents an argument
Is meant to be scanned quickly by the reader	Is meant to be read carefully
Uses numbered headings and sub-headings	Uses minimal sub-headings, if any.
May not need references and bibliography/reference list	Always needs references and bibliography/reference list
Uses short, concise paragraphs and dot-points where applicable	Links ideas into cohesive paragraphs, rather than breaking them down into a list of dot-points
Uses graphics wherever possible (tables, graphs, illustrations)	Rarely uses graphics
May need an abstract (sometimes called an executive summary)	Will only need an abstract if it is very long, or if your lecturer asks for one specifically
May be followed by recommendations and/or appendices	Seldom has recommendations or appendices

Report structure

What follows is a generic structure for reports. Using this structure will help to give your report the correct level of formality; it will also help to ensure that you do not leave out anything important. However, the actual structure required by your discipline may not be exactly what is represented here - you should check with your lecturer.

A report should generally include the following sections.

(Sections marked with an asterisk (*) are essential: others are optional depending on the type, length and purpose of the report.)

• Letter of transmittal
• Title page*
• Table of contents
• List of abbreviations and/or glossary
• Executive summary/abstract
• Introduction*
• Body*
• Conclusion*
• Recommendations
• Bibliography
• Appendices

Letter of transmittal

(only if specified by your lecturer)

This is a letter to the person who commissioned the report, in which you effectively hand over your work to that person. Include:

• a salutation (eg. Dear Ms Podolinsky)
• the purpose of the letter (eg. Here is the final version of the report on ‘Underwater Welding’ which was commissioned by your organisation.)
• the main finding of the report
• any important considerations
• an acknowledgement of any significant help
• an expression of pleasure or gratitude (eg. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to work on this report.)

Title page

This must contain:

• the report title which clearly states the purpose of the report
• full details of the person(s) for whom the report was prepared
• full details of the person(s) who prepared the report
• the date of the presentation of the report

Table of Contents

(usually only if the report is longer than, say, ten pages)

This is a list of the headings and appendices of the report. Depending on the complexity and length of the report, you could list tables, figures and appendices separately. Make sure the correct page numbers are shown opposite the contents. Up-to-date word processing packages can generate a table of contents for you.

Abbreviations and/or glossary

If necessary, you should provide an alphabetical list of the abbreviations you have used in the report, especially if they may not be familiar to all readers of the report.

If you have used a lot of technical terms, you should also provide a glossary (an alphabetical list of the terms, with brief explanations of their meanings).

Acknowledgements (if appropriate)

This is a short paragraph thanking any person or organisation which gave you help in collecting data or preparing the report.

Abstract (Summary or Executive Summary)

An abstract is quite different from an introduction. It is a summary of the report, in which you include one sentence (or so) for every main section of your report. For example, you can include:

• the context of the research
• the purpose of the report
• the major findings (you may need several sentences here)
• the conclusions
• the main recommendations

Write the abstract after you have written the report.

Introduction

• Give enough background information to provide a context for the report.
• State the purpose of the report.
• Clarify key terms and indicate the scope of the report (ie what the report will cover).

Body

The content of the body depends on the purpose of the report, and whether it is a report of primary or secondary research.

A report of primary research (based on your own observations and experiments) would include:

• Literature review (what other people have written about this topic. See our webpage for hints on writing a literature review). The literature review should lead towards your research question.
• Method (summarises what you did and why). Use the past tense.
• Findings or results (describes what you discovered, observed, etc, in your observations and experiements). Use the past tense.
• Discussion (discusses and explains your findings and relates them to previous research). Use the present tense to make generalisations.

A report of secondary research (based on reading only) would include:

• Information organised under appropriate topics with sub-headings. It is unlikely that your report will discuss each source separately. You need to synthesise material from different sources under topic headings.
• Analysis/discussion of the sources you are reporting.

Conclusion

Sum up the main points of the report. The conclusion should clearly relate to the objectives of your report. No surprises please! (that is, don’t include new information here.)

Recommendations (if appropriate)

These are suggestions for future action. They must be logically derived from the body of your report.

Appendices

An appendix contains material which is too detailed, technical, or complex to include in the body of the report (for example, specifications, a questionnaire, or a long complex table of figures), but which is referred to in the report. Appendices are put at the very end of the report, after everything else. Each appendix should contain different material. Number each appendix clearly.

Presentation of the report

The content and structure of your report is important; so is the presentation and style. First impressions count, so consider these simple tips to ensure your report is reader-friendly:

• use plenty of white space
• ensure the separate parts of your report stand out clearly
• use subheadings
• allow generous spacing between the elements of your report
• use dot points/ numbers/ letters to articulate these elements
• use tables and figures (graphs, illustrations, maps etc) for clarification. Label them clearly and cite the source. These graphics should relate to the text of your report; for example, Figure 1 shows that the population of Bandung has increased dramatically since 1890, or The population of Bandung has increased dramatically since 1890 (see Figure 1).
• number each page (a neat header and/or footer makes your work look more professional)
• use consistent and appropriate formatting (you may like to follow the report format supplied with your word processing package)
• use formal language. It would be worth having a look at the language which is used in other, similar reports to check out useful expressions and terms.

Sourced from Canberra University Website