Report writing

Overview / who should attend and why?

This programme is designed to give participants the skills to write persuasive and coherent reports, help them to organise information and, more importantly, communicate ideas to support decision-making.

Anyone who needs to improve on his or her written communication style and technique.

Course Objectives

Understand the functional nature of reports
Prepare and construct persuasive reports
Organise information more efficiently and convincingly
Improve your use of language
Use a set of objective criteria to evaluate and improve your reports

Course Content

Communicating on paper

• General principles
• Managing information
  

Reports as tools of management

• Functions of reports
• Writing for different types of reader
• Time management
  

Planning the report

• Creating a statement of purpose
• Clarifying and checking the report’s message
• Organising information
• Practical exercises in planning a report
  

Constructing an outline

• Control criteria
• Practical exercise: preparing an outline
  

From outline to first draft

• Essential apparatus of a report
• Functions of prose; techniques of explanation
• Summaries and introductions
• Practical work: developing the outline; identifying necessary prose techniques
  

Editing the report

• Paragraphs
• Sentences: length and construction
• Choosing the best words
• Plain English
• Practical exercises: editing for clarity
  

Costs / Duration and Location

• The cost of this training course is £400 + VAT
• The duration is one day 9:00 till 16:00
• Various dates and locations, see course calendar or contact us for further information