Before you start producing your word-processed report you must make sure you do the
following:
• Decide what the objective of the report is. This is critical. If you fail to do this you will
almost certainly produce something that is unsatisfactory. Every report should have a
single clear objective. Make the objective as specific as possible.
• Write down the objective. Ideally, this should be in one sentence. For example, the
objective of this document is “to help students write well structured, easy-to-understand
technical reports”. The objective should then be stated at the beginning of the report. If
you cannot write down the objective in one sentence, then you are not yet ready to start
any writing.
• Always have in mind a specific reader. You should assume that the reader is intelligent
but uninformed. It may be useful to state up front what the reader profile is. For example,
the target readers for this document are primarily students and researchers with a good
working knowledge of English. The document is not suitable for children under 13, or
people who have yet to write documents in English. It is ideal for people who have
written technical or business documents and wish to improve their writing skills.
• Decide what information you need to include. You should use the objective as your
reference and list the areas you need to cover. Once you have collected the information
make a note of each main point and then sort them into logical groups. Ultimately you
have to make sure that every sentence makes a contribution to the objective. If material
you write does not make a contribution to the objective remove it – if it is good you may
even be able to reuse it in a different report with a different objective.
• Have access to a good dictionary. Before using a word that ‘sounds good’, but whose
meaning you are not sure of, check it in the dictionary. Do the same for any word you are
not sure how to spell.
• Identify someone who can provide feedback. Make sure you identify a friend, relative or
colleague who can read at least one draft of your report before you submit it formally. Do
not worry if the person does not understand the technical area – they can at least check
the structure and style and it may even force you to write in the plain English style
advocated here.
The following checklist should be applied before you give even an early draft of your
document out for review:
• Check that the structure conforms to all the rules described in this document.
• Run the document through a spelling checker.
• Read it through carefully, trying to put yourself in the shoes of your potential readers.
