“A report is a textual work made with the specific intention of relaying or recounting certain events in widely presentable form”
Written reports are documents present focused, salient content to a specific audience. Reports are often used to display the result of an experiment, investigation, or inquiry. The audience may be public or private. Reports are used in government, business, education, science, and other fields.
Reports such as graphics, images, voice, specialized vocabulary in order to persuade that specific audience to undertake an action. One of the most common formats for presenting reports is IMRAD: Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion. This structure is standard for the genre because it mirrors the traditional publication of scientific research and summons the ethos and credibility of that discipline. Reports are not required to follow this pattern, and may use alternative patterns like the problem-solution format.
Additional elements often used to persuade readers include: headings to indicate topics, to more complex formats including charts, tables, figures and pictures, tables of contents, abstracts, summaries, appendices, footnotes, hyperlinks, and references.
Some examples of reports are: scientific reports, recommendation reports, white papers, annual reports, auditor's reports, workplace reports, census reports, trip reports, progress reports, investigative reports, budget reports, policy reports, demographic reports, credit reports, appraisal reports, inspection reports, military reports, bound reports, etc.
Qualities & Qualifications of a Reporter
• Knowledge: Broad general knowledge and experience in order to understand a number of different areas and have the ability to go from one area to another easily.
• Effective: The ability to get things done; work under pressure; work well with others under pressure; be well organized.
• Curiosity: the need to be curious enough to go beyond the surface; look at things in a questioning manner; to seek information to find out about people, events, activities and to understand them; to be skeptical at times.
• Comprehension: The ability to analyze information, sort the important from the unimportant; understand what you're writing about.
• Judgment: Gather information and learn to sort the important from the unimportant effectively; be able to weed out information, determining what readers need to know, what will make a complete, accurate article.
•Persistent: Knowing when to continue to seek or push for information, when to give up; the need to be energetic; not stopping just because someone says "no" (remember reporters Woodward and Bernstein and the obstacles they encountered unraveling the Watergate scandal, which forced the resignation of U.S. President Richard Nixon in 1974).
• Motivation: The drive to work beyond the normal 8-hour day; journalists must cover the story when it occurs; news is a perishable commodity.
•Personal Stability: Keeping your head when the world around seems to be falling apart; ability to remain professional and do the job even though you may be witnessing unpleasantness. One still-famous example is the radio reporter who was broadcasting when a large dirigible (blimp), the Hindenburg, exploded just before landing in 1937 in New Jersey. Although emotional, he kept reporting. In addition, the more stable you are, the more apt you are to treat people fairly and write objectively.
• Writing Skills: Obviously, a journalist must be an excellent writer. He must have a firm grasp of the English language, including proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation. He must be able to write well in a variety of styles, including technical, descriptive, and persuasive. Natural talent aside, most journalists are committed to continually improving their writing skills through the completion of various classes and workshops. They understand that the development of strong writing skills is an ongoing process.
• Time Management Skills: Time management skills are extremely important qualifications for a journalist. A working journalist must often juggle several different stories at one time. He is rarely closely supervised during the day, so it's up to him to make sure the work gets done by the publication's deadline. Since journalists are expected to work irregular hours, time management skills must carry over into the writer's personal life as well. A working journalist who has a spouse and small children at home will need to be extremely organized in order to fulfill all of his obligations.
• Diplomacy: In his daily work, a journalist often comes into contact with people from many different backgrounds. He may begin the day talking to the mayor about budget cuts for city construction projects, then rush to the scene of an accident to interview a woman who has just learned her son is seriously injured. Knowing how to interact with people of all ages, races, and cultural backgrounds makes the journalist's job much easier. Diplomacy is also important when you consider the need to make a reluctant interview subject open up for a story. Many people are inherently suspicious of the media, so they're not going to talk to journalists unless they are given a reason to feel comfortable. A good journalist knows how to empathize with his subject, without getting emotionally involved in the story. When asking about the qualifications of a journalist, many people find themselves wondering if a college degree in journalism is a requirement for finding a position as a reporter. Although it's recommended that young people interested in journalism choose this as their college major, plenty of successful journalists have entered the field after studying different subjects in college. English and communications majors have the strong writing skills necessary to be successful journalists. Science, engineering, history, economics, and government majors have topical subject knowledge that many publications consider a major asset.
Characteristics of a Report
Complete and Compact Document:
Report is a complete and compact written document giving updated information about a specific problem.
Systematic presentation of facts:
Report is a systematic presentation of facts, figures, conclusions and recommendations. Report writers closely study the problem under investigation and prepare a report after analyzing all relevant information regarding the problem. Report is supported by facts and evidence. There is no scope for imagination in a report which is basically a factual document.
Writing reports are useful for reference purpose. It serves as complete, compact and self-explanatory document over a long period. Oral reporting is possible in the case of secret and confidential matters.
Provides information and guidance:
Report is a valuable document which gives information and guidance to the management while farming future policies. It facilitates planning and decision making. Reports are also useful for solving problems faced by a business enterprise.
Self-explanatory document:
A report is a comprehensive document and covers all aspects of the subject matter of study. It is a self-explanatory and complete document by itself.
Act as a tool internal communication:
Report is an effective tool of communication between top executives and subordinate staff working in an organization. Act as permanent record: a report serves as a permanent record. It is useful for future reference and guidance.
Time consuming and costly activity:
Report writing is a time consuming, lengthy and costly activity as it involves collection of facts, drawing conclusion and making
Types of Reports
Based on the four characteristics, a workable definition of a report is an orderly, objective message used to convey information from one organization area to another or from reorganization to another to assist in decision making or problem solving. Reports have been classified in numerous ways by management and by report-preparation authorities. The form, direction, functional use, and content of the report are used as bases for classification. However, a single report might fit several classifications. The following brief review of classification illustrates the scope of reporting and establishes as basis for studying reports.
• Formal or informal reports: The formal/informal classification is particularly helpful because it applies to all reports. A formal report is carefully structured; it is logically organized and objective, contains much detail, and is written in a style that tends to eliminate such elements as personal pronouns. An informal report is usually a short message written in natural or personal language. The internal memo generally can be described as an informal report. All reports can be placed on the continuum of formality, as shown in Figure 1-1.
• Short or long report: Reports can be classified generally as short or long. A one-page memo is obviously short, and a report of twenty pages is obviously long. What about in-between lengths? One important distinction generally holds true: as it becomes longer, a report takes on more characteristics of formal reports. Thus, the classification of formal/informal and short/long are closely related.
• Informational or analytical reports: An informational report carries objective information from one area of an organization to another. An analytical report presents suggested solutions to problems. Company annual reports, monthly financial statements, reports of sales volume, and reports of employee or personnel absenteeism and turnover are informational reports. Reports of scientific research, real estate appraisal reports, and feasibility reports by consulting firms are analytical reports.
• Vertical or lateral reports: The vertical/lateral classification refers to the directions reports travel. Although most reports travel upward in organizations, many travel downward. Both represent vertical reports and are often referred to as upward-directed and downward-directed reports. The main function of vertical reports is to contribute to management control. Lateral reports, on the other hand, assist in coordination.
• Internal or external reports: An internal report, such as a production and a sales report, travels within an organization. An external report, such as a company's annual report to stockholders, is prepared for distribution outside an organization.
• Periodic reports: Periodic reports are issued on regularly scheduled dates. They are generally directed upward and ser management control purposes. Daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, semiannual, and annual time periods are typical for periodic reports. Preprinted forms and computer-generated data contribute to uniformity of periodic reports.\
• Functional reports: A fun
ctional report serves a specific purpose within a company. The functional classification includes accounting reports, marketing reports, financial reports, personnel reports, and a variety of other reports that take their function designation from their ultimate use. For example, a justification of the need for additional personnel or for new equipment is described as a justification report in the functional classification
Conclusion:
Reports are forward documents, which might vary accordance to their direction and purpose. Writing a report is a complex process that involves a great deal of time, attention and through research. While a good report has many readers will skim directly to this point and use it to determine their will read entire piece. Others may make it through report only to feel lost once they reach the ending. And constructing an effective conclusion is also need.
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