Reports and Longer Documents

The word report can cover various types of documents. Some are informal. Some are not. More informal reports are often shorter in length and are less complex in structure. A formal report may have many components, including abstract, introduction, and table of contents among others.

Reports have various audiences to appeal to, more specifically the following audiences are listed “the layperson, the executive, the expert, the technician, and the operator.” Each report must be geared towards a specific audience. The writer should take into account this reader’s bias, knowledge, and position within the company.

Another important element in a long document is to offer the reader visuals. Numbers can go into a table or can create a graph or chart. A process can become a flow chart. A comparison can be in a Venn diagram. All of these elements increase the reader’s understanding and help them to better focus on important data.

Persuasion is often a large factor in report writing. There are several rules to help with this goal:
1. Consider whether your views will make problems for reader.
2. Don’t Offer New Ideas, Directives, or Recommendations for Change until Your Readers are Prepared for Them.
3. Credibility
4. If your audience is uncertain about your ideas, present both sides.
5. Win respect by making your opinion clear.
6. Put your strongest arguments first if your audiences uninterested and last if they are interested.
7. Don’t count of changing attitudes by offering info alone.
8. Testimonials are most likely to be persuasive if drawn from people with whom readers associate.
9. Be wary of using extreme or sensational claim and facts.
10. Tailor Your Presentation to the reasons for readers’ attitudes
11. Never mention other people without considering their possible effect on the reader.