Writing a Report — Why It Matters and Why It Is Hard

Start here You found a smarter way to make your company’s product. Months later, someone proudly tells you about “a new method someone in our company found”. It was yours — but nobody remembers. A written report would have saved your credit.

1. Credit for your work. If you only tell people about your work, it spreads by word of mouth. Soon nobody remembers it was you. A document with your name on it gives you credit.

2. Something to refer to later. After 5 days, people forget details. A properly saved document lets anyone check what was done, what was decided, and why.

3. Shaping the policy of the organisation. Companies decide: Start a new product line? Stop one? Speed one up? These decisions are often based on reports written by engineers and scientists inside the company.

In one line: Reports give you credit, keep a record, and help the company decide. Exam words: credit for your work, reference, shaping policy of organisation.

1. Personal background. - We come from different communities, regions (urban/rural) and countries. - Our native language may not be English. We think in our language and translate. The result may not be the best way to say it in English. - In speech, we show politeness with tone and face. In writing, we only have words. - A reader may read your report 15 days later, in another country. You can’t see their face or fix confusion. So your writing must be clear on its own.

2. Lack of knowledge of expectations. Many people simply don’t know what a formal document should look like. This lecture fixes that.

3. “Poor” examples. We read newspapers, novels, magazines, poems and sales brochures. They are good in their own way — but poor examples for formal writing.

Lecture example — the mystery novel A mystery novel hides the answer for 497 pages and reveals it in the last 3. That is great for a novel. But a report for your CEO must never hide the key point. The CEO wants to decide this afternoon.

In one line: Formal writing is hard because of language and background, unclear expectations, and the wrong kind of reading examples. Exam words: personal background, lack of knowledge of expectations, “poor” examples.

1. Understand the purpose of formal writing.
2. Recognise the overall structure of a formal document. (Next page.)

Everyday example A WhatsApp story about your weekend can be long and fun. A leave application to your HOD must say dates, reason and request in a few lines. Same writer — different purpose.

In one line: Formal writing informs and persuades — efficiently. Exam words: inform, persuade, efficiently.