Formal Report Writing

A formal report is a document that is written to present details of an experiment, proposition or to introduce new concepts. A good, well presented formal report is necessary for proper business communication. Formal report writing can be seen in academics, medical reports, government reports, federal investigations and in the field of engineering, where new designs have to be introduced. Report writing is also an important domain in business writing, which is used for the presentation of reports, records and reviews. Before commencing a to write a formal report, choose a topic and conduct an extensive research for proper understanding of the information. The language should be simple and lucid so that the reader will understand the report without any difficulty. Let's take a look at the basics involved in writing a formal report.

Formal Report Format
Since writing a formal report is a methodical representation of a concept or subject that consists of important points, summaries and appendices, it is essential to present it properly and to convey ideas clearly. Given below is a sample that can be kept as a reference or example. This format can also be used as a sample for business report writing:

1. Cover or Title Page: The cover page is an important factor to be taken into consideration while writing a formal report. The cover page must have the name of the subject for which the report is being prepared.
2. Introductory Page: The title page contains the subject of the report, the name of the person (or persons) submitting the report and the date of submission. The reason for selection of the particular topic can also be provided in the introductory page.
3. Table of Contents: The table of contents serves as a guide to the reader and provides the list of tables, graphs and figures in the report. There are many table of contents illustrations that can help you in choosing the correct format.
4. Summary or Abstract: A summary of the formal report is very important as it gives the reader an insight of what exactly the report contain. The abstract must include the objective, procedure, results and the conclusion. Since most people do not go through the entire report, it is very essential that the summary of the report give concise information. It should at least consist of two to three paragraphs. Though the abstract is only the beginning of the report, without the abstract the report is incomplete.
5. Outline: The outline of the report is an essential tool to place the general layout and the material of the report in a format so that it is easily understandable.
6. Introduction to the Report: The introduction is the main part of a business report format. The right introduction, that provides the reader the required information, sets the tone of the report. Any other information regarding the report can be included in the introduction so that the report can be understood in the correct context. Analysis and theories can also be included in the introduction.
7. Body of the Report: The body of the report, also known as the discussion, is the main part of the report that gives a detailed explanation of the concepts explained in the introduction. Necessary statistics, research and any other additional information should be provided to ensure that the reader clearly understands the report.
8. Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes the entire report. It should give a brief synopsis of the work done and results and facts developed in the body of the report.
9. Recommendations: This section in the formal report includes remarks on the subject of study and also gives suggestions for improvement, if any. The recommendation has to be in depth to give the reader sufficient information to evaluate the recommendations so that he may come to a conclusion.
10. Glossary or Appendix: This section contains the list of resource materials referred to, for writing the report. It must also give credit to the authors and their books, articles or publications, which were used as reference material.

The next time you are writing a report, keep the above mentioned points on formal report writing in mind as this will help you in preparing the report with no mistakes. Always concentrate on what the readers expect and convey the same in a manner easily understood by them.