Report writing 

For professionals and business people at all career levels

Practical and interactive online workshop, with trainer monitoring of writing in breakout rooms.
Content and duration varied to suit type of report and needs. Works well by team. 

Example outline below for a full 5-hour course (in three sessions, with the benefit of homework in between).

Small groups of up to 12 preferred, but please discuss numbers with us. 

                                                                               NOTE: we can work with your teams to create report templates. 

Why choose this skills course?

This course will help you to write reports that are easy to understand and that your readers will act on as you intend. 

What will you achieve by attending?

You will be able to write reports that are:

    • well-planned and logically structured 
    • clear, succinct and persuasively written

 To further develop your skills, we will give you a set of best-practice guidelines with a checklist for use in the office.

What will we cover?

    • Setting objectives, your own and the readers’
    • Planning and structuring information using pyramid order that suits reader logic
    • Choosing clear layout
    • Writing effective executive summaries
    • Ensuring completeness of content and language
    • Keeping writing clear and succinct, including short sentences, tenses, active and passive voice, syntax, and word choice
    • Making sure your writing flows
    • Writing with impact
    • Varying tone and language to suit your reader

What exercises will you do? 

You will complete exercises throughout, to draw out best-practice guidelines and to practise drafting with the benefit of trainer review and help, and with group feedback.
Exercises will include deconstructing, analysing and redrafting poorly drafted report extracts; and writing parts of reports from scratch.   

Online method

Zoom (preferred) or similar platform
Work in pairs, threes, group and alone
Breakout rooms: screen sharing and joint document work, plus trainer help with drafting
Homework between sessions

Course materials

Guidelines with summary checklist for use in the office
Exercises, drafting analyses and suggested redrafts

Trainers

Stella Styllis
Alan Simmons