Report Writing

A Report is a factual description or account of an event or investigation of an issue or a problem. It may also be an objective analysis or evaluation of something. Depending upon its nature, a report can be a single paragraph or a single page write up or of hundreds of thousands of pages of a thorough investigation like daily newspaper report or a first information report (FIR) registered by police or a voluminous document e.g. a report on the archaeological survey or the annual report of an institute or departmental or ministerial reports. Thus we have various forms of reports- newspaper reports, inquiry reports, progress or action taken report, a police report, a report of a meeting etc. each having a distinct character and format.

According to the subject matter different reports have different essential elements in it like an accidental report should include:-

• What happened at the spot of the accident
• Where it happened
• When it happened
• How it all occurred
• People, vehicles involved in the accident
• Loss of life and property if any substantial
• Details of rescue and relief operations presently going on.
• The scene of the accident
• Details of casualties- dead, injured, hospitalized with clear figures.
• Reference to orders of inquiry by the govt.
• Grants to the families of the killed and the injured
• Punch - a warning, a reminder, a comment on the negligence of the guilty, including govt. department or a recommendation on what needs to be done

Whereas a report of some event/function held somewhere should contain:-

• Name and Nature of the event held.
• Occasion/purpose of the event.
• Date, time & place where the event held.
• Chief Guest(s) of the function
• Inauguration
• Chief Guest’s message
• Comprehensive details of the event

Some basic point to be taken care of while writing an informative report are:-

• A report should be written in a practical and professional  manner presenting the necessary information as clearly as possible.
• An effective report is easy to follow and very well structured beginning with a heading and running into several small paragraphs each dealing with only one aspect of the subject. The heading should be  very clear and factual.
• The purpose of the report and how the information for it was collected should be mentioned in the beginning.
• Round off with a summary of the situation, a conclusion or a recommendation, appeal or warning, as is appropriate.