How to Write a Formal Report (3 Most Effective Steps)

We should know how to write a formal report to write an effective formal report. You should give special attention to the content, grammar, punctuation, spelling, attractiveness, and detailed organization of the report. Since formal reports generally deal at length with complex problems, the way you organize the material is crucial to the readers’ understanding.

Table of Contents

How to write a formal report

1. Organize the Material

The data should be presented in an orderly fashion. Determining who the readers are there helps you to decide how much information should be included. If the readers are familiar with the problem, its background, and its purpose, you may not have to provide much detail.

You may present the information according to the direct or indirect plan. The direct plan uses a format by begins with the conclusion(s) and recommendations (s) and follows with the findings.

The indirect plan follows the traditional format, starting with the problem statement, then giving the findings, and ending with the conclusion(s) and recommendation(s)

The plan that is followed depends on the use to be made of the report and the preferences of the readers. If the readers want to know immediately what you found out, the direct plan will be used.

However, if you are trying to persuade the reader to accept the recommendation, use the indirect plan. The indirect plan enables the reader to follow the development process from beginning to end.

2. Prepare a Draft Report

This is another most important step to how to write a formal report. Next, you should begin to write a draft of the report. In formal reports, it may be necessary to use to follow such headings:

Major Heading

x xx x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Side Heading
x xx x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x xx x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Paragraph Heading
x x x x x xx x x x x x xx x x x x xx x x x x x x xx x x x xx x x x xx x x xx x x x xx x x xx x x xx x x x xx x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

With these three levels of headings to organize the material, the information is easier for the readers to follow.

After all parts of the development process have been put in proper sequence, you should decide on- what assisting parts are needed. Most formal reports consist of three which are:

A. Preliminaries /Introductions parts

Letter of transmittal
Title page
Table of contents
Executive summary

B. Body

Introduction
Procedures
Findings
Conclusions
Recommendations (included if requested)

C. Appended parts

Bibliography
Footnotes
Appendices

3. Prepare the final Report

After reviewing the draft copy to make sure that the information is accurate, and correct in grammar, spelling, and punctuation, you are ready to review the steps in the development process and to check the problem statement to make sure that the information presented what was requested.

As a writer, you should review some of the helpful writing tips that have been presented throughout the text:

Present information objectively.
Use transitional words, phrases, and sentences.
Define technical language.
Use short, simple sentences.
Double-space formal reports.
Use the active voice.
Use verb tenses correctly.

Hope you find all steps to how to write a formal report, if you want to more please feel free to comment below.

Related Content of Report Writing: