By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Identify the purpose of a report and the needs of the reader

• Plan reports efficiently using a clear structure

• Present information logically to support analysis and decisions

• Write clear, concise and accurate sentences

• Use formatting techniques to improve readability

• Edit reports for clarity, consistency and tone

• Use AI tools appropriately to polish and refine reports

Introduction

• The purpose of reports in organisations

• Types of reports and when to use them

• Differences between reports and other workplace documents

Understanding the reader

• Who reads reports and why

• Decision-makers, reviewers and secondary readers

• How audience affects content, tone and level of detail

Planning the report

• Clarifying purpose and scope

• Identifying key messages

• Using a spidergram to plan content

• Benefits of planning before writing

Structuring the report

• Common report structures

• Executive summaries and introductions

• Presenting analysis, findings and recommendations

• Using headings and subheadings effectively

Writing clearly and concisely

Editing techniques to enhance clarity:

• Sentence length and structure

• Main message first

• Active versus passive voice

• Plain English and appropriate word choice

• Eliminating unnecessary words

Using evidence and data

• Presenting facts, figures and analysis

• Integrating tables, charts and appendices

• Referencing sources appropriately

Formatting for readability

• Using headings, bullet points and white space

• Aligning content with organisational templates

• Visual presentation to support scanning

Editing and proofreading reports

• Editing for structure, clarity and tone

• Proofreading for accuracy and consistency

• Using AI to polish reports while maintaining professional judgement

Using AI appropriately

• Appropriate use of AI tools in report writing

• Aligning AI use with organisational policy and governance