The Four Stages
There are four stages involved in the production of a report:
| Investigating | Planning | Writing | Revising |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose of the report is clearly defined. Guided by this, all necessary and relevant information is collected. | Info is selected according to who is going to read it. Info is sorted into sections and given a heading Info is arranged in a logical sequence. | All info and ideas are presented clearly, concisely, completely and correctly. | Prior to final printing, a thorough and relentless check is made of the first draft of the report. |
In each of the stages, every effort should be made to ensure that the report follows the rules of good writing and is clear, concise, complete, and correct.
Writing a report will probably remind you a little of work that you did in school. Remember that there is a lot of work to do before you actually start to write. You finish things up by editing, editing, and editing again.