Chapter 8: Communication and presentation 185- Easy reading makes hard writing
- Churchill’s guidelines for report writing centred on:
- setting out main points in a series of short, crisp paragraphs
- complicated factors or statistics should form an appendix
- considering submitting headings only, to be expanded
orally - avoiding woolly phrases, opting for conversational phrases
- setting out points concisely aids clearer thinking
- Reports can be tested for their effectiveness as follows:
- is the structure and layout clear and easy to follow?
- is the content complete and does it:
- state the purpose?
- say when, by whom, for whom and with what scope it
was prepared? - identify and address the problem clearly
- ensure detail does not cloud the main issue
- give sources for facts
- use consistent symbols and abbreviations
- use accurate figures
- make clear statements
- have conclusions which flow logically from facts and
their interpretation - ensure other possible solutions are only abandoned
with stated reasons?
- in general
- is the report objective?
- are criticisms of its recommendations pre-empted?
- is it efficient and business-like?