Business functional writing- reports, meeting minutes.ppt.pdf

business

1. Welcome to the session
on
Functional Business
Writing!

E.g. Investigative report, Incident report & Meeting minutes •Session theme:


Enhancing competency in Report Writing by
familiarizing with the concept, principles,
structure and techniques.

Involving in sharing and discussion to relate
the session outcome with real life
practices/situations.
Session Objectives:
Define concept, types and principles
Explain the purpose
Analyze the steps
Describe data, types, sources and collection process
Explain quantitative and qualitative data, analyze and
present
Construct an ideal structure
Acquire skills on grammar and accuracy
Present reports effectively
PRACTICE





A report is a document containing comprehensive
information on a specific subject.

A Business report must include:
•Title
•Introduction
•Procedure
•Findings
•Conclusion
•Recommendation
•Signing off

2. Report
A Report is ‘a formal statement of the
results of an investigation or of any
matter on which definite information is
required.
OED: Cited on p.3, A Guide to Report Writing, Industrial Society, 1978.

A report can be classified into many categories! Types of Report:
Depending on Tone
❑ Formal
❑ Semi-Formal
❑ Informal Types of Report:
Depending on Length
• Long
• Short Seven “C” Principles of Writing
•Completeness
•Conciseness
•Consideration
•Concreteness
•Clarity
•Courtesy
•Correctness

3. Correctness
•All writing should be correct in terms of
right level of language appropriateness for
the reader. The writer should have accurate
facts, words and figures. Courtesy

•Writing should establish and strengthen
relationship between the reader and the writer.
The writer should obviously avoid irritating
expressions, hurt or demean the dignity of the
readers. The writer should choose
non-discriminatory expressions. Clarity
•Any writing should be able to put across
in such a way that the readers
understand it. Unambiguous words
should be used. Appropriate words,
figures and real examples are quickly
understood and received by the
readers. Consideration
•Information in any writing should be
prepared by keeping the readers in mind.
The writer should put herself/himself in
the place of the readers while writing.

4. Conciseness
•Conciseness is keeping the writing within
fewest possible paragraphs without
sacrificing the objectives of the writing.
This contributes to eliminate unnecessary
information. A good writing includes only
relevant information, and avoids
repetitions. Completeness

•Writing consists of facts or information that readers
need. Complete information more likely brings
desired results for the readers. Completeness prevents
the chance of costly information missing. Before
writing anything, listing of all possible information to
be asked by the readers, provides an opportunity for
the writer to make the writing complete. Concreteness
•Concreteness principle suggests that writing
should be specific, vivid and definite. All
relevant facts and figures should be leading
to achievement of the objective of the
writing.

Why (do we) write a
report?
To inform or explain
To transmit ideas or information, facts or findings
To research or define a problem and draw a
conclusion about it.
To make recommendations about ways of doings
things, making improvement or changes
To record information for other people

5. Reader’s Need Analysis
Reader (who
are they?)
Existing
Knowledge
(what they
already know)
The gap in
knowledge
(what they don’t
know, but they
want to know)
how do they
want to use the
information?
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3. How do I consider the audience?
As you write, ask yourself:
•Why have they asked for a report?
•What do they need to know?
•How will they use the report? Stages of Report Writing
There are four stages in writing a report.

❑ outlining
❑ drafting
❑ revising and editing
❑ presentation Structure of Report
• Title
• Acknowledgements
• Contents
• List of Illustration
• List of Abbreviations
and Acronyms
•Summary / Abstract
• Introduction
• Main body
• Conclusion /
Recommendation
• Appendices
• Bibliography
• Glossary

6. An abstract is a brief statement which
outlines the report in full; what was done,
achieved, decided and concluded.

An abstract is about half a page in length.
Sometimes a word limit is given. This can
range from 50-300 words.

Investigative & Incident report
Title

•It indicates what the report is all about.
•Should be plausible, credible, reasonable
•Should be written from neutral perspectives
•“Report on incidents of insecurity in xyz
school.” •A Perspective Game! Investigative & Incident report
Introduction

Introduces the topic & gives background information
it consists of,
•What the report is about?
•Where the investigation was carried out?
•The people who participated
•Why it was necessary

7. Characteristics of a well written
Investigative report
•Factual and accurate and flows easily to the
investigators conclusion
•Objectives
•Timeliness
•Concise
•Clear & Simple Report Development Report Development
Find the answers:

•What is happening? (Condition)
•Why is it happening? (Causes)
•What is result of it happening? (Criterion/
breach from the ideal)
•What would it take to fix it?
(Recommendations) Report Development
Condition

“What is”- The existing state of affairs
documented during the course of
investigation.

Describe what is deficient or defective and
state whether the issue/problem is isolated
or wide spread.

8. Report Development
Causes:

•Why did it happen?
•When, where & how did it occur?
•What organizational level was responsible for it?
•Include enough detail to support the
recommendations & to assist management in
implementing corrective action. Report Development
Effects:

•What are the ‘results’, ‘impacts’ or
‘consequences’ of the condition not meeting the
criterion?
•When possible, express the effect in
quantitative terms (time, money, value etc.)
•Also present effects on social, professional,
brand values. Report Development
Criterion (Breach off the ideal):

•What “should be” the laws, rules, SoP’s,
policies, procedures, practices were violated
and would substantiate the allegations.
•Here using professional experiences & wisdom
is necessary. Report Development
Recommendations:

•How to ‘fix’ it?
•Identify all causes and if there’s any
management weakness.
•Consider further/disciplinary action etc.

9. Incident report writing
•Detailed: IR gives the reader a clear picture of
what happened such as what Investigator has
seen, smelt or heard etc. all are included.

•Objective: IR is never Subjective. It is a
non-biased presentation of facts. It should be
free of opinions and hunches. (Always in 3
rd

person).

•Concise: IR should never include extraneous
information's.
Incident report writing
The necessity of IR:

•To document policy violations
•To document incidents that management need
to know about.
•To keep detail written record of the incident for
further reference. Incident Report Writing
Dos Don’ts
Names (Arif, Aminul) He, She, They
Arif’s Aminul’s His, Her, Their
The piece of Cigarette butt It/ the object
About 62% Almost, half
Two, Twenty Few, lot
Could be heard from 5 meters away Loud
Empty cans, pizza boxes Messy
When Arif was asked to answer, he
did not
Non-compliant
Arif shouted, threated Violent Incident report writing
General tips:

•IR’s must be written in past tense & in 3
rd
person.
•Report just the facts: who, what, when, where & how
•Include everyone involved (whether directly involved or
witnessed)
•Use direct quotes as & when possible
•Note quantities
•IR should not have personal comments or opinion
•Describe date & time of the incident. “on January, 25,
2021 at approximately 1 pm…”

10. Common Mistakes in report
writing
1.Sentence Fragments
2.Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
3.Commas
4.Misspellings
5.Run-on Sentences
6.Subject/Verb Agreement

Editing
The purpose
❖ have you clarified your purpose?
❖ have you identified your readers’ need/
characteristics?
❖Your job is to make the report “easy reading” for the
readers.

Information
❖ have you included the main points?
❖ are points supported by evidences?
❖ is the information relevant to the purpose? Format

❖ what is the balance between sections?
❖ do the most important items have the
most space?
❖ is it easy to find information in the
report?
❖ are headings and numbering clear?
❖ is it logical/ easy to follow? Accuracy
❖ are there spelling mistakes?
❖ do the figures add up?
❖ are the references correct, in the text and
at the end?
❖ are abbreviation consistent?

Presentation
❖ is the layout appealing
❖ does it highlight important points?

11. Language

❖ is it clear direct and easy to read?
❖ will the readers understand it?
❖ will its tone help you achieve the purpose?
❖ can unnecessary words/phrases be
deleted?
❖ is the grammar/ punctuation correct?
❖ is there any repetition? Writing effective meeting
minutes
•Purpose of meeting minutes!

The basic purpose of taking meeting minutes is
•to provide a record of official businesses and
correspondence's occurred during the meeting
•to support the assigned personnel when they carry out
their responsibilities assigned to them in the meeting.

Anything else you wish to add? How to write meeting minutes
professionally?
Step 1:

The minute taker must make sure that all of the
essential elements are noted, such as:
• types of meeting
•name of the organization and all stakeholders
involved in the meeting
• time, date, place/platform of meeting
•present & absents in the meeting &
• the list of agenda of the meeting. Next step:
•Prepare an outline based on the agenda
ahead of the meeting time. Leave plenty of
white spaces for taking notes.
•The more room you leave for notes, the more
likely you’re to add information discussed in
the meeting.
•You don’t have to leave anything on the
record to listen again or on your memory.

12. Next step:
•Don’t record/ write every single comment of the
meeting!
•Concentrate of getting the gist of the discussion.
•Try to summarize long discussions made on
single agenda
•Always be prepared. Do self study on the
agenda/ previous meeting before you enter in
the meeting
•The more you study the agenda, the more likely
you’re to retain the information. Next step:
•Do not take too much time to finalize the
minutes.
•Be sure that you have all the minutes
approved by the chair of the meeting before
they’re distributed.
•Never be intimidate if you’re called upon
many times to take/write meeting minutes.
•The ability to produce concise, coherent and
correct minutes is always widely admired &
valued in organizations.
Best of Luck!

Open Q/A
Thank you all,

Ashik Sarwar
CEO
WINGS Learning Centre (a premium language & training organization)
Guest faculty, BUTex
Guest faculty, UAP
Guest faculty, UIU
Former Director, SUB
Former faculty, BRACU
Former Head of HR & Training, The Westin, Dhaka
Former Master Trainer, British Council, Bangladesh
[email protected]
[email protected]
Mobile: [phone]