Report Writing

Margaret Austin, Write Group, Wellington

Upskill with training on Professional Report Writing

Does your job involve presenting information to your manager, board, committee or customers, writing proposals to a funding body, or communicating technical data and specifications to your customers?

This practical workshop will show you how to:

• decide what to include and what to leave out of your report
• collect and classify information
• organise information in the most effective way
• make your reports easy to read and understand
• write reports that get the desired outcome

An effective report presents complex information in a simple, readable style. Its purpose is clear; it guides the reader through the issues and options towards clear conclusions and recommendations.

What you will cover in this Report Writing workshop

Get started

• Treat report writing as a process
• Focus on your audience
• Establish a brief and purpose statement
• Determine critical content

Organise the information

• Plan and outline the report structure
• Use the inverted pyramid where appropriate
• Guide the reader with informative headings
• Separate conclusions from recommendations
• Write succinct and informative executive summaries

Use language effectively

• Use a plain language style
• avoid lengthy sentences and redundant words

Use effective presentation

• Use tables and lists to present complex information
• Give your report a modern, reader-friendly presentation

Bring samples of your own writing to work on during the workshop (no commercially sensitive content please). Includes lunch, morning and afternoon tea and a comprehensive workbook.

The Presenter

Write Group based in Wellington and established in 1989, is New Zealand’s plain English writing specialist group. Margaret Austin is a trained teacher who has been with Write Group since 2002. She is one of the company’s leading trainers and comes with a wealth of experience in theatre, journalism and public speaking. She is interested in how writing creates, projects and maintains the image of a company or workplace, and is impassioned by the changes plain English can make to that image.

Comments from participants

• Lots of tips, ideas, and strategies to apply to my writing. Delwyn Hewson, Kaiwhakarite, Te Puni Kokiri.
• Creative and challenging perspective of what reporting/report writing should be. John Pereira, Report Writer, Te Runanga o Te Rarawa.
• Workshops aren’t supposed to be fun, but this one was. It kept me engaged the whole way through. I’m leaving with fresh ideas and fresh inspiration. Bill Rhys, Chief Information Officer, Kaipara District Council.
• Relevant, applicable, practical. Kim Silvey, Sector Liaison Community Support, Whangarei District Council.

Email us about our next Report Writing workshop.

Terms:  Please register early. A fee of $50.00 will apply for re-scheduling or cancellations received prior to 5 working days before the course. No refund for cancellations received within 5 working days of the course.  Substitutes from the same organisation are permitted at any time prior to the course at no cost.  Venture Group reserves the right to cancel or reschedule the course. You will be sent confirmation of registration and an invoice for payment upon receipt of your registration form.