Report Writing for Justice Professionals How to write complex - - PDF document

• Report Writing for Justice Professionals

How to write complex multi-section documents for mixed audiences

with Natasha Terk

Common report-writing challenges include:

Using overly technical language or legalese, not answering the reader's questions, applying a confusing organizational structure, not deleting unnecessary information, and using long dense paragraphs instead of lists and charts.

Report writing can be tedious and time-consuming and oftentimes we write and re-write reports and other documents for hours and they are still not clear and concise!

This webinar offers best practices for planning and writing multi-section reports that present complex information.

About Us

• Career-development consultants with 35 years’ experience
• We help clients and individual learners:

 Trainings  Coaching  Editing services

• Our Focus
• Save time as you draft documents
• Improve results for every …

 Email  Letter  Report or proposal  Professional presentation

Agenda

• Planning, Steps 1-4
• Organizing, Steps 1-3
• Formatting, Steps 1 & 2
• Choosing the right words, Clear and Concise language
• Proofing and editing, five highlights
• Identify and clearly state the most important message in the

report

• Apply strategies for understanding what information goes in

which section

• Adopt a reader-friendly format including headings, lists,

charts, and more

• Using clear and concise language
• Apply editing and proofreading techniques

Outcomes

• What do you find challenging about writing reports (check all that

apply)

• Finding time to write them
• Organizing the information
• Using a format that is easy to read
• Choosing the right words
• Including the facts, not my impressions or observations

Poll #1 Planning: Outline a long document

Step 4:

Identify readers’ other key questions

Step 2:

Identify your purpose

Step 1:

Identify your readers’ needs, interests, and concerns

Step 3:

Identify and answer readers’ single most important question

THE VALUE OF THE PLANNING

TIME % - ACTIVITY 5 - Think about readers 5 - Decide on purpose 5 - Identify main point(s) 20 - Select information to include 20 - Organize information 20 - Write quick first draft 20 - Revise and edit 5 - Proof and correct

• Step 1:

Identify your readers’ needs, interests, and concerns

• WHAT DO YOUR READERS ALREADY KNOW ABOUT THE TOPIC?
• HOW WILL YOUR READERS USE THE IDEAS?
• Will readers decide whether to take action and decide what action to take?
• Will they determine whether something was done or will be done correctly?
• Should they increase their general knowledge about a project or a situation?
• Will all readers use the information the same way?
• IF YOU`RE WRITING ABOUT A TECHNICAL SUBJECT, WHAT ARE YOUR DIFFERENT READER`S LEVELS

OF TECHNICAL KOWLEDGE?

• IS THERE A PERSUASIVE COMPONET TO WHAT YOU`RE WRITING?
• HOW INTRESTED ARE READERS IN YOUR SUBJECT?
• WHAT OTHER POINTS ABOUT READERS ARE IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER FOR THIS DOCUMENT?

Step 2: Identify your purpose

• The primary purpose of a report is usually to pass on information.

BY CONTRAST:

• The primary purpose of a proposal is usually to persuade clients or customers to engage in

a business transactions.

• A procedure presents information through a series of steps, in a persuasive way. Readers

should understand what specific steps they should take to accomplish a stated objective.

Identify and answer readers’ single most important question

Step 3:

Your readers’ most important question might be “what happened when you approached the driver?” Your answer might be, “I told the driver to stay in their seat and roll down the window but as soon as I started to walk, the driver opened the door and started to get out of the car.”.

• Step 4

Identify readers’

• ther key questions

O R G A N I Z I N G

Write section headings and subheadings Group related questions and answer them Write summary statements

1 2 3 Step 1:

Group related questions, and answer them

• Which of these formatting techniques do you use (check all that

apply)?

• Short sentences and short paragraphs
• Lists
• Tables and charts
• Headings

Poll #2

• DEVELOP USEFUL LISTS,

TABLES, CHARTS, AND VISUALS

STEP 2: USE LISTS AND CHARTS EFFECTIVELY

Make Sure Your Lists Are Easy T

• Follow

Use Charts T

• Make

Comparisons

• FOLLOW THESE FIVE GUIDELINES

FOR USING LISTS:

Introduce the list with an introductory statement Make sure that all items belong on the list Be consistent with capitalization, sentence structure, and end punctuation Keep items in parallel form Organize the list for your readers

1 2 3 4 5

The defendant was placed on Standard Probation for a period of five years for the crimes of Endangerment, a Class 6 felony, and DUI to the Slightest Degree with License Suspended

• r

Revoked and One Prior DUI Conviction Within 84 Months, a Class 1 misdemeanor. The defendant has been under Standard Probation supervision for approximately 16 months and the

• nly

violation to date is the new crime. The defendant has made good progress while on probation, completing the Moral Reconation Therapy program through the Adult Substance Abuse

• program. The defendant has also made strides in

his personal life by developing a better relationship with his son and family.

PROBATIONER COMPLIANCE/NON- COMPLIANCE AND PROGRESS ON PROBATION

• On October 29, 2016, the defendant was arrested for the new crimes of Intentional

Injury to Another and Disorderly Conduct-Fighting. This occurred while on probation.

• The defendant submitted three samples for urinalysis that were positive for ethyl

glucuronide (alcohol) and one sample for urinalysis that was positive for amphetamine.

• He admitted to using alcohol and methamphetamine following the drug tests.
• The defendant failed to submit samples for urinalysis on elven occasions over the past

seven months.

• The defendant did have full-time employment prior to his arrest.

• USE TABLES TO MAKE

COMPARISONS MAKE SURE VISUAL ELEMENTS ADD VALUE

S T E P 3

DRAFT AN INTRODUCTION OR SUMAMRY

• Write the introduction after you write

the rest of the report

• Keep it brief – 1.5 pages or less
• Explain early why the issue is important
• r why the reader should care
• Describe the situation and the report’s

focus, and define key issues and terms

• End the introduction by outlining what

each section will cover

• Keep the summary under two pages
• Remember that readers may use the

summary to decide whether to read the entire document

• Remember that some readers will read
• nly the summary
• Describe the topic and key takeaways
• Try to write the summary after

completing the document and its conclusion

• INTRODUCTIONS

SUMMARIES Choosing the right words, clear and concise language

• What happens when you read a report that uses confusing

language, has punctuation or grammar errors (choose one)?

• I form a negative impression of the writer
• It doesn’t really matter to me
• I start to doubt the competence of the person and question

their department or organization

Poll #3

Concise Language

Use One Word For A One-word Idea

• Use One Word For

A One-word Idea Avoid Repetition

• Alternative Choices
• Basic Fundamentals
• Serious Crisis
• Final Outcome
• Past Experience
• Surrounding Circumstances
• Equally As Effective As
• Symptoms Indicative Of
• Desirable Benefits
• Important Essentials
• End Result
• Future Plans
• Separate Entities
• Advance Warning
• Two Halves
• Regular Weekly Meetings
• Absolutely Complete
• 10 A.M. In The Morning

Keep language active

• Keep language active

Concise language Stay specific

• Use Plain

English

Per your request, enclosed herewith are documents concerning the above-mentioned project. Please review said documents and return them to this office prior to January 15th. We will then initiate the process

• f implementing the requested system modifications.

Does anything catch your eye?

On Saturday, April 14, at approximately 1737 hours, I responded to the area juts east of North J Street on Lucerne Avenue, in reference to a crash.

• 1. Misused words
• 2. Apostrophes
• 3. Commas
• 4. Complete sentences
• 5. Colons and semicolons

Proofing and editing:

• 1. Your/you’re
• 2. Their/their
• 3. Then/than
• 4. Its/it’s

Misused words

• 1. Show possession
• 2. Show contraction

Apostrophes

He stated that he not sure what all was taken but he knows at least three flat screen TV’s are missing.

Do you see the error?

• 1. Use commas to separate independent clauses when they are

joined by any of these seven coordinating conjunctions: and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet.

• 2. Use commas after introductory clauses
• 3. Use a pair of commas in the middle of a sentence to set off non

essential clauses.

• 4. Use commas to separate three or more words, phrases, or

clauses written in a series.

• 5. Use commas to set off all geographical names, items in dates

(except the month and day), addresses (except the street number and name), and titles in names.

• 6. Use a comma to shift between the main discourse and a

quotation.

• 7. Use commas wherever necessary to prevent possible confusion
• r misreading

Commas

A sentence must contain a subject, a verb, and a complete thought.

Complete sentences

Colons (:) are used in sentences to introduce that something follows like a quotation, example or a list. Semicolons (;) are used to join two independent clauses or to separate items in a list that already uses commas.

Colons and semicolons

• He wanted to see three cities in Italy:

Rome, Florence and Venice Here are three states that begin with C: California, Colorado and Connecticut. Never forget this point: Think before you speak.

Colons

I had a huge meal; however, I am already hungry again. She had self-defense training; consequently she warded off the assailant. We had students from Lima, Peru; Santiago, Chile; and Caracas, Venezuela. We had too many fumbles; we lost the game.

Semicolons Agenda

• Planning, Steps 1-4
• Organizing, Steps 1-3
• Formatting, Steps 1 & 2
• Choosing the right words, Clear and Concise language
• Proofing and editing, five highlights

• Identify and clearly state the most important message in the

report

• Apply strategies for understanding what information goes in

which section

• Adopt a reader-friendly format including headings, lists,

charts, and more

• Using clear and concise language
• Apply editing and proofreading techniques

Outcomes

Going forward, which of these best practices will you put into play?

• Plan my document (audience, purpose, readers questions)
• Format the document to make it easy for the reader to

understand

• Choose clear, concise, specific words
• Avoid grammar and punctuation mistakes

Poll #4

THANK YOU