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FORMAL REPORT

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Formal report

Is distinguished from the informal report by: inclusion of some or all the special

elements like front materials and end

materials. the length of the report.

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Front materials:

All materials that precede the text of the

report. Help reader to:

a) locate specific information

b) become familiar with the general

content and the organization of the

report. Pages are numbered in small Roman

numerals (e.g i, ii, iii)

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ELEMENTS OF FRONT MATERIALS:

Title Page Transmittal Letter or Memo Table of Contents List of Illustrations Abstract Executive Summary

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ELEMENTS OF FRONT MATERIALS:

Title Page: Like cover page Title of report Name of writer (“Prepared by…”) Date of submission Identity of primary audience

(“Prepared for…”)

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Title Page

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ELEMENTS OF FRONT MATERIALS:

Transmittal letter or memo:- to establish the title and purpose of

report- to provide a place for the writer to add

comments about matters that do not fit easily into the report itself.

- place letter/memo immediately after title page

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Transmittal Letter

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ELEMENTS OF FRONT MATERIALS:

Table of Contents: Alert readers to:

a) pages that contain specific topics

b) the overall organization and content

c) specific and supplemental materials Helps audience locate particular sections Placed directly after transmittal letter or

title page.

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In table of contents:

List all major headings with the same

wording used in the report. List subsections, indented under major

headings. List all formal report elements, except title

page. Include the titles of appendixes. Do not underline headings.

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Table of Contents

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ELEMENTS OF FRONT MATERIALS:

List of illustrations:

- indicates the page numbers on which the

illustrations appear.

- if there are many illustrations, separate

the list into List of Figures and List of

Tables.

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List of Illustrations

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ELEMENTS OF FRONT MATERIALS:

Abstract:

- A synopsis of the most important points

in the report.

- Provides readers with a preview of the

full contents.

- Always begins on a new page.

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ELEMENTS OF FRONT MATERIALS:

Executive summary:

- presents the main points of the report,

often for the benefit of a non-technical

secondary audience.

- provides a more comprehensive overview

than an abstract.

- use paragraph format

- always begins on a new page.

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End Materials

Furnish relevant information not

included in the body. Include supplemental elements that some

readers need to understand the report information.

Provide additional specialized information

for some readers. Typically picks up the Arabic

numbering where the body has left off.

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ELEMENTS OF END MATERIALS

References Glossary List of Symbols Appendixes

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ELEMENTS OF END MATERIALSReference list: Records the sources of information in

the report and follows the final section of

the report body. Title of section can be ‘References’ or

‘Work Cited’.

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ELEMENTS OF END MATERIALS

Glossary/List of Symbols: Alert readers to these materials in the

introduction. Arrange them alphabetically. Do not number the terms or symbols. List the terms or symbols on the left

and definition on the right side on the same line.

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ELEMENTS OF END MATERIALS

Appendixes: Supplemental information that is too

detailed and technical to fit well into the

body of the report. Information that some readers need and

others do not. Recent trend, to place highly technical and

statistical information here.

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Guidelines for writing appendixes:

Label appendixes with letters,

“Appendix A” and “Appendix B”. Provide title for each appendix, like

“Appendix A. Questionnaire Sample.” Indicate in the body of report that an

appendix provides supplemental information on a particular topic, like “See Appendix A

for cost figures.”

For assignment

Title Page Table of Contents List of Illustrations Abstract References Appendixes

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- THE END -