Clarify Your Objectives

What is this report going to do?

• Tell or inform?
• Sell or persuade?
• Play a consulting role?
• Convince someone to do something?

Analyze Your Audience

• Who is your primary reader? Who is your secondary reader?
• What is the reader’s knowledge?
• How will the reader benefit from your message?

Get Your Thoughts on Paper

Here are some intuitive methods:

• Mind map
• Brainstorming
• Free writing
• Sticky notes
• Index cards

Here are some analytical methods:

• Focusing (topics and subtopics)
• Five W’s (who, what, when, where, why)

Group and Label Your Thoughts

Now, it is time to start the outline. The easiest way to do this is to sort the information by topics and subtopics.

Sequence Your Thoughts

Here are some ways to put your thoughts in order.

• Most to least important
• Least to most important
• Process
• Contrast/comparison
• General to specific
• Specific to general

Make an Outline

Now that you have your thoughts in order, draft them into an outline. Remember, this is just a road map, and it can be adjusted.

Write Down Your Draft

Using your outline as your road map, write your draft. Then, let an outsider review it.

Edit

• Delete any extraneous information.
• Keep terminology consistent.
• Keep a consistent format.
• Avoid buzzwords and jargon.
• Write in the reader’s language.
• Do not rely on grammar and spell checks.
• Make sure it has a comfortable reading level.

Add the Finishing Touches

• Use a readable font.
• Include headers and footers.
• Make use of graphics.
• Include headings that are relatable to the reader.

Proofread and Edit

This is the last step. It is a good idea to read through the document several times to make sure it does not include any errors.