Build a profissional business report
4.1 Citations
Citations in-text should be included using Harvard referencing.
4.2 Layout and Numbering System (Lab 9)
Use a consistent style and font size for headings and numbering system.
The report must be:
• presented in Ariel or Calibri font and size 12 with 1.25 spacing (i.e. not double spaced)
• paginated at the foot of the page.
• presented in numbered sections, wherever appropriate (use the section number as given to you in Section 2.0 of this note).
This is a report for a potential employer, it needs to be professional and “business ready”. Check to see that professionalism is evidenced by how the final report looks in hard copy and on the screen.
4.3 Writing Style:
Try to use simple plain English. All sections of the report should be written in the 3rd person.
• Avoid:
o over-long, complex sentences
o jargon
o informal phrases or words
o over-repetition of same word or phrase
• Provide abbreviations only if it is necessary.
• The presentation of the report will be assessed. Students should focus on the quality and professionalism of the report evidenced by the:
o overall appearance of report
o cover, structure, layout, and supplementary pages
o use of tables and figures. You should make sure that these are labelled correctly with heading/titles and source of information in the correct positions.
o use of colour and graphics
o spelling and grammar
Make sure your premises are robust and support your conclusions. Use the rules of an argument to make your report evidence based.
4.5 Proof reading:
This does not mean just checking the final version for spelling mistakes and it is often difficult to do completely on your own. At regular intervals in the development of the report, please consider the following questions:
• Will it make sense to a reader who does not know this organisation?
• Does the writing flow and are the thoughts expressed clearly?
• Is grammar correct and is punctuation accurate and consistent?
