Know whom you are writing for. Always make an analysis of the recipients and design the report with them in mind.

Make sure you know exactly what aspects of a topic are to be included and which parts are to be excluded.

Keep reports accurate, relevant and concise. The main text should be short and other necessary information in the appendices.

Omit opinions from the sections concerned with fact. Remember the difference between findings, conclusions and recommendations: findings observe, conclusions interpret and recommendations suggest.

Use clear headings for each section. The headings can help the reader find the core of the report.

A clear, simple and factual form of wording makes the reader’s work easier.

The paragraphs should be connected, well structured, concrete and concise.

Be careful about your choice of words, specialist words, abbreviations which are not sufficiently well known, out-dated words, fashionable words, jargon and abstract words which give the reading unclear concepts may all be sources of irritation.

Make sure that you allow time for proof reading and re-writing.