Q. (a) List the parts of a formal report. (b) Explain the parts of a report body.

Q. (a) List the parts of a formal report.(b) Explain the parts of a report body.

Ans: a). PARTS OF FORMAL REPORT:
Parts of a formal report may be grouped into prefatory parts, body parts, and supplemental
parts.
Prefatory parts – cover; title fly; title page; letter of authorization; letter of acceptance; letter
of approval; letter of transmittal, acknowledgements; table of contents; table of tables;
synopsis; abstract or summary.
Body Parts – Introduction; text; terminal section – conclusion and recommendations.
Supplemental parts appendix, bibliography, index.
b) PARTS OF THE REPORT BODY:
One part that every written report has is the body. This part includes three sections –
introduction, text and terminal section.
Introduction:
Following are the possible elements of introduction:
1. Authorization names the person who requested the report.
2. Problem, also called issue, proposed, matter, etc.
3. Purpose, also called objective goal, mission, aim, etc.
4. Scope determines the extent of investigation or coverage and the boundary of the report.
5. Methodology indicates the methods of data collection, e.g. reading, interviewing,
observing, or experimenting.
6. Sources – primary (unpublished sources) and secondary (Published sources).
7. Background of the situation being investigated.
8. Definition of terms that have several possible interpretations.
9. Limitations refer to restrictions such as time, money, available data, etc.
10. Brief statement of results suggests the decision to be taken on the recommendations in a
few words.
11. Plan of presentation states the divisions and sub-divisions of the report and the order of
the topics.
12. Introduction of the company for whom the report is prepared, includes nature, age and
size of the business.
The introduction of report needs not include all the elements listed above, but only the
desirable and appropriate ones. For example, a voluntary report cannot include
authorization, or a periodic report may omit all or many of the elements of introduction. In
short reports, the few needed elements may be grouped in a single paragraph without the
heading of “Introduction”. Long reports may have introduction of many pages with
headings and sub-headings. These elements may be arranged separately and many of them
may be stated in parts other than “Introduction” – even outside the body of the report.
TEXT:
Text is the largest portion of any report body. This section discusses and develops and
develops the necessary details. As with all good business writing only pertinent facts should be
included in the text.
The text is never labeled Text. Its title should be discussion, finding, date or other
meaningful words. Or, instead of one main title for this section, a series of headings, corresponding
to the main topics may be used throughout the text.
The content, organization, language style should be adopted to the reader’s needs.