Microsoft Word Tips, Tricks & Templates » Recommended

How to Recover a Lost File in Word 2007 or Word 2003

Editor — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 02:10:51 +0000

Have you ever lost a Microsoft Word file and tried to find it? You know it’s there but where is it?

Want to find where it is? Here’s how to do it.

How Microsoft Word saves files

When you write a Microsoft Word document it creates a temporary file (.tmp) that saves your file as you work. When Word crashes — even if you have NOT saved the file —the tmp file is still on your PC.

FYI: Klariti.com also explains different ways to recover lost MS Word documents.

How to Recover a Lost File in Word 2007 or Word 2003

Before we started, I created a new Microsoft Word file, saved it (which creates a tmp file) and then did the following. This worked on my PC (Windows XP and Word 2007). Fingers crossed that it works for you.

Have to find a lost Microsoft Word file

Follow these steps:

1. In Windows Explorer, click on Tools, and then select Folder Options.

2. Click the View tab.

3. Scroll down and check Show Hidden files and Folder.

This tells Windows to show you files that are generally hidden from view.

Now we’ll look for the *.tmp files and see if this works.

Here’s how to do it.

1. Go back to Windows Explorer.

2. Click on the Search icon on the menu bar. It looks like a magnifying glass.

This opens the search pane in the left menu. We’re going to change the default settings here.

3. Click Don’t Remember for last time modified. This makes it search for every document!

Enter *.tmp for all or part of the document name.

4. In Look In, select the drive you want to search. The screenshots shows My Documents. Maybe you want to search your C or D drive.

5. Click More Advanced Options.

6. Select Hidden Files and Folders.

7. Select Search Subfolders.

8. Click Search. When I did this, I found hundreds of tmp files.

9. From the Explorer toolbar, click View, select Details, sort the files by date and click a file to open it. You may have to do this a few times until you locate your lost file. Obviously, if you just lost it, then open today’s files.

Windows doesn’t know how to open these ~wrl file types so you’re going to have to help it.

10. Click Select the program from a list. We’re going to tell is to open the file in Microsoft Word.

11. Click OK.

12. Select Microsoft Office Word and click OK.

The file opens in Word. But remember the file is still a .tmp file. If you just save it, you’re only saving the tmp file.

13. Click Save As and save the file to .doc.

Remember!

Just to recap, turn on the Explorer options to view the hidden files otherwise you won’t see the tmp files.

Remember to save the files back to a Word file otherwise they are still in tmp format and save them to somewhere on your PC. Right now, they are in the tmp folder. Put them in My Documents, for example.

Other Sites that might be able to help

Klariti.com also explains different ways to recover these lost documents. Lets start by searching for the original document. In other words: you know that you saved your document, but youre not quite sure where you saved it to.

Did you find the files?

I’d be interested to know if these steps work in XP. I don’t have it and so can’t replicate the steps.

If you can, please let us know if these steps work or how to find lost files in XP.

How to remove margin marks in Word 2002

Editor — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:18:32 +0000

How to remove margin marks in Word 2002.

Make sure that the Text boundaries option in Word is not selected.

To do this, follow these steps:

Start Word 2002.
On the Tools menu, click Options.
In the View tab, under Print and Web Layout
options, verify that the Text boundaries check box is selected.
If the Text boundaries check box is selected, click to clear the Text
boundaries check box.

Remove all the Asian languages from the Enabled languages list.

To do this, follow these steps:

Click Start, All Programs, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Office Tools, and then click Microsoft Office 2002 Language Settings.

In the Enabled languages list, select and remove all the
languages that you do not use except English (U.S.).

To do this, follow these steps:

In the Enabled languages list, select a language that you want to remove, and then click Remove.

Click OK to update the language settings.

Note: You can also press the CTRL key and select more than one language, and then click Remove to remove those languages.

Let me know if this works for you. If not, please drop me a line.

7 Steps to Better Technical Writing

Editor — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 22:22:00 +0000

Technical Writing is not difficult when you know where and how to start. So, when you write a technical document, consider the following 7 points:

[ad]

Glossary – make a glossary, even for a half dozen words.
Definitions – create a list of definitions and acronyms. Always explain what the acronym means when it’s first encountered.
Use bold for the definition or acronym to make it easy to find it again.
Analogy – provide a comparison or analogy.
Graphics – Provide graphics to illustrate the object in question, how it is assembled, or how it is used by operatives.
Replace general, abstract, and needlessly objective words with more concrete, specific, and simpler words.
Break long sentences into shorter sentences.
Use terminology consistently.

These points are not meant to be all-inclusive. However, if you are new to tech writing, this should put you on the right road.

Free PDF Creators

Editor — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:51:48 +0000

I often get asked if there is a FREE tool for creating PDF versions of Word files. Or any MS Office files for that matter! So, here is a roundup of some of the best freeware and shareware products our there.
1. PDF Creator: http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/

This works like a printer in Windows. In other words, you do File Print select the PDF driver and then print your PDF file.

2. CutePDF from http://www.cutepdf.com is also freeware and works exceptionally well.

3. PDF Viewers

You can get free Word and Excel viewers so people don’t even need PDF Readers

Try http://www.microsoft.com/office/000/viewers.asp

4. PDF995
Another free PDF converter for Word and Excel is at http://www.pdf995.com/

5. Open Office
OpenOffice can handle Word documents and Excel files and is free – http://www.openoffice.org/

And pdf995 and PrimoPdf are also worth looking at.

CutePDF has to be my favourite though.

Best Tech Writers forum

Editor — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 16:03:58 +0000

No, it’s not my own!

But if you want to post a question about tech writing or learn from others in the field, then this group is probably the best.

Tech Whirl is at: http://groups.google.ie/group/bit.listserv.techwr-l/topics?lnk=srg&hl=en

If you know of others, please post them here.

Get paid $20 per article

Editor — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 15:56:06 +0000

Freelance writers might be interested in this.

A new online venture, at least to me, Associated Content [http://www.associatedcontent.com ] pays between $3 and $20 per article you submit to them.

“I was looking for a writing job for fun and found AC. Writing is my hobby, and I appreciate earning some extra cash for doing something I enjoy. AC is a well-organized website. The look is very professional, not gaudy. I get a lot of personal attention and ratings.” - Dave Leader

There is also a bonus system where you get paid extra for the number of times your article is displayed to readers. You can also link it in with Google Ads.

“Associated Content’s unique platform enables everyone to earn income and gain exposure by publishing content. Associated Content offers a unique environment of pre-qualified and targeted audiences to our advertisers, content partners and publishers.”

http://www.associatedcontent.com

Get paid $20 per article

Editor — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 15:56:05 +0000

Freelance writers might be interested in this.

A new online venture, at least to me, Associated Content [http://www.associatedcontent.com ] pays between $3 and $20 per article you submit to them.

There is also a bonus system where you get paid extra for the number of times your article is displayed to readers. You can also link it in with Google Ads.

http://www.associatedcontent.com

How To Write Headings

The best Tech Writing Book on the Web?

Editor — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 13:04:12 +0000

Hello,

One of the best books on tech writing is freely available on the web at:

http://www.io.com/~hcexres/textbook/
Well worth a visit. I’ve read every page on it and learnt a huge amount.

Ivan

Hi Ivan,

moved to the USA 6 months ago and now applying for H1B. Can u suggest me some books for gaining familiarity with the writing styles followed here, esp for technical audience….

Am also reading ur articles….finding them really useful and helpful for people like me.

Viva FormsAssistant! – Create & Fill in Business Forms Automatically

Editor — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 14:57:53 +0000

FormsAssistant is an excellent Microsoft Word add-in for those involved in creating and filling in business forms.

Working from within the Microsoft Word interface, FormsAssistant lets you create new forms, modify existing ones, and fill forms with the appropriate information. By standardizing and automating your business’ forms processing, productivity increases, printing expenses decrease, and errors become less and less frequent.

FormsAssistant saves time by allowing secretaries and data entry people to use form templates for employment applications, surveys, medical insurance paperwork, contracts, form letters, and all types of documents where much of the wording is boilerplate.

To fill in a form, simply click the FormsAssistant icon on the Word toolbar. The program keeps all previously entered values, so you can select and reuse them with a single click. When you have entered all of the data, the form can be saved, printed, and treated like any other standard Word document.

FormsAssistant costs $29.95 (USD) for a single-user license. The program comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Purchase FormsAssistant at http://www.momsoftco.com/, or download a free, fully functional 45-day trial version.

Guidelines For Writing Webpage Titles

Editor — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 21:02:29 +0000

Web page titles describe the content of your web page. They are essential to get right if you want reader to visit your page, as well as search engines and RSS newsreaders to index them correctly.

The web page title should explain (at least) three things:

Purpose of the webpage.
Knowledge offered by its content
Benefits to the reader if they visit this specific page

This means that you need to write your web page titles with two things in mind.

Search engines index these titles. So, write your title in anticipation of how the search engine will understand the text.
Don’t write: “Welcome to our award-wining company site.”
Do write: “XYZ Corp provides Wireless Content Management Solutions”
Which of these helps the reader the most?
People searching through search engines see this title in the results section. The page title is the sentence that gets displayed here so it’s important to make it relevant to the reader.
Don’t write: “Your browser doesn’t support this site. Download Flash to continue”
Do write: “Wireless Content Management Solutions tutorials for IT Managers”
Which of these companies do you NOT want to do business with?

Common mistakes
Common mistakes when writing web page titles are:

Adding unnecessary words or phrases to the title.
Writing overlong descriptions that dilute the page contents
Using clichés, jargon or terminology that the reader will not understand

Writing tips:
Emphasis how the reader will benefit by visiting this page. However, avoid sales pitches and corporate speak. No-one likes reading this stuff.
Make headings that will be easy to read when viewed as a bookmark. If your readers do bookmark your site, you want to make it as easy as possible for them to find you from their list of bookmarks, Highlight the page’s location within the context of the overall website, for example, if the page is one in a series of tutorials, then consider introducing it as follows, “Tutorials | Project Management | How to manage deadlines”. After reading this you can tell three things about the page, even before you visit it:

It offers a series of tutorials
Project Management tutorials are available on this site.
The subject of this specific page is how to manage deadlines.

Writing headlines in this manner (or along these lines) gives the reader confidence in your site. The feel that you site will be organized and built with their needs in mind rather than for the company’s own self-satisfaction.

How To Write An Annual Report

Editor — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 13:03:50 +0000

A successful annual report contains the following key elements:

1. Visual appeal
What is the look and feel of your annual report? Is it attractive, interesting and unusual, or boring and unimaginative? The clever use of design, graphics, artwork and typography can make the difference between a winner and an also-ran.

2. Good readable text
Don’t be tempted to choose a fancy typeface that will be difficult to read. Remember your aim is to disseminate your information – it will not happen if the document is set aside because the words are illegible.

3. User-friendly
The document must look AND BE easy to read. Write it in plain English (or the language of your choice) and take care that the lay-out has plenty of “white” space to give the eyes a rest.

4. Length of document
Do not make it too long. In today’s information age with instant information on the web, the last thing people want to do is to wade through endless pages before they reach the relevant information. On the other hand, the document must not be so concise that it does not cover the important sections.

5. Credibility
Credibility, once lost, is just about impossible to get back. Take care to back up your statements with facts and refrain from wild and untruthful statements – even if you think nobody will know better.

6. Planning
Your planning should not only focus on what you want to say in the annual report, but include the production cycle of the writing, printing and distribution of the report as well.

7. Paper quality
When selecting the paper for the report, keep your end-user in mind. Do not save money by using paper of an inferior quality on a project of this importance. Nowadays, recycled paper is very in vogue, but it must enhance your message, not detract from it.

8. Images/Photographs/Graphics/Maps/Illustrations
Your images must compliment your text. Full-colour photographs are the norm. Use a B/W photograph only when you can be assured that it will have the right impact. Although graphic images, maps and other illustrations usually enhance your site, too many can have the opposite result. As with most things in life, too much is not good.

9. Budget
Budget – control it, don’t let it control you. Know your options and get quotations before you agree to anything. Above all – set a realistic budget.

10. Feedback
You’ve written the annual report, it has been printed and posted. Now you can sit back and relax – or can you? How do you know whether the report achieved its objectives. Is there room for improvement? Feedback on your annual report is almost as important as the report itself, because it will lead to possible reviews, amendments and improvements.

How to Write Emails That Get Results

Editor — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 10:38:04 +0000

I receive close to 60 emails a day. Some are one-liners, which require a simple answer. Others are more detailed and require some thought and analysis before answering, while the last group can be very lengthy emails that ramble from one item to the next and to the next and…Time counts in business. Finding ways to streamline or automate your daily tasks lets you focus on more pressing matters.

In the following tutorial, I’d like to offer some tips on how to write more effective emails and also—what you may find more interesting—how to respond to them so that you receive less emails and those you do receive from your colleagues become more structured. Needless to say, these suggestions are aimed at business people and not your daily chit-chat with friends.

How To Start Your Email

Depending on the type of email you’re writing:

if it’s the first time you’re writing to someone, introduce yourself and state the nature of your business. Use simple everyday English, but stick to the point. Don’t apologize or ingratiate yourself for writing an email if it has a business purpose. Also don’t ramble or try to become ‘best buddies’ with this person.
if you’re replying to a response they’ve made, thank them for making the effort. A simple acknowledgement is always appreciated.

How to State your objectives

Every email has a goal. Many emails are requests. They’re asking the reader to do something. Attend a meeting, write a report, provide feedback, submit documentation and so on.

You can make life easier for the reader by highlighting what you’re expecting them to do.

Use headings to state your objectives
Instead of writing long convoluted slabs of text, divide your material into short paragraphs each with its own heading. Not only with this help the reader grasp the key points, it will also help to revise your own emails.
Write short 3-5 words headings. Use simple english. Avoid puns, wordplay or jargon.
Explain your objectives in detail
Underneath each heading outline what needs to be achieved. When dealing with complicated matters, clarify for the reader who’s responsible for which task. Ensure that the reader understands what’s being asked of them. Again, use a civil tone.
LIst tasks and goals
In detailed correspondence, you can further clarify matters by listing the items that need most attention. If necessary, list them in order of priority. By doing this the reader can scan the email – most of us don’t read word by word – and zoom in on the key points. Using lists is a great way to highlight and prioritize requirements.

Tip: If you take the effort to do this, the reader will eventually start to copy this structured writing style. Most people haven’t been trained to write. But they know good writing when they see it – it feels right – and will start to imitate it. In the long run, you’ll receive shorter, more accurate communications. And if you’re working in a team, almost by osmosis, you’re productivity will improve.
Set expectations and provide timelines
This is where most people fall down. After taking the effort to introduce the subject, highlight the main issues, list them by priority, they overlook one critical step.

Tell the reader why they need to respond.
Tell the reader when they need to respond.
By telling the reader why they need to respond, you’re highlighting the value of their role while also motivating them to make the extra effort.
By telling the reader when they need to respond, you’re reminding them that other activates may not be able to progress until they have replied. You can reinforce this point by highlighting the ramifications of such inaction on their part. Again, be careful how you phrase it. But don’t assume they know the importance of an email unless you tell them.
Summarize and signoff
Don’t repeat yourself for the sake of it. If you’ve used headings and lists, the reader will understand what’s required of them. Thank them and move on.
Provide Contact Details
This sounds obvious but not everyone provides contact details in their email. There is no excuse for this type of laziness. Learn to create a signature file. If you use Microsoft Outlook, go to Tools, Options, and click the Mail Format tab. In the Compose in this message format list, click the message format that you want to use the signature with. Add your job title, email address, and phone numbers.

You don’t have to use emails for all business communications. Pick up the phone and talk to people. Use emails where appropriate but consider other channels too. Talking is often more productive, especially if you need a simple yes/no answer.

As mentioned in difference places above, tone is important in all business correspondence. Tone is the voice you use when writing. It can be warm, friendly, blasé, curt, blunt or patronizing. It all depends on the emotional attitude you take with your reader.

In the business world, it pays dividends to develop a writing style that encourages others (especially those you will never meet face to face) to proactively communicate with you. Developing a successful writing style takes practice. We’ll talk more about tone in the coming weeks. For now, start using heading and the occasional list in your emails – you’ll see the difference very soon.

How To Write Headings

Editor — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 10:08:36 +0000

The earliest memory I have of writing is producing a very long and serious essay on Hamlet. I managed to write eight pages. The teacher wanted 2000 words – minimum. So, we all churned out hundreds and hundreds of words. Did anyone read it? Probably not.

Maybe you wrote something like it too. Do you remember what it looked like? Think back. Long, heavy, dense paragraphs, all written in long-hand. Easy to read? My essays (maybe yours were better) never used a single heading. Large slabs of text. Starting with the introduction (Hamlet was the son of…) it galloped headlong towards the end (…which is why he died!).

In academic writing, particularly ‘creative writing’, you can get away with such things. What’s important is that you get your feelings and thoughts down on paper.

Business writing is very different.

Unlike academic writing, in the business world you have a very attentive audience, some of whom have paid money to buy your products! They expect you to tell them how it works, which only seems reasonable.

A lot of my time is spent editing other people’s work. One of the quickest ways to get started, or at least get into the document, is to introduce strong headings. These add shape and confidence to the document. Suddenly it has structure. A framework begins to emerge.

Why Write Headings?

Knowing how to write clear, informative headings will make a great difference to your documents. Headings are like sign-posts. They tell the reader where to go. They call out and say, “This paragraph is about Writing Blogs” while the next says, “this paragraph is about Business Blogging.” Without them the document is reduced to a rant. It goes on and on without direction. You, the reader, can’t find anything. Looking at the document makes you negative. Not a good start!

Usability.gov touches on this point, “Once the information is chunked appropriately, write headings that are descriptive of the information. On the Web, page headings become links out of context on a previous page – like the table of contents of a printed booklet. Therefore, headings should clearly explain to users what page they are about to link to.”

Short informative headings help readers focus. They summarize text into ‘bite-size’ sentences. As the name implies a heading is the ‘head’ of the text you’re about to introduce.

Writing Effective Headings

Try to distill your headings into snappy 3-5 word sentences. Use positive language. Get to the point. Avoid using jargon, puns, archaic words, complex phrases, and other such affectations.

To write an effective heading:

Examine the section you want to summarize.
Identify the key topic. Every section (and paragraph) should have one key topic. Don’t mix ideas. You’ll confuse the reader and probably yourself in the process.
Write a single sentence that describes the section. Keep it very simple.
Revise the sentences and add an action verb.

For example, note the difference between Printing Duplex Reports, Saving XML Files To Shared Networks, Creating and Archiving Backups instead of Reports, Files, and Backups. While the former is informative and descriptive, the latter is dry and curt.
Emphasize actions with nouns. Write Printing Digital Forms rather than Printing.

Are Headlines Important?

Research from Eyetrack III shows that readers scan documents rather than read word by word, , especially when reading online. In general, readers start with the first heading (or summary) and then, if interested, scan the other headings on the page. If their interest is piqued, they’ll go back and read more text.

Eyetrack III add that “People typically scan down a list of headlines, and often don’t view entire headlines. If the first words engage them, they seem likely to read on. On average, a headline has less than a second of a site visitor’s attention.”

It’s not just the headlines that they scan, rather it’s the first few words in the headline that matter.
“For headlines — especially longer ones — it would appear that the first couple of words need to be real attention-grabbers if you want to capture eyes.”

Content is judged literally in the blink of an eye.

You can read more at: http://poynterextra.org/eyetrack2004/blurbs.htm

Checklist for Business Letters

Editor — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 10:02:04 +0000

Checklist for Business Letters

Be sympathetic to the reader’s situation. Acknowledge their frustration and any previous queries they may have made. Don’t rush into the letter without first mentioning any correspondence they’ve sent you or conversations you’ve had in relation to this business matter.
Include a short, positive introduction when opening your letter. Try to strike the right now from the start.
Use one idea for each paragraph. Don’t confuse the reader, or yourself, by mixing multiple ideas together. Prioritize the most important points.
Use headings to divide the letter into logical sections. This also makes it easier to scan. Most people read only the sections that interest them. Using headings to assist them in locating the relevant information.
Use white space to organize text. Avoid large, dense paragraphs. It’s very intimidating. No-one likes blocks of text. However, if used correctly, white space can emphasize the key sections in a document and give it more breathe.
Use bullet lists to identify key points. Use short sentences. Number items if action have to be performed in sequence. Avoid garish bullet points. Aim for a clean professional design.
Use tables to represent data. Strive to balance the ‘text to images’ ratio. Provide labels for each table. Consider using alternating stripes to add some color to the document.
Avoid using condescending language or adopting a patronizing manner. This will only infuriate the reader even more. Avoid using phrases such as, “As I’m sure you’re aware…” or “As you must know…” Always try to put yourself in the reader’s shoes.
Help the reader understand YOUR position. For example, why your product may have malfunctioned or how they can help you understand their situation more clearly.
Show your appreciation for the reader’s time, especially if they have already written to you.
Don’t refer to the reader as a ‘user’. It’s a horrible phrase. No-one wants to be called a user. In technical documentation, it may be acceptable but in business letters, avoid at all costs. Refer to them for what they are – a person.
Talk about the reader’s needs rather than your company’s products. Don’t harp on about your commitment to quality and so on. Get to the point. How can you fix their problem? How can you make their life better? Why should they ever buy your products again?
Avoid the passive voice. Use the active voice. It will give your letter more direction and help avoid ambiguity.
Vary the length of your sentences without disturbing your writing style, ie the rhythm of the letter.
Be succinct. Revise your letter and remove all extraneous information. A small word of warning, though. Don’t be too curt. It you perform too much surgery on your letter, you may inadvertently cut out its heart. Try to get a balance.
Read the letter aloud. Improve the writing until it sounds natural and easy on the ear.
Get another opinion! Ask a colleague to read your letter. Ask them the three things they dislike most about it. The third thing is usually what they really don’t like. The first two were the sugar-coating, but watch out for the third one…
Use positive language. The tone you adopt effects the reader’s response. Use positive words and phrases to stress the key points, while avoid a tendency to be over-zealous or excessively optimistic in your choice of words.
Cut out clichés. Review your document and remove all tacky, jaded phrases. Improve your writing by using more direct, clear communications. Clichés insult people and will not win you any favors with the reader. It smacks of laziness.
Make yourself available for further assistance. Include your email address, office phone number, and extension if possible. Don’t hide behind voice-mail or the secretary.
Provide a Call to Action so the reader knows what to do next.

How to Write a Report?

Editor — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 13:33:48 +0000

To succeed as a report writer, you need to appreciate the mindset of your readers. Report writing is very specific. It’s there to help people make decisions. When you understand this, your approach to writing repots becomes much simpler. Instead of writing reams and reams of pages, you focus on the reader’s needs.

Report writing in a nutshell:

Start with a specific purpose.
Describe the problem.
Provide facts, figures and data that relate to the topic.
Draw conclusions.
Recommend a course of action.
Reports are highly-structured. They rely on headings, and sub-headings, to introduce topics while also providing direction to readers. Tables, charts, and diagrams also enhance the findings.

7 Step Plan On How To Write A Report

Consider the aim of the report and its intended audience.
Planning – Decide how you will gather information, for example, interviews, surveys, and questionnaires.
Information – Gather the information, then organize it and start analyzing it.
Conclusions – Decide your conclusions based on the information you have read.
Recommendations – Decide your recommendations and, where appropriate, the best course of action for the readers to take.
Start the writing phase. Refine the report through a series of drafts.
Edit and publish the final copy.

As you write your report, keep an eye on the following areas:

Check the accuracy of the facts, figures, and other research data.
Check cross-references and links to other sources of data.
Check that links to websites are ‘live’ as broken links will reflect poorly on your report.
Check that your conclusion and recommendations align with the data you have presented.
Avoid using industry terms or jargon. Provide a glossary where necessary.
Put charts, diagrams and statistics in context by providing some supporting text.
Use a consistent writing style throughout the document. Choose a positive language, write in the present tense, and prefer simple rather than complex words.

Basic report format:

Title Page
Give prominence to the official name of the report. Underneath this enter the name of the author, the publication date and copyright notices.
Table of Contents
Enter the table of contents, using heading 1 only. In some cases you can also use headings 2 entries, though it’s best to avoid going any deeper than this level for most reports. Keep the reader focused on the main points.
Executive Summary
In the opening paragraph introduce the main topic or issue that you’re about to discuss. If relevant, explain why this report has been commissioned. Avoid clichés, jargon or archaic words at all costs. It sets the wrong tone and you’ll lose all credibility with the reader.
Next, put the report in context by informing the reader of the methodologies you used when gathering data, research you performed, interviews and surveys carried out and so forth.

Your ability to demonstrate a commitment to the topic in question may significantly influence the reader’s opinion. Alternately, if the reader feels that you lack interest in the subject matter they will hardly be encouraged to turn the next page. Would you?
Finally, summarize your main findings and outline the key recommendations. Keep this succinct. Providing too much detail will discourage the reader from continuing. Stimulate their interest.

Keep this to one page!

Tip: the Executive Summary is like a standalone document. People should be able to read this as it stands and understand the essence of your report.

Introduction
You’re now into the document proper.
Outline what you’re going to cover in this report. For larger reports, you may want to list the main chapters and describe what each one will cover. However, for most reports you can stick to:
-Background. Does this follow from previous reports? It this part of a larger project? Will additional reports follow?
-Role. Outline its value to the reader and why they should study its findings. What does this report discuss that other reports have overlooked? Does it break new ground? Are its authors uniquely qualified?
-Objectives. Describe your objectives in writing this report, for example, to investigate the success of online banking in Asia. Describe how successful you were to achieving this and obstacles you encountered, such as data protection, legislation, or language issues.
-Scope. Clarify the boundaries of this report by defining what’s within scope and also, most critically, areas that are out of scope. This is important to address as the reader may have expectations or assumptions that could color their thinking. By defining the scope, you reduce the likelihood that your report will be mis-interpreted and remove any ambiguity that may exist in the reader’s mind.
-Limitations. Similar to the point above only. Highlight areas that were not covered, or not covered in sufficient depth, due to restrictions placed on the report’s authors. Examples of this could include financial restrictions, lack of technical resources, time constraints, access to data sources, or legal issues.
Heading
This is where you start the main discussion. In the following chapters, use headings and subheadings to organize your data. Provide data in tabular format (tables) where appropriate. Label and number all tables, figures, diagrams, charts, and other such pieces of information.

2.1 Subheading
2.2 Subheading
2.3 Subheading
Heading

3.1 Subheading
3.2 Subheading
3.3 Subheading
Conclusion
After presenting your case to the reader in the previous chapters, draw your own conclusions by interpreting the data as you see fit. Explain to the reader why you have come to these conclusions while also acknowledging any limitations or concerns you may have with the research findings, sources of data, or validity of information.
But, don’t mince your words. The reader has made the effort to get this far. They deserve to know where you stand on the matter.
Recommendations
This chapter dovetails from your conclusions. Recommendations outline the course of action based on data you’ve analyzed. When making recommendations, give consideration to the following areas:
Actions that are required
Individuals who will perform these actions
Guidelines to quantify the success or failure of the proposed actions
Warnings, threats, or dangers that may arise if these recommendations are not implemented.
References
Provide a list of all resources, (individuals, companies, books, websites etc) mentioned in the document.
Appendices
Attach supporting documentation to the report where appropriate. This could range from datasheets, technical specifications, to surveys, statistics, market research, or charts, diagrams, and other types of illustrations.