REPORT WRITING KNEC NOTES

• Project reports are instruments of communication written during or at terminal level of project implementation. It is a tool for communication amongst staffs and other intended parties including planners, policy makers, politicians, extension workers and beneficiaries.
• It is written to give feedback achieved in a project to stakeholders.

Utilization and Dissemination of Report Information

• Report information is useless if it is not disseminated for use. Data collected at various levels should be used to:-
  1. Data collected at various levels should be used to improve program decisions
  2. Project information obtained during the pre-program phase should be used in planning an effective program

• Information obtained during formative stage of the program should be used in making management decisions

1. Project information obtained at the end of the program should be used to learn lessons and plan improved programs
2. The report helps the reader explore and undertake important principles, practices and procedures about the project.

What makes a good proposal?

Appearance

• It should be attractive, profession with an inviting appearance. It should also give ease, access of the information.

Substance

• It should have well organized plan of work. It should have some technical details but not too much because it is a selling document.

Required format

• You should use 12.0 point font, 1 margin, 1 sided copy and single spaced text. And pages should be numbered. Clearly highlight the key points and features in each figure, break up large blocks of texts with headings

Organization

• A project report should be organized logically and in a sequential manner it should contain the following:-
• Title page
• Executive summary
• Table of contents
• Introduction
• Statement of the problem (justification of why you carry out a project)
• Goals and objectives
• Implementation strategies
• Target group
• Budget
• Monitoring and evaluation strategies
• Management strategies and structures (size of the structure should not be wide)

Key Elements of Project Proposal

• Executive summary/project over view
• Situation analysis and statement of the problem
• Goals, objectives and activities and output
• Intervention strategies/methodology of implementation
• Target group
• Itemized budget
• Project schedule
• Monitoring and evaluation
• Management structures

Presentation of Project Report

The project team should ensure that:-

1. Results being reported must be interesting
2. Use a form of communication that catches the attention of the audience.
3. Results should be understandable
4. Communication in the language of intended audience
5. Results should be convincing
6. Result should not be opinions of only a few. It should have a true picture as possible.
7. Results should be timely
8. In order to reach those who make decisions, results should be received on time to provide them with information before decisions are made.
9. Results should be participating
10. The communication should decide what and who to other interest parties.

NB

Results should be present form that is useful to the audiences

Main Ways to Present Results

Written reports

• Includes reports, case studies, communication case study, graphics

When presenting written reports, you should:-

• Identify the theme and stick to it
• Identify the audience, and then use imaginative language so as to hold the reader’s interest.
• Identify the communication barriers that might exist between the readers and the writer and be sensitive to them.
• Be brief and easily readable. Use short sentences and clear writing

Oral report

• Drama, video, slide tape, tape recording, story telling, graphics.
• Visual presentation
• Photographs, drawings, video, slide tapes, cartoons, graphics.

Challenges in Project Report Writing

• Language barrier

Use of program/project becomes a problem to other report users who may not be conversant with jargon of development world and hence could be hindered in their question to communication within the project.

• Lack of communication skills

Requisite social and communication skills to technically express the project intentions and concept.

• Requirements for extra information

This involves the particular information that a donor requires to be provided with e.g audited accounts, reports etc

• Inadequate/limited resources
• Technical expertise