How To Create Professional Reports and Documents [PDF]

Screen shot 2010-01-20 at 20.33.41 Writing a decent report or document can be a lot harder than you’d think. In fact, most people can’t. People proudly create documents rigged with unnecessary enters, a jumble of different font types and picture that jump around the document if you dare to edit the text.

For business, school, or just for common decency, everyone should take another look at their text processor. Not only to redefine usage, but to discover all those features that have gone unnoticed.

That’s where we come in.

MakeUseOf is very proud to be able to present its next PDF manual: How to Create Professional Reports and Documents, written by our very own Jack Cola, from JackCola.org. With this file as your apprentice guidebook, you’ll be a Word Ninja in no time!

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En route to your black belt in text processing, Jack Cola will dissect the elements of a good report, as well as review the structuring, styling, and finalizing of your document. This tutorial guidebook is a must-have for novices and experts alike, filled to bursting with interesting word tips, tricks and techniques.

Download the complete guide to Writing Professional Reports and Documents now for free in PDF.

If you enjoyed this PDF release, be sure to check out the other MakeUseOf guides as well!

Tagged: documents • pdf manual • reports

Simon Slangen

I'm a student from Belgium, absorbing math and science in preparation for my computer sciences studies. I've been writing for MUO for quite some time now, which - because I just love everything regarding technology. Check out my meme? http://meme.yahoo.com/slangen/

Bob Reynolds

As a long-time, practicing word ninja, I whole-heartedly agree that a key element of a good report is establishing a rapport with your audience. Engaging with your audience requires proper grammar and word use, especially if you want your report or document to be perceived as professional. That is the true differentiator between a “Word ninja” and a “word ninja.”
Dan

Wow, that is one terrible guide for how to write a professional report. It should be called, “How to use basic Microsoft Word functionality.” It doesn’t help that there are grammar issues in the first sentence!

I’ve enjoyed your reports to date, but this is a new low. What a piece of junk.

http://makeuseof.com Aibek

I think you’re wrong here, I personally found it rather valuable!

http://www.jackcola.org Jack Cola

I like to think that articles, fall into two categories. The content of the article and the spelling and grammar of the article.

Every now and again spelling and grammar mistakes are found in articles, however, the content of the article is more important in my eyes. If the article is useful, and teaches people new things then it is a good article. Some people may know every little thing in MS Word and how to write reports, but you also have to remember, some people don’t.

Anonymous

With all due respect, I have to disagree and agree with Dan. Your report is on “How to Create Professional Reports and Documents”… The key word here being PROFESSIONAL… poor grammar and incorrect spelling are NOT professional. Your content may be excellent but you’re missing the point. Teaching others is great, but don’t teach that poor grammar and spelling is acceptable. That’s not even close to being “professional”. Standards (excuses) like that are why we have so much crap all over the internet passing itself off as expert and professional documents. Let’s get real here.

Allen Essensa

In addition to the good points in the document, a friend of mine who is a technical writer advised me to read aloud my own documents as a check. It’s helped me a lot in catching those things that seemed fine in print, but had incorrect syntax or just missed the mark when read aloud.
Greyghost

Thank you for this booklet. I showed it to my husband, a professional tech writer, and he was very pleased with it, as was I. It has some good suggestions, and is well put-together. Again, thank you!

http://www.jackcola.org Jack Cola

I am glade you like it Greyghost.

http://mobilsite reynaldo

Ok better