A SYSTEMATIC-APPROACH TO READABLE REPORTS

Eight steps, outlined in the first article in this series,(1) ensure a well-engineered document of any length, whether it is a 10-page proposal or a 500-page research report. The first two steps provide a focus for the writing and a general framework.(2) The next three steps, described in this article, generate a more detailed structure for the writer to follow in organizing a ''long'' document (more than five double-spaced pages). Step 3 creates a ''reader-friendly'' topic outline. Steps 4 and 5 guide the expansion of that outline and the selection of illustrations. The output, an expanded outline with illustrations, allows those who have to approve the document to get a clear idea of the content before it is written.