TOOLKIT:
REPORTING SKILLS AND PROFESSIONAL WRITING
WHAT
IS THE REPORTING SKILLS AND PROFESSIONAL WRITING TOOLKIT?
The
Reporting Skills and Professional Writing Toolkit is a self-study programme
that is based on the best of 10 years' experience working with INGOs,
NGOs, GOs and IOs over hundreds of training courses. It's available
as a PDF handbook as well as a Standard Edition for convenient desktop
study, and, for larger organisations, the Trainer Edition is supported
by a complete Training Pack.
Included
in the Standard Edition is the entire programme as a PDF Ebook and the
Toolkit can be downloaded as soon as you order securely online. With
over 230 pages of explanations and tasks, it's complete. Whether you
use the Ebook only, or follow the steps using the Standard Edition,
you can learn the skills of analysis, planning, drafting and editing
effective reports without having to interrupt your busy schedule. This
Toolkit takes readers through the entire reporting process from setting
objectives, through data gathering and analysis tools, to planning,
drafting, editing and designing the report.
The
programme is full of clear explanations and examples, frequent practical
exercises, and an extended case study to fully apply all the tools presented.
This is not just a 'book about reporting skills' - this practical guide
will give you the skills to:
-
Set evaluation goals - know what you are doing before you start
- Select
data gathering methods - select the best way to get breadth and depth
of information efficiently and economically
- Analyse
quantitative and qualitative data - really understand what your data
is telling you
- Plan
the report - put your ideas into a structure that works
- Write
more clearly and organise your ideas and analysis effectively - getting
to the point in a powerful, persuasive style
- Edit
and design the final result for impact
WHAT'S
IN THE TOOLKIT?
The
Toolkit is spread over 8 easy-to-follow modules that cover ALL the steps
of the writing process.
Module
One - Professional Writing & the Writing Process - is an introduction
to the programme, and clarifies what Professional Writing is and what
makes writing effective. Also introduced is the Writing Process - Analysis,
Planning, Drafting & Editing.
Module
Two - Setting Objectives and Data Gathering Methods - covers the
preparatory phase of the investigation: setting objectives, developing
the research plan and selecting the data gathering methods. The module
also looks at evaluation reports, progress reports and investigations
based on Terms of Reference.
Module
Three - Analysing and Interpreting Information - looks at how to
interpret statistics before moving onto the three steps of data analysis.
In the extended case study which runs through the programme, we turn
a fact sheet on children's issues into a report structure and finally
into a Mind Map of interrelated issues.
Module
Four - Planning the Report - covers the planning phase. The tools
of SPR (Subject / Purpose / Reader) analysis and Reader Profiling are
practiced and the case study analysis is now developed into a clear
plan for the report.
Module
Five - Writing Skills: Clarity - is the second writing skills component
and investigates how to get your message across and improve the impact
of your writing. The module demonstrates how to measure how clear your
writing is and gives you some simple, effective tools for improving
the power of your sentences.
Module
Six - Writing Skills: Organisation - presents the deductive / Inverted
Pyramid approach to organising writing, before looking at the various
ways to present the main points. The second half of the module deals
specifically with organising persuasive paragraphs that synthesise interpretation
as well as supporting ideas, examples and evidence.
Module
Seven - Putting it all Together - takes the practical work to a
new level. The analysis and the plan, together with the writing skills
are applied to develop an extended report. This module is almost entirely
task-based, walking readers step-by-step through the drafting process.
Module
Eight - Finishing off the Report - completes the programme, covering
writing the summary, designing the cover page, page layout, using visuals,
writing style and the editing process. The programme ends with a summary
of the main points covered and visual review of the entire programme.
If you would like
to see what's inside the Toolkits in detail, sign
up to our newslist and we will send you free introduction
modules to all four.
THE
TRAINER EDITION: BUILD THE SKILLS OF YOUR TEAM - FLEXIBLY AND AFFORDABLY
With
the Trainer Edition you can conveniently reinforce the lessons in the
Toolkit through structured, well-planned sessions for your staff. For
a fraction of the cost of sending your team on training, you can pass
on the benefits of ELD's years' of experience through this 'workshop-in-a-box'.
Conducting
structured training will help you increase the impact of the programme
and make sure all staff acquire the skills of effective reporting. The
Toolkit's eight modules are packaged as a 30-hour training programme
which can be delivered in one intensive course or spread out over as
many days as you wish.
As
well as convenience, the low cost of the Trainer Edition compares favourably
to the expense of sending even one participant on a 5-day training course
- a big advantage when budgets are under pressure.
The
pack includes session-by-session notes, tips on preparation and delivery
and course monitoring & evaluation tools. Any trainer with good
people management skils can facilitate this straightforward programe.
There are around 250 PowerPoint slides, broken down into the eight thematic
modules of the programme, providing powerful visual support to the learning
activities and discussion. Participant handouts are ready to print,
and ordering a Licence + Training Pack means all your team will have
access to the the full Handbook and Standard Edition for reference and
self-study. Included also are supplementary materials - daily feedback
forms, evaluation form, cut-up tasks and colour graphs for data analysis,
and a model report based on the case study central to the course.
PURCHASE
There
are various purchase options depending on your organisation's needs
as follows:
- PDF
Only - Immediate download of the toolkit in handbook form. (Please
note you should order one copy for each person who will receive
the handbook.)
- Standard
Edition - This edition includes the PDF handbook as well as all
the materials organised into a self-study programme for easy desktop
study.
- Trainer
Edition - In the Trainer Edition, the above materials are supplemented
with PowerPoint slides, a trainer guide and participant handouts,
allowing organisations to conduct their own training without the need
for external facilitators.
What
are the different editions? Click here.
Toolkits
are provided on a licensed basis. The Single User Licence is for personal
study, while organisations that wish to distribute multiple copies to
their staff can order licences for the appropriate number of users.
COST
PDF
Handbook Only - 25 GBP
Standard
Edition
Single
User - 40 GBP
10-User - 300 GBP
25-User - 600 GBP
50-User - 900 GBP
Trainer
Edition
Reference
Copy - GBP 200
10-User - 500 GBP
25-User - 750 GBP
50-User - 1000 GBP
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Reporting Skills
and Professional
Writing is also available as a Distance
Training Programme.
Also
available in French.