今天大家来给大伙介绍一下商务英语报告各构成部分。
通常来讲,商务英语报告的容易见到构成部分有:摘要(Executive Summary)、标题(Title)、导言(Introduction/ Terms of Reference)、材料采集办法(Methodology/Proceedings1)、调查结果(Findings)、结论(Conclusions)、建议(Recommendations)、附录(Appendices)等。以下就每个部分的内容及其写作办法分别解说。
(一)摘要(Executive Summary)
一份正式且篇幅较长的报告一般在报告的前面加上摘要。摘要一般低于一页,是报告的导言、调查结果、结论和建议的内容总结。这部分一般是在整篇报告写好将来再写。非正式或篇幅较短的报告则不需要写报告摘要。写摘要时,应注意以下几个方面:
尽可能限制段落的数目,一般可用三段式:报告的目的、报告的调查结果和结论、报告的建议。
摘要写作的时态用一般目前时,由于报告已经存在。如This report shows是正确表达,而This report will show则不妥。
报告摘要中不需要引用具体数据。可用by and large、the vast majority、only a few等语言表达大概的数据或趋势。
(二)标题(Title)
报告的标题应尽量概括报告的内容,由于它是整篇报告的信息浓缩,而且标题应该准确、客观,不应像报刊文章标题那样为了吸引读者的注意力而别出心裁。除此之外,标题应该是名词短语或动名词短语。如以下几例:Report on Improving the Training Methods of HDC、Report on the Proposed Incentive2 Scheme、Report on the Adoption3 of Flex|time Working Systems。
(三)导言(Introduction/ Terms of Reference)
在导言部分,扼要地说明一下报告的写作背景和主旨。除此之外,还应该注明报告提交给何人、何时提交的。若是事件调查报告应第一说明事件的经过,包含事件发生的日期、时间、地址、状况叙述等。以下是导言部分写作的容易见到句型:
The report examines / explains...
The purpose of this report is to investigate / evaluate / study
The objective of this report is to recommend / analyze4 / give
The aim of this report is to feedback / estimate / assess
Enclosed is a report about...
(四)材料采集办法(Methodology / Proceedings)
报告的这部分应说明采集信息或资料的办法和步骤。在报告中注明提供这一信息可以增强报告的真实性和客观性,特别是建议调查报告。当然并非所有些报告都需要采集资料,因此,并不是每一种报告都需要提供这部分内容。这部分内容在整篇报告所占篇幅较短,可以写成一个段落。以下是该部分写作的容易见到句型:
A sample of workers was inpidually asked for their opinions.
A questionnaire was completed by those who were surveyed in this project.
The information was mainly achieved with a number of telephone calls to manufacturers.
(五)调查结果(Findings)
报告的调查结果部分是报告建议的依据,其内容应当准确无误,结构明确,语言流畅、衔接。这部分内容的每个段落都应当有一个明确的主题句,一般放在段首,如此便于读者摄取这部分的信息。以下是这部分主题句写作的容易见到句型:
The findings of the investigation5 indicate that
It was proposed / found / felt / discovered that
It was generally the case that
Most people thought / suggested that
A number of people mentioned that
Several changes were put forward.
Several staff members expressed the view that
若报告中需提供图表统计数据或描述行情走势,写作人应当熟知这方面写作的常用句型,以下就是该方面写作的一些典型句子结构:
The table / chart / graph / diagram / figure / statistics shows / describes / illustrates6 that
As it can be seen from the table / chart / figure
It is clear / apparent from the table / chart / graph / diagram / figure / statistics that
The number of increased / jumped / rose suddenly / rapidly / dramatically fromto
The number ofdecreased / dropped / fell greatly / significantly sharply fromto
The number offluctuated slowly / slightly betweento
The number of remained steady / stable betweento
There was a sudden / rapid / dramatic / significant increase / jump / rise in the number offromto
There was a sharp / steep / steady / gradual / slow / slight decrease / drop / fall in the number offromto
The monthly profit / figures peaked in December at 10%.
The monthly profit / figures reached a peak / a high in December at 10%.
The monthly profit / figures bottomed out in December at 10%.
Sales witnessed a great rise / increase / drop / fall betweento
(六)结论(Conclusions)
报告的结论部分是写报告的人在报告调查结果的基础上对调查结果进行总结和讲解。同一调查结果会由于写作者的不同而得出不一样的结论,但这部分不应当包含报告前文中没提到的新的信息。
(七)建议(Recommendations)
建议总是是很多商务报告写作的非常重要部分。一份报告有效程度常常取决于报告中所提供的建议的水平高低。建议部分主要内容为报告写作人在经过充分的论证后觉得应当采取的手段或行动。报告人有时也会描述采取手段后可能出现的后果或情形。
(八)附录(Appendices)
正式的商务报告为了增强报告的说服力或真实性总是会有一些附加材料,因其篇幅较长不适合放在报告当中,只能选择放在附录中。这部分内容可能包含图表统计数据、实验室报告、问卷调查等。当然,简短报告若无此需要则不需增加附录部分。