Best Online Report Writing Training Courses
The Business Writing Center recommends the following five high-quality business report writing courses.
BWC421 Business Report Writing
The Business Report Writing course teaches the skills required to write clear, explicit business reports. The business reports course focuses on the structure critical to all business reports, providing the basic knowledge any writer can use for all types of business reports.
The Business Report Writing course teaches all the best practices that result in clear, professional business reports, from deciding what should go into the business report to preparing the final draft. The business reports course includes five writing samples your instructor will evaluate, comment on, and use to coach you through skills you need to learn.
Tuition is $295.
Read more about the Business Report Writing course . . .
BWC420: Business Research Report Writing
The Business Research Report Writing course will teach you how to prepare business reports summarizing the results of your research for use by internal clients in accomplishing business goals. One specific example of such business report writing is the report that presents information about a potential customer to enable account representatives, marketing specialists, and strategic planners to enhance or develop a business relationship with the potential customer. The business research reports course will teach you how to decide what information is pertinent and how to summarize or synthesize the information into a coherent presentation without interjecting bias. The online business report writing lessons contain clear explanations and many examples. You go at your own pace and submit assignments when you are ready. The instructor evaluates the business-report activities and examinations, comments on skills learned and skills that still need polish, coaches you through learning the skills, and certifies your competence. You receive a graduation certificate at the end of the course.
Tuition is $295.
Read more about the Business Research Report Writing course . . .
BWC424: Writing Specialized Business Reports
The Writing Specialized Business Reports course teaches the skills required to write clear, well-organized business reports of a special type. The five writing examinations in this business report writing course will ask you to submit a business report you write as part of your normal work activities. Your instructor will help you apply the general skills of business report writing to the specialized reports you write. The instructor will write detailed notes about your business report writing, help you revise the business reports, and coach you through any skills you need to learn to write high-quality business reports.
The online lessons contain clear explanations and many examples. You go at your own pace and submit assignments when you are ready. The instructor evaluates the activities and examinations, comments on skills you have learned and skills you still need to polish, coaches you through learning the skills, and certifies your competence. You receive a Writing Specialized Business Reports course graduation certificate at the end of the course.
Tuition is $295.
Read more about the Writing Specialized Business Reports course . . .
BWC425: Writing Clear, Objective Audit Reports
The Writing Clear, Objective Audit Reports course teaches the business-report writing skills you need to organize data from audits into clear, objective audit reports. It will teach you to write clear, concise, logically structured, objective audit reports that present the data clearly enough for the readers to be able to accomplish business objectives after reading your business report writing.
The online business report-writing course lessons contain clear explanations and many examples. You go at your own pace and submit assignments when you are ready. The instructor evaluates the activities and examinations, comments on skills you have learned and skills you still need to polish, coaches you through learning the skills, and certifies your competence. You receive a Writing Clear, Objective Audit Reports graduation certificate at the end of the course.
Tuition is $295.
Read more about this course . . .
BWC422 Technical Report Writing
The Technical Report Writing course will teach you how to prepare technical writing about subjects that require technical explanations, analyses, data presentation, and information understood by technical readers. This technical writing course teaches the business writer how to present information to technical readers so they understand the concepts and can apply them in their work. The course is not intended to explain technical subjects to non-technical readers. The Business Writing Skills course and Writing Technical Explanations for Non-technical Readers course teach the skills required to explain any concepts to non-technical readers using clear, straightforward, simple explanations.
The online technical writing lessons contain clear explanations and many examples. You go at your own pace and submit assignments when you are ready. The instructor evaluates the activities and examinations, comments on skills you have learned and skills you still need polish, coaches you through learning the skills, and certifies your competence. You receive a Technical Report Writing course graduation certificate for framing at the end of the course.
Tuition is $295.
Read more about this technical writing course . . .
BWC423 Writing Technical Explanations for Non-technical Readers
The Writing Technical Explanations for Non-technical Readers course teaches the skills required to write technical explanations for readers who are not specialists in the subject and do not know the jargon. The course also will teach you how to structure and write the report so it is well organized and easy to follow and understand.
The online lessons contain clear explanations and many examples. You go at your own pace and submit assignments when you are ready. The instructor evaluates the activities and examinations, comments on skills learned and skills that still need polish, coaches you through learning the skills, and certifies your competence. You receive a graduation certificate at the end of the course.
Tuition is $295.
Detailed Information About the Five Courses
Business Report Writing Skills (BWC421)
- Business reports course teaches the best practices for writing business reports
- Taught by a business college PhD professor
- Self-pacing
- All business reports course materials online
- Many business report writing exercises
- Activities to practice writing clear business reports that have impact
- Easy-to-understand lessons
- A wide variety of business reports examples
- Five writing examinations of sample business reports
- Business reports course materials stay online after graduation for later reference
- Tuition: $295
Syllabus:
The Business Report Writing course teaches the skills required to write clear, explicit business reports. The business reports course focuses on the structure critical to all business reports, providing the basic knowledge any writer can use for all types of business reports.
The Business Report Writing course teaches all the best practices that result in clear, professional business reports, from deciding what should go into the business report to preparing the final draft. The business reports course includes five writing samples your instructor will evaluate, comment on, and use to coach you through skills you need to learn.
The online lessons contain clear explanations and many business report writing examples. You go at your own pace and submit assignments when you are ready. The instructor evaluates the activities and examinations, comments on skills learned and skills that still need polish, coaches you through learning the business report writing skills, and certifies your competence. You receive a graduation certificate for framing at the end of the business reports course.
Course Time
You will go through the business reports course at your own pace, so you could complete it within a few weeks. However, you have up to four months to complete the course so you can fit the study time into your schedule. All lessons must be finished within the four-month period.
Business Report Writing Course Content
Plan the Report Writing
2. Know your readers.
3. Choose strategies based on the goals and readers.
Prepare Your Notes
5. Prepare notes for your report.
7. Use special organizational patterns for some messages.
9. State the contents of the report.
10. State conclusions and recommendations in the introduction.
12. Keep explanations of a subject together in one block.
13. Check each block for focus.
14. Check each block for completeness.
15. Open each block with a statement of the contents.
16. Use headings to open blocks.
17. Bold field or data names to identify them as blocks.
Present Lists Clearly
19. Open list blocks.
20. Mark the list items clearly.
21. Keep list items in a single list.
22. Keep list items in the same format.
23. Present information in tables when possible.
24. Consider information blueprinting to be explicit.
Write Clear, Complete Explanations
26. Write clear, complete, relevant explanations in report writing.
27. Use key words consistently.
28. Fully explain each new concept word or phrase.
29. Use full phrases to define words clearly.
Write Clear, Effective Paragraphs, Sentences, and Words
32. Write concisely.
33. Combine sentences to show relationships.
Separate sentences to make them clearer.
34. Write clear, simple, straightforward sentences in report writing.
35. Write strong, direct sentences.
36. Write clearly and simply for non-technical readers.
37. Use words the reader will understand.
39. Proofread.
Business Research Report Writing Skills (BWC420)
- Teaches the best practices for writing business research reports
- Taught by a business college PhD professor
- Self-pacing
- All business reports course materials online
- Many business report writing exercises
- Training in using sources and writing objectively
- Activities to practice writing clear business research reports that have impact
- Easy-to-understand lessons
- A wide variety of examples
- Five diagnostic writing examinations of sample business research reports with coaching by the instructor
- Business research reports course materials stay online after graduation for later reference
- Tuition: $295
Syllabus:
The Business Research Report Writing course will teach you how to prepare business reports summarizing the results of your research for use by internal clients in accomplishing business goals. One specific example of such business report writing is the report that presents information about a potential customer to enable account representatives, marketing specialists, and strategic planners to enhance or develop a business relationship with the potential customer. The business research reports course will teach you how to decide what information is pertinent and how to summarize or synthesize the information into a coherent presentation without interjecting bias. The online business report writing lessons contain clear explanations and many examples. You go at your own pace and submit assignments when you are ready. The instructor evaluates the business-report activities and examinations, comments on skills learned and skills that still need polish, coaches you through learning the skills, and certifies your competence. You receive a graduation certificate at the end of the course.
Course Time
You will go through the business report writing course at your own pace, so you could complete it within a few weeks. However, you have up to four months to complete the course so you can fit the study time into your schedule. All lessons must be finished within the four-month period.
Course Content
- Diagnostic 1: Initial diagnosis of business report writing ability
- Lesson 1: The client and audience
- Lesson 2: Objectives and specifications for the business research report
- Lesson 3: Methods of filtering and recording information
- Lesson 4: Facts, conclusions, inferences, and judgments
- Lesson 5: Paraphrasing, summarizing, synthesizing, and filtering objectively
- Diagnostic 2: Writing business reports objectively
- Lesson 6: Organizing
- Lesson 7: Using guideposts for clarity
- Diagnostic 3: Synthesizing and organizing business reports
- Lesson 8: Writing clearly
- Lesson 9: Bibliographic methods
- Diagnostic 4: Complete sample report writing
- Lesson 10: Editing
- Lesson 11: Writing concisely
- Lesson 12: Research report format and publishing
- Lesson 13: Proofreading
- Diagnostic 5: Final complete business report
Writing Specialized Business Reports Course (424)
- Business reports course teaching trainees how to write the specialized business reports they write
- Business report writing examinations using the trainee’s specialized business reports or simulations of them
- Teaching the best practices for writing the specialized business reports
- Taught by a business college PhD professor
- Self-pacing
- Business reports course materials all online
- Many business report writing exercises
- Activities to practice writing clear business reports that have impact
- Easy-to-understand lessons
- A wide variety of examples
- Five diagnostic writing examinations of the specialized business reports with coaching by the instructor
- Business reports course materials stay online after graduation for later reference
- Tuition: $295
Syllabus:
The Writing Specialized Business Reports course teaches the skills required to write clear, well-organized business reports of a special type. The five writing examinations in this business report writing course will ask you to submit a business report you write as part of your normal work activities. Your instructor will help you apply the general skills of business report writing to the specialized reports you write. The instructor will write detailed notes about your business report writing, help you revise the business reports, and coach you through any skills you need to learn to write high-quality business reports.
The online lessons contain clear explanations and many examples. You go at your own pace and submit assignments when you are ready. The instructor evaluates the activities and examinations, comments on skills you have learned and skills you still need to polish, coaches you through learning the skills, and certifies your competence. You receive a Writing Specialized Business Reports course graduation certificate at the end of the course.
Course Timeline
You will go through the business reports course at your own pace, so you could complete it within a few weeks. However, you have up to four months to complete the course so you can fit the study time into your schedule. All lessons must be finished within the four-month period.
Business Report Writing Course Content
Plan the Business Report
2. Know your readers.
3. Choose strategies based on the goals and readers.
Prepare Your Business Report Notes
5. Prepare notes for your business report.
7. Use special organizational patterns for some business reports.
9. State the contents of the business report.
10. State conclusions and recommendations in the introduction.
12. Keep explanations of a subject together in one block.
13. Check each block for focus.
14. Check each block for completeness.
15. Open each block with a statement of the contents.
16. Use headings to open blocks.
17. Bold field or data names to identify them as blocks.
Present Lists in Business Reports Clearly
19. Open list blocks.
20. Mark the list items clearly.
21. Keep list items in a single list.
22. Keep list items in the same format.
23. Present business report writing in tables when appropriate.
24. Consider information blueprinting to create explicit business reports.
Write Clear, Complete Business Reports
26. Write clear, complete, relevant explanations.
27. Use key words consistently.
28. Fully explain each new concept word or phrase.
29. Use full phrases to define words clearly.
Write Clear, Effective Paragraphs, Sentences, and Words
32. Write concisely.
33. Combine sentences to show relationships.
Separate sentences to make them clearer.
34. Write clear, simple, straightforward sentences in business report writing.
35. Write strong, direct sentences.
36. Write clearly and simply for non-technical readers.
37. Use words the reader will understand.
39. Proofread.
Writing Clear, Objective Audit Reports (BWC425)
- Business report course teaching trainees how to write the clear, informative, objective audit reports
- Teaching the best practices for writing effective audit reports
- Taught by a business college PhD professor
- Self-pacing
- Business report course materials all online
- Training in understanding facts, inferences, conclusions, and judgments
- Many business report writing exercises
- Activities to practice writing clear business reports that have impact
- Easy-to-understand lessons
- A wide variety of examples of business reports
- Five diagnostic writing examinations of the specialized business reports with coaching by the instructor
- Business reports course materials stay online after graduation for later reference
- Tuition: $295
Syllabus:
The Writing Clear, Objective Audit Reports course teaches the business-report writing skills you need to organize data from audits into clear, objective audit reports. It will teach you to write clear, concise, logically structured, objective audit reports that present the data clearly enough for the readers to be able to accomplish business objectives after reading your business report writing.
The online business report-writing course lessons contain clear explanations and many examples. You go at your own pace and submit assignments when you are ready. The instructor evaluates the activities and examinations, comments on skills you have learned and skills you still need to polish, coaches you through learning the skills, and certifies your competence. You receive a Writing Clear, Objective Audit Reports graduation certificate at the end of the course.
Course Time
You will go through the Writing Clear, Objective Audit Reports course at your own pace, so you could complete it within a few weeks. However, you have up to four months to complete the course so you can fit the study time into your schedule. All lessons must be finished within the four-month period.
Business Audit Reports Course Content
Lesson 1: Understanding the business report readers and expectations
Lesson 2: Objectives and specifications for the business report
Lesson 3: Facts, conclusions, inferences, and judgments
Business Report Examination 1
Lesson 4: Moving data to messages objectively
Business Report Examination 2
Lesson 5: Organizing the business report
Lesson 6: Using guideposts for clarity
Lesson 7: Writing business reports clearly
Business Report Examination 3
Lesson 8: Writing user-friendly audit reports
Lesson 9: Editing the audit report
Business Report Examination 4
Lesson 10: Writing concise business reports
Lesson 11: Audit report format and publishing
Lesson 12: Proofreading the business report
Business Report Examination 5
Technical Report Writing (BWC422)
- Teaching trainees how to write technical reports
- Teaching the best practices for writing technical reports
- Taught by a business college PhD professor
- Self-pacing
- Technical writing course materials all online
- Training in explaining technical report writing clearly
- Many technical report writing exercises
- Activities to practice writing clear business reports that have impact
- Easy-to-understand lessons
- A wide variety of examples
- Five diagnostic technical business report writing examinations with evaluation, comments, and coaching by the instructor
- Technical report writing course materials remain online after graduation for later reference
- Tuition: $295
Syllabus:
The Technical Report Writing course will teach you how to prepare technical writing about subjects that require technical explanations, analyses, data presentation, and information understood by technical readers. This technical writing course teaches the business writer how to present information to technical readers so they understand the concepts and can apply them in their work. The course is not intended to explain technical subjects to non-technical readers. The Business Writing Skills course and Writing Technical Explanations for Non-technical Readers course teach the skills required to explain any concepts to non-technical readers using clear, straightforward, simple explanations.
The online technical writing lessons contain clear explanations and many examples. You go at your own pace and submit assignments when you are ready. The instructor evaluates the activities and examinations, comments on skills you have learned and skills you still need polish, coaches you through learning the skills, and certifies your competence. You receive a Technical Report Writing course graduation certificate for framing at the end of the course.
Course Time
You will go through the Technical Report Writing course at your own pace, so you could complete it within a few weeks. However, you have up to four months to complete the course so you can fit the study time into your schedule. All lessons must be finished within the four-month period.
Technical Report Writing Course Content
Diagnostic 1: Initial diagnosis of technical writing ability
Lesson 1: The technical report writing client and audience
Lesson 2: Objectives and specifications for the technical report writing
Lesson 3: Methods of selecting information
Lesson 4: Formats for the major types of technical report writing
Lesson 5: Presenting technical business report writing clearly
Diagnostic 2: Writing technical reports clearly
Lesson 6: Organizing
Lesson 7: Using guideposts for clarity
Diagnostic 3: Synthesizing and organizing the technical writing
Lesson 8: Writing clearly
Lesson 9: Using visual devices
Diagnostic 4: Complete sample technical report writing
Lesson 10: Editing
Lesson 11: Writing concisely
Lesson 12: Format and publishing
Lesson 13: Proofreading
Diagnostic 5: Final complete technical report writing
Writing Technical Explanations for Non-technical readers (BWC423)
- Teaching trainees how to write technical reports for non-technical readers
- Teaching the best practices that result in clear, easy-to-understand technical writing
- Taught by a business college PhD professor
- Self-pacing
- Technical writing course materials all online
- Many technical-report writing exercises
- Activities to practice technical writing for non-technical readers
- Easy-to-understand lessons
- A wide variety of examples of technical writing for non-technical readers
- Five diagnostic technical report writing examinations with evaluation, comments, and coaching by the instructor
- Technical report writing course materials remain online after graduation for later reference
- Tuition: $295
Syllabus:
The Writing Technical Explanations for Non-technical Readers course teaches the skills required to write technical explanations for readers who are not specialists in the subject and do not know the jargon. The course also will teach you how to structure and write the report so it is well organized and easy to follow and understand.
The online lessons contain clear explanations and many examples. You go at your own pace and submit assignments when you are ready. The instructor evaluates the activities and examinations, comments on skills learned and skills that still need polish, coaches you through learning the skills, and certifies your competence. You receive a graduation certificate at the end of the course.
Course Time
You will go through this technical-writing course at your own pace, so you could complete it within a few weeks. However, you have up to four months to complete the course so you can fit the study time into your schedule. All lessons must be finished within the four-month period.
Writing Technical Explanations for Non-technical Readers Course Content
Lesson 1: How to communicate technical writing information clearly to non-technical readers.
Lesson 2: Provide technical writing that suits the reader’s knowledge of the subject, educational background, technical expertise, need for concrete explanations, and need for depth of knowledge.
Lesson 3: Include everything every intended reader needs to achieve your objectives.
Lesson 4: Organize the technical writing to give readers the information they need at the specific points where they need it for maximum understanding.
Lesson 5: When readers have differing needs or abilities, write different versions of the document or sections within the document to match the readers’ needs and abilities.
Lesson 6: Format the technical writing in clearly defined information blocks that the reader can read, understand, and remember, one block at a time.
Lesson 7: For each technical writing block, write an explicit opening statement the reader can use to begin putting the block’s details into a framework.
Lesson 8: Present technical writing in a clear visual blueprint so readers can see the organization as they read.
Lesson 9: Use tables to organize technical writing so readers can place the details into a clear framework.
Lesson 10: Use key terms consistently to guide readers through the technical writing.
Lesson 11: Fully explain the concept behind every new key term as the reader encounters it.
Lesson 12: Write clear, focused, organized paragraphs that help readers identify, understand, and remember concepts.
Lesson 13: Write sentences that are complete, simple, clear, and straightforward.
Lesson 14: Use only simple punctuation in your technical writing.
Lesson 15: Use words every intended reader will understand.
The online technical writing lessons contain clear explanations and many examples. You go at your own pace and submit assignments when you are ready. The instructor evaluates the activities and examinations, comments on skills you have learned and skills you still need polish, coaches you through learning the skills, and certifies your competence. You receive a Technical Report Writing course graduation certificate for framing at the end of the course.
Course Time
You will go through the Technical Report Writing course at your own pace, so you could complete it within a few weeks. However, you have up to four months to complete the course so you can fit the study time into your schedule. All lessons must be finished within the four-month period.
Technical Report Writing Course Content
Diagnostic 1: Initial diagnosis of technical writing ability
Lesson 1: The technical report writing client and audience
Lesson 2: Objectives and specifications for the technical report writing
Lesson 3: Methods of selecting information
Lesson 4: Formats for the major types of technical report writing
Lesson 5: Presenting technical business report writing clearly
Diagnostic 2: Writing technical reports clearly
Lesson 6: Organizing
Lesson 7: Using guideposts for clarity
Diagnostic 3: Synthesizing and organizing the technical writing
Lesson 8: Writing clearly
Lesson 9: Using visual devices
Diagnostic 4: Complete sample technical report writing
Lesson 10: Editing
Lesson 11: Writing concisely
Lesson 12: Format and publishing
Lesson 13: Proofreading
Diagnostic 5: Final complete technical report writing

Writing Coaching by Dr. Robert Hogan
Dr. Robert Hogan teaches the coaching, tutoring, and individualized business writing courses. Dr. Hogan has been training writers for 40 years in universities, colleges of business, consulting companies, and professional writing companies. He has been a professor at the University of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County College, and Illinois State University College of Business. He was manager of communications in a telephone billing company and owner of a company writing documents on contract for government agencies and corporations.

Corporate and Government Training
Corporate discounts are available. Send an email to the Business Writing Center for more information: Email…
Government agencies and companies may purchase courses at the end of the fiscal year and defer registration of individuals in the courses for up to 12 months. Request information…
Dr. Hogan delivers workshops at company sites in general business writing, writing email, business report writing, writing letters, and principles of usage (grammar, punctuation, spelling, sentences, and word usage). More…

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