The Reader’s Main Questions from Different Reports

The purpose provokes the reader’s main question. Let’s take a look at some examples.

1. Type of document/report: Proposal
Purpose	To get approval for this project.
Primary reader	Funder, manager, decision maker
Reader’s main question	Why should I approve this project? Another way of saying this might be: What are the benefits of this project?

2. Type of document/report: Status report/Evaluation
Purpose	To update management on the project status in Country A.
Primary reader	Manager, supervisor, TTL, other team members, perhaps government counterparts
Reader’s main question	What is the project status?

3. Type of document/report: Terms of reference
Purpose	To outline the key responsibilities of the consultant.
Primary reader	Consultant, implementation team
Reader’s main question	What are the responsibilities?

4. Type of document/report: Recommendation report
Purpose	To recommend steps Region X should take to help countries reduce child malnutrition.
Primary reader	Food security policy makers in Region X, government partners, private agricultural partners
Reader’s main question	Broadly speaking, what should Region X do to help countries reduce child malnutrition?

5. Type of document/report: Comments Paper
Purpose	To describe the aspects of the Project Concept Note about which we have concerns.
Primary reader	Authors of the PCN, the team directly involved
Reader’s main question	What are the aspects of the PCN about which you have concerns?