DRAFTING

If you have developed your outline in sufficient detail, you might be able to see all your main ideas expressed all the way down to the paragraph level. At the very least, the structure of your report should be clear. Your job now is to compose your paragraphs so that your reader will be able to understand all the information used to support your main message. Before you get started, remember these points:

Don't skip the crucial steps. Don't expect to be able to write a final version of your report without preliminary work. If your timeline is desperate, it is especially important to determine your purpose and main message, consider your reader and develop an outline. These steps help you create a report quickly and efficiently, and help others contributing to the document understand what is needed.

Control your writing sessions. When possible, plan to write at least one draft of the entire document and be prepared to rewrite critical sections several times before you are satisfied. Try to write in uninterrupted chunks of time. If time permits, wait at least two days after completing the first draft before you begin editing and rewriting.

Use headings. Headings are not just useful in creating your outline. In work-related writing, headings almost always improve the report's readability and usefulness.

© WHO 2011