Purpose of the report introduction

The best way to learn about writing introductions is to study good examples. The document, Human Rights, Health and Poverty Reduction Strategies, provides such an example:

Human Rights, Health and Poverty Reduction Strategies

An introduction is a contract between you, the writer, and your readers. In it, you make specific commitments that must be fulfilled. The most important of these is your statement about the purpose or focus of your report.

Introductions in reports have three main functions:

• making the purpose of the document clear
• explaining the scope of the document (This is sometimes called stating the Terms of Reference.)
• preparing the reader for the contents, giving a framework on which to build understanding of the document and sometimes providing a roadmap to the content.

Their lesser but still important functions are:

• gaining the reader’s attention
• providing some background information
• indicating the authority under which the document is written.

In short, your introduction should provide your readers with whatever they need to prepare them to understand the information in your report or proposal.

© WHO 2011