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Six Sigma Black Belt Report Guidelines

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The following list presents guidelines to help students write reports that are easy to read and understand. Some of the recommendations may not apply to every report; presentation of written arguments depends on the individual project situation. These tips are offered as basic guidelines. For more information about techniques for writing clarity, consult a writing handbook or a writing website such as: http://www.plainlanguage.gov.

  • Define audience and purpose of the report.
  • Choose and organize content around the defined purpose and audience.
  • Use frequent, informative headings and subheadings. Headings and subheadings help readers preview and review the major sections of information.
  • Divide material into short sections.
  • Introduce the sequence of sections that follow to let readers know what is coming in the report.
  • Limit each paragraph to one topic.
  • Vary structure and length of sentences; however, prefer short, direct sentences.
  • Use "you" to speak to the reader. Use "I" or "we" to refer to events in which you were involved. Note: Using "I" or "we" is now widely accepted in technical writing.
  • Be concise. Avoid unnecessary words.
  • Select appropriate diction. Prefer clear, simple language. Avoid inflated, obscuring words.
  • Prefer active voice. Use the passive voice only when the identity of the agent is irrelevant.
  • Be consistent in tenses. Prefer present tense.
  • Prefer active verbs to abstract nouns.
  • Use terms consistently to refer to the same object.
  • Use lists.
  • Use parallel grammatical structure for ideas or facts of equivalent importance (often presented in lists). For example: Instead of Accidents can be either personal injury producing or cause property damage write Accidents can either produce personal injuries or cause property damage OR Accidents can either injure people or damage property.
  • Use visual cues to guide readers such as:
    • bullets or numbers to signal items in a list
    • indented lists
    • boldface to emphasize key points
  • Use good document design: use plenty of white space; avoid all uppercase letters and underlining; use serif typefaces (such as Times New Roman); and use left-justified, ragged right margins.
  • Display material suited to visual presentation in well-designed, clear visuals such as tables, charts, and maps.

List written by Mary Lind, Technical Communications Instructor, University of Michigan.