今天我们来给大家介绍一下商务英语报告各构成部分。

一般来说,商务英语报告的常见构成部分有:摘要(Executive Summary)、标题(Title)、导言(Introduction/ Terms of Reference)、材料收集方法(Methodology/Proceedings)、调查结果(Findings)、结论(Conclusions)、建议(Recommendations)、附录(Appendices)等。以下就各个部分的内容及其写作方法分别讲解。

(一)摘要(Executive Summary)

一份正式且篇幅较长的报告通常在报告的前面加上摘要。摘要一般不超过一页,是报告的导言、调查结果、结论和建议的内容总结。这部分一般是在整篇报告写好以后再写。非正式或篇幅较短的报告则无需写报告摘要。写摘要时,应注意以下几点:


• 尽量限制段落的数量,一般可用三段式:报告的目的、报告的调查结果和结论、报告的建议。

• 摘要写作的时态用一般现在时,因为报告已经存在。如"This report shows..."属于正确表达,而"This report will show..."则不妥。

• 报告摘要中无需引用具体数据。可用"by and large、the vast majority、only a few"等语言表达大概的数据或趋势。

(二)标题(Title)

报告的标题应尽可能概括报告的内容,因为它是整篇报告的信息浓缩,而且标题应该准确、客观,不应像报刊文章标题那样为了吸引读者的注意力而别出心裁。此外,标题应该是名词短语或动名词短语。如以下几例:"Report on Improving the Training Methods of HDC、Report on the Proposed Incentive Scheme、Report on the Adoption of Flex-time Working Systems"。

(三)导言(Introduction/ Terms of Reference)

在导言部分,扼要地说明一下报告的写作背景和主旨。此外,还应该注明报告提交给何人、何时提交的。如果是事件调查报告应首先说明事件的经过,包括事件发生的日期、时间、地点、情况叙述等。以下是导言部分写作的常见句型:

• The report examines / explains...

• The purpose of this report is to... investigate / evaluate / study...

• The objective of this report is to... recommend / analyze / give...

• The aim of this report is to... feedback / estimate / assess...

• Enclosed is a report about...

(四)材料收集方法(Methodology / Proceedings)

报告的这部分应说明收集信息或资料的方法和步骤。在报告中注明提供这一信息可以增强报告的真实性和客观性,尤其是意见调查报告。当然并不是所有的报告都需要收集资料,因此,并非每一种报告都需要提供这部分内容。这部分内容在整篇报告所占篇幅较短,可以写成一个段落。以下是该部分写作的常见句型:

• A sample of workers was individually asked for their opinions.

• A questionnaire was completed by those who were surveyed in this project.

• The information was mainly achieved with a number of telephone calls to manufacturers.

(五)调查结果(Findings)

报告的调查结果部分是报告建议的依据,其内容应当准确无误,结构清晰,语言流畅、衔接。这部分内容的每一个段落都应当有一个明确的主题句,一般放在段首,这样便于读者摄取这部分的信息。以下是这部分主题句写作的常见句型:


• The findings of the investigation indicate that...

• It was proposed / found / felt / discovered that...

• It was generally the case that...

• Most people thought / suggested that...

• A number of people mentioned that...

• Several changes were put forward.

• Several staff members expressed the view that...

若报告中需提供图表统计数据或描述行情走势,撰写人应当熟悉这方面写作的常用句型,以下就是该方面写作的一些典型句子结构:

• The table / chart / graph / diagram / figure / statistics shows / describes / illustrates that...

• As it can be seen from the table / chart / figure...

• It is clear / apparent from the table / chart / graph / diagram / figure / statistics that...

• The number of... increased / jumped / rose suddenly / rapidly / dramatically from...to...

• The number of...decreased / dropped / fell greatly / significantly sharply from...to...

• The number of...fluctuated slowly / slightly between...to...

• The number of... remained steady / stable (stayed the same) between...to...

• There was a (very) sudden / rapid / dramatic / significant increase / jump / rise in the number of...from...to...

• There was a (very) sharp / steep / steady / gradual / slow / slight decrease / drop / fall in the number of...from...to...

• The monthly profit / figures peaked in December at 10%.

• The monthly profit / figures reached a peak / a high (point) in December at 10%.

• The monthly profit / figures bottomed out in December at 10%.

• Sales witnessed a great rise / increase / drop / fall between...to...

(六)结论(Conclusions)

报告的结论部分是写报告的人在报告调查结果的基础上对调查结果进行总结和解释。同一调查结果会因为撰写者的不同而得出不同的结论,但这部分不应当包括报告前文中没有提到的新的信息。


(七)建议(Recommendations)

建议往往是许多商务报告写作的最重要部分。一份报告有效程度常常取决于报告中所提供的建议的质量高低。建议部分主要内容为报告撰写人在经过充分的论证后认为应当采取的措施或行动。报告人有时也会描述采取措施后可能出现的后果或情形。


(八)附录(Appendices)

正式的商务报告为了增强报告的说服力或真实性往往会有一些附加材料,因其篇幅较长不宜放在报告当中,只能选择放在附录中。这部分内容可能包括图表统计数据、实验室报告、问卷调查等。当然,简短报告若无此需要则不需增加附录部分。