Audit Report Writing Boot Camp: Detailed Course Outline
The Audit Report Writing Boot Camp is a two-day program, providing 16 CPE hours of Communication and Marketing credit. A detailed outline of the course follows. Both days contain ample practice opportunities.
Lesson 1
Section 1.1: Organizing Writing
Section 1.2: Issue Writing
Section 1.3: Perfecting Writing (“Common Grammar and Punctuation Pitfalls”)
Section 1.4: Summary and Audit Report Writing Toolbox
Lesson 2
Section 2.1: Writing Effective Emails
Section 2.2: Improving Tone in Writing
Section 2.3: Incorporating Design Elements
Section 2.4: Advanced Editing
Section 2.5: Ratiocination and Report Editing Breakout
Section 2.5: Audit Writing Toolbox & Summary
Lesson 1
Section 1.1: Organizing Writing
- Overview of Audit Report Writing Boot Camp
- Introduction of students and trainer
- Overall objectives
- Writing challenges and considerations
- Knowing your audience
- BREAKOUT: AUDIENCE ANALYSIS
- Issue Prewriting
- When to begin writing and how
- Methods for consistent client communication
- What an audit issue describes
- 5-step writing formula and the AIR: key elements in any issue
- BREAKOUT: COMMUNICATION ANALYSIS
Section 1.2: Issue Writing
- Supporting the issue
- Key differences between causes, conclusions, and evidence
- The sweet spot of supportive detail: not too much and not too little
- Assessing the root cause
- Steps to effective root cause analysis (RCA)
- Differences between issues, symptoms, and root causes
- Strategies in RCA
- When and how to engage the client in RCA
- How to write root causes: positive vs. negative wording
- PRACTICE ROOT CAUSE WRITING
- Writing strong business risks
- Purpose of a business risk
- Keeping common risks convincing (LIVe)
- Using action verbs to create change
- How to write risk
- PRACTICE WRITING THE RISK
- Developing effective issue statements: a formula
- Title of an audit
- What an issue statement describes
- The 5-Sentence Burst
- How to write the issue statement
- PRACTICE WRITING THE ISSUE
- Developing effective recommendations
- Using the SMART formula
- Recommendations that get noticed
- How to write a recommendation
- PRACTICE WRITING STRONG RECOMMENDATIONS
Section 1.3: Perfecting Writing (“Common Grammar and Punctuation Pitfalls”)
- Cleaning out the junk and getting to the issue
- Paragraphing and Formatting
- Bullet lists, headings, fonts
- Passive Voice
- Wordiness
- Ambiguity
- Negative Wording
- Non-parallel Structure
- Punctuation
- BREAKOUT: In-house editing with your company's reports and issues
Section 1.4: Summary and Audit Report Writing Toolbox
Lesson 2
Section 2.1: Writing Effective Emails
- Timing your communication
- Title
- Body
- Closing
- Final email writing tips and exercise
Section 2.2: Improving Tone in Writing
- The Chicken Little Dilemma
- Connotations of Words
- Placement of Negation
- Sequence of Negation
- Relative Information
- How to Change Tone
- BREAKOUT: SUBTLE WRITING IMPROVEMENTS WITH TONE
Section 2.3: Incorporating Design Elements
- Instructional Design
- Graphics & Fonts
- Layering
- Using Sidelines and Flow
- Executive Summary Redesign Challenge
Section 2.4: Advanced Editing
- Pronouns
- Synonyms
- Transitions
- Ending Sentences
- PRACTICE ADVANCED EDITING TECHNIQUES
Section 2.5: Ratiocination and Report Editing Breakout
Section 2.5: Audit Writing Toolbox & Summary
- Managing the Release Process
- Final Toolbox