Chapter 10 Writing the Report There are videos embedded in the PowerPoint slides that are available on the Instructor’s Resource CD (ISBN 9781133188551).

Writing the Report Planning Drafting Writing Documenting Refining

Outlining the Report Planning the Report When writing a report, you follow the same process for other types of business writing such as planning, drafting, revising, and proofreading. Spend more time on planning before collecting data. Presenting the results requires its own stage of planning. Decide what format to use, how to organize the content, and what headings to include.

Selecting a Report Format Primarily Text Text and Graphics Memo or Email Formal Reports Informal Reports

Ways to Organize the Report When it is important for the reader to know the sequence of events Time When the geographical or physical location of topics is important Location When you want to draw attention to important information Importance When you’re writing analytical and recommendation reports Criteria

Drafting the Supplementary Sections Outlining a Report Drafting the Supplementary Sections Identifies not only the topic of the section, but also the major idea. Talking Heading Identifies only the topic of the section without the conclusion. Generic Heading Using noun phrases, participial phrases and statements or questions for a heading. Parallelism Use headings to break up a long report and refocus the reader’s attention. Length & number of headings Maintain a sense of balance within and among sections. Balance

Formatting a Report in Presentation Software Talking heading White background Detailed, explanatory text Mix of text and graphics Bullets or text in graphics Main points reinforced (optional) Page numbers

Presenting Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations States the information collected Forty-five percent of the building foundation is deteriorated. Conclusion Answers research questions raised in the introduction The building will not withstand another hurricane. Recommendation Draws a solution based on the finding and conclusion The foundation needs to be replaced.

Working Mothers in Management Outlining the Report Working Mothers in Management I. INTRODUCTION Purpose and Scope Procedures

Outlining the Report (cont’d) II. FINDINGS A. Number of Working Mothers National Labor Force State Labor Force B. Effects on Labor Productivity Absenteeism Rate of Turnover Commitment to the Job C. Special Needs of Working Mothers On-Site Child Care Centers Flexible Working Hours Family Leave

Outlining the Report (cont’d) III. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS Summary and Conclusions Recommendations

Choosing Headings Generic Headings Current Staffing Comparisons Performance Evaluation Summary Talking Headings Bishops’ Staffing Level is High Compared to that of Its Competitors Employees’ Performance Varies by Years of Experience

Drafting the Body Introduction: Present the information the reader needs to make sense of the findings Findings: Analyze and interpret findings for the reader Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations: Modify according to the purpose and length of your report

Drafting the Supplementary Sections Title Page Report title and subtitle, company logo, writer’s name, and report date Cover Letter, Memo, or Email Separate note to introduce the report Executive Summary Abstract or synopsis of the report Table of Contents Headings, subheadings, and page numbers Appendix Supplementary reference material not relevant enough for the body References List of secondary sources

Developing an Effective Writing Style Tone Pronouns Verb Tense Emphasis and Subordination Coherence

Text after a main heading overviews content within a section. Add a Section Overview Regional Sales Analysis The Northeast region leads in individual room sales, while the Southern region leads in group and corporate sales. The Midwest region lags in all sales categories. Individual Sales text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text Group Sales Corporate Sales Text after a main heading overviews content within a section.

Why We Document Sources To avoid accusations of plagiarism To give credit to the originator of information To demonstrate the validity of our work with credible sources To instruct readers where to find additional information

Paraphrasing A paraphrase is a summary or restatement of a passage in your own words. Paraphrasing involves more than just rearranging words or leaving out a word or two. Instead, try to understand the writer’s idea and then restate it in your own language. When changing the sentence structure, do not use any three consecutive words from the original source.

Direct Quotation Direct quotations contain the exact words of another person. Direct quotations should always enclosed in quotation marks.

How to Document Sources for a Business Report According to the “CEO Economic Outlook Survey,” 92% of company leaders expect higher capital expenditures this quarter compared to last quarter.4 OR Footnotes or Endnotes (for primarily text reports) Reference Page (for reports in presentation software)

3. Revise for Correctness Revising 1. Revise for Content Have you included sufficient information to support each point? Have you excluded extraneous information? Is all information accurate? Is the information presented in an efficient and logical sequence? 2. Revise for Style Are words clear, simple, and concise? Are you using a variety of sentence types? Do your paragraphs have unity and coherence? Have you maintained a confident, sincere, objective tone? Have you used appropriate emphasis and subordination? 3. Revise for Correctness Do you find any errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and word usage? Does a colleague catch any errors you may have overlooked?

Formatting and Proofreading Use a consistent, logical format, keeping the needs of the reader in mind Proofreading Do not risk destroying your credibility by failing to proofread carefully

Behind the Scenes at Consumer Reports http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2015/02/behind-the-scenes-of-consumer-reports-2015-top-picks/index.htm Behind the Scenes at Consumer Reports What makes Consumer Reports’ research credible? Look at a recent Consumer Reports publication. What makes the product research easy to understand? See the video here: http://www.youtube.com/consumerreports#p/u/2/QLvqstmd4Jw