BUSINESS ENGLISH LECTURE 16

Synopsis  Report Writing  Detailed talk: From process to product

REPORT WRITING FROM PROCESS TO PRODUCT A Brief Introduction

Business reports are systematic attempts to answer questions and solve problems. They include the following activities. Planning What Are Business Reports?

Business reports are systematic attempts to answer questions and solve problems. They include the following activities. Planning What Are Business Reports?

Business reports are systematic attempts to answer questions and solve problems. They include the following activities. Planning Research What Are Business Reports?

Business reports are systematic attempts to answer questions and solve problems. They include the following activities. Planning Research What Are Business Reports?

Business reports are systematic attempts to answer questions and solve problems. They include the following activities. Planning Research Organization What Are Business Reports?

Business reports are systematic attempts to answer questions and solve problems. They include the following activities. Planning Research Organization What Are Business Reports?

Business reports are systematic attempts to answer questions and solve problems. They include the following activities. Planning Research Organization Presentation What Are Business Reports?

Ten Truths About Business Reports 1. Everyone writes reports. 2. Most reports flow upward. 3. Most reports are informal. 4. Three report formats (memo, letter, and manuscript) are most common. 5. Reports differ from memos and letters.

6. Today’s reports are written on computers. 7. Some reports are collaborative efforts. 8. Ethical report writers interpret facts fairly. 9. Organization is imposed on data. 10. The writer is the reader’s servant. Ten Truths About Business Reports

Report Functions  Informational reports  Analytical reports

Report Formats  Letter format  Memo format  Manuscript format  Printed forms

Writing Style  Formal  Informal

Audience Analysis and Report Organization If readers are informed If readers are informed

Audience Analysis and Report Organization If readers are informed If readers are informed

Audience Analysis and Report Organization Direct Pattern If readers are informed If readers are informed

Audience Analysis and Report Organization Direct Pattern If readers are informed If readers are informed

Audience Analysis and Report Organization Direct Pattern Report -----Main Idea Report -----Main Idea If readers are informed If readers are informed

Audience Analysis and Report Organization If readers are supportive If readers are supportive

Audience Analysis and Report Organization If readers are supportive If readers are supportive

Audience Analysis and Report Organization Direct Pattern If readers are supportive If readers are supportive

Audience Analysis and Report Organization Direct Pattern If readers are supportive If readers are supportive

Audience Analysis and Report Organization Direct Pattern Report -----Main Idea Report -----Main Idea If readers are supportive If readers are supportive

Audience Analysis and Report Organization If readers are eager to have results first If readers are eager to have results first

Audience Analysis and Report Organization If readers are eager to have results first If readers are eager to have results first

Audience Analysis and Report Organization Direct Pattern If readers are eager to have results first If readers are eager to have results first

Audience Analysis and Report Organization Direct Pattern If readers are eager to have results first If readers are eager to have results first

Audience Analysis and Report Organization Direct Pattern Report -----Main Idea Report -----Main Idea If readers are eager to have results first If readers are eager to have results first

Audience Analysis and Report Organization If readers are informed If readers are informed If readers are supportive If readers are supportive If readers are eager to have results first If readers are eager to have results first

Audience Analysis and Report Organization If readers are informed If readers are informed If readers are supportive If readers are supportive If readers are eager to have results first If readers are eager to have results first

Audience Analysis and Report Organization Direct Pattern If readers are informed If readers are informed If readers are supportive If readers are supportive If readers are eager to have results first If readers are eager to have results first

Audience Analysis and Report Organization Direct Pattern If readers are informed If readers are informed If readers are supportive If readers are supportive If readers are eager to have results first If readers are eager to have results first

Audience Analysis and Report Organization Direct Pattern Report -----Main Idea Report -----Main Idea If readers are informed If readers are informed If readers are supportive If readers are supportive If readers are eager to have results first If readers are eager to have results first

Audience Analysis and Report Organization If readers need to be educated If readers need to be educated

Audience Analysis and Report Organization If readers need to be educated If readers need to be educated

Audience Analysis and Report Organization Indirect Pattern If readers need to be educated If readers need to be educated

Audience Analysis and Report Organization Indirect Pattern If readers need to be educated If readers need to be educated

Audience Analysis and Report Organization Indirect Pattern If readers need to be educated If readers need to be educated Report Main Idea ---- Report Main Idea ----

Audience Analysis and Report Organization If readers need to be persuaded If readers need to be persuaded

Audience Analysis and Report Organization If readers need to be persuaded If readers need to be persuaded

Audience Analysis and Report Organization Indirect Pattern If readers need to be persuaded If readers need to be persuaded

Audience Analysis and Report Organization Indirect Pattern If readers need to be persuaded If readers need to be persuaded

Audience Analysis and Report Organization Indirect Pattern If readers need to be persuaded If readers need to be persuaded Report Main Idea ---- Report Main Idea ----

Audience Analysis and Report Organization If readers may be hostile or disappointed If readers may be hostile or disappointed

Audience Analysis and Report Organization If readers may be hostile or disappointed If readers may be hostile or disappointed

Audience Analysis and Report Organization Indirect Pattern If readers may be hostile or disappointed If readers may be hostile or disappointed

Audience Analysis and Report Organization Indirect Pattern If readers may be hostile or disappointed If readers may be hostile or disappointed

Audience Analysis and Report Organization Indirect Pattern If readers may be hostile or disappointed If readers may be hostile or disappointed Report Main Idea ---- Report Main Idea ----

Audience Analysis and Report Organization If readers need to be educated If readers need to be educated If readers need to be persuaded If readers need to be persuaded If readers may be hostile or disappointed If readers may be hostile or disappointed

Audience Analysis and Report Organization If readers need to be educated If readers need to be educated If readers need to be persuaded If readers need to be persuaded If readers may be hostile or disappointed If readers may be hostile or disappointed

Audience Analysis and Report Organization Indirect Pattern If readers need to be educated If readers need to be educated If readers need to be persuaded If readers need to be persuaded If readers may be hostile or disappointed If readers may be hostile or disappointed

Audience Analysis and Report Organization Indirect Pattern If readers need to be educated If readers need to be educated If readers need to be persuaded If readers need to be persuaded If readers may be hostile or disappointed If readers may be hostile or disappointed

Audience Analysis and Report Organization Indirect Pattern If readers need to be educated If readers need to be educated If readers need to be persuaded If readers need to be persuaded If readers may be hostile or disappointed If readers may be hostile or disappointed Report Main Idea ---- Report Main Idea ----

Applying the Writing Process to Reports Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Analyze the problem and purpose. Anticipate the audience and issues. Prepare a work plan. Implement your research strategy. Organize, analyze, interpret, illustrate the data. Compose the first draft. Revise, proofread, and evaluate.

Work Plan for a Formal Report  Statement of problem  Statement of purpose  Sources and methods of data collection  Tentative outline  Work schedule

Researching Report Data

 Locating secondary print data Books – card catalog, online catalog Periodicals – print indexes, CD-ROM indexes Researching Report Data

 Locating secondary electronic data Electronic databases The Internet World Wide Web search tools Google MSN search Ask Jeeves Yahoo! Evaluating Web sources How current is the information? How credible is the author or source? What is the purpose of the site? Do the facts seem reliable? Researching Report Data

 Tips for searching the Web Use two or three search tools. Understand case sensitivity. Prefer uncommon words. Omit articles and prepositions. Use wild cards. Know your search tool. Learn basic Boolean search strategies. Bookmark the best pages. Be persistent. Repeat your search a week later. Researching Report Data

 Researching primary data Surveys Interviews Observation Experimentation Researching Report Data

Illustrating Report Data

 Functions of graphics To clarify data To condense and simplify data To emphasize data Illustrating Report Data

 Forms and objectives of graphics Table To show exact figures and values ClassAgreeDisagreeUndecided Seniors Juniors Sophomores Freshmen Illustrating Report Data

 Forms and objectives of graphics Bar chart To compare one item with others Illustrating Report Data

 Forms and objectives of graphics Line chart To demonstrate changes in quantitative data over time Illustrating Report Data

 Forms and objectives of graphics Pie graph To visualize a whole unit and the proportion of its components Illustrating Report Data

 Forms and objectives of graphics Flow chart To display a process or procedure Illustrating Report Data Receive Test Floor Shelves Ship Re-box Re-stock Repair

 Forms and objectives of graphics Organization chart To define a hierarchy of elements Illustrating Report Data William Dixon Vice President Sales John Deleuze Manager Joan Williams Vice President Design George LaPorte Foreman Charles Eubank President Manager Clarice Brown Vice President Wayne Lu Production

 Forms and objectives of graphics Photograph, map, illustration To create authenticity, to spotlight a location, and to show an item in use Illustrating Report Data

Pie Graph 2006 MPM INCOME BY DIVISION DVDs & Videos

 Use pie graphs to show a whole and the proportion of its components.  Generally begin at the 12 o’clock position, drawing the largest wedge first. Computer software programs, however, may vary in placement of wedges.  Include, if possible, the actual percentage or absolute value for each wedge. Pie Graph

 Use four to eight segments for best results; if necessary, group small portions into one wedge called “Other.”  Distinguish wedges with color, shading, or crosshatching.  Keep all labels horizontal. Pie Graph

Vertical Bar Chart Scale value Scale captions Source note Millions of Dollars Source: Industry Profiles (New York: DataPro, 2002), 225. Theme Parks Motion Pictures Videos $22.0 $32.2 $24.3 Figure 1 Figure number 2006 MPM INCOME BY DIVISION Figure title

Bar Charts  Bar charts make visual comparisons. They can compare related items, illustrate changes in data over time, and show segments as parts of wholes.  Bar charts may be vertical, horizontal, grouped, or segmented. Avoid showing too much information, thus producing clutter and confusion.

Bar Charts  The length of each bar and segment should be proportional.  Dollar or percentage amounts should start at zero.

Documenting Data

 Reasons for crediting sources Strengthens your argument Gives you protection Instructs readers Documenting Data

 Learning what to document Another person's ideas, opinions, examples, or theory Any facts, statistics, graphs, and drawings that are not common knowledge Quotations of another person's actual spoken or written words Paraphrases of another person's spoken or written words Documenting Data

 Manual notetaking suggestions Record all major ideas from various sources on separate note cards. Include all publication data along with precise quotations. Consider using one card color for direct quotes and a different color for your paraphrases and summaries. Documenting Data

 Electronic notetaking suggestions Begin your research by setting up a folder on your hard- drive that will contain your data. Create separate subfolders for major topics, such as Introduction, Body, and Closing. When on the Web or in electronic databases you find information you may be able to use, highlight (i.e., drag with your mouse) the passages you want to save, copy them (using control-c), paste them (using control-v) into documents that you will save in appropriate subfolders. Documenting Data

Be sure to include all publication data. Consider archiving on a Zip disk the Web pages or articles used in your research in case the data must later be verified. Documenting Data

 Learn to paraphrase Read the original material carefully so that you can comprehend its full meaning. Write your own version without looking at the original. Do not repeat the grammatical structure of the original, and do not merely replace words of the original with synonyms. Reread the original to be sure you covered the main points but did not borrow specific language. Documenting Data

 Two Documentation Formats Modern Language Association Author’s name and page (Smith 100) placed in text; complete references in “Works Cited.” American Psychological Association Author’s name, date of publication, and page number placed near text reference (Jones, 2000, p. 99). Complete references listed at end of report. Documenting Data

LISTENING EXERCISE

 Listening activity  Answer discussion

Review Discussion on Report Writing Format Anatomy Parts and procedures Search – research: techniques, types and strategies Reporting researched data