1. Chapter 6 Writing Reports: A Complex Process Made Easy

2. Case: reports and Peter ’ s new job Questions: 1.How important are reports to Peter’s situation? 2.Is there a process that would help reports to be more consistent? 3.Why does the language in the reports sent to Peter by his employer seem “cold” or formal? 4.Why do some reports look like memos? Why do some look like letters? Why do others look different from memos and letters? 5.Why do some reports seem informal and others formal? 6.Why are the reports from the government so long?

3. Chapter 6 Section 1. Planning reports Section 2. Writing informal reports Section 3. writing formal reports

4. Section 1. Planning reports Objectives: 1. Explain how to classify reports according to their style, purpose, and format. 2. Identify the steps in planning a report. 3. Explain the differences among data, conclusion, and recommendation.

5. Section 1. Planning reports A report is a document that provides the facts about a specific situation or problem for consideration by a specific group of people.

6. Section 1. Planning reports 1. Types of reports 2. Steps in planning reports 3. The difference among data, conclusion, and recommendation

7. 1. Types of reports 1). Style formal & informal 2). Purpose Informational & analytical 3). Format Memo, letter and manuscript

8. 1) Style Formal report: ★ long, analytical, and impersonal: contain preliminary parts and supplementary parts ★ eg. company’s annual report; external proposal Informal report: ★ shorter, in less formal style; no preliminary or supplementary parts. ★ eg. Sales report; internal proposal (justification report)

9. 2. Steps in planning reports 1). Identify the problem 2). Decide on areas to investigate 3). Determine the scope 4). Plan the research 5). Develop a preliminary outline 6). Collect the data 7). Analyze the data, draw conclusions, and make recommendations.

10. 1) Identify the problem Problem stated in three ways: 1. infinitive phrase: The purpose of this report is to determine if the accounting department needs new computers. 2. question: This report will answer the question, “Does the accounting department need new computers?” 3. statement: This report will determine if the accounting department needs new computers.

11. 5). Develop a preliminary outline A. outlines for informational reports (five ways): 1.Chronological order 2.Order of importance 3.Logical sequence 4.Category 5.Geographical order B. outlines for analytical reports (two ways): 1.Hypotheses (cause) 2.Alternatives (solution) ★ Two frequently used outline systems: Alphanumeric system; decimal system

12. 5). Develop a preliminary outline C. Outline formats: topical outline discussion outline

13. 6) Collect the data Primary research Secondary research Bibliography cards Note cards

14. 3. The difference among data, conclusion, and recommendation Data are composed of facts, data lead to conclusions, and conclusions lead to recommendations.

15. Section 2. Writing informal reports Objectives: 1. Explain when to use direct or indirect order to organize an informal report. 2. Know when to use the personal and impersonal writing styles in informal reports. 3. List the parts of an informal report. 4. Describe when to use the letter, memo, and manuscript formats for informal reports.

16. Section 2. Writing informal reports 1. Organizing informal reports 2. Outlining and writing informal reports 3. Formatting informal reports

17. 1. Organizing informal reports The organization you choose depends on how receptive you expect your reader to be. 1) When to use direct order routine; expect favorable response Examples: ◆ routine: weekly sales report ◆ Informational: progress reports with results/main ideas at the beginning ◆ Analytical: expecting favorable response with main ideas (conclusions and recommendations) at the beginning

18. 2) When to use indirect order Expect unfavorable response; persuasion may be needed Examples: ◆ Internal proposal: hesitation about project/budget approving. ◆ analytical: troubleshooting report

19. 2. Outlining and writing informal reports 1) Informal report outlines Direct: Informational P185 F6-3 analytical P186 F6-4 Indirect: analytical P186 F6-5 Compare direct and indirect analytical reports F6-4 & F6-5

20. 2) Writing style personal style (any pronoun) Impersonal style (no first-person or second- person pronouns) ◆ The impersonal style keeps a report from sounding like one person’s opinion by avoiding personal references, such as I, me or you.

21. 2) Writing style Tense: Present tense: events still occurring Past tense: events in the past ◆ Avoiding switching back and forth between tenses in a single section.

22. 3. Formatting informal reports Parts of an informal report 1. opening (the introduction) 2. body (findings and supporting details) 3. closing Formats of informal reports 1. letter reports 2. memo reports 3. manuscript reports

23. Parts of an informal report Opening Only a subject line in a brief memo report Other informal short reports (three parts): subject; purpose; preview ◆ Include the summary of findings or conclusions and recommendations in direct order.

24. Body Findings and supporting details The longest Well organized for easy understanding

25. Closing Direct order: reemphasize the main ideas Indirect order: present the summary of findings (informational reports) and then the conclusions and recommendations (analytical reports).

26. Formats of informal reports 1. Letter format Letter formatting Cf. chap.5 P137 External reports Five pages or less (more than five pages: manuscript format) Opening: who; when body: what ending: general closing

27. 2. memo reports Memo formatting Cf. chap.4 P107 Internal report Informal in format not in content Five pages or less

28. 3. manuscript reports Internal proposals With opening of general informal reports: three parts (subject, purpose, preview) Note: Include the summary of findings or conclusions and recommendations in direct order.

29. Comparison of different types of reports in length: informal ﹤ formal letter & memo ﹤ manuscript five pages or less more than five

30. Section 3. writing formal reports Objectives: 1. Decide when to use a formal report. 2. Prepare the possible preliminary. 3. Supplementary parts of a formal report.

31. Section 3. writing formal reports 1. Organizing and writing formal reports 2. Parts of a formal report

32. 1. Organizing and writing formal reports More complex and longer than informal ones Used when writing to the top management of an organization. Special manuals for formal reports formatting: (appendix 4) A. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA) B. the Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (MLA) C. The Chicago Manual of Style

33. Order Direct: favorable response Indirect: unfavorable response Style Impartial and professional; Impersonal style without personal pronouns Focus on the facts rather than on the writer

34. 2. Parts of a formal report preliminarybody or textsupplementary 1.Letter of transmittal1.introduction1.bibliography 2.Title page2.Finddings and analysis 2.appendix 3.Table of contents3.Summary, conclusions and recommendations 4.Executive summary

35. Formatting formal reports Margins spacing Headings (illustration P205)