LECTURE NOTES

CHAPTER 12--WRITING SHORT REPORTS

WHAT MAKES A GOOD REPORT

• Report: written, factual account that objectively communicates information about some aspect of a business.
• Six general purposes of reports:
  • Monitoring and controlling operations
  • Implementing policies and procedures
  • Complying with legal or regulatory requirements
  • Obtaining new business or funding
  • Documenting work performed for a client
  • Guiding management decisions
• Reports may be initiated by the writer (voluntary reports) or by the reader (authorized reports); a voluntary report requires more background information and a more complete explanation of the purpose.
• The subject of a report influences its vocabulary and format; if the reader knows the subject, the discussion can be at a higher level.
• Reports prepared on a regular basis (routine reports) require less introductory and transitional material than nonrecurring reports (special reports), which require more complete development.
• Reports sent to someone within the organization (internal reports) may be relatively informal and use the memo or manuscript format; reports sent to outsiders (external reports) are relatively formal and use the letter or manuscript format.
• Reports prepared chiefly to present facts (informational reports) are organized around subtopics; reports prepared to present facts plus analysis, interpretation, conclusions, or recommendations (analytical reports) are organized around logical arguments.
• If the reader is receptive and likely to agree with the report's contents, it may be organized in direct order; if the reader is likely to have reservations, it should usually be organized in indirect order.
• If the reader is receptive and likely to agree with the report's contents, it may be organized in direct order; if the reader is likely to have reservations, it should usually be organized in indirect order.
• Three common qualities of good reports: (1) accuracy, (2) good judgment, (3) audience-centered format, style, and approach.
• To achieve accuracy:
  • Describe facts or events in concrete terms
  • Report all relevant facts
  • Put facts in perspective
  • Give plenty of evidence for your conclusions
  • Present only valid evidence and supportable conclusions
  • Keep personal biases in check
• To show good judgment:
  • Be discreet about putting things in writing
  • Gear report to manager's likes and dislikes
• What managers like in reports:
  • Main idea at beginning
  • Facts
  • Whole story
  • Language they can understand
  • Useful information
• To meet readers' needs with a responsive format, style, and organization decide:
  • Whether to use letter, memo or manuscript
  • Whether to group ideas one way or another
  • Whether to use a formal or an informal style
• Questions to consider when deciding on format, style, and organization:
  • Who initiated report?
  • What subject does it cover?
  • When is it prepared?
  • Where is it being sent?
  • Why is it being prepared?
  • How receptive is the reader?

  PLANNING SHORT REPORTS

  • Your audience, purpose, and subject matter influence (1) the format and length of your report and (2) the basic structure of your report.
  • Format and length of a report are often predetermined by the recipient; the reader's needs are the key consideration.
  • When selecting a format for your written report, you have four options:
    • Preprinted form
    • Letter
    • Memo
    • Manuscript
  • Length depends on the audience's attitude and needs and the nature of the subject.
  • Establishing a basic structure involves three major decisions:
    • What to include?
    • what order to follow?
    • How to group ideas?
  • When deciding what to include, the objective is to answer all the audience's questions in the order that makes the most sense:
    1. Look for main question: Why does reader want report?
    2. Sketch general answer based on results of research.
    3. Create question-and-answer chain by breaking general questions and answers into more specific questions and answers.
  • Content should include both broad concepts and supporting detail:
    • Balance between general and specific depends on nature of report.
    • Every detail must relate to the main question.
  • The order to follow when presenting the content depends chiefly on the audience's attitude toward your main idea:
    • For receptive audiences, use direct approach.
    • For skeptical or status-conscious audiences, consider indirect approach.
    • Many effective reports are hybrids, gradually revealing conclusions and recommendations throughout the report.
  • Direct approach:
    • Opens with summary of key findings, conclusions, recommendations.
    • Is most efficient, convenient approach because it facilitates skimming.
    • Is most forceful approach and conveys confidence.
  • Indirect Approach
    • Gradually unfolds information and puts conclusions and recommendations last.
    • Conveys impression of objectivity.
    • Has serious drawbacks, especially in long reports: hard to follow and may induce impatient reader to skip to end, thereby missing carefully constructed argument

  ORGANIZING SHORT REPORTS

  • The way ideas are divided depends on the purpose of the report:
    • Organization of informational reports mirrors topic
    • Organization of analytical reports reflects problem-solving process
  • Purpose of informational report: to explain something in straightforward terms.
  • Common types of informational reports: monitor/control reports, policies, procedures, compliance reports, personal activity reports, some justification reports, some reports documenting client work, and some proposals.
  • The audience for informational reports is generally receptive, so direct order is commonly used.
  • The nature of the subject usually suggests a basis for grouping ideas in informational reports:
    • Geographic units
    • Components of a whole
    • Chronological series of events
    • Sequential steps in process
    • Categories established by client
    • Items in order of importance
  • The interim progress report used as an example of an information report does the following:
    • Documents work performed for a client.
    • Is submitted on a nonrecurring basis.
    • Is in letter format.
    • Uses direct order.
    • Is organized to present (1) an overview of what has been accomplished during the reporting period, (2) a discussion of tasks performed, (3) a preview of the plans for the coming period, and (4) an analysis of any problems.
  • Key to success in an interim progress report: Be honest about problems as well as accomplishments.
  • The personal activity report used as an example of an informational report is
    • A form of monitor/control report that gives an individual's account of a nonrecurring event such as a convention, trip, or business meeting.
    • In memo format.
    • In direct order, using chronological organization ore topical structure based on the reader's interests.
  • Key to success in a personal activity report: Focus on important points; avoid blow-by-blow account.
  • Purpose of analytical report: to persuade readers to accept conclusions or recommendations.
  • In an analytical report, facts are a means to an end, not an end in themselves.
  • Typical examples of analytical reports: decision-oriented reports, many proposals, many final reports to clients.
  • How to organize an analytical report:
    • Direct order for receptive audience; use conclusions or recommendations as main points of outline.
    • Indirect or hybrid order for skeptical audience; use logical arguments (reasons why readers should accept conclusions and recommendations) as main points of outline.
  • In a justification report:
    • Introduction established need for action, benefits of action, and steps required to achieve benefits.
    • Required steps (recommendations) serve as main headings.
    • Final section summarized recommendations and benefits.
  • Organization based on logical arguments:
    • For status-conscious or skeptical audience, rationale must be emphasized.
    • Main points on outline correspond to points in favor of conclusions or recommendations.
  • Lia Chung's new business proposal is organized very simply: Here's the problem, here's the solution, here's the price.
  • Key characteristics of Lia Chung's new business proposal:
    • Authorized
    • Internal, move upward
    • Special (nonrecurring)
    • Memo format
    • Fully developed style
    • Analytical
    • Receptive reader (direct order)
  • In a troubleshooting report:
    • Main points in outline are independent reasons of varying importance that collectively add up to position writer is trying to prove.
    • Writer has variety of reasons but no single reason that is particularly overwhelming.
    • Introduction discusses purpose, scope, and background and summarizes reasons why writer's case should be accepted.
    • Approach is softened by using descriptive rather than informative phrasing to introduce reasons.
    • final section summarizes reasons and develops any recommendations.

  MAKING REPORTS AND PROPOSALS READABLE

  • The proper degree of formality to use in a report or proposal depends on the relationship between writer and reader:
    • Informal tone is appropriate for letter and memo reports sent to familiar audience.
    • Formal tone is appropriate for formal reports submitted to unfamiliar or high-ranking audiences.
  • To achieve informality: Use personal pronouns, employ relatively colloquial language.
  • To achieve formality: Avoid personal pronouns, use businesslike language, present points in an objective manner.
  • If you have questions about which tone to use, refer to other reports of a similar type and purpose.
  • Structural clues keep the reader form getting lost, especially in long reports.
  • Four structural clues used in reports:
    • Opening
    • Headings and lists
    • Transitions
    • Ending
  • The opening:
    • Introduces subject, indicates why it is important, and previews main ideas.
    • Should be phrased to match audience's receptivity.
    • Should take informative approach with receptive audience and descriptive approach with skeptical audience.
  • Headings and lists:
    • Provide visual clues to relationship among ideas and help readers scan document.
    • Should be phrased in grammatically parallel terms.
    • Should follow company format or use attractive, consistent pattern.
    • Emphasize key points or show sequence.
  • Transitions
    • Help readers connect one idea to next.
    • Are used in long reports to link major sections; serve as mini-introductions.
    • Are used in shorter reports to connect paragraphs.
    • Should emphasize nature of connection.
    • May demonstrate that link is additional detail, causal relationship, comparison, contrast, illustration, time sequence, intensification, summary, repetition.
  • The ending:
    • Recapitulates main points in order in which they appeared.
    • Emphasizes conclusions and recommendations (in analytical reports).

    
    
    
    Last Update: 3/07/01
    Web Author: Angie Chittick
    Copyright ©1998 by Angie Chittick - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED