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Chapter 9 - Informal Reports: Objectives

This document provides an overview of informal business reports. It describes the purpose and basic components of informal reports, including determining the problem and gathering data. It then discusses six common types of informal reports: information reports, progress reports, justification/recommendation reports, feasibility reports, meeting minutes, and summaries. For each type of report, it provides guidelines on the key elements to include. The document concludes by offering tips for effective team writing projects.

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Tilahun Eshetu
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83 views5 pages

Chapter 9 - Informal Reports: Objectives

This document provides an overview of informal business reports. It describes the purpose and basic components of informal reports, including determining the problem and gathering data. It then discusses six common types of informal reports: information reports, progress reports, justification/recommendation reports, feasibility reports, meeting minutes, and summaries. For each type of report, it provides guidelines on the key elements to include. The document concludes by offering tips for effective team writing projects.

Uploaded by

Tilahun Eshetu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Chapter 9 – Informal Reports

Objectives
Describe business report basics, including functions, organizational patterns, formats, and
delivery methods.
Develop informal reports, including determining the problem and purpose, and gathering
data.
Select an appropriate writing style, be objective, and compose effective headings.
Describe six kinds of informal reports.
Write information and progress reports.
Write justification/recommendation reports.
Write feasibility reports.
Write minutes of meetings and summaries of longer publications.

I. Understanding Report Basics

Reports are difficult to define because they fall into so many different categories and can
are prepared in varying formats and lengths. This chapter helps students differentiate
among some of the most common types of business reports. They can also apply what
they learn in this chapter to academic reports.

A. Functions of Reports
Informative reports: present data without analysis or recommendations
Analytical reports: provide data, analysis, and conclusions

B. Organizational Patterns for Reports


Direct pattern
Indirect pattern

C. Report Formats
Letter format: Letterhead stationery. Useful for informal reports sent to outsiders.
Memo format: Memo style. Useful for informal reports circulated within
organizations.
Manuscript format: Plain paper. Useful for longer, more formal reports.
Printed, standardized forms. Useful for routine activities, such as expense reports.
Digital format: Useful when forms will be projected or viewed and edited digitally.

D. Report Delivery
In person
By mail
By fax
By e-mail
Online
II. Defining the Purpose and Gathering Data
A. Determining the Problem and Purpose of Your Report

First, the writer must determine the problem and purpose of the report. Once the report
purpose is understood, report writers should begin to gather data needed to start
writing the report. Reports are usually written in either a formal or an informal writing
style. Most reports include headings to organize the report and highlight main ideas.
Ethical report writers know how to properly document their resources.

B. Gathering Data
Look in company records.
Make personal observations.
Use surveys, questionnaires, and inventories.
Conduct interviews.
Access printed material.
Search databases and other electronic material.

III. Choosing a Report Writing Style and Creating Headings


A. Adopting an Appropriate Writing Style
Formal writing style
Informal writing style

B. Being Objective
Present both sides of an issue.
Separate fact from opinion.
Be sensitive and moderate in language.
Cite sources carefully.
C. Using Effective Report Headings
Use appropriate heading levels.
Strive for parallel construction within levels.
Use first- and second-level headings for short reports.
Capitalize and underline carefully.
Keep headings short but clear.
Don’t use headings as antecedents for pronouns.
Insert at least one heading per report page.

D. Ten Tips for Designing Better Documents (See Figure 9.5)


Analyze your audience.
Choose an appropriate type size.
Use a consistent type font.
Generally, don’t justify right margins.
Separate paragraphs and sentences appropriately
Design readable headlines.
Strive for an attractive page layout.
Use graphics and clip art with restraint.
Avoid amateurish results.
Develop expertise with your software program.
IV. Preparing Typical Informal Reports
Although reports come in many forms, we will focus on six main categories: information
reports, progress reports, justification/recommendation reports, feasibility reports,
minutes of meetings, and summaries.

A. Information Reports

Information reports provide findings without analysis or persuasion. For example, your
boss asks you to investigate prepaid legal services as a possible employee benefit.

Explain why you are writing.


Describe credibility of data methods and sources.
Provide background.
Organize facts in a logical sequence.
Group similar topics together.
If included, summarize findings or highlight main points.

B. Progress Reports

Progress reports explain the progress of continuing projects. For example, you must
report on the progress of a golf tournament your organization is planning.

Describe the purpose and nature of project.


Provide background information if necessary.
Summarize work already completed.
Explain work currently in progress, including personnel, activities, methods, and
locations.
Anticipate problems and possible remedies.
Discuss future activities and provide the expected completion date.

C. Justification/Recommendation Reports

Justification/recommendation reports are written to justify or recommend something,


such as buying equipment, changing a procedure, hiring an employee, or consolidating
departments.

Reader Response Determines Structure


If reader will likely agree with recommendations, use direct pattern.
Problem
Recommendations
Facts
Discussion
If reader may oppose recommendations, use indirect pattern.
Problem
Facts
Discussion
Recommendations
Direct Pattern
Identify the problem or the need briefly.
Announce the recommendation, solution, or action concisely and with action
verbs.
Explain more fully the benefits of the recommendation or steps to be taken to
solve the problem.
Present a discussion of pros, cons, and costs.
Conclude with a summary specifying the recommendation and action to be
taken

Indirect Pattern
Make a general reference to the problem in subject line.
Describe and establish credibility for the seriousness of the need or problem that
your recommendation addresses.
Discuss alternative solutions, beginning with the least likely to succeed.
Present most promising alternative—your recommendation—last.
Show how the advantages of your recommendation outweigh its disadvantages.
Summarize your recommendation and any action required.
Ask for authorization to proceed, if necessary.
D. Feasibility Reports
Feasibility reports examine the practicality and advisability of following a course of
action. For example, your company must decide whether to add a child-care facility.
Announce your decision immediately.
Describe the background and problem necessitating the proposal.
Discuss the benefits of the proposal.
Describe any problems that may result.
Calculate the costs associated with the proposal, if appropriate.
Show the time frame necessary for implementation of the proposal.

E. Minutes of Meetings

Meeting minutes summarize the proceedings of a meeting.


Include name of group, date, time, place, name of the meeting.
List names of attendees and absentees.
Describe disposition of previous minutes.
Record old business, new business, announcements, and reports.
Include the precise wording of motions.
Record the vote and action taken.
Conclude with the name and signature of the individual recording the minutes.
F. Summaries

Summaries compress data from a longer publication, such as a book, report, article,
Web site, meeting, or convention.
Present the goal or purpose of the document being summarized.
Highlight the research methods (if appropriate), findings, conclusions, and
recommendations.
Omit illustrations, examples, and references.
Organize for readability by including headings and bulleted or enumerated lists.
Include your reactions or an overall evaluation of the document if asked to do so.

V. Communication Workshop
Laying the Groundwork for Team Writing Projects

1. Preparing to work together


a. Limit the size of your team.
b. Name a team leader, a recorder, and an evaluator.
c. Decide whether your team will be governed by consensus or by majority rule.
d. Compare schedules of team members, and set up the best meeting times.
e. Discuss the value of conflict.
f. Discuss how you will deal with members who are not pulling their share of the
load.
2. Planning the document
a. Establish the document’s specific purpose and identify the main issues involved.
b. Decide on the final form of the document.
c. Discuss the audience(s) for the document and what appeal would help achieve its
purpose.
d. Develop a work plan. Assign jobs. Set deadlines.
e. Decide how the final document will be written.
3. Collecting information
a. Brainstorm for ideas as a group.
b. Decide who will be responsible for gathering what information.
c. Establish deadlines for collecting information
d. Discuss ways to ensure the accuracy and currency of the information collected.
4. Organizing, writing, and revising
a. Review the proposed organization of your final document, and adjust if necessary.
b. Write the first draft.
c. Meet to discuss and revise the draft(s).
d. Appoint one person to coordinate the parts, striving for consistent style and
format.
5. Editing and evaluating
a. Give one person responsibility for finding and correcting grammatical and
mechanical errors.
b. Meet as a group to evaluate the final document

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