Chapter 9
Informal Reports
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-1
Six Categories of Informal Reports
Information Reports Progress Reports Justification/Recommendation Reports Feasibility Reports Minutes of Meetings Summaries
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-2
Report Formats
Letter format
Letterhead stationery. Useful for informal reports sent to outsiders.
Memo format
Memo style. Useful for informal reports circulated within organizations.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-3
Report Formats
Report format
Plain paper, manuscript form. Useful for longer, more formal reports.
Prepared forms
Standardized forms. Useful for routine activities, such as expense reports.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-4
General Guidelines for Writing Reports
Define project.
Gather data.
Organize data.
Write first draft.
Edit and revise.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-5
Where to Gather Data for Reports
Look in company records. Make personal observations. Use surveys, questionnaires, and inventories. Conduct interviews. Search databases and other electronic resources.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-6
Organizing Report Data
Indirect Strategy
Problem
Direct Strategy
Problem
Facts
Discussion Recommendations
Recommendations
Facts Discussion
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-7
Making Effective Report Headings
Use appropriate heading levels.
Strive for parallel construction.
Use first- and second-level headings for short reports. Capitalize and underline carefully. Keep headings short but clear.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-8
Making Effective Report Headings
Don't enclose headings in quotation marks. Don't use headings as antecedents for pronouns.
For example, avoid: Inserting Hypertext Links. These links . . . .
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-9
Being Objective in Writing Reports
Present both sides of an issue. Separate fact from opinion.
Be sensitive and moderate in language.
Cite sources carefully.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 9-10
Information Reports
Introduction
Explain why you are writing. Describe credibility of data methods and sources. Provide background. Identify report purpose. Offer a preview of the findings.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-11
Information Reports
Findings
Organize chronologically, alphabetically, topically, by importance, or by another method. Group similar topics together. Use appropriate headings.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 9-12
Information Reports
Summary
May include or omit summary. If included, summarize findings or highlight main points.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 9-13
Progress Reports
Describe the purpose and nature of an unusual or nonroutine project. Provide background information if necessary. Summarize work already completed. Describe work currently in progress, including personnel, methods, obstacles, and attempts to remedy obstacles.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 9-14
Progress Reports
Forecast future activities in relation to the scheduled completion date. Include recommendations and requests.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 9-15
Justification/Recommendation Reports
Use direct organization for nonsensitive topics and recommendations that will be agreeable to readers. Identify the problem or the need briefly. Announce the recommendation, solution, or action concisely and with action verbs.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 9-16
Justification/Recommendation Reports
Present a discussion of pros, cons, and costs. Explain more fully the benefits of the recommendation or steps to be taken to solve the problem. Conclude with a summary specifying the recommendation and action to be taken.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 9-17
Feasibility Reports
Prepare a feasibility report when examining the practicality and advisability of following a course of action. Announce your decision immediately. Describe the background and problem necessitating the proposal. Discuss the benefits of the proposal.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 9-18
Feasibility Reports
Describe the problems that may result. Calculate the costs associated with the proposal, if appropriate. Show the time frame necessary for implementation of the proposal.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 9-19
Meeting Minutes
Include name of the group, the date, the time, the place, the 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.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 9-20
Meeting Minutes
Record the vote and action taken. Conclude with the name and signature of the individual recording the minutes.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 9-21
Summaries
Compress data from a longer publication, such as a business report, a magazine article, or a book chapter. Indicate the goal or purpose of the document being summarized. Highlight the research methods (if appropriate), findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 9-22
Summaries
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.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 9-23
Ten Keys to Designing Better Documents
Analyze your audience. Choose an appropriate type size. Use a consistent type font. Generally, don't justify right margins. Separate paragraphs and sentences appropriately.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 9-24
Ten Keys to Designing Better Documents
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.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 9-25
End
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 9-26
