Business Communication Workshop

Course Coordinator: Ayyaz Qadeer

Lecture # 23

Informal Reports

We have discussed…..

• The Purpose of Reports: To make sound decisions,To provide a formal, verifiable link between people, places, and times; To solve

immediate problems; To provide complete, accurate, objective information

• Reports are commonly classified by some factors• Six Categories of Informal Reports: Information Reports,Progress Reports, Justification/Recommendation Reports, Feasibility Reports,

Minutes of Meetings, Summaries

• Report Formats: Letter formatLetterhead stationery. Useful for informal reports sent to outsiders.

• Memo formatMemo style. Useful for informal reports circulated within organizations.

We have discussed…..

• Report Formats: Report format

Plain paper, manuscript form. Useful for longer, more formal reports.

Prepared formsStandardized forms. Useful for routine activities, such as expense reports.

• General Guidelines for Writing Reports• Where to Gather Data for Reports• Planning Business Reports• Investigating and searching for required information

Ch. 9–5

Organizing Report Data

• Indirect Strategy– Problem

– Facts

– Discussion

– Recommendations

• Direct Strategy– Problem

– Recommendations

– Facts

– Discussion

Ch. 9–6

• 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.

Making Effective Report Headings

Ch. 9–7

• Don't enclose headings in quotation marks.• Don't use headings as antecedents for pronouns.

For example, avoid: Inserting Hypertext Links. These links . . . .

Making Effective Report Headings

Ch. 9–8

Being Objective in Writing Reports

• Present both sides of an issue.

• Separate fact from opinion.

• Be sensitive and moderate in language.

• Cite sources carefully.

Ch. 9–9

Introduction – Explain why you are writing.– Describe credibility of data methods and sources.– Provide background. – Identify report purpose.– Offer a preview of the findings.

Information Reports

Ch. 9–10

Findings– Organize chronologically, alphabetically, topically,

by importance, or by another method.– Group similar topics together.– Use appropriate headings.

Information Reports

Ch. 9–11

Summary– May include or omit summary.– If included, summarize findings or highlight main

points.

Information Reports

Ch. 9–12

• 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.

Progress Reports

Ch. 9–13

• Forecast future activities in relation to the scheduled completion date.

• Include recommendations and requests.

Progress Reports

Ch. 9–14

• 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.

Justification/Recommendation Reports

Ch. 9–15

• 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.

Justification/Recommendation Reports

Ch. 9–16

• 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.

Feasibility Reports

Ch. 9–17

• 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.

Feasibility Reports

Ch. 9–18

• 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.

Meeting Minutes

Ch. 9–19

• Record the vote and action taken.• Conclude with the name and signature of the

individual recording the minutes.

Meeting Minutes

Ch. 9–20

• 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.

Summaries

Ch. 9–21

• 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.

Summaries

Ch. 9–22

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.

Ch. 9–23

• 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.

Ten Keys to Designing Better Documents

Recapitulation

• Organizing Report Data: Indirect StrategyDirect Strategy

• Making Effective Report Headings• Being Objective in Writing Reports• How to write Information Reports• How to write Progress Reports• How to write Justification/Recommendation Reports• How to write Feasibility Reports

Recapitulation

• How to write Meeting Minutes• How to write Summaries• Ten keys to designing better documents

Ch. 9–26

Thank You