REPORTS Lecture 4

CE 403 Professional Practices and Communication

Definition
Formal statement of
Facts information

Written for a Specific Audience For making informed deision

Definition
Report also contains
Inferences made Conclusions reached Recommendations provided

Inferences, Conclusions and Recommendations based on

Facts Supporting evidence included

Types of Reports
Short Long

Informational Interpretative

Format of Short Reports

Memorandum Report Letter Report Informational Memorandum Report
Conference Report Progress Report Periodic Report

Interpretative Memorandum Report

Personnel Report Recommendation-Justification Report

Informational Report
Summarizes information by reviewing facts covered Avoid giving inferences, opinions, judgements recommendations from presented data Use neutral, unbiased language rather than giving a particular point of view

Informational Memorandum Report

Informational reports presented in memorandum form Normally used for circulation within the organization by email, fax etc

Informational Memorandum Reports: Conference Report

Report written by employees or executives after significant conference with individuals or committees Text of report organized by topics discussed or presented simply in chronological fashion

Informational Memorandum Reports: Progress Report

Shows progress i.e. accomplishments
over time at a given stage of a major assignment

Organizational plan of progress report is usually inductive

Contents of Progress Report

Introduction Description of accomplishments during period Unanticipated problems (if any) Plans for next reporting period Summary (overall appraisal of progress to date)

Informational Memorandum Reports: Periodic Report

Reports written at regular recurring periodsweekly, monthly, quarterly etc In USA company periodic reports is expected to be half a page if the news is favorable For unfavorable news, the report may be one page which should include reasons for the unfavorable situation and the way it was being handled

Analytical Memorandum Reports

Seek to analyze a situation Has a conclusion May or may not have a recommendation

Analytical Memorandum Reports: Personnel Reports

Introduction, which may contain the following
Authorization Purpose Background Methodology and/or sources Plan of presentation Brief statement of decision

Main body with headings and sub headings Terminal or closing section with summary and conclusions

Analytical Memorandum Reports: Recommendation-Justification Reports

Recommend a change or remain with status quo (policy aspect) Support the idea that something is desirable or undesirable (value aspect) Defend the accuracy of information (fact aspect) Report may be in response to a request or it may be voluntary

Sections of RecommendationJustification Report

Introduction
Purpose Authorization Layout of report

Body (Text, Discussion)

Current state of the problem Effects and causes of problems Possible options to remove problems Criteria in evaluating solution Recommended solution

Terminal Section (Conclusion, Recommendation)

Brief summary of major points Conclusion recommendation

Letter Reports
Small report in letter form Used to send information to a reader outside the organization Includes the following:
Date Inside address Salutation Subject line (optional) Body Complimentary close Signature Reference section

Writing a Letter Report

First paragraph
Pleasant greeting and authorization (date and name of person making request) Purpose, aim (always) Problem, issues (if problems exist) Conclusion, statement of results (optional) Plan of presentation

Middle paragraph
Present all facts favorable or infavorable Mention sources and methodology used if any Emphasis on finding results Headings and visual aids whenever necessry

Last paragraph
Bring the letter to a pleasant friendly close Conclude or recommend if you desire to do so Offer to discuss further, if appropriate

Structure of Short Reports

Prefatory part or introduction Discussion, text or body Terminal section which includes summary, conclusions and recommendations

Writing a Short Report

Introduction
Give purpose or aim (always), background, list of topics to be discussed, authorization For short introductions (one or two short paragraphs), the title Introduction is generally omitted

Body or Text
Present all relevant facts accurately and impartially Organise

Writing a Short Report

Body or Text
Emphasize important ideas by giving important details, placement in document of relevant information, stylistic means Use headings to guide reader through the report Include visual aids graphs, charts, pictures whenever they clarify Use topic sentences at the beginning of a paragraph Use introductory paragraphs at the beginning of a major section Apply seven Cs of writing principles

Writing a Short Report

Terminal Section
Summarize, conclude and offer recommendation Summary condenses text. Conclusions evaluate and infer from text, recommendations offer specific course of action Summarize points in the same order as topics discussed in the text Do not include new material in the terminal section of the report

Long Report
Extension of a short report Involves greater length and depth of discussion of more complex problems Requires more preliminary collecting, sorting, interpreting, writing, editing and creation of visuals than short reports Mix of informative and persuasive information

Structure of Long Report

Prefatory part Main body Back matter

Structure of Long Report

Prefatory part
Cover Frontispiece Copyright notice Forwarding letter/Transmittal letter Preface Acknowledgements Table of contents List of illustrations Abstract and Executive Summary

Structure of Long Report

Main body
Introduction (section or separate chapter) Discussion or text (divided into chapters, sections, subsections) Conclusions (section or separate chapter) Recommendations (section or separate chapter)

Structure of Long Report

Back matter
Appendices List of references Bibliography Glossary Index

Long Reports
Expansion of a short report Greater length and depth of discussion of more complex problems More collecting, sorting, interpreting, writing editing, visuals Mix of informative and persuasive information

Preparatory Steps of a Long Report

Recognize clearly issues, problems, purpose, scope of report Realize who your readers will be Get an idea of sources of information Understand when the report needs to be completed Recognize financial and time constraints

Writing the Long Report: Four Steps

First Step
Define the problem Collect all needed material Sort and interpret data Organize the final outline Prepare visual aids Finally, write, edit, revise, type

Writing the Long Report: Four Steps

Second Step (Writing First Draft)
Begin Write outline and start writing Summary, conclusions, recommendations Introduction Executive summary, letter of transmittal, bibiography or endnotes, table of contents, table of figures, tables etc

Writing the Long Report: Four Steps

Third Step (Editing, Revising Draft)
Lay aside first draft for several days Look objectively at the material and identify weakness of the draft Revise, rewrite draft several times etc

Writing the Long Report: Four Steps

Final Step (Type the Document)
Write consistently using harmonious style throughout report Use either double or single spacing (more popular in recent years) Always double space between paragraphs, before and after quotations, visual aids and footnotes In single spaced reports, paragraphs may be indented or begin at left margin

Writing the Long Report: Four Steps

Final Step (Type the Document)
Use single space for transmittal document, quotation and examples, list of items to set off or emphasize, footnotes, tables and visual aids A top margin of 1.5 to 2 inch Each page in a report except cover and title fly should have a number. Small Roman numerals for prefatory pages and Arabic numbers for supplemental sheets

Writing the Long Report: Four Steps

Final Step (Type the Document)
Numbering scheme:
Cover and title fly: do not count number Title page: count but do not insert number Transmittal document: count but do not insert number Table of contents: count and number each page Table of tables: count and number Executive summary: count and number

Writing the Long Report: Four Steps

Final Step (Type the Document)
Numbering scheme:
For body and supplemental parts, put page numbers near upper right corner of page, aligned with right margin and 0.5 inch above the top imaginary line that frames the typewritten material Number of first pages of each chapter is omiited though counted or placed 0.5 incj below the imaginary line that frames the bottom part of the typed material

Cover and External Title

Report title should have five Ws:
Who (by whom and for whom) What (title or subject matter) When (date) Where Why

Titles should be short Extremely short and vague titles should be avoided Judgement terms should not be used

Title Fly and Internal Title

Title Fly: blank sheet of paper between the cover and internal title page Title page has four parts
Title as stated on the exterior cover The recipient of the report The preparer The date

Letter of Transmittal
Cover letter or cover memorandum addresses the receiver of the report as in a letter with five parts:
Authorization: opening words refer to the request made for preparing the report including the date the request was made. Sometimes the actual report request is included in the report as supplementary information Transmittal details: puts into words the handing over of the report to the recipient in person

Letter of Transmittal
Cover letter or cover memorandum addresses the receiver of the report as in a letter with five parts:
Background and methodology: briefly suggest research methods employed and give the reader feel regarding scope and limits of the report. It should include authors as well as involved committee members background and qualifications Highlights: information briefly mentioning conclusions should be included. For friendly audience be precise about your conclusion. For less friendly audience. Conclusions should be more general than precise. Courteous ending: Acknowledge those who assisted, suggest willingness to respond to further questions or indicate later reports or more research findings will be forthcominh

Table of Contents (ToC)

Prepare Toc last-after assigning headings and final page numbers Place Toc just before the report body All headings in ToC should parallel to those in text Table of tables: list of illustrations, data, visuals Visuals: detailed drawings are frequently placed in the appendix. Explicit visual aids supplementing oral presentation or supporting the report may be placed in their own section

Executive Summary, Abstract, Synopsis

Generally placed right after the transmittal letter Most read part of a report based on which many executives take a decision whether to read the report or not Some firms only circulate executive summary of reports to management personnel It may be deductively organized (recommendations first) nor inductively organized*recommendations last)

Executive Summary, Abstract, synopsis

Issues that are generally addressed in the executive summary are:
Purpose Scope Background Data analysis Methods of research Current issues Causes

Executive Summary, Abstract, synopsis

Issues that are generally addressed in the executive summary are:
Effects Problem analysis Solutions criteria Conclusions Possible solutions/recommendations Benefits Time-frame analysis

Bibliography
List of sources cited as documentation for relevant content in report Included at the end of the document (for scholarly report always, for business report optional) For additional reading, sources to reader Bibliographic forms:
Modern Language Association (MLA) format American Psychological Association (APA) format

Footnote and End Notes (Citations)

Either explain content or identify sources of content (citation) Improves credibility, convince readers about the trustworthiness of data presented. Gives opportunity to reader to examine sources Footnotes generally provide additional information, discuss or explain content within text Footnotes are placed at bottom of page, at end of chapter or at end of book so as to not interrupt flow of thought in main text

Footnote and End Notes (Citations)

To refer your reader to explanatory footnotes or endnotes and to number them use superscript numerals The superscripts may be numbered consecutively throughout report or begin a new series with each chapter