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 • Direct Strategy

• Problem • Problem
• Facts • Recommendations
• Discussion • Facts
• Recommendations • 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