Chapter 11

Business Report Basics

Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Mary Ellen Guffey
Copyright 2008

Business Report Basics

Characteristics of Reports Structure and Organization
Research

Report Writing Process

Report Data

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 11, Slide 2

Preparing to Write Business Reports

What are business reports?
Photodisc / Getty Images

Business reports are systematic attempts to answer questions and solve problems.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 11, Slide 3

Preparing to Write Business Reports

Report functions
Informational reports reports Analytical

Writing style
Formal Informal

Report patterns
Direct pattern Indirect pattern
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 11, Slide 4

Preparing to Write Business Reports

Report formats
Letter Memo Manuscript Printed forms Digital

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 11, Slide 5

TRBfoto / Photodisc / Getty Images

Ten Truths You Should Know About Reports

Everyone writes reports.

Most reports flow upward.

Most business reports are informal.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 11, Slide 6

Ten Truths You Should Know About Reports

Three formats are most popular: Memo format Letter format

Manuscript format

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 11, Slide 7

Ten Truths You Should Know About Reports

Reports differ from memos and letters. Todays reports take advantage of computer technologies.

Many reports are collaborative efforts.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 11, Slide 8

Ten Truths You Should Know About Reports

Ethical report writers interpret facts fairly. Organization is imposed on data.

The writer is the readers servant.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 11, Slide 9

Audience Analysis and Report Organization The Direct Pattern

If readers are informed If readers are supportive

If readers are eager to have results first

Direct Pattern
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 11, Slide 10

Direct Pattern

Analytical Report Informational Report Introduction/Background Introduction/Problem __________________________________

__________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________

__________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________

Facts/Findings _________________ __________________________________

__________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________

CONCLUSIONS/ RECOMMENDATIONS __________________________________

__________________________________ __________________________________

Summary ______________________ __________________________________

__________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________

Facts/Findings __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________

Discussion/Analysis____________ __________________________________
Ch. 11, Slide 11

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Audience Analysis and Report Organization

The Indirect Pattern
If readers need to be persuaded

If readers need to be educated

If readers may be disappointed or hostile

Indirect Pattern
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 11, Slide 12

Indirect Pattern

Analytical Report Introduction/Problem

__________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________

Facts/Findings_________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________

Discussion/Analysis __________________________________

__________________________________ __________________________________

CONCLUSIONS/ RECOMMENDATIONS____________
__________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 11, Slide 13

Applying the Writing Process to Reports

Analyze the problem and purpose. Anticipate the audience and issues. Prepare a work plan. Implement your research strategy.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 11, Slide 14

Applying the Writing Process to Reports

Organize, analyze, interpret, and illustrate the data. Compose the first draft. Revise, proofread, and evaluate.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 11, Slide 15

Basic Parts of Report

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Front Page Copy Right, Legal information Table of contents. Preface Acknowledgements Introduction Research Methodology
Ch. 11, Slide 16

8. Findings 9. Data Analysis & Interpretation 10. Conclusion 11. Recommendation References. Annextures

Ch. 11, Slide 17

1. Front Page
Title. Contains authentication information like name of author(s) and other authentication info., name of reciever. Name and logo of company. Date. Ref. no. if documentation requires.
Ch. 11, Slide 18

2. Copy Right, Legal Information

Year of issue of copy right. Legal copyright declaration. Patent information. Information about rights of author, reciever.

Ch. 11, Slide 19

Preface
Preface is the Purpose Statement of a report. Reading the preface a reader should understand what is the report all about Reader should be able to understand is the report useful for me?

Ch. 11, Slide 20

Acknowledgement.
Thanks giving part of report. Thank the people who have provided intellectual support. People who have provided hardware / logistical support. People who have provided emotional support. Thank genuine individuals. Dont use this section as a PR Exercise.
Ch. 11, Slide 21

Research Methodology.
RM is the MOST IMPORTANT part of a research report. The standard format is: a) Problem Formulation. b) Research Problem. c) Research Design & hypothesis. d) Data Collection Design i. Sources of Primary Data. ii. Sources of secondary data.
Ch. 11, Slide 22

RM ctd.
e) Sampling Design i. Sampling technique ii. Sample size. iii. Sample frame. iv. Sample unit. f) Data analysis Design. g) Limitations
Ch. 11, Slide 23

Findings (Documenting Data)

Two documentation formats
Modern Language Association
Authors name and page (Smith 100) placed in text; complete references in "Works Cited."

American Psychological Association

Authors name, date of publication, and page number placed near the text reference (Jones, 2006, p. 99). Complete references listed at the end of the report in "References.
Ch. 11, Slide 24

Documenting Data
Learn what to document
Another person's ideas, opinions, examples, or theory Any facts, statistics, graphs, and drawings that are not common knowledge Quotations of another person's actual spoken or written words Paraphrases of another person's spoken or written words
Ch. 11, Slide 25

Documenting Data
Learn to paraphrase
Read the original material carefully so that you can comprehend its full meaning. Write your own version without looking at the original. Do not repeat the grammatical structure of the original, and do not merely replace words of the original with synonyms. Reread the original to be sure you covered the main points but did not borrow specific language.
Ch. 11, Slide 26

Findings (Illustrating Report Data)

Functions of graphics
To clarify data To create visual interest To condense and simplify data To make numerical data meaningful
Ch. 11, Slide 27

Illustrating Report Data

Forms and Objectives
Table
To show exact figures and values

Bar chart
To compare one item with others

Ch. 11, Slide 28

Illustrating Report Data

Forms and Objectives
Line Chart
To demonstrate changes in quantitative data over time

Pie Chart
To visualize a whole unit and the proportion of its components
Ch. 11, Slide 29

Illustrating Report Data

Forms and Objectives
Flow Chart
To display a process or procedure

Organization Chart
To define a hierarchy of elements

Ch. 11, Slide 30

Illustrating Report Data

Forms and Objectives
Photograph, map, illustration
To create authenticity, to spotlight a location, and to show an item in use

Ch. 11, Slide 31

Vertical Bar Chart

Ch. 11, Slide 32

Vertical Bar Chart

Use bar charts to make visual comparisons. Compare related items, illustrate changes in data over time, or show segments as parts of wholes. Make bar charts in vertical, horizontal, grouped, or segmented forms. Avoid shoeing too much information, thus producing clutter and confusion. Make the length of each bar and segment proportional. Start dollar or percentage amounts at zero.
Ch. 11, Slide 33

Pie Chart

Ch. 11, Slide 34

Pie Chart
Use pie charts to show a whole and the proportion of its components. Generally begin at the 12 oclock position, drawing the largest wedge first. Include, if possible, the actual percentage or absolute value for each wedge. Use four to eight segments for best results; if necessary, group small portions into one wedge called Other. Distinguish wedges with color, shading, or crosshatching. Keep all labels horizontal.
Ch. 11, Slide 35

Center for Consumers of Legal Services

P.O. Box 260 Richmond, VA 23234

September 7, 2007

Informational ReportLetter Format

(804) 248- 8931 www. cclegalservices.com

Ms. Lisa Burgess, Secretary Lake Austin Homeowners 3902 Oak Hill Drive Austin, TX 78134 Dear Ms. Burgess:

As executive director of the Center for Consumers of Legal Services, I'm pleased to send you this information describing how your homeowners association can sponsor a legal services plan for its members. After an introduction with background data, this report will discuss three steps necessary for your group to start its plan. Introduction A legal services plan promotes preventative law by letting members talk to attorneys whenever problems arise. Prompt legal advice often avoids or prevents expensive litigation. Because groups can supply a flow of business to the plan's attorneys, groups can negotiate free consultation, follow-up, and discounts. Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Mary Ellen Ch. 11, Slide Product, 6e 36

Two kinds of plans are commonly available. The first, a free plan, offers free legal consultation along with discounts for services when the participating groups are sufficiently large to generate business for the plan's attorneys. These plans actually act as a substitute for advertising for attorneys. The second common type is the prepaid plan. Prepaid plans provide more benefits, but members must pay annual fees, usually $200 or more a year. Over 30 million people are covered by legal services plans today, and a majority belong to free plans.

Informational ReportLetter (Continued)

Since you inquired about a free plan for your homeowners' association, the following information describes how to set up such a program. Determine the Benefits Your Group Needs The first step in establishing a free legal service is to meet with the members of your group to decide what benefits they want. Typical benefits include the following: Free consultation. Members may consult a participating attorney--by phone or in the attorney's office--to discuss any matter. The number of consultations is unlimited, provided each is about a separate matter. Consultations are generally limited to 30 minutes, but they include substantive analysis and advice. Free document review. Important papers--such as leases, insurance policies, and installment sales contracts--may be reviewed with legal counsel. Members may ask questions and receive an explanation of terms. Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Ch. 11, Slide Product, 6e 37

Atlantic Environmental, Inc.

Interoffice Memo
DATE: TO: March 7, 2008

Analytical ReportMemo Format

Kermit Fox, President

FROM:
SUBJECT:

Cynthia M. Rashid, Environmental Engineer

Investigation of Mountain Park Commercial Site

For Allegheny Realty, Inc., I've completed a preliminary investigation of its Mountain Park property listing. The following recommendations are based on my physical inspection of the site, official records, and interviews with officials and persons knowledgeable about the site. Recommendations To reduce its potential environmental liability, Allegheny Realty should take the following steps in regard to its Mountain Park listing: Conduct an immediate asbestos survey at the site, including inspection of ceiling insulation material, floor tiles, and insulation around a gas-fired heater vent pipe at 2539 Mountain View Drive. Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Ch. 11, Slide Product, 6e 38

Analytical ReportMemo (Continued)

Findings and Analyses

Prepare an environmental audit of the generators of hazardous waste currently operating at the site, including Mountain Technology. Obtain lids for the dumpsters situated in the parking areas and ensure that the lids are kept closed.

My preliminary assessment of the site and its immediate vicinity revealed rooms with damaged floor tiles on the first and second floors of 2539 Mountain View Drive. Apparently, in recent remodeling efforts, these tiles had been cracked and broken. Examination of the ceiling and attic revealed further possible contamination from asbestos. The insulation for the hot-water tank was in poor condition. Located on the property is Mountain Technology, a possible hazardous waste generator. Although I could not examine its interior, this company has the potential for producing hazardous material contamination. In the parking area large dumpsters collect trash and debris from several businesses. These dumpsters were uncovered, thus posing a risk to the general public. Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 11, Slide 39

Analytical Report Manuscript Format

INTRODUCTION

REDUCING VEHICLE EMISSIONS AND SMOG IN THE LOS ANGELES BASIN

Pacific Enterprises, Inc., is pleased to submit this report to the Air Resources Board of Los Angeles County in response to its request of April 18. This report examines the problem of vehicle emissions in the Los Angeles Basin. Moreover, it reviews proposed solutions and recommends a course of action that will lead to a significant reduction in the hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide emissions of older vehicles. Background and Discussion of Problem The County of Los Angeles has battled dirty air for five decades. The largest stationary polluters (manufacturers, petroleum refineries, and electric power plants, for example) are no longer considered a major source of pollution. Today, the biggest smog producers are older automobiles, trucks, and buses. Newer vehicles, as a result of improved technology and government regulation, have sharply reduced their emissions. However, nearly 400,000 pre-1980 vehicles continue to operate on Southern California's streets and freeways. A recent statefunded study (Rutman 37) estimated that 50 percent of the smog generated in Southern California comes from these older vehicles. Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 11, Slide 40

However, many of these vehicles are either undetected or exempted from meeting the clean-air standards. Little has been done to solve this problem because retrofitting these old cars with modern pollution control systems would cost more than many of them are worth. Two innovative solutions were recently proposed. Reducing Smog by Eliminating Older Cars Two large organizations, Unocal and Ford Motor Company, suggested a buy-out program to eliminate older cars. To demonstrate its effectiveness, the two firms bought more than RECOMMENDATIONS Based on our findings and the conclusions discussed earlier, we submit the following recommendations to you: 1. Study the progress of Germany's attempt to reduce smog by retrofitting older vehicles with computer-controlled fuel management systems.

Analytical Report Manuscript (Continued)

2. Encourage Ford Motor Company and Unocal to continue their buy-out programs in exchange for temporary smog credits.
3. Invite Neutronics Enterprises in Carlsbad, California, to test its Lambda emission- Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Mary Ellen Ch. 11, Slide control 6e Product,system at your El Monte test center. 41

End
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 11, Slide 42