Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Chapter 11 Informal Reports
Chapter 11 Informal Reports
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
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Reporting in the
Digital-Age Workplace
• Routine reports keep
managers informed about
completed tasks, projects,
and work in progress.
• Reports help executives
understand the
challenges they
encounter in business.
• Report findings may be
presented orally in
meetings or shared digitally
in e-mail messages, PDF
files, or slide decks.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
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Ch. 9 / Slide 2
Three Main Purposes of
Business Reports
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 3
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Characteristics
of Business Reports
Report Organizational
Functions Strategies
reports
i
Informational Analytical
reports Direct Indirect
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 4
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Report Functions
Informational Reports
• Present data
i
without analysis
or
recommendatio
• Are
ns routine and
often periodic
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 5
Report Functions
Analytical Reports
• Provide data or
findings, analyses,
and conclusions
• May also supply
recommendations
• Intend to
persuade
readers
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 6
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Audience Analysis and
Report Organization
Direct Strategy Indirect Strategy
Readers Readers
• are informed • need to be educated
• are supportive • need to be persuaded
• want results first • may be disappointed
or hostile
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 7
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 8
© photo copyrights here
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 9
© photo copyrights here
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 10
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I concluded from the experiment that …..
It is concluded from the experiment that….
Ch. 9 / Slide 11
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or
Learning
Objective
2
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 12
Report Formats
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 13
Informational Report –
Letter Format
Tips for Letter
Reports:
• Use letter format for
short, informal reports
sent to outsiders.
• Organize the facts
section into logical
divisions identified by
consistent headings.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 14
Informational Report –
Letter Format
Tips for Letter
Reports:
• Single-space the body.
• Double-space between
paragraphs.
• Leave one or two
blank lines above each
side heading.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 15
Informational Report –
Letter Format
Tips for Letter
Reports:
• Create side
margins of 1 to 1¼
inches.
• Add a second-page
heading, if
necessary,
consisting of the
addressee’s name,
the date, and the
page number.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 16
Analytical Report – Memo
Format
Tips for Memo
Reports:
• Use memo format for
short (ten or fewer
pages) informal reports
• within an organization.
Leave side margins
of 1 to 1¼ inches.
• Sign your initials on
the From line.
• Consider attaching the
memo to a cover
e-mail for delivery.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 17
Informal Reports–
E-Mail and Memo Formats
1 2 3
Write short Experiment Include at
but clear with wording least one
headings. that tells heading per
who, what, report page.
when, where,
why, and
how.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 20
Effective Report Headings
4 5 6
Try to create Construct a Don’t use
headings that hierarchy of more than
are parallel. heading three heading
• Creating Team
Motivation
levels using levels.
• Treating placement,
Employees Like
Customers size, and
font.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 21
Levels of Report Headings
2 inches
14 pt. sans
TITLE serif font
2 blank lines
First-Level Heading
12 pt. sans
1 blank line serif font
A first-level heading is centered and bolded. It uses a smaller
font size, and only primary words are capitalized.
2 blank lines
11 pt. sans
Second-Level Heading
1 blank line
serif font
A second-level heading divides the topics introduced by the first
level heading. It is bolded and left-aligned.
1 blank line
Third-Level Heading. Because it is part of the paragraph that
follows, a third-level heading is also called a paragraph heading.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 22
Types of Headings
Functional Headings Talking Headings
The Best Business
Executive Summary Laptop Money Can Buy
Tablet Computers
Introduction Displace Notebooks
Findings Texting: The New
Smoking Gun
Discussion What’s New in
Social Media?
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 23
Types of Headings
Combination
Headings
Background:
How Apple Won
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 24
Learning
Objective
3
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 26
Applying the Writing Process to Reports
5. Organize,
4. Conduct analyze, interpret, 6. Compose the
research and illustrate the first draft
data
7. Revise,
proofread, and
evaluate
Gathering Information From
Primary and Secondary
Sources
Company records
Printed material
Electronic resources
Observation
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 10 / Slide 31
Creating Meaningful Visual
Aids and Graphics
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 10 / Slide 32
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Creating Meaningful Visual
Aids and Graphics
Flow chart
to display a
process or
procedure
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 10 / Slide 33
Creating Meaningful Visual
Aids and Graphics
Photograph, map,
illustration
to add authenticity, to spotlight a
location, and to show examples
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 10 / Slide 34
© smarques27/Fotolia (map) © Marina Zlochin/Fotolia (books)
Creating Effective Visual Aids
• Find the right graphic to
fit the objective:
– Photograph, map,
illustration – to create
authenticity, to spotlight
a location, and to show
an item in use
By John S. Donnellan
Because visuals are such powerful communication tools, it is
important to maintain high ethical standards when using
them.
Consider all possible interpretations—and
misinterpretations
Don’t hide or minimize negative information that runs
counter to your argument.
Don’t exaggerate information that supports your argument.
Don’t imply cause-and-effect relationships without
providing proof that they exist.
Be careful with the way you aggregate data.
Ch. 9 / Slide 36
Learning
Objective
3
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 38
Problem Statement
Statement of purpose
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 39
© photo copyrights here
Statement of purpose
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 40
© photo copyrights here
Introduction of a Short
Report
Problem What is the issue that needs to be resolved?
Problem Significance
Ch. 9 / Slide 44
Applying the Writing Process to Reports
5. Organize,
4. Conduct analyze, interpret, 6. Compose the
research and illustrate the first draft
data
7. Revise,
proofread, and
evaluate
Short reports: format
Feasibility Report
• Introduction
• Benefits: Suggested action
• Time
• Cost
• Staffing
1. Yardstick Report: Single item
• Introduction
• Benefits: Suggested action
• Criteria: profit, market share and time
• Findings
• Profit
• Market share
• Time
• Conclusion and Recommendation
2. Yardstick Report: Comparative
• Introduction
• Work done so far
• Work to be done