CHAPTER 9

Informal
Reports

Instructor Only Version

© 2010 Thomson South-Western
 Understanding Report Basics

Functions Patterns
 Informative reports  Direct Pattern
 Analytical reports  Indirect pattern

Formats Report Delivery

 Letter  In person
 Memo  U.S. mail
 Manuscript  Fax
 Printed form  E-mail or online
 Digital  Online
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 2
 Patterns
The Direct Pattern

If readers If readers If readers are

are informed are supportive eager to have
results first

Direct Pattern

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 3

 Direct Pattern

Informational Report Analytical Report

Introduction/Background
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
Facts/Findings _________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
Summary ______________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
Introduction/Problem
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
CONCLUSIONS/
RECOMMENDATIONS
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
Facts/Findings
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
Discussion/Analysis____________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________

MaryMary
Ellen
Ellen
Guffey,
Guffey,
Essentials
Essentials
of of
Business
Business Communication, 8e Chapter 1,
Chapter 9, Slide
Slide 4
 Patterns
The Indirect Pattern
If readers If readers need If readers may
need to be to be persuaded be disappointed
educated or hostile

Indirect Pattern

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 5

 Indirect Pattern

Analytical Report
Introduction/Problem
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
Facts/Findings_________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
Discussion/Analysis
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
CONCLUSIONS/
RECOMMENDATIONS ____________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________

MaryMary
Ellen
Ellen
Guffey,
Guffey,
Essentials
Essentials
of of
Business
Business Communication, 8e Chapter 1,
Chapter 9, Slide
Slide 6
Information Report—Letter Format

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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 7

 Report Delivery
Letterhead stationery. Useful for
Letter
informal reports sent to outsiders.
Memo style. Useful for informal reports
Memo
circulated within organizations.
Plain paper. Useful for longer, more
Manuscript
formal reports.
Standardized forms. Useful for routine
Printed form
activities, such as expense reports.
Viewed online. Useful for collaboration
Digital
and for posting to company intranet.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 8
 Guidelines for Developing
Informal Reports

 Determine
problem and
purpose.
 Gather data.
 Organize data.
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 Write first draft.
 Edit and revise.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 9

 Where to Gather Data for Reports

 Look in company records.

 Make personal observations.
 Use surveys, questionnaires, and
inventories.
 Conduct interviews.
 Search printed material such as books,
newspapers, and periodicals.
 Search databases and other electronic
resources.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 10
 Developing an
Appropriate
Writing Style

MaryMary
Ellen
Ellen
Guffey,
Guffey,
Essentials
Essentials
of of
Business
Business Communication, 8e Chapter 1,
Chapter 9, Slide
Slide 11
 Report Writing Styles – Informal Style

MaryMary
Ellen
Ellen
Guffey,
Guffey,
Essentials
Essentials
of of
Business
Business Communication, 8e Chapter 1,
Chapter 9, Slide
Slide 12
 Report Writing Styles –Formal Style

MaryMary
Ellen
Ellen
Guffey,
Guffey,
Essentials
Essentials
of of
Business
Business Communication, 8e Chapter 1,
Chapter 9, Slide
Slide 13
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, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 14
 Making Effective
Report Headings
 Use appropriate heading levels.
 Strive for parallel construction within
levels.
 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, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 15

 Making Effective
Report Headings
 Don't use headings as antecedents for
pronouns.
For example, avoid:
Inserting Hypertext Links. These links . . . .

 Include at least one heading per report

page.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 16

 Preparing Typical
Informal Reports
 Information reports
 Progress reports
 Justification/recommendation reports
 Feasibility
reports
 Minutes of
meetings
 Summaries

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 17

 Information Reports

Information reports provide

findings without analysis or
persuasion. For example,
your boss asks you to
investigate prepaid legal
services as a possible
employee benefit.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 18

 Information Reports

Introduction Findings Conclusion

 Explain why you are writing; define

purpose.
 Describe credibility of data methods
and sources.
 Provide background.
 Preview what is to follow.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 19

 Information Reports

Introduction Findings Conclusion

 Organize chronologically, alphabetically,

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

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 20

 Information Reports

Introduction Findings Conclusion

 Summarize findings.
 Suggest action to be taken.
 Express appreciation, if applicable.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 21

 Progress Reports

Progress reports explain the

progress of continuing projects.
For example, you must report
on the progress of a golf
tournament your organization
is planning.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 22

 Progress Reports

 Specify in the opening the

purpose and nature of the
project.
 Provide background information
if the audience requires filling in.
 Describe the work completed.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 23

 Progress Reports
 Explain the work currently in progress,
including personnel, activities, methods, and
locations.
 Anticipate problems and possible remedies.
 Discuss future activities and provide the
expected completion date.

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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 24

Progress Report – Memo Format

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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 25

 Justification/
Recommendation Reports

Justification/recommendation
reports are written to justify or
recommend something, such as
buying equipment, changing a
procedure, hiring an employee,
consolidating departments, and
so forth.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 26

 Reader Response Determines
Structure
Reader
Readerwill
will Reader
Readermay
may
likely
likelyagree
agreewith
with oppose
oppose
recommendations
recommendations recommendations
recommendations

Direct Pattern Indirect Pattern

 Problem  Problem
 Recommendations  Facts
 Facts  Discussion
 Discussion  Recommendations

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 27

 Justification/
Recommendation Reports
 Use direct organization for nonsensitive topics
and recommendations that will be agreeable to
readers.
 Use indirect organization when readers may
oppose a recommendation or when
circumstances suggest caution.
 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, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 28

 Direct Pattern
 Identify the problem or the need briefly.
 Announce the recommendation, solution, or
action concisely and with action verbs.
 Explain more fully the benefits of the
recommendation or steps to be taken to solve
the problem.
 Present a discussion of pros, cons, and costs.
 Conclude with a summary specifying the
recommendation and action to be taken.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 29

 Indirect Pattern

 Make a general reference to the problem in

subject line.
 Describe and establish credibility for the
seriousness of the need or problem that your
recommendation addresses.
 Discuss alternative solutions, beginning with
the least likely to succeed.
 Present most promising alternative—your
recommendation—last.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 30

 Indirect Pattern

 Show how the advantages of your

recommendation outweigh its
disadvantages.
 Summarize your recommendation and
any action required.
 Ask for authorization to proceed if
necessary.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 31

 Justification/Recommendation
Report—Memo Format

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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 32

 Feasibility Reports

Feasibility reports examine the

practicality and advisability of
following a course of action. For
example, your company must
decide whether to add a child-
care facility.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 33

 Feasibility Reports
 Begin by announcing your decision
immediately.
 Describe the background and problem
necessitating the proposal.
 Discuss the benefits of the proposal.
 Describe any 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, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 34
Feasibility Report – Memo Format

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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 35

 Minutes of Meetings

Meeting minutes
summarize the
proceedings of
a meeting.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 36

 Minutes of Meetings

 Include name of group, date, time, place,

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, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 37

 Minutes of Meetings

 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, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 38

Minutes of Meeting—Report Format

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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 39

 Summaries

Summaries compress data

from a longer publication,
such as a business report,
a magazine article, or a
book chapter.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 40

 Summaries
 Present the goal or purpose of the document
being summarized.
 Highlight the research methods (if appropriate),
findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
 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, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 41

 Executive Summary

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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 9, Slide 42

 END

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© 2010 Thomson South-Western