Chapter 9
Informal Reports
Essentials of
Business
Communication 9e
Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy
© 2013 Cengage Learning ● All Rights Reserved
Report Functions
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Informational
Present data without
analysis or
recommendations
Analytical
Present data or
findings, analyses,
conclusions, and
recommendations
Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition
Chapter 9, Slide 2
Report Patterns
The Direct Strategy
If readers
are informed
If readers
are supportive
If readers are
eager to have
results first
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Direct Strategy
Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition
Chapter 9, Slide 3
Direct Strategy
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Informational Report
Introduction/Background
Analytical Report
Introduction/Problem
Facts/Findings
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CONCLUSIONS/
RECOMMENDATIONS
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Summary
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Facts/Findings
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Discussion/Analysis
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Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition
Chapter 9, Slide 4
Report Patterns
The Indirect Strategy
If readers
need to be
educated
If readers need
to be persuaded
If readers may
be disappointed
or hostile
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Indirect Strategy
Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition
Chapter 9, Slide 5
Indirect Strategy
Analytical Report
Introduction/Problem
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__________________________________
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Facts/Findings
_________________
__________________________________
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Discussion/Analysis
__________________________________
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CONCLUSIONS/
RECOMMENDATIONS____________
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Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition
Chapter 9, Slide 6
Report Formats
Letter
For informal reports sent to outsiders
For informal reports sent within
Memo/E-Mail
organizations
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Manuscript
For longer, more formal reports.
Preprinted
forms
For routine activities, such as expense
reports.
Digital
Useful for collaboration and for posting
online
Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition
Chapter 9, Slide 7
Developing Informal Reports
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 Determine problem
and purpose.
 Gather data.
 Organize data.
 Write first draft.
 Edit and revise.
Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition
Chapter 9, Slide 8
Gathering Data for Reports
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 Company records
 Printed materials (books, newspapers,
and periodicals)
 Electronic resources (Web, electronic
databases, online resources)
 Personal observation and
experience
 Surveys, questionnaires,
and inventories
 Interviews
Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition
Chapter 9, Slide 9
Typical Informal Reports
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 Information reports
 Progress reports
 Justification/recommendation
reports
 Feasibility reports
 Minutes of meetings
 Summaries
Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition
Chapter 9, Slide 10
Information Reports
What do they do?
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• Collect and organize information
• Provide findings without analysis
or persuasion
Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition
Chapter 9, Slide 11
Progress Reports
What do they do?
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• Explain the progress of continuing
projects
• May be internal or external
Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition
Chapter 9, Slide 12
Justification/Recommendation
Reports
What do they do?
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Justify or recommend something
(buying equipment, changing a
procedure, hiring an employee, etc.)
Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition
Chapter 9, Slide 13
Feasibility Reports
What do they do?
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• Examine the practicality and
advisability of a course of action
• Ask: Will this plan or proposal work?
Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition
Chapter 9, Slide 14
Informal Report Writing Style
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Uses
Characteristics
 Short, routine reports
aimed at familiar
audiences
 Noncontroversial reports
 Most reports to company
insiders




Effect
Feeling of warmth, personal
involvement, closeness


Use of first-person pronouns (I,
we, us)
Use of contractions (can’t,
don’t, I’ll)
Emphasis on active-voice
verbs (I conducted the study)
Shorter sentences, familiar
words
Occasional use of humor,
metaphors
Acceptance of author’s
opinions, ideas
Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition
Chapter 9, Slide 15
Formal Report Writing Style
Uses
Characteristics
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 Theses
 Absence of first-person
pronouns; use of third person
 Research studies
(the researcher, the writer)
 Controversial and complex
 Absence of contractions
reports, especially to
(cannot, do not)
outsiders
 Use of passive-voice verbs (the
study was conducted)
Effect
 Complex sentences, long
 Impression of objectivity,
words
accuracy, professionalism,
 Absence of humor, colorful
fairness
adjectives, adverbs
 Distance created between
 Elimination of author’s
writer and reader
“editorializing”
Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition
Chapter 9, Slide 16
Being Objective in Writing Reports
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 Present both sides of
an issue.
 Separate fact from
opinion.
 Be sensitive and
moderate in language.
 Cite sources carefully.
Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition
Chapter 9, Slide 17
Report Headings
Benefits
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



Serve as an outline of the report
Highlight major ideas and categories
Act as guides for locating information
Provide resting points for the
mind and the eye
 Organize data into meaningful
blocks
Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition
Chapter 9, Slide 18
Report Headings
 Functional headings
describe functions or general topics
Background, Findings, Benefits, Costs
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 Talking headings
describe content and provide more information
Benefits of Offering a Wellness Program
Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition
Chapter 9, Slide 19
Effective Report Headings
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 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.
 Include at least one heading per report page.
Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition
Chapter 9, Slide 20
END
Essentials of
Business
Communication 9e
Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy
© 2013 Cengage Learning ● All Rights Reserved