Exercise on organizing principles for reports
(3 percent)
Your name……Answers…………………………….……………………Section……………..
For questions 1-10, circle the correct answers. Each question may have more than one answer. No
partial marks will be given for partial answers. Each question must have all answers correct in
order to receive a mark. (One mark per question)
1. Which of the following statements about documenting data with citations is accurate?
A. Documenting data can strengthen your argument.
B. Documenting data protects you from charges of plagiarism.
C. Documenting data is not necessary if you put the information in your own words.
D. Documenting data helps the reader pursue the topic further.
2. What is the primary difference between informal (memo proposals) and formal proposals?
A. Informal proposals are written for internal audiences; formal proposals are written for external
audiences.
B. Informal proposals are presented in writing; formal proposals are presented orally.
C. Informal proposals are written as memos; formal proposals are written as letters.
D. Formal proposals are longer and are organized into many more parts than informal proposals.
3. What is the first step in preparing to write a formal report?
A. Analyze your audience.
B. Research primary and secondary data.
C. Define the purpose of the project.
D. Decide what visuals to include.
4. You are writing a report that analyzes locations for a new branch location and will be submitting it to
a committee whose members are supportive and knowledgeable. You should organize it
A. around extensive secondary data to assure the reader that adequate research was conducted before
a recommendation was made.
B. with the recommendation for the best site last.
C. with the recommendation for the best site first.
D. chronologically in order of visits to each site.
5. Line charts are useful for
A. organizing large amounts of data into columns and rows.
B. helping readers visualize percentages and parts of a whole.
C. illustrating management structure and line of authority.
D. showing changes in quantitative data over time.
6. What important function do formal research reports in business serve?
A. They serve as sales presentations
B. They provide legal protection.
C. They provide vital data for decision-making.
D. They make the writer look good.
7. Chiaki is conducting research on the topic of Web TV. Her least valuable source of information for
this topic will probably be
A. books.
B. Web sites.
C. magazines.
D. newspapers.
8. A company might prepare a proposal for which of the following reasons?
A. To meet government regulations.
B. To make an offer to solve problems, provide services, or sell equipment.
C. To deliver bad news to employees.
D. To advertise for applicants for an open position.
9. Your boss asks you to review the secondary data surrounding your research topic. You should
A. begin at the library or on the Internet.
B. ask your colleagues how they feel about the topic.
C. write a questionnaire that will generate data.
D. conduct a scientific experiment.
10. Your supervisor asks you to produce a graphic that depicts the grievance procedure that employees
must follow when filing a complaint. Which would be your best choice?
A. Organizational chart
B. Flow chart
C. Illustration
D. Blueprint
11. The following should be answered on a separate paper. This is worth 20 marks (2 percent).
Organizing Principles: Chronological; General to Specific; Specific to General; Cause and Effect;
Compare and Contrast; Spatial (real space); Spatial (metaphorical space)
Choose the organizing principle most appropriate to explain and analyze the problem and its solution.
Using outlines, briefly explain how you would organize each report or proposal (4 marks each):
A. Problem: You’re a social worker for the school board. Children from a
particular community have been missing school at an alarmingly high rate for
the past two years. Teachers report that the most common excuse is “stomach
aches”.
Cause and Effect
I – Present facts: How many children missing school, for what reasons, over
time (bar or line graph)
II – Theories of why children miss school. Strongest theory supported
(probably an environmental health problem). Debunk opposing theories
(lack of support from parents, peer pressure as a cause of truancy, etc.)
III – Get second opinion from health experts. Develop research program
(testing children and environment) General to Specific (secondary and
primary research applied to particular case)
IV – Present facts about health study and recommend solutions (new water
treatment facility or removal of chemical dump)
B. Problem: Employees hired up to 2004 seem to be unwilling to learn new
technologies. This is not the case among employees hired in 2005 and 2006.
Chronological
I – Present statements by supervisors (primary research; anecdotal evidence –
what people observe and recall), objective facts (testing of employees’
abilities using objective tests)
II – Illustrate changes over time (bar graph)
III – Examine hiring practices over the years (criteria for hiring; interview
questions)
IV – Develop theory about why recent hires are more technically adept;
examine alternative theories show strength of primary theory (Cause and
Effect).
V – Re-write hiring criteria to reflect company’s need for technological
literacy.
C. Problem: Inferior products are being produced at your Calgary factory. Return
rate by customers is at an alarming 32 percent. Perhaps a supplier is not
meeting its obligations to give you top-quality parts. The problem may have
to do with the way the parts are assembled at your factory.
Spatial
I – Detailed explanation of production process. Present facts showing quality
loss. Real diagram of factory will help explain it.
II – Indicate supply chains; illustrate with process chart.
III – Indicate possible problems in production process
IV – Examine problems (Cause and Effect); propose theories, test each,
debunk opposing theories
V – Recommend improvements in process – cost/benefit analysis.
D. Opportunity: As manager of the local Future Shop you’ve developed what you
think to be a better training program for new hires. You would like to share
your knowledge with the head office.
Specific to General
I – Explain situation prior to your changes. Collect baseline data (sales
figures, customer complaints and returns; interviews with staff, floor
managers, and customers)
II – Explain training program. Provide research data from secondary sources.
III – Institute pilot training program on a limited number of staff, or on entire
staff.
IV – Collect data after training program (as before). Compare and Contrast
with baseline data.
V – Cost training program. Do cost-benefit analysis.
V – Document all plans and data carefully for presentation to head office.
Explain how program can be instituted in other stores across the
company.
E. Problem: You’re writing a nutrition guide for busy office workers. Of the seven
fast-food restaurants, which would you recommend and in what order of
priority?
Compare and Contrast
I – Describe situation faced by office workers. Back-up with secondary
research showing lack of time as a factor. Include survey of wide range
of office workers to show extent of problem and reasons office workers
need to use fast foods.
II – Carefully set criteria for good nutrition (supported by secondary sources).
Describe other criteria valued by office workers (speed of purchase, ease
of eating, tastiness, etc.)
III – Examine menus of five fast food restaurants. Include nutrition analyses
(secondary research or laboratory research)
IV – Build compare and contrast chart to record and illustrate research data.
V – Describe results in narrative (text) form.
MacD
TacoT
BurgK
KFC
MrSub
Ajax
Yum
Taste
X
X
X
X
X
O
O
Speed
X
O
O
X
O
O
X
Fat
O
X
X
O
X
X
X
Vitamins
X
X
X
X
X
O
X
Protein
X
0
X
X
O
O
O