Chapter 15
Planning, Proposing, &
Researching Reports
Steps
Formal vs. Informal
Report Classifications
Report Problems
Purposes
Class Research
Proposals
Progress Reports
Sources
Survey & Questionnaire
Documentation
Steps in Report Writing
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Define the problem
Gather necessary data
Analyze the data
Organize the information
Write the report
Formal vs. Informal Reports
 Formal reports contain formal
elements:




Title page
Transmittal
Table of contents
List of illustrations
 Informal reports may be memos,
letters, e-mail, sales figures, etc.
Reports Classifications
 Information reports collect data for
reader
 Sales reports
 Quarterly reports
Reports Classifications,
continued…
 Analytical reports interpret data but
do not recommend action
 Annual reports
 Audit reports
 Make-good or pay-back reports
Reports Classifications,
continued…
 Recommendation reports give data and
analysis to support a recommendation
 Feasibility reports
 Justification reports
 Problem-solving reports
Reports Classifications,
continued…
 Some reports combine information,
analytical, and recommendation types




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Accident reports
Credit reports
Progress reports
Trip reports
Closure reports
Defining Report Problems
 Real problem
 Important enough to be worth solving
 Narrow but challenging
 Real audience
 Able to do recommended actions
Defining Report Problems,
continued…
 Data, evidence, and facts
 Conveys severity of problem
 Proves that recommendation will solve
problem
 Available to report writer
 Comprehensible to report writer
Purpose Statement
 Makes three things clear:
 Organizational problem or conflict
 Specific technical questions that must be
answered to solve problem
 Rhetorical purpose the report is designed
to achieve
 Explain - Recommend – Request - Propose
Proposals
 Proposals suggest method to find
information or solve problem
 Two goals
 Get the project accepted
 Get writer accepted to do job
 Competitive proposal—compete for
limited resources
 Noncompetitive proposals—have no
competition
Questions a Proposal Must
Answer







What problem are you going to solve?
How are you going to solve it?
When will you complete the work?
Can you deliver what you promise?
What benefits will you offer?
How much will you charge?
What exactly will you provide?
Class Research Proposal
Sections
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Introductory paragraph
Problem
Feasibility
Audience
Topics to investigate
Class Research Proposal
Sections, continued…
6. Methods and
procedures
7. Qualifications/facilitie
s/resources
8. Work schedule
9. Call to action
Class Research Proposal:
Introductory Paragraph &
Problem
 Introductory paragraph
 No heading
 Summary of topic and purposes—one or
two sentences
 Problem
 What organizational problem exists?
 Why does it need to be solved?
 What is relevant background or history?
Class Research Proposal:
Feasibility
 Feasibility
 Are you sure that solution can be found
in time available?
 How do you know?
Class Research Proposal:
Audience
 Who in organization has power to
implement recommendation?
 What secondary audiences might evaluate
report?
 What audiences would be affected by
recommendation?
 Will anyone in organization serve as
gatekeeper?
 What watchdog audiences might read
report?
Class Research Proposal:
Topics to Investigate
 List questions and subquestions report
will answer
 Say how deeply you will examine each
factor you plan to cover
 Explain why you chose to discuss some
aspects of problem, not others
Class Research Proposal:
Methods
 How will you get
answers to research
questions?
 Whom will you
interview or survey?
 What published sources
will you use?
 Give complete
bibliographic references
Class Research Proposal:
Qualifications
 Do you have knowledge and skills
needed to conduct this study?
 Do you have access to equipment you
will need to conduct your research?
 Where will you turn for help if you
need it?
Class Research Proposal: Work
Schedule
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
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





Gathering information
Analyzing information
Organizing information
Preparing progress report
Writing the draft
Preparing the visuals
Revising draft
Editing draft
Proofreading report
For each activity list:
• Total time
• Completion date
Class Research Proposal: Call
to Action
 Invite instructor to suggest ways to improve
your plan
 Ask instructor to approve your project so
you can begin your report
Sales Proposal Cover Letters
 Catch reader’s attention; summarize up
to three major benefits you offer
 Discuss each major benefit in order
listed
 Deal with objections or concerns
 Mention other benefits briefly
 Ask reader to approve your proposal;
give reason for acting promptly
Funding Proposals
 Stress needs your project will meet
 Show how your project will help fulfill
goals of organization you are asking
for funds
Chronological Progress
Reports
 Summarize progress in terms of goals and
original schedule
 Under “Work Completed” heading, describe
what you have done
 Under “Work to Be Completed” heading,
describe work that remains
 Express confidence in having report ready
by due date OR request conference to
discuss extending due date
Task Progress Reports
 Use headings that
describe major tasks
your project entails
 Under each heading,
discuss work completed
and what remains to be
done
Recommendation Progress
Reports
 Recommendation easy for reader to accept,
use direct pattern
 Recommendation likely to meet strong
resistance, use problem-solving pattern
Research Types
 Primary research gathers new data
 Surveys
 Interviews
 Observations
 Secondary research retrieves new data
that someone else gathered
 Library research
 Online searches
Criteria for Evaluating Web
Sources
 Authors
 What person or organization sponsors site?
 What credentials does author have?
 Objectivity
 Does site give evidence to support claims?
 Does it give both sides of issues?
 Is the tone professional?
Evaluating Web Sources,
continued…
 Information
 How complete is information?
 What is it based on?
 Revision date
 When was site updated?
Surveys, Questionnaires, &
Interviews
 Survey—questions large groups of
people, called respondents or subjects
 Questionnaire—written list of
questions that people fill out
 Interviews—a structured conversation
with someone who will be able to give
useful information
Question Types
 Closed questions—few possible
responses
 Open questions—unlimited
responses possible
 Branching questions—direct
subjects to different parts of
questionnaire based on answers
to earlier questions
Question Types, continued...
 Multiple choice—make the answer
categories mutually exclusive and exhaustive
 Probes —follow up original question to get at
specifics of a topic
 Mirror questions—paraphrase content of last
answer
Sample Types
 Convenience sample—set of subjects
who are easy to get
 Judgment sample —group of people
whose views seem useful
 Random sample—each person in group
had equal chance of being chosen
Using & Documenting Sources
 Citation—attributing
an idea or fact to its
source in report body
 Documentation—
listing bibliographic
information readers
would need to locate
original sources