Report Formatting
AOS 272
Fair Warning!
Choosing a Format
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Length
Formality
Approach
Parts of a Formal Report
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Cover
Title Fly
Title Page
Letter or Memo of Transmittal
Table of Contents
List of Illustrations
Executive Summary
Elements of the Title
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Who: Petco
What: Analysis of advertising campaigns
When: 2002
Where: Not important
Why: Implied
How: Not important
Analysis of
Petco’s 2002 Advertising Campaigns
Try this one:
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Who: Nokia
What: Sales training recommendations
When: 2002
Where: Not important
Why: To improve sales training
How: Based on a 2002 study of company sales
activities
Recommendations for Sales Training Improvement
for Nokia Company
Based on 2002 Sales Analysis
Presented to
Rita Whilson, President
By Charles Crittenden
Operations Division
October 21, 2002
Transmittal Letter
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Positive – use direct pattern
Addressed to reader
Should focus on reader’s needs
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Refer to authorization
Mention purpose
Highlight important information
Goodwill closing
Dear Ms. Richter:
Here is the study you asked us to conduct last month.
As you will see, the results show that our ethics training
has increased the employees’ awareness of the need
for ethical behavior.
We appreciate the opportunity to conduct this study and
we hope that you will find the results helpful. If you
have any questions….
Table of Contents
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Lists all subsequent sections and parts of the
report.
Includes all headings in same format as
headings appear in report
Use dot leaders to page numbers for ease of
reading
List only starting page of each section
Page Numbering
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Required!
Arabic numbers for body of report
Lower-case roman numerals on prefatory parts
Centered at bottom of page or upper right
corner
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Paragraphs – Double spaced, first line indented
Sections kept together on page (no large blank
spaces).
References/Works Cited/Bibliography on
separate page.
References
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http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/researc
h/r_mla.html
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http://www.easybib.com/
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http://webster.commnet.edu/mla/index.shtml
End Notes
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May be used in place of MLA citations and
“Works Cited” list.
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Use MSN Word feature
Insert->Reference->Footnotes
Set to “endnotes.”
Include same information as MLA
Evaluation
Report Evaluation Questions
Introduction
1. Does it explain the purpose of the report?
2. Does the introduction explain the background of the
information?
Body
3. Is the information organized in a way that is clear
and easy to follow?
4. Did the writer select or highlight the most significant
information?
Conclusion
5. Are the conclusions based on the data, clearly
explained, and supported with reasonable facts?
6. Are recommendations provided and clearly
explained?
7. Are the recommendations based on the conclusions?
Overall Impression
8. Is the report attractive and appealing to the reader?
9. Is the report free from grammatical and
typographical errors?
Proposals
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A persuasive message that analyzes a problem
and proposes a solution
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External: to customers, agencies, foundations
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Internal: within the organization
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Contents of proposals are designed to meet the
information needs of readers. The following
topics can be combined or subdivided to meet
these needs.
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Purpose and problem (shows understanding
of intent to readers)
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Background (gives focus to problem)
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Need (establishes basis of proposal)
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Description of plan (presents what writer
intends to do)
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Costs
Time schedule
Qualification of personnel
Evaluation plan
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Evidence of ability to deliver (establishes
ability to carry out what is proposed)
Benefits of proposal (convinces readers of
proposal’s worth)
Concluding comments (stress taking action on
proposal)
Business Proposal Format
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Introduction
Reasons for proposal
Writer’s qualifications
Time Schedule
Evaluation plan
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Conclusion
Request for approval
Goodwill statement
Qualities of a Successful Proposal
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Clearly stated purpose
Clearly defined problem or need
Convincing and innovative solution
Benefits outweigh the costs
Qualified personnel
Can be achieved on a timely basis
Honest, factual, realistic, objective
Professional and attractive