Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-1
1
Six Categories of Informal
Reports
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Information Reports
Progress Reports
Justification/Recommendation Reports
Feasibility Reports
Minutes of Meetings
Summaries
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-2
Report Formats
• Letter format
Letterhead stationery. Useful for informal
reports sent to outsiders.
• Memo format
Memo style. Useful for informal reports
circulated within organizations.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-3
Report Formats
• Manuscript format
Plain paper, manuscript form. Useful for
longer, more formal reports.
• Prepared forms
Standardized forms. Useful for routine
activities, such as expense reports.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-4
General Guidelines for Writing
Reports
• Define project.
• Gather data.
• Organize data.
• Write first draft.
• Edit and revise.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-5
Where to Gather Data for
Reports
• Look in company records.
• Make personal observations.
• Use surveys, questionnaires, and
inventories.
• Conduct interviews.
• Search databases and other electronic
resources.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-6
Organizing Report Data
• Indirect Strategy
• Direct Strategy
• Problem
• Problem
• Facts
• Recommendations
• Discussion
• Facts
• Recommendations
• Discussion
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-7
Making Effective Report
Headings
• Use appropriate heading levels.
• Strive for parallel construction.
• 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, 6e
Ch. 9-8
Making Effective Report
Headings
• Don't enclose headings in quotation
marks.
• Don't use headings as antecedents for
pronouns.
For example, avoid:
Inserting Hypertext Links. These links . . . .
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-9
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, 6e
Ch. 9-10
Information Reports
Introduction
• Explain why you are writing.
• Describe credibility of data methods and
sources.
• Provide background.
• Identify report purpose.
• Offer a preview of the findings.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-11
Information Reports
Findings
• Organize chronologically, alphabetically,
topically, by importance, or by another
method.
• Group similar topics together.
• Use appropriate headings.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-12
Information Reports
Summary
• May include or omit summary.
• If included, summarize findings or
highlight main points.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-13
Progress Reports
• Describe the purpose and nature of an
unusual or nonroutine project.
• Provide background information if
necessary.
• Summarize work already completed.
• Describe work currently in progress,
including personnel, methods, obstacles,
and attempts to remedy obstacles.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-14
Progress Reports
• Forecast future
activities in relation
to the scheduled
completion date.
• Include
recommendations
and requests.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-15
Justification/Recommendation
Reports
• Use direct organization for nonsensitive
topics and recommendations that will be
agreeable to readers.
• 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, 6e
Ch. 9-16
Justification/Recommendation
Reports
• Present a discussion of pros, cons, and
costs.
• Explain more fully the benefits of the
recommendation or steps to be taken to
solve the problem.
• Conclude with a summary specifying the
recommendation and action to be taken.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-17
Feasibility Reports
• Prepare a feasibility report when
examining the practicality and advisability
of following a course of action.
• Announce your decision immediately.
• Describe the background and problem
necessitating the proposal.
• Discuss the benefits of the proposal.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-18
Feasibility Reports
• Describe the 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, 6e
Ch. 9-19
Meeting Minutes
• Include name of the group, the date, the
time, the place, the 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, 6e
Ch. 9-20
Meeting Minutes
• 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, 6e
Ch. 9-21
Summaries
• Compress data from a longer publication,
such as a business report, a magazine
article, or a book chapter.
• Indicate the goal or purpose of the
document being summarized.
• Highlight the research methods (if
appropriate), findings, conclusions, and
recommendations.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-22
Summaries
• 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, 6e
Ch. 9-23
Ten Keys to Designing Better
Documents
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Analyze your audience.
Choose an appropriate type size.
Use a consistent type font.
Generally, don't justify right margins.
Separate paragraphs and sentences
appropriately.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-24
Ten Keys to Designing Better
Documents
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Design readable headlines.
Strive for an attractive page layout.
Use graphics and clip art with restraint.
Avoid amateurish results.
Develop expertise with your software
program.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-25
End
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e
Ch. 9-26 26