Chapter 9
Informal Reports
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 9-1
Six Categories of Informal Reports
• 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
• Report 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
• 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
• 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
