Presentation of Business Communication:

Topics to be described are:

Report Writing. Formal Report. Short Report. Long Report. Technical Report. Proposals

Topic “Report Writing”

Arzoo Nawaz Roll no. 63

Definition of report

A report is a document characterized by information or other content reflective of inquiry or investigation, tailored to the context of a given situation and audience.

Planning for report

Five steps involved in planning.1. Introduction.

2. Structure Of A Report.

3. How To Begin.

4. Layout Of The Report.

5. Conclusions.

1. INTRODUCTION

The purpose of a report is to convey information factually, briefly, and clearly. Brevity is important; a report is not an essay.

Clarity is achieved by subdividing the report into headed sections each with a definite part to play. There is no single "best" way to present a report.

2. STRUCTURE OF A REPORT

There are five main parts to any report, and each of these has a different purpose:

Summary Introduction Core Conclusions Appendix

3. HOW TO BEGIN

Start with the introduction. The core of the report may now be

written, with as much detail as is required for the reader to understand everything which was done.

Conclusion Discussion Summary

4. LAYOUT OF THE REPORT

The purpose of structuring the report is to make it accessible to likely readers.

The purpose of layout is to enhance the ease with which the reader can find their way about.

With currently available word processors it is possible to use a variety of different methods to enhance the report (e.g. bold characters and bullet points).

5. CONCLUSIONS Good reporting is very important. The purpose of the report is to inform the reader. Good layout helps the reader. The abstract should be a self-contained guide to the contents The introduction and conclusion should be sufficient

to inform the reader of the main outcomes of the report.

The writing of a report is a straight-forward exercise, which will occur naturally if the above guidelines are followed.

General Formatting Guidelines

Here are some general formatting guidelines that apply to the entire report:

Use 1- or 1-1/2-inch margins for all four margins of the report. You might want to use a 1-1/2-inch margin at the top and 1-inch margins for the left, right, and bottom.

Use a 1-1/2-inch left margin if your binding uses a lot of space (for example, brad-type binders that require 2- or 3-hole punch).

Generally use double-spaced typing except in those areas where single spacing is shown (for example, in the transmittal letter, descriptive abstract, figure titles, short vertical lists, and items in the information-sources list).

Use one side of the paper only.

Formal Reports: Component by Component

This section examines each component of the formal report and points out the key requirements in terms of content, design, and format. Remember that these are requirements, or "specifications."

Covers and label.

Transmittal letter

Title page and descriptive abstract

This is the first "official" page in the report. No page number is displayed on this page.

At the bottom of the title page is the descriptive abstract.

Table of contents

List of figures

Abstract (informative).

Body of the report: introduction

The title of the report is set at the top, just above the first-level heading and that no page number is displayed

Page with headings and graphics.

In the body of your report, be sure to use the standard format for headings, for lists, and for graphics. If you are writing instructions, don't forget to use the standard format for special notices.

List of information sources

Remember to put all information sources in this list, including no printed, no published ones. For style and format of these entries.

Appendix

The appendix is a good place to put information that just will not fit in the main body of the report, but still needs to be in the report. For example, big tables of data, large maps, forms used in an organization, or background discussion-these are good candidates for the appendix. Notice that each one is given a letter (A, B, C, and so on).

Page-Numbering Style

Pages within the front and back covers are numbered (except for the transmittal letter); but the page number is not always displayed.

All pages coming before page 1 of the introduction use lowercase Roman numerals.

Page-Numbering Style

All pages beginning with page 1 of the introduction use with Arabic numerals.

Page numbers are not displayed on the transmittal letter, title page, first page of the table of contents, page 1 of the introduction, and the appendix divider page.

Final Production

Make a good printout (or final typing) of your report, on good paper, using fresh print supplier (ribbon, toner, cartridge, whatever you printer or typewriter uses). Remember to design and type or print your cover label (just type or print it out on a clean white sheet of paper).

Make sure your graphics are good quality. If they are, tape them down onto the pages. Make sure they fit neatly within the margins-top and bottom, left and right. (See the section on graphics for more on creating graphics and incorporating them into your reports.)

Make sure all the components (discussed in the first part of this chapter) are in place and everything looks okay.

Final Production

Head for a good copy shop; there, get a good photocopy of your text pages. Check to see how the pages with taped-in graphics look. If they are not right, ask a copy-shop person for help.

Now select the cover and have the label you design printed on it. Most shops have numerous colors and thicknesses of covers to choose from. (Spare us the leatherette look with the fake gold-embossed trim-make it plain, simple, honest!)

Finally, get the report with its cover bound. The plastic spiral binding works great. There are other bindings that work nicely too. Remember, though-no clear plastic cover with those plastic sleeves on the left side!)

Topic “Short Reports”

Syed Hussain Zain ul Abeden Gardezi.Roll No. 85

Short Report: As the name suggest it’s a short report of two or three

paragraph usually use as a memorandum in an organization to inform and analyze any problem or suggestion.

There are three main Features of Short Report: Concise. Accurate. Unbiased.

For Example:

President Lincoln of America asked his cabinet to write him suggestion in the form of short report so that he could review them from his busy time, and do according to their suggestion.

Developing The Main Sections:

Short Report contains three main section:

1. Introduction.2. Body (discussion, text).3. Terminal Section (summary,

conclusion, recommendation).

Introduction:

Main elements which should be included in short reports introduction are,

Purpose or aim. Authorization. Sources. Scope. Background. Limits.

Body:

The main point which should be included in the body of short report:

Present all facts accurately and impartially. Emphasize important ideas by showing details. Include visual aids. Use headings. Apply the seven C writing principles.

Terminal Section:

Remember that a summary condenses the text, conclusion evaluate the text, and recommendations offer specific course of action.

Do not include any new material in the terminal section of the report.

Usually list summary points in the same order as topics are discussed in the report.

Five Cautions Regarding to Headings & Sub Heading

Place the most important ideas in the highest degree of headings.

Balance the section according to the number of headings.

Have at least two subheading if you divide any topic.

Use about three to seven main points in a report. Avoid using the report title as a section heading.

Short reports are to be completed as described below.

1.Short reports are not to exceed 1 page. 2.Your work should be double-spaced with 1"

margins on all sides. 3.Preferred font is 12-point Times-Roman.

Topic “Technical Reports”

Mirza Ali Raza Roll No.90

Technical Reoprts:

A technical report (also: scientific report) is a document that describes the progress or results of technical or scientific research, or the state of a technical or scientific research problem. Such reports are often prepared for sponsors of research projects.

Examples of such reports include annual environmental reports to regulators, annual reports to shareholders, project proposals, tender documents and journal articles.

A technical report is a formal report designed to convey technical information in a clear and easily accessible format.

Planning steps before writing TR:

•Report topic: Decide what subject you are going to write on; narrow it as much as possible.

•Report audience: Define a specific person or group of people for whom you are going to write the report. Define the circumstances in which this report is needed.

•Report purpose: Define what the report will accomplish—what needs of the audience it is going to fufill.

Report type: Decide on the type of report—for example, technical background report, feasibility report, instructions, or some other.

Reporton

DVD TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS

submitted toDr. David McMurrey

Technical Research Associates, Inc.1307 Marshall LaneAustin, TX 78705

May 6, 1998

by Thurston Taylor E. Taylor, Consultants

Types of Technical Reports:

1) Technical-background report:

The background report is the hardest to define but the most commonly written. This type of technical report provides background on a topic—for example, solar energy, global warming, CD-ROM technology, a medical problem, or U.S. recycling activity

2) Feasibility, recommendation, and evaluation report:

• A feasibility report tells whether a project is "feasible"—that is, whether it is practical and technologically possible.

• A recommendation report compares two or more alternatives and recommends one (or, if necessary, none).

• An evaluation or assessment report studies something in terms of its worth or value For example, a college might investigate the feasibility of giving every student an e-mail address and putting many of the college functions online.

3) Primary research report:

Primary research refers to the actual work someone does in a laboratory or in the field—in other words, experiments and surveys.

4) Technical specifications:

In this report type, you discuss some new product design in terms of its construction, materials, functions, features, operation, and market potential.

5) Report-length proposal:

As you may be aware, proposals can be monster documents of hundreds or even thousands of pages.Most of the elements are the same, just bigger. Plus elements from other kinds of reports get imported—such as feasibility discussion, review of literature, and qualifications; these become much more elaborate.

6) Business plans:

If you are ambitious to run your own business, you can write a business plan, which is a plan or proposal to start a new business or to expand an existing one. It is aimed primarily at potential investors.

General Characteristics of Technical Reports :Graphics: The report should have graphics. Graphics include all kinds of possibilities, as a later chapter in this book will show. If you can't think of any graphics for your report project, you may not have a good topic.

Factual detail: The report should be very detailed and factual. The point of the report is to go into details, the kind of details your specific audience needs.

Information sources: Your report should make use of information sources. These may include not only books and articles that can be found in libraries but also technical brochures, interviews or correspondence with experts, as well as first-hand inspections

Documentation: When you use borrowed information in your technical report, be sure to cite your sources. The style of citing your sources (also called "documenting" your sources). One style commonly used in science and engineering is called the number system.

Realistic audience and situation: The report must be defined for a real or realistic group of readers who exist in a real or realistic situation.The audience can't merely be something like "anybody who might be interested in global warming."

Headings and lists: The report should use the format for headings that is required for the course, as well as various kinds of lists as appropriate

Special format: The technical report uses a rather involved format including covers, binding, title page, table of contents, list of figures, transmittal letter, and appendixes.

Production: The technical report should be typed or printed out neatly. If graphics are taped in, the whole report must be photocopied, and the photocopy handed in (not the original with the taped-in graphics).

Length: The report should be at least 8 doublespaced typed or printed pages (using 1-inch margins), counting from introduction to conclusion.

Technical content: You must design your report project in such a way that your poor technical-writing instructor has a chance to understand it—in other words, you must write for the nonspecialist.

Format of technical reports:

Title page:Must include the title of the report. Reports for assessment,where the word length has been specified,will often also require the summary word count and the main text word count.

Summary:A summary of the whole report including important features, results and conclusions.

Contents:Numbers and lists all section and subsection headings with page number.

Introduction:States the objectives of the report and comments on the way the topic of the report is to be treated. Leads straight into the report itself.

Conclusions:A short, logical summing up of the theme developed in the main text.

References:Details of published sources of material referred to or quoted in the text (including any lecture notes and URL addresses of any websites used)

Bibliography:Other published sources of material, including websites,not referred to in the text but useful for background or further reading.

Acknowledgements:List of people who helped you research or prepare the report, including your proofreaders.

Appendices (if appropriate):Any further material which is essential for full understanding of your report (e.g. large scale diagrams, computer code, raw data, specifications) but not required by a casual reader

Sample Of Technical Report  

 

Topic “Proposals”

Syed Ali Kamran Abidi.Roll No. 50

Proposals

Like proposals in general, documentation proposals can be lengthy or they can be a business letter under ten pages. For a lengthy proposal, use the standard design of reports. Use transmittal letter, covers, title pages, tables of contents, abstracts, headings, lists, tables, graphics etc.

Something that is put forward for consideration: It can be a proposition, or a suggestion.

Introduction.

Indicate that the document to follow is a proposal.

Refer to some previous contact with the recipient of the proposal or to your source of information about the project.

Find one brief motivating statement that will encourage the recipient to read on and to consider doing the project.

Give an overview of the contents of the proposal.

Background on the problem, opportunity, or situation

It's true that the audience of the proposal may know the problem very well, in which case this section might not be needed. Writing the background section still might be useful, however, in demonstrating your particular view of the problem.

Benefits and feasibility of the proposed project.

Most proposals discuss the advantages or benefits of doing the proposed project. This acts as an argument in favor of approving the project. Also, some proposals discuss the likelihood of the project's success.

Description of the proposed work (results of the project )

Most proposals must describe the finished product of the proposed project. In this course, that means describing the written document you propose to write, its audience and purpose; providing an outline; and discussing such things as its length, graphics, binding, and so forth.) In the scenario you define, there may be other work such as conducting training seminars or providing an ongoing service.

Method, procedure, theory In most proposals, you'll want to explain how you'll go

about doing the proposed work, if approved to do it. This acts as an additional persuasive element; it shows the audience you have a sound, well-thought-out approach to the project. Also, it serves as the other form of background some proposals need. Remember that the background section (the one discussed above) focused on the problem or need that brings about the proposal. However, in this section, you discuss the technical background relating to the procedures or technology you plan to use in the proposed work.

Schedule:

Most proposals contain a section that shows not only the projected completion date but also key milestones for the project. If you are doing a large project spreading over many months, the timeline would also show dates on which you would deliver progress reports. And if you can't cite specific dates, cite amounts of time or time spans for each phase of the project.

Qualifications.

Most proposals contain a summary of the proposing individual's or organization's qualifications to do the proposed work. It's like a mini-resume contained in the proposal. The proposal audience uses it to decide whether you are suited for the project. Therefore, this section lists work experience, similar projects, references, training, and education that shows familiarity with the project.

Costs, resources required Most proposals also contain a section detailing

the costs of the project, whether internal or external. With external projects, you may need to list your hourly rates, projected hours, costs of equipment and supplies, and so forth, and then calculate the total cost of the complete project. With internal projects, there probably won't be a fee, but you should still list the project costs: for example, hours you will need to complete the project, equipment and supplies you'll be using, assistance from other people in the organization, and so on.

Conclusions.

The final paragraph or section of the proposal should bring readers back to a focus on the positive aspects of the project (you've just showed them the costs). In the final section, you can end by urging them to get in touch to work out the details of the project, to remind them of the benefits of doing the project, and maybe to put in one last plug for you or your organization as the right choice for the project.

Format of proposal