Business CommunicationChapter 9Writing Reports

Objectives

Classify reportsIdentify steps in planning a reportKnow when to use direct/indirect orderCreate a report outlineKnow the parts of an informal reportWrite an informal reportKnow when to use a formal reportIdentify parts of a formal reportPlan and prepare a formal report

VocabularyTier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3Fact Classified ReportOpinion Formal Informational reportsIdea Informal Analytical reportsAnnual Preliminary ScopeStockholders Period TimelineInterview Analysis Primary researchExperts Investigated Secondary researchExpensive Probable InterviewData Manuscript SurveySearch engine Research ObservationWeb site Logical sequence DocumentationBudget Objective Bibliography

VocabularyTier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3Subtopic Aspects HypothesisImpress Boundaries AlternativeGlossary Broad AnalyzeGuidelines Completion ConclusionVisual aid Sources RecommendationTroubleshooting Markets Table of contents

Questionnaire Executive summaryCompiling AppendixConclusions WildcardConsult Boolean operatorsValidity OutlineReliability Accomplish

Fact

Say fact three timesSentence: It is a fact that Illinois state law states, it is illegal to speak English. The officially recognized language is "American."Dictionary definition: a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurredStudent-friendly definition: something believed to be true

Fact

Turn to your elbow buddy and tell them something you know is a fact…use the word fact as you tell them

Opinion

Say opinion three timesSentence: It is my opinion that BYU is the worst school in Utah, if not the entire United States.Dictionary definition: A belief or conclusion held with confidence but not substantiated by positive knowledge or proofStudent-friendly definition: something believed to be true but has no proof to back it up

Opinion

Turn to your elbow buddy and tell them your opinion of school …use the word opinion as you tell them

Idea

Say idea three timesSentence: It is a dumb idea to date several girls at the same time.Dictionary definition: Something, such as a thought or conception, that potentially or actually exists in the mind as a product of mental activityStudent-friendly definition: a thought

Idea

Turn to your elbow buddy and tell them a great/or dumb idea you have had before …use the word idea as you tell them

Annual

Say annual three timesSentence: It is an annual tradition in my family to go to my Grandma’s house on Christmas Eve.Dictionary definition: Recurring, done, or performed every yearStudent-friendly definition: yearly

Annual

Turn to your elbow buddy and tell them an annual tradition you have in your family …use the word annual as you tell them

Stockholders

Say stockholders three timesSentence: I would like to be a stockholder in Coca-Cola because I would make lots of money.Dictionary definition: One who owns a share or shares of stock in a companyStudent-friendly definition: someone who owns part of a company

Stockholders

Turn to your elbow buddy and tell them a company you would like to be a stockholder in.

Interview

Say interview three timesSentence: I will interview three people on Thursday for the marketing position.Dictionary definition: A formal meeting in person, especially one arranged for the assessment of the qualifications of an applicant.Student-friendly definition: meeting with someone to find out information about that person

Interview

Turn to your elbow buddy and tell them about an interview that you have had before …use the word interview as you tell them

Expert

Say expert three timesSentence: Simon Cowell was an expert judge on American Idol.Dictionary definition: A person with a high degree of skill in or knowledge of a certain subjectStudent-friendly definition: someone that knows a lot about a topic

Expert

Turn to your elbow buddy and tell them something you are an expert about …use the word expert as you tell them

Expensive

Say expensive three timesSentence: One day I hope to own an expensive car.Dictionary definition: Requiring a large expenditureStudent-friendly definition: lots of money

Expensive

Turn to your elbow buddy and tell them something you would like to own that is expensive…use the word expensive as you tell them

Data

Say data three timesSentence: She collected all the data she needed and decided not to go on a second date with Bob.Dictionary definition: Factual information, especially information organized for analysis or used to reason or make decisions.Student-friendly definition: information

Data

Turn to your elbow buddy and tell them data you have collected before…use the word data as you tell them

Search engine

Say search engine three timesSentence: My favorite search engine to use is Google.Dictionary definition: A software program that searches a database and gathers and reports information that contains or is related to specified terms.Student-friendly definition: program that finds information for you

Search engine

Turn to your elbow buddy and tell them your favorite search engine to use…use the word search engine as you tell them

Your Turn

• Your group will be assigned a few vocabulary words.

• You need to – find the definition– create a student-friendly definition– use the word in a sentence

Group 1

• Web site• Budget• Troubleshooting• Subtopic• Impress• Glossary• Guidelines• Visual Aid• Table of Contents

Group 2

• Classified• Formal• Informal• Preliminary• Period• Analysis• Investigated• Probable• Executive Summary

Group 3

• Manuscript• Research• Logical sequence• Objective• Accomplish• Aspects• Boundaries• Broad• Appendix

Group 4

• Completion• Sources• Markets• Questionnaire• Compiling• Conclusions• Consult• Validity• Wildcard

Group 5

• Reliability• Dramatically• Favorable• Reasonable• Routine• Supplementary• Parallel• Report• Boolean operators

Group 6

• Informational reports• Analytical reports• Scope• Timeline• Primary research• Secondary research• Survey• Observation

Group 7

• Documentation• Bibliography• Outline• Hypothesis• Alternative• Analyze• Conclusion• Recommendation

Writing Reports

Types of Reports Defining

the Report

Collecting the Data

Processing the Data

Organizing Informal Reports

Outlining and Writing Informal Reports

Formatting Informal Reports

Organizing and Writing

Formal Reports

Parts of a Formal Report

What styles of reports are there?

What is the purpose of a report?

What types of formats can reports be in?

What does it mean to identify the problem or topic?

What does it mean to determine the scope?

What does it mean to develop a timeline?

What is primary research?

What is secondary research?

How do you evaluate data sources?

What are bibliography notes?

What are research notes?

How do you create a report outline?

How do analyze data?

What does it mean to draw conclusions and make

recommendations?

Types of Report

Indicate whether you would use an informational or an analytical report in

response to each request.

Report Style and Format

Indicate the style (formal or informal) and format (letter, memo, or manuscript) for each

report.

Report Research

As a group, you have been asked to do research for a report on ways your company

can improve customer service.Turn in:

ArticleTopic outlineBibliographyResearch note

What is direct order?

What is indirect order?

What does a report outline look like?

What is a writing style?

What are the parts of an informal report?

What is a letter report?

What is a memo report?

What is a manuscript report?

Analyze Data for a Report

As a group choose to complete Part A or Part B on page 337.

When do you use direct order and when do you use indirect

order?

What is an impersonal writing style?

What are the preliminary parts of a formal report?

What is contained in the report body?

What are the supplementary parts of a report?

Do formal reports follow specific formatting guidelines?

What types of margins/spacing should you generally use?

Why would you use a heading?

What are three examples of visual aids?

Formal or Informal Report

Indicate whether you would use a formal or an informal report in response to each request.

Parts of a Formal Report

Indicate the part of a formal report that is described.

Each group will create:

• Cover sheet• Table of contents• Executive Summary• Introduction Page• Findings and Analysis Page– Including one table

• Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations Page• Works Cited• Appendix

Group 1

• Communication devices (cell phones, Facebook, Myspace ruling teenagers lives

Group 2

• Teenagers staying out too late

Group 3

• Everything is DRAMA in the teenage world

Group 4

• Dating Problems for Teens

Group 5

• Teenage Smoking, Drugs, and Drinking

Group 6

• Teenage Depression/Suicide

Group 7

• Teenage Bullying