Copyright © 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.McGraw-Hill/Irwin

• Influence of length and formality on report structure

• Characteristics of short reports• Direct and indirect order for organizing short

reports• Forms of short reports (based on medium)• Types of short reports (based on purpose)• Long, formal reports

Overview

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3rd Level

4th Level

TitleFly

Title Page

Title Page

Title Page

Title Page

Title Page

Combination Transmittal/ Exec.Sum.

Letter of Trans.

LetterofTrans.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

Executive Summary

CombinationTransmittal/Exec.Sum.

EMAIL REPORT

THE REPORT PROPER

THE REPORT PROPER

THE REPORT PROPER

THE REPORT PROPER

THE REPORT PROPER

LETTER REPORT

1stLev-el

5th Level

6th Level

7th LevelLow formality

High formality

2nd Level

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• Little need for introductory information• Predominance of direct order• More personal writing style• Less need for a structured coherence plan

Characteristics of Short Reports

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• Routine Operational Report• Progress Report• Problem-Solving Report • Audit Report• Meeting Minutes

Common Types of Short Reports

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• Prefatory components– Title Fly– Title Page– Authorization Message– Transmittal Message (or Preface or Foreword)– Table of Contents (and List of Illustrations)– Executive Summary

• The Report Proper– Introduction– Report Findings– Summary ,Conclusion , and/or Recommendations

• Appended Parts– Bibliography– Appendix

Organization and Content of a Long Report

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Dear Mr. Bigbee:

Here is the report on the four makes of subcompact automobiles that you asked me to compare.

To help you in deciding which of the four you should buy as replacements for your fleet, I gathered information from two main sources: your own records and the published findings of consumer research engineers and automotive analysts.

While the different cars had different strengths, the Gamma model emerged as the clear leader, especially in terms of construction and handling.

Should you need any assistance in interpreting my analyses, please call on me.

Sincerely,

Sample Transmittal Message

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Diagram of the Executive Summary in Indirect and Direct Order

Executive summary(in indirect order)

Executive summary(in direct order)

V

III

IV

I

III

II

III

IV

V

III

IV

III

V

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The recommendation of this study is that Allied Distributors, Inc. chose Gamma cars to replace its current sales fleet.

Authorized by Mr. Norman W. Bigbee, Vice President, on January 3. 2010 this report is submitted on April 13, 2010. Its purpose is to recommend replacements for the approximately 50 two-year-old subcompact cars in its present sales fleet. The bases for this recommendation are cost, safety, and construction factors of four models of subcompact cars (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta).

The four cars do not show much difference in ownership cost (initial cost less trade-in allowance after two years). On a per-car basis, Beta costs least for a two-year period. Compared with costs for the other cars, Beta is $370 under Gamma, $588 under Alpha, and $634 under Delta. For the entire sales fleet, these differences become more significant. A purchase of 50 Betas would save $18,500 over Gamma, $29,400 over Alpha, and $31,700 over Delta.

Operation costs would favor Gamma. Cost per mile for this car is $0.13970, as compared with $0.14558 for Alpha, . . . .

[section omitted]

Construction features and handling abilities place Gamma all by itself. It scores higher than any other car in every category. Alpha and Delta are tied for second place. Again Beta is last, having poor steering and handling qualities.

Sample Executive Summary:Direct Order

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Authorized by Mr. Norman W. Bigbee, Vice President, on January 3. 2010 this report is submitted on April 13, 2010. Its purpose is to recommend replacements for the approximately 50 two-year-old subcompact cars in its present sales fleet. The bases for this recommendation are cost, safety, and construction factors of four models of subcompact cars (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta).

The four cars do not show much difference in ownership cost (initial cost less trade-in allowance after two years). On a per-car basis, Beta costs least for a two-year period. Compared with costs for the other cars, Beta is $370 under Gamma, $588 under Alpha, and $634 under Delta. For the entire sales fleet, these differences become more significant. A purchase of 50 Betas would save $18,500 over Gamma, $29,400 over Alpha, and $31,700 over Delta.

Operation costs would favor Gamma. Cost per mile for this car is $0.13970, as compared with $0.14558 for Alpha, . . . .

[section omitted]

Construction features and handling abilities place Gamma all by itself. It scores higher than any other car in every category. Alpha and Delta are tied for second place. Again Beta is last, having poor steering and handling qualities.

Given these findings, the recommendation of this study is that Allied Distributors, Inc. chose Gamma cars to replace its current sales fleet.

Sample Executive Summary:Indirect Order

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• Origin of the Report• Report Problem and Purpose• Report Scope• Limitations• Historical Background• Sources and Research Methods• Definitions, Initialisms, and Acronyms• Report Preview

The Report Introduction

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• Uses a logical and appropriate pattern of organization• Uses clear, parallel headings to announce each

section’s contents• Uses tables, charts, and any other graphics that can

help the writer present detailed data and help the reader gather a lot of information at once

• Indicates clearly at each point where the information came from

• Uses coherence helpers to move the readers smoothly through the report and help them follow the report’s logical structure

The Report Body

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• A summary . . . pulls together the key findings of the report.• Conclusions . . .

interpret the key findings to explain what they mean.

• Recommendations . . .actually propose action, based on the key findings and what they mean.

The Report Ending:Summary, Conclusions, or Recommendations?

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Diagram of the Structural Coherence Plan of a Long, Formal Report (1 of 2)

The first part of the structural coherence plan is the introduction preview. Here the readers are told how the report will unfold. Specifically, they are told what will be covered, in what order it will be covered, and the reasons for this order.

Because the report is long and involved, introductions are needed at the beginnings of the major sections to remind the readers where they are in the plan outlined in the preview. These parts introduce the topics to be discussed, point the way through the sections, and relate the topics of the sections to the overall plan of the report.

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Diagram of the Structural Coherence Plan of a Long, Formal Report (2 of 2)

Completing the plan, a final conclusion or summary section brings the report to a head. Here, previously drawn section summaries and conclusions are brought together. From these a final conclusion and recommendation may be drawn.

Conclusions and summaries for each major report section help readers to gather their thoughts and see the relationships of the report topics.

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We are drowning in information, while starving for wisdom. The world henceforth will be run by synthesizers, people able to put together the right information at the right time, think critically about it, and make important choices wisely.

--E. O. Wilson, Pulitzer Prize WinnerProfessor, Harvard University

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