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Business Communication
Report Writing
Gurudutt R. Kamath
How We Communicate3
• CVs, Resumes
• Email, Web site, FAQs
• Letters, Newsletters, Brochures, Articles, Catalogs
• Advertisements, Notice Board, Pamphlets, Signs, Press Release
• Presentations, multimedia, talks
• Reports, Manuals, Proposals, Books
Which Reports?
Annual Reports
Sales Reports
Feasibility Reports
Inspection Reports
Audit Reports
Progress Reports
White Papers
Technical Writing Reports
Proposals
User Manuals
Technical Manuals
White Papers
Classification of Reports
Formal Reports and Informal Reports
Information Reports
Analytical Reports
Recommendation Reports
5 Steps to Report Writing1
1. Define the problem
2. Gather the necessary information
3. Analyze the information
4. Organize the information
5. Write the report
Organizing Reports
Comparison/contrast
Problem-solution
Elimination of alternatives
General to particular
Geographic or spatial
Functional
Chronological
Words, Words, Words
UK English and US English • International English and Indian English
Denotation and Connotation
• Let me know when you’re free next week for a meeting.
• Could you let me know what times you have free?
Tone
• Terry is hung up on trivial details.
• Terry is meticulous and takes care of details that others sometimes ignore.
Writing Style
Brief writing style
• Omit needless words
• Combine sentences
• Rewrite
• Campus Jewelers’ main objective is to increase sales. Specifically, the objective is to double sales in the next five years by becoming a more successful business.
• Campus Jewelers’ objective is to double sales in the next five years.
We do IT in Style!
Chicago Manual of Style
Elements of Style by Strunk & White
Dictionary
Microsoft Manual of Style
AMA Style Guide
Anatomy of a Report
Cover Page
Title Page
Letter of Transmittal
Table of Contents
List of Illustrations
Executive Summary
Report Body
Report Body
Introduction • Purpose and Scope;Limitations, Assumptions,
and Methods
Background/History of the Problem Body
• Presents and interprets data
Conclusions and Recommendations References or Works Cited Appendixes
• Interview transcripts, questionnaires, question tallies, printouts, and previous reports
Letter of Transmittal
Background
Summarize conclusions and recommendations
Minor problems. Thank those who helped.
Additional research necessary
Thank the reader. Offer to answer questions.
Sales Proposal2
Budget
Objectives
Strategy and Tactics
Schedule
Results
Closing
Document Design
Use no more than 5 fonts.
Use no more than 5 colors.
Use glossy paper.
Use white space.
Use templates.
Use parallelism.
Avoid double emphasis.
Reference
1. Business Communication, Kity O Locker and Stephen Kyo Kaczmarek, 2004
2. “A Decent Proposal” by John Fellows, www.sellingpower.com, 2002
3. Better Business Writing, The Sunday Times
Scientific
Communication
Gurudutt R. Kamath
Scientific Papers
Publish to complete research
Communicate well to be published
How to Write a Paper1
(3rd edition) • Edited by George M Hall
(BywordViva)
Scientific Writing: Easy when you know how
Why Publish?1
Readers can
• Assess the observations you make
• Repeat the experiment if they wish
• Determine whether the conclusions drawn are justified by the data
IMRAD
(Abstract – brief summary)
Introduction – What question was asked?
Methods – How was it studied?
Results – What was found?
And
Discussion – What do the findings mean?
Introduction
Why you have undertaken the study?
Clarify what your work adds
Keep it short
Make sure you are aware of earlier studies
Convince the reader
Don’t baffle the reader
Methods
Study Design
• Who, what, why, when, and where?
• Randomisation, blind assessment
• Inclusion and exclusion criteria
Analysis of the Data
• What hypothesis was tested?
Results
What was found?
Organize the presentation
Avoid
• The results are presented in tables X-Z and in figures A-C.
Differentiate clearly between data and results
Republishing figures (copyright)
Discussion – So What?
Summary of the field of enquiry • We conclude …
• This study found …
• Context of literature studied
Finishing off • Perhaps …
• Possibly …
• More research is needed …
• Here’s another problem solved
Conclusion to be backed up by data
Acknowledgements
General Points
Instructions to Authors
Wrong length • 400 word abstract
• 600 word length
Audience • Generalist
• Specialist
Structure and Format • Words
• Structure
Titles
Interesting, concise, precise, not misleading, informative, descriptive, and appropriate for classification
Developing a title in 4 steps – Lileyman, 1988, p441
• Nuclear reprocessing, radiation exposure, and childhood leukaemia: an epidemiological study
Abstracts
200-300 words
Structured
• Context, objectives, design, setting, participants, interventions, main outcome measures, results, and conclusions
References
Foundation on which the work is built
Large number • Read review articles
• Take Expert help
Vancouver and Harvard formats • Numbered consecutively (1)
• Name of the author (Year)
Sloppy – reviewers will …
Uniform Requirements
• Double spacing Margins (25 mm)
• Sequence • Title, abstract, key words, text, acknowledgement,
references, tables, legends to figures
• IMRAD
• New page – section, table
• Permissions (previous material)
• Required number of copies Electronic copy
Style
Clear, Accurate, Concise
Short sentences, simple words, simple structures
Jargon only if required.
Noun clusters Obstetric complication frequency
Frequency of obstetric complications
Say Who did What We compared the treatment group ...
More Style
Avoid This, these, he, she, or it
• If the baby does not thrive on raw milk, boil it.
Make comparisons clear (subgroup or
whole population)
• More women were alive five years after diagnosis.
• More women [than men] were alive five years after diagnosis.
Simple Words1
before prior to
more than in excess of
depends on is dependentant upon
also additionally
indicates is indicative of
Say What You Mean
After five days, the symptoms had improved.
After five days, the symptoms had abated.
Dermatitis is less often diagnosed …
Dermatitis was less prevalent …
…symptoms are not well correlated with clinical disease severity.
…symptoms are not related to disease severity.
House Style
Director General or director general
Beta-carotene or ß carotene
Moslem or Muslim
Mumbai or Bombay
Some Tips
Instructions to authors
Study a few model papers, letters
Read it out aloud
Spell-check finally and Proof-read (missing not, or note)
References
1. How to Write a Paper (3rd edition)
Edited by George M Hall (BywordViva)
2. Scientific Writing: Easy when you know how
Jennifer Peat, Elizabeth Elliott, Louise Baur, Victoria Keena
3. Science & Technical Writing General Editor Philip Rubens (Foundation)
4. Scientific Style and Format (6th edition)
Council of Biology Editors (life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics)
References
Gurudutt Kamath
Documenting Sources
Convincing research • Site sources (out of thin air)
List of references • Collect them as you go along
What? • Quotes, ideas, numbers, facts, graphics,
statistics, tables1
• Websites, webpages, documents, pamphlets, film or video recording, CD-ROM, newspaper articles, songs, TV or radio programs, personal correspondence, email.
Author-year and citation-sequence
Documentation Style
Chicago Manual of Style • Different situations, languages, subjects
APA (American Psycological Assn) • Publication Manual of the American
Pscyhological Association, 5th ed. (2001)
CBE (Council of Science Editors) • Scientific Style and Format: The CBE Manual
for Authors, Editors, and Publishers, 6th ed. (1994)
MLA (Modern Language Assn) • MLA Handbook for Writers of Research
Papers, 6th ed. (2003)
In-text Citations (APA)
Our study reports a significant rise in HIV cases in south Africa in one year (Brindle, 2000).
Our study reported a 12.2% rise in HIV cases in only one year (Brindle, 2000, p. 843)
Brindle (2000) reports a significant …
(Wu, Gyno, Young & Reims, 2003)
As reported by Wu, Gyno, Young & Reims (2003) …
(Wu et al., 2003) or As reported by Wu et al. (2003)
In-text Citations (APA)
(National Science Foundation [NSF], 2004)
(NSF, 2004)
Studies have shown … (Johnson & Smith, 2001; Tamili, 2002; Hinson & Kim, 2004).
Bathers (personal communication, December 5, 2003)
References (APA)1
Houghton, J. (1997). Global warming: The complete briefing (2nd ed). Cambridge, MA: Cambridge UP.
Kadlecek, M. (1991). Global climate change could threaten U.S. wildlife. Conservationist 46 (1), 54-55
Sherwood, K, & Ido, C. (2003). Is the global warming bubble about to burst? Retrieved March 4, 2004, from the World Wide Web: http://www.co2science.org/edit/v6_edit/ v6n37edit.htm
Citation-Sequence (CBE) 1
This bacteria has been shown2 to …
Several studies 3-8, 10 have …
Several studies (3-8, 10) have …
Reference List (order of citation)
Less disruptive vs refer to back for author, source
References
1. Technical Communication Today by Richard Johnson-Sheehan, 2005
2. Chicago Manual of Style
Business Communication
Letters & Email
Gurudutt R. Kamath
Correspondence Costs Money1
Dartnell Institute, 10-minute message
• $13.60
• $20.52
Plan, compose, revise 1-page letter
• 54 minutes
Average Proposal (engg firm)
• $500,000
• $1,000,000
Rwitgin wastes time and damages relationships.
Making Messages Effective
Clear
Complete
Correct
Save reader’s time
Build good will
PAIBOC
Purpose
Audiences
Information
Benefits
Objections
Context
Audience
Writer
Initial audience
Gatekeeper
Primary audience
Secondary audience
Watchdog audience
Communicate across Cultures
Gender
Race and ethnicity
Regional and national origin
Social class
Religion
Age
Sexual orientation
Physical ability
Bias-free Communication
Managers and their wives will…
Managers and their spouses will…
Manpower – Personnel
Manhours – Hours or working hours
Manning – Staffing
Workman – Worker, employee, writer
Chairman – Chair, chairperson
Bias-free Communication
Plural nouns and pronouns • Supervisors must…their departments.
Use you. • You must work for your deparment.
Substitute with article or revise sentence • Supervisor...time sheet for the
department.
• The nurse will fill out the accident report.
Emails
Minutes a day - average worker?
49 minutes
Hours a day - top managers?
4 hours
Formats are still evolving
What % felt misunderstood (2000)?
51% (tone)
Subject
Be specific, concise, and catchy.
• 28 characters
• Will Attend 3 pm Meeting EOM
• Travel Plans for Sales Meeting
• Your Funding Request Approved
Body of the Email
Brief
Important points at the top
Bullets and numbering
Emphasize (NOT)
HTML (letterhead)
ASAP, BTW, FYI, IMHO
Smileys All rules of good writing
Mailing Lists
Your boss could be reading!
Posts are archived.
Avoid using company email address.
Avoid conversations (one liners).
Do not rush to lists.
Netiquette
Never flame.
Use FULL CAPS only to emphasize a word or two.
Send messages on a need basis.
Recipient’s work practice (one long or several short messages)
Quote briefly (B/A) while replying.
Attachments
References
1. Business Communication, Kity O Locker and Stephen Kyo Kaczmarek, 2004
2. Better Business Writing, The Sunday Times, 2002
3. Model Business Letters, E-mails & Other Business Documents (sixth edition), Shirley Taylor
Technical
Communication
Gurudutt R. Kamath
Importance
Improved productivity
Improved use of product
Increased safety
Legal protection
Reduces cost of training
Reduces support
Lesser chance of rejection
Audience3
Analysis • Surveys, questionnaires, structured interviews,
usability tests
Characteristics • Educational, professional background
• Knowledge, experience level
• English language
• Context
Objectives and Needs
Profile
Information Analysis
Purpose and Structure
Document Type Marketing
Conceptual, Procedural, Tutorial, Job Aid
Referential
Frequency and Pattern of Use
Textual Features
Textual Features
Overview, summary sections
Step-by-step instructions
Narrative explanations
Conceptual models, analogies, and/or examples
Figures, charts, and/or tables
Cross-references and/or navigation aids
Technical terminology, language conventions, and/or symbolic conventions
Media Characteristics
Articles – narrative Booklets – conversational Brochures – catchy Newsletters – journalistic Correspondence – formal, informal Manuals – action oriented Reports – formal and objective Help systems – action oriented Wizards – concise and action oriented Websites – catch and easy to use
Document Delivery
Facsimile
Network
Floppy disk
FTP (file transfer protocol)
Email attachment
Website
Technical Writing Process
Writing Revising Editing Reviewing
Publishing
Writing Process
Document Plan • Audience
• Objective
• Media
• Resources
• Table of Contents
• Schedule
Outlining
Template
Revising Process
Objective
Complete
Flow
Language
Grammar, Spelling, and Punctuation
Graphics
Format
Consistency
Reviewing Process
Peer
Technical
Domain
Quality
Tools
Microsoft Outlook – email Microsoft Word – documents Microsoft Excel – spreadsheets Microsoft PaintBrush – drawings Adobe Acrobat – PDF Microsoft FrontPage – web pages Adobe FrameMaker – large, complex documents Adobe PageMaker – desktop publishing Adobe InDesign – desktop publishing XML editors Macromedia RoboHelp Macromedia Flash
Technical Writing Practices
• User Friendly
Appealing
Step-by-step instructions
Language and Style
• Easy to Refer
Contents
Headings/subheadings
Cross References
Index
Modular
• Easy to maintain
Modular, reusable
Right tools and templates
Language & Style
• Language
Parallelism
Grammar
Active/Passive Voice
You
• Style Guides
Consistency
House style
User Friendly Design
• Format and Structure
Headings, table of contents, cross-references, index
Templates
• Consistent
Headings, language, lists, cross-references, words
Structured Writing
• Lists
• Tables
• Graphics
• Instructions
• Tasks
• Concrete
Scenarios, Case Studies, Examples
Document Design
Balance
White space
Maximum of 5 fonts
• Serif fonts (Times) – paper
• Sans Serif fonts (Verdana) - online
Maximum of 5 colours
Style Guides
Chicago Manual of Style
• Grammar, References, Indexing, Punctuation
Microsoft Manual of Style
• Usages for the computer industry
Elements of Style
• Strunk & White
• Grammar and Punctuation
• Writing tips
• http://www.bartleby.com/141