Business Communication Business Communication

Report Writing Report Writing

Gurudutt R. Kamath Gurudutt R. Kamath
Agenda Agenda
Types of Reports Types of Reports
How to Write Reports How to Write Reports
Computer Reports Computer Reports
Anatomy of a Report Anatomy of a Report
Sales Proposals Sales Proposals
Future of Reports Future of Reports
How We Communicate How We Communicate
3 3
W W CVs, Resumes CVs, Resumes
W W mail, Web site, FAQs mail, Web site, FAQs
W W etters, Newsletters, Brochures, etters, Newsletters, Brochures,
Articles, Catalogs Articles, Catalogs
W W Advertisements, Notice Board, Advertisements, Notice Board,
Pamphlets, Signs, Press Release Pamphlets, Signs, Press Release
W W Presentations, multimedia, talks Presentations, multimedia, talks
W W Reports, Manuals, Proposals, Books Reports, Manuals, Proposals, Books
Which Reports? Which Reports?
Annual Reports
Sales Reports
Feasibility Reports
Inspection Reports
Audit Reports
Progress Reports
White Papers
Technical Writing Reports Technical Writing Reports
Proposals Proposals
User Manuals User Manuals
Technical Manuals Technical Manuals
White Papers White Papers
Classification of Reports Classification of Reports
Formal Reports and Informal Reports Formal Reports and Informal Reports
Information Reports Information Reports
Analytical Reports Analytical Reports
Recommendation Reports Recommendation Reports
5 Steps to Report Writing 5 Steps to Report Writing
1 1
. . Define the problem Define the problem
2. 2. Gather the necessary information Gather the necessary information
3. 3. Analyze the information Analyze the information
4. 4. Organize the information Organize the information
5. 5. Write the report Write the report
Organizing Reports Organizing Reports
Comparison/contrast Comparison/contrast
Problem Problem- -solution solution
limination of alternatives limination of alternatives
General to particular General to particular
Geographic or spatial Geographic or spatial
Functional Functional
Chronological Chronological
Words, Words, Words Words, Words, Words
UK nglish and US nglish UK nglish and US nglish
W W International nglish and Indian nglish International nglish and Indian nglish
Denotation and Connotation Denotation and Connotation
W W et me know when youre free next week for a et me know when youre free next week for a
meeting. meeting.
W W Could you let me know what times you have Could you let me know what times you have
free? free?
Tone Tone
W W Terry is hung up on trivial details. Terry is hung up on trivial details.
W W Terry is meticulous and takes care of details Terry is meticulous and takes care of details
that others sometimes ignore. that others sometimes ignore.
Writing Style Writing Style
Brief writing style Brief writing style
W W Omit needless words Omit needless words
W W Combine sentences Combine sentences
W W Rewrite Rewrite
W W Campus Jewelers main objective is to Campus Jewelers main objective is to
increase sales. Specifically, the objective is increase sales. Specifically, the objective is
to double sales in the next five years by to double sales in the next five years by
becoming a more successful business. becoming a more successful business.
W W Campus Jewelers objective is to double Campus Jewelers objective is to double
sales in the next five years. sales in the next five years.
We do T in Style! We do T in Style!
Chicago Manual of Style Chicago Manual of Style
lements of Style by Strunk & White lements of Style by Strunk & White
Dictionary Dictionary
Microsoft Manual of Style Microsoft Manual of Style
AMA Style Guide AMA Style Guide
Anatomy of a Report Anatomy of a Report
Cover Page Cover Page
Title Page Title Page
etter of Transmittal etter of Transmittal
Table of Contents Table of Contents
ist of Illustrations ist of Illustrations
xecutive Summary xecutive Summary
Report Body Report Body
Report Body Report Body
Introduction Introduction
W W Purpose and Scope;imitations, Assumptions, Purpose and Scope;imitations, Assumptions,
and Methods and Methods
Background/History of the Problem Background/History of the Problem
Body Body
W W Presents and interprets data Presents and interprets data
Conclusions and Recommendations Conclusions and Recommendations
References or Works Cited References or Works Cited
Appendixes Appendixes
W W Interview transcripts, questionnaires, question Interview transcripts, questionnaires, question
tallies, printouts, and previous reports tallies, printouts, and previous reports
Letter of Transmittal Letter of Transmittal
Background Background
Summarize conclusions and Summarize conclusions and
recommendations recommendations
Minor problems. Thank those who Minor problems. Thank those who
helped. helped.
Additional research necessary Additional research necessary
Thank the reader. Offer to answer Thank the reader. Offer to answer
questions. questions.
Sales Proposal Sales Proposal
2 2
Budget Budget
Objectives Objectives
Strategy and Tactics Strategy and Tactics
Schedule Schedule
Results Results
Closing Closing
Document Design Document Design
Use Use 34 34 2470 2470 9,3 9,3 14398 14398..
Use no more than 5 Use no more than 5 ccool loorrs. s.
Use glossy paper. Use glossy paper.
Use white space. Use white space.
Use templates. Use templates.
Use parallelism. Use parallelism.
Avoid Avoid double emphasis double emphasis..
Future Reports Future Reports
Proposals Proposals
250 250- -page reports page reports
90 90- -minute oral presentation minute oral presentation
50 50- -page summary page summary
Reports Reports
Multi Multi- -media media
Web Web
FAQ and CE FAQ and CE
Questions Questions
W W ou, We, I ou, We, I -- personal pronouns personal pronouns
W W Standards for reports Standards for reports
W W How long? How long?
Common rrors Common rrors
W W Its a common error! Its consequences Its a common error! Its consequences
are great! are great!
W W Singular & Plural errors. Singular & Plural errors.
W W Neutrality (he/she, John) Neutrality (he/she, John)
Reference Reference
. . Business Communication, Kity O Business Communication, Kity O
ocker and Stephen Kyo ocker and Stephen Kyo
Kaczmarek, 2004 Kaczmarek, 2004
2. 2. "A Decent Proposal by John "A Decent Proposal by John
Fellows, Fellows, www.sellingpower.com www.sellingpower.com, ,
2002 2002
3. 3. Better Business Writing, The Better Business Writing, The
Sunday Times Sunday Times