Chapter 12

1. Chapter 12 Completing Formal Reports and Proposals

2. Chapter 12 Objectives • List the three tasks involved in completing reports and proposals, and briefly explain what is involved in revising them. • Explain the prefatory parts of a formal report • Describe four important functions of a formal report’s introduction, and identify the possible topics it might include. • Discuss the four areas of specific information that must be covered in a proposal. • List four questions to ask when proofing visual aids.

3. Revising Formal Reports and Proposals • To complete a successful report, you need to carefully • Revise your report (evaluating content and organization, reviewing style and readability, and editing and rewriting for conciseness and clarity) • Produce your report in appropriate form • Proofread your final version

4. Producing Formal Reports and Proposals • More and more employees are expected to handle most or even all of the formatting and production of their own reports. • Computer tools are generally easy enough for businesspeople to use effectively: • Software suites (such as Microsoft Office) allow you to produce reports that include graphics, tables, spreadsheets, and more. • Desktop scanners and color printers allow you to include even high-quality photographs in business reports.

5. Deciding on Report Format • Formal reports • Can be short or long • Can be direct or indirect • Can be informational or analytical • Can be external or internal • The parts you use depend upon what type of report it is. • For long reports, prefatory parts should have their own pages.

6. Components of a Formal Report • Prefatory parts • Text parts • Supplementary parts

7. Cover Title fly Title page Letter of authorization Letter of acceptance Letter of transmittal Table of contents List of illustrations Synopsis Executive summary Prefatory Parts for a Report

8. Prefatory Parts • Some prefatory parts are easier to prepare after the text has been completed. • The cover may be of standard company issue or you may purchase it from an office supply store. • When putting a title on the cover, • Give readers all the information they need (include the who, what, when, where, why, and how of a subject) • Be as concise as you can (avoid phrases such as A Study of,A Report on, or A Survey of)

9. Prefatory Parts • Thetitle fly is a plain sheet of paper with only the title of the report on it: • It isn’t necessary to include this component in your report. • The title fly does add a touch of formality. • The title page includes four blocks of information: • The title of the report • The name, title, and address of the person, group, or organization that authorized the report • The name, title, and address of the person, group, or organization that prepared the report • The date on which the report was submitted

10. Prefatory Parts • The letter (or memo) of authorization • Is a document requesting that a report be prepared • Follows the direct approach • Specifies the problem, scope, time and money restrictions, special instructions, and due date • The letter (or memo) of acceptance • Is a document acknowledging the assignment to conduct the study and prepare the report • Follows the direct approach • Confirms time and money restrictions and other pertinent details • Is rarely included in reports

11. Prefatory Parts • The letter of transmittal • Conveys your report to your audience • Says what you would say if you were personally handing the report over to the individual who authorized it • Has a style that is less formal than the rest of the report • Usually appears right before the table of contents • May be included only in selected copies of the report • Follows the direct approach • May acknowledge help given by others • Concludes with a note of thanks for having been given the report assignment • May summarize the major findings, conclusions, and recommendations (if the report does not have a synopsis)

12. Prefatory Parts • The table of contents • Is an outline of the coverage, sequence, and relative importance of the information in a report • Uses the headings that appear in the text of the report • May show only the top two or three levels of headings (or perhaps only the first level of headings) • Is prepared after the other parts of the report so that page numbers can be shown • Words headings exactly as they are worded in the report • Also lists those prefatory parts that follow the contents page, as well as all supplementary parts • May list visual aids (if you have fewer than four)

13. Prefatory Parts • The list of illustrations • Includes the titles and numbers of all visual aids and the page numbers where they appear • May refer to all visual aids as illustrations or exhibits • May refer to tables separately from other types of visuals, which are called figures • Appears directly beneath the table of contents (if you have enough space) • Appears on the page after the contents page (if the table of contents doesn’t leave enough room) • Groups tables and figures separately if they are numbered separately • Shows both the list of tables and the list of figures on one page (if they fit) or on two separate pages (if they run more than a page)

14. Prefatory Parts • The synopsis • Is a brief overview (one page or less) of a report’s most important points • Is designed to give readers a quick preview of the contents • Is often included in long informational reports dealing with technical, professional, or academic subjects (when it may be called an abstract) • May be distributed separately to a wide audience (so that interested readers may request the entire report) • May use either informative or descriptive phrasing (depending on report’s use of direct or indirect order) • Presents an accurate picture of the report’s contents

15. Prefatory Parts • The executive summary • May be used instead of a synopsis or an abstract • Is a fully developed “mini” version of the report itself • Is more comprehensive than a synopsis • May contain headings, well-developed transitions, and even visual aids • Is organized the same way as the report • Uses the same direct or indirect approach as the report uses • Is a popular shortcut for busy executives • Must contain all the important points

16. Text of the Report • The text of a report includes • The introduction • The body • The summary, conclusions, or recommendations • Source documentation

17. Text of the Report • The introduction serves a number of important functions: • Putting the report in a broader context • Telling readers the purpose of the report • Previewing the contents and organization of the report • Establishing the tone of the report and the writer’s relationship with the audience • The length of the introduction depends on the length of the report.

18. Text of the Report • When preparing your introduction, consider covering these topics: • Authorization • Problem/purpose • Scope • Background • Sources and methods • Definitions • Limitations • Report organization

19. Text of the Report • The body of your report contains the major sections that present, analyze, and interpret the information gathered during your investigation. • When writing the body of your report, you must decide • How much detail to include • Whether to put your conclusions in the body, in a separate section, or in both

20. Text of the Report • The final section of the text of your report tells readers what has been said: • A short report may summarize your report in only a paragraph or two. • A long report may have separate sections labeled “Summary,” “Conclusions,” and “Recommendations.” • Keep in mind the differences between summaries, conclusions, and recommendations: • Summaries present the key findings of your report. • Conclusions present an analysis of what the findings mean. • Recommendations present opinions about the course of action that should be taken.

21. Text of the Report • Where you present your summary, conclusions, and recommendations depends on the organization of your report: • When using the direct approach, present your summary, conclusions, and recommendations before the body, and review them only briefly at the end of the report. • When using the indirect approach, present your summary, conclusions, and recommendations for the first time at the end of your report, and discuss them in detail.

22. Text of the Report • When your report is intended to lead to action, your recommendation section • Spells out exactly what should happen next • Brings all the action items together in one place • Gives details about who should do what, when, where, and how • Provides a schedule and specific task assignments • May be presented in a bulleted or numbered list

23. Text of the Report • Documenting your sources enhances the credibility of your report, demonstrating • Your ethical and legal obligation to give other people credit for their work • That you have thoroughly researched your topic • The credibility of your message by mentioning the names of well-known or important authorities on the subject

24. Text of the Report • Handle source references as conveniently and as inconspicuously as possible: • Simply mention a source in the text. • Use a citation scheme such as that of the Modern Language Association (MLA), the American Psychological Association (APA), or The Chicago Manual of Style

25. Supplementary Parts • After the text of your report, place any supplementary parts, which may include • Appendixes • Bibliography • Index

26. Supplementary Parts • Materials frequently included in appendixes are • Questionnaires • Cover letters • Sample forms • Computer printouts • Statistical formulas • A glossary (which may also stand as a separate supplementary part) • Graphics that are too large to fit on one page or that are only indirectly relevant

27. Supplementary Parts • The bibliography is a list of secondary sources consulted when preparing the report. • Possible titles for the bibliography include • “Works Cited”—listing only the works mentioned in the report • “Sources”—listing works mentioned in the report as well as works consulted but not mentioned in the report • “References”—listing works mentioned in the report as well as works consulted but not mentioned in the report

28. Supplementary Parts • The index is an alphabetical list of names, places, and subjects mentioned in the report, along with the pages on which they occur. • An index is rarely included in unpublished reports.

29. Proposals • Certain analytical reports are called proposals, and they • May include bids to perform work under a contract • May include pleas for financial support from outsiders • Are nearly always formal • Formal proposals contain many of the same components as other formal reports, with a few differences.

30. Proposals • Several prefatory parts for proposals are quite different from prefatory parts for other reports: • A copy of the request for proposal (RFP) – replaces letter of authorization • Letter of transmittal – direct if solicited, indirect if unsolicited • Synopsis or executive summary – rarely included

31. Proposals • The text of a proposal performs two essential functions: • Persuading readers to award you a contract • Spelling out the terms of that contract • When writing the body of your proposal, the trick is to sell your audience on your ideas without making promises that you can’t keep.

32. Proposals • In addition to what’s covered in the body of other reports, the body of a proposal must also cover specific information such as • Proposed approach • Work plan • Statement of qualifications • Costs

33. Proofreading Formal Reports and Proposals • Check over textual materials. • Check visual aids: • Is each visual necessary? • Are the visuals accurate? • Are the visuals documented? • Are the visuals honest?

34. Getting Feedback • You’ll want to get feedback from readers, even if you have to nudge them to do so. • Be ready for less-than-glowing reactions to your recommendations. • Be prepared to get no response at all. • Accept criticism graciously.

35. Let’s Discuss Test Your Knowledge • What are the tasks involved in revising a report or proposal? • What are the ten prefatory parts of a formal report? • How do writers use an introduction in a formal report? • What four questions do writers need to ask when checking visual aids for a report? • What information is included on the title page of a report?

36. Let’s Discuss Test Your Knowledge continued • What is a letter of transmittal, and where is it positioned within a report? • How does a synopsis differ from an executive summary? • How does the summary section of a report differ from the conclusions section? • What are three supplementary parts often included in formal reports? • Why is the work plan a key component of a proposal?