Report sturctur_short.ppt
- 1. Report Structure: Shorter Forms & Long Formal Reports Chapter Eleven & Twelve
- 2. Writing short reports The goal of a short report is to communicate all key points of the study to busy managers who do not have time to scan details to figure out what you did The main Report should be restricted to two or three single spaced pages, supplemented by as many pages of appendix material as are necessary.
- 3. Characteristics of short reports 1. Shorter reports have little need for introductory information Short reports concern day-to-day problems and the readers most likely would know the problems, e.g. weekly sales reports, progress reports, etc. 2. Predominance of the Direct Order The direct order gives the main message first – usually the conclusion and/or the recommendation. It may also consist of a summary of facts Then comes the report findings organised in logical order
- 4. Characteristics of short reports 3. More personal writing style Because short reports are mostly routine, personal writing is common, using I, we, and you However, when the situation is formal you should use impersonal writing 4. Less need for a structured plan Unlike long reports, short reports have less need for introductory materials. They begin with a quick summary of the report, followed by conclusion or they start with the recommendation if required, followed by details.
- 5. Sample - Short Report TO: Head of Finance FROM: Production Manager SUBJECT: CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS OF NEW OFFICE BUILDING Construction of the company’s new office building has entered phase 3. Although we are one week behind the contractor’s original schedule, the building should be ready for use by March 15 next year. Past Progress Phase 1 involved development of the architecture’s plans; this process was completed on January 5, 2009. Phase 2 involved submission of the plans to the Executive Committee for approval. The plans were then given to three contractors for estimates. The lowest bidder was Aryan Contractors. The firm began construction on March 30, 2009.
- 6. Sample - Short Report (Cont’d) Present Status Phase 3 included initial construction procedures. The following steps have been completed as of June15, 2009. Demolition of existing building. Excavation of foundation footings for the building Installation of steel reinforcing rods Pouring of concrete foundation The contractor indicated that he was one week behind schedule as the building inspectors required additional steel reinforcement not shown on the architecture’s blueprint. Future Schedule Despite some time lost in Phase 3, we are on target for the completion of the office building by March 31 next year. Phase 4 is scheduled to be completed by September 30 and Phase 5 and 6 by March 31, 2010.
- 7. Contents of the short report The short report should include: A very brief statement of the problem (if not starting with recommendation or conclusion). The purpose of this statement is merely to establish the scope of the study. A summary of what was done---data collected, interviews conducted, scenarios considered, etc. Specific recommendations, which may be conditional (e.g., if raw materials can be purchased at 5% less cost then we can ensure profitability without changing price of products). Do not make recommendations beyond the available data.
- 8. References in short report This section is not always necessary, but should be included if you make use of results from books or journals. There are different styles for giving citations, one fairly standard approach is to give the name of the author and the year of the publication, e.g. ….problems are described in Ross (1983). OR … problems are described in (Ross 1983) in detail
- 9. Appendices in short report Use these to provide any more detailed information which your readers may need for reference - but do not include key data which your readers really need in the main body of the report. Appendices must be relevant and should be numbered so they can be referred to in the main body.
- 10. Communicating through short reports To communicate efficiently, the following can be useful tips: Be flexible on format. Organization of a report that is perfect for one study may be awkward for another. Use bullets to highlight key points. Use graphs or tables to summarize numerical data. Avoid using terms and acronyms that might cause confusion.
- 11. Long Formal Reports Chapter Twelve
- 12. Content of long reports The needs determine the structure of long, formal reports Need for prefatory parts decreases as reports become shorter and less formal
- 13. The Prefatory Parts In a formal report there may be many variations in the prefatory part. However, the following are generally included in long reports: Title Fly – contains report title Title Page – displays title, authorizer, identification of writer and date Acknowledgements – thanks to people who have helped Transmittal Message – A personal message from writer to reader, briefly identifying the report goal Table of contents – provides a guide to contents
- 14. Sample – Title Page Environmental Impact of Factory Emission On the Residents of Tejgaon Prepared for Dept. of Environment, Dhaka Prepared by R&M Consultants March 15, 2007
- 15. Sample – Transmittal Message Dear Sir, The attached report, requested by the Dept. of Environment in a letter to R&M Consultants dated February 2, describes the environmental impact of the emission from the factories on the residents of Tejgaon. We believe you will find the results of this study useful in evaluating future development of industries within the area of Tejgaon. The study was designed to study environmental impact in 3 areas: (a) Impact of waste disposal (b) Air Quality (c) Odour emission Primary research consisted of interviews with 50 Tejgaon residents. Relevant equipments were also used to analyse the air quality and impact of waste disposal. Results of the research, discussed more fully in the report, indicate that waste disposal is a cause of health hazard to the residents of Tejgaon. Odour emission however, is a cause of annoyance. We would be pleased to discuss the report and its conclusions with you at your request. My firm and I thank you for your confidence in selecting our company to prepare this comprehensive report.
- 17. The Report Proper Executive Summary - a very brief outline of the report to give the potential reader a general idea of what it’s about . Introduction – objective is to prepare the readers for the body of the report. Include a little background/context and indicate the reasons for writing the report. Your introduction may include the following: Origin of the report – may include a review of the facts of authorization Problem and purpose – statement of the problem and report objective Scope – defines the boundaries of the problem and the boundaries of the report analysis Limitations – anything that impairs the quality of the report Sources and methods of collecting information (include if necessary)
- 18. Main body/ Findings Detailed findings and analysis is provided in the body of the report where you develop your ideas It should contain sufficient information to justify the conclusions and recommendations which will follow Detailed information is provided in the body of the report under different broad sections and sub-sections
- 19. Ending of the report You can end your report with a summary, a conclusion and a recommendation or a combination of the three Ending summary – when report purpose is to present information, the ending is a logical summary of the major findings Conclusion – Conclusions should cover what you have deducted about the situation Recommendations – When you are required to present a course of action to solve the problem, a recommendation is needed. This depends on the expectations of your readers
- 20. Ending of the report Appended Parts Appendices – this is used for supplementary information that supports the body of the report Bibliography – when your investigation makes heavy use of public source you normally include a list of the publications used Glossary of terms and abbreviations – provides definitions for specific words or acronyms used in the body of the report
- 21. And Finally Ask yourself, Does the report fulfill its purpose? Does it do what you’re being asked to do and what you say you’re going to do in your introduction? Are you pleased with it? If you can’t confidently answer “yes” to these questions, then you may need to do some more editing and rewriting.