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Chapter 11
Business Report Basics
Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Mary Ellen Guffey
Copyright © 2008
Business Report Basics
Characteristics
of Reports
Structure and
Organization
Report Writing
Process
Research
Report Data
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 2
Preparing to Write
Business Reports
© Photodisc / Getty Images
What are business
reports?
Business reports are
systematic attempts to
answer questions and
solve problems.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 3
Preparing to Write Business Reports
Report functions
 Informational reports
 Analytical reports
Writing style
 Formal
 Informal
Report patterns
 Direct pattern
 Indirect pattern
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 4
Preparing to Write Business Reports
Report formats
Letter
Memo
Manuscript
Printed forms
Digital
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
© TRBfoto / Photodisc / Getty Images
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Ch. 11, Slide 5
Ten Truths You Should Know About Reports
Everyone writes reports.
Most reports flow upward.
Most business reports are informal.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 6
Ten Truths You Should Know About Reports
Three formats are most popular:
Memo format
Letter format
Manuscript format
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 7
Ten Truths You Should Know About Reports
Reports differ from memos and letters.
Today’s reports take advantage of
computer technologies.
Many reports are collaborative efforts.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 8
Ten Truths You Should Know About Reports
Ethical report writers interpret facts fairly.
Organization is imposed on data.
The writer is the reader’s servant.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 9
Audience Analysis and Report Organization
The Direct Pattern
If readers
are informed
If readers
are supportive
If readers are
eager to have
results first
Direct Pattern
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 10
Direct Pattern
Informational Report
Introduction/Background
Analytical Report
Introduction/Problem
Facts/Findings
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CONCLUSIONS/
RECOMMENDATIONS
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Summary
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Facts/Findings
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Discussion/Analysis
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 11
Audience Analysis and Report Organization
The Indirect Pattern
If readers
need to be
educated
If readers need
to be persuaded
If readers may
be disappointed
or hostile
Indirect Pattern
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 12
Indirect Pattern
Analytical Report
Introduction/Problem
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Facts/Findings
_________________
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Discussion/Analysis
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CONCLUSIONS/
RECOMMENDATIONS____________
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 13
Center for Consumers of Legal Services
P.O. Box 260
Richmond, VA 23234
(804) 248- 8931
www. cclegalservices.com
Informational Report—Letter Format
September 7, 2007
Ms. Lisa Burgess, Secretary
Lake Austin Homeowners
3902 Oak Hill Drive
Austin, TX 78134
Dear Ms. Burgess:
As executive director of the Center for Consumers of Legal Services, I'm pleased to
send you this information describing how your homeowners’ association can sponsor a
legal services plan for its members. After an introduction with background data, this
report will discuss three steps necessary for your group to start its plan.
Introduction
A legal services plan promotes preventative law by letting members talk to attorneys
whenever problems arise. Prompt legal advice often avoids or prevents expensive
litigation. Because groups can supply a flow of business to the plan's attorneys, groups
can negotiate free consultation, follow-up, and discounts.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 14
Two kinds of plans are commonly available. The first, a free plan, offers free legal
consultation along with discounts for services when the participating groups are
sufficiently large to generate business for the plan's attorneys. These plans actually act as
a substitute for advertising for attorneys. The second common type is the prepaid plan.
Prepaid plans provide more benefits, but members must pay annual fees, usually $200 or
more a year. Over 30 million people are covered by legal services plans today, and a
majority belong to free plans.
Informational Report—Letter (Continued)
Since you inquired about a free plan for your homeowners' association, the following
information describes how to set up such a program.
Determine the Benefits Your Group Needs
The first step in establishing a free legal service is to meet with the members of your
group to decide what benefits they want. Typical benefits include the following:
Free consultation. Members may consult a participating attorney--by phone or in the
attorney's office--to discuss any matter. The number of consultations is unlimited,
provided each is about a separate matter. Consultations are generally limited to 30
minutes, but they include substantive analysis and advice.
Free document review. Important papers--such as leases, insurance policies, and
installment sales contracts--may be reviewed with legal counsel. Members may ask
questions and receive an explanation of terms.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 15
Atlantic Environmental, Inc.
Analytical Report—Memo Format
Interoffice Memo
DATE:
March 7, 2008
TO:
Kermit Fox, President
FROM:
Cynthia M. Rashid, Environmental Engineer
SUBJECT:
Investigation of Mountain Park Commercial Site
For Allegheny Realty, Inc., I've completed a preliminary investigation of its Mountain Park
property listing. The following recommendations are based on my physical inspection of
the site, official records, and interviews with officials and persons knowledgeable about
the site.
Recommendations
To reduce its potential environmental liability, Allegheny Realty should take the following
steps in regard to its Mountain Park listing:
• Conduct an immediate asbestos survey at the site, including inspection of ceiling
insulation material, floor tiles, and insulation around a gas-fired heater vent pipe at
2539 Mountain View Drive.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 16
Analytical Report—Memo (Continued)
• Prepare an environmental audit of the generators of hazardous waste
currently operating at the site, including Mountain Technology.
• Obtain lids for the dumpsters situated in the parking areas and ensure that
the lids are kept closed.
Findings and Analyses
My preliminary assessment of the site and its immediate vicinity revealed rooms with
damaged floor tiles on the first and second floors of 2539 Mountain View Drive.
Apparently, in recent remodeling efforts, these tiles had been cracked and broken.
Examination of the ceiling and attic revealed further possible contamination from
asbestos. The insulation for the hot-water tank was in poor condition.
Located on the property is Mountain Technology, a possible hazardous waste generator.
Although I could not examine its interior, this company has the potential for producing
hazardous material contamination.
In the parking area large dumpsters collect trash and debris from several businesses.
These dumpsters were uncovered, thus posing a risk to the general public.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 17
REDUCING VEHICLE EMISSIONS
AND SMOG IN THE LOS ANGELES BASIN
Analytical Report—Manuscript Format
INTRODUCTION
Pacific Enterprises, Inc., is pleased to submit this report to the Air Resources Board of
Los Angeles County in response to its request of April 18. This report examines the
problem of vehicle emissions in the Los Angeles Basin. Moreover, it reviews proposed
solutions and recommends a course of action that will lead to a significant reduction in
the hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide emissions of older vehicles.
Background and Discussion of Problem
The County of Los Angeles has battled dirty air for five decades. The largest stationary
polluters (manufacturers, petroleum refineries, and electric power plants, for example)
are no longer considered a major source of pollution. Today, the biggest smog producers
are older automobiles, trucks, and buses. Newer vehicles, as a result of improved
technology and government regulation, have sharply reduced their emissions. However,
nearly 400,000 pre-1980 vehicles continue to operate on Southern California's streets
and freeways. A recent state-funded study (Rutman 37) estimated that 50 percent of the
smog generated in Southern California comes from these older vehicles.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 18
However, many of these vehicles are either undetected or exempted from meeting the
clean-air standards. Little has been done to solve this problem because retrofitting these
old cars with modern pollution control systems would cost more than many of them are
worth. Two innovative solutions were recently proposed.
Analytical Report—Manuscript (Continued)
Reducing Smog by Eliminating Older Cars
Two large organizations, Unocal and Ford Motor Company, suggested a buy-out program
to eliminate older cars. To demonstrate its effectiveness, the two firms bought more than
RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on our findings and the conclusions discussed earlier, we submit the following
recommendations to you:
1. Study the progress of Germany's attempt to reduce smog by retrofitting older
vehicles with computer-controlled fuel management systems.
2. Encourage Ford Motor Company and Unocal to continue their buy-out programs in
exchange for temporary smog credits.
3. Invite Neutronics Enterprises in Carlsbad, California, to test its Lambda emissioncontrol system at your El Monte test center.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 19
Applying the Writing Process to Reports
Analyze
the
problem
and
purpose.
Anticipate
the
audience
and issues.
Prepare a
work plan.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Implement
your
research
strategy.
Ch. 11, Slide 20
Applying the Writing Process to Reports
Organize,
analyze,
interpret,
and
illustrate
the data.
Compose
the first
draft.
Revise,
proofread,
and
evaluate.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 21
Work Plan for a Formal Report
 Statement of problem
 Statement of purpose
 Sources and methods of
data collection
 Tentative outline
 Work schedule
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 22
Researching Report Data
Secondary Print Data
 Books – card catalog,
online catalog
 Periodicals – print
indexes, electronic
indexes
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 23
Researching Report Data
Secondary Electronic Data
 Electronic databases
ABI/INFORM
Factiva
LexisNexis Academic
EBSCO
 Web search tools
Google
MSN Search
Yahoo Search
AOL
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 24
Researching Report Data
Secondary Electronic Data
Evaluating Web sources
How current is the information?
How credible is the author or source?
What is the purpose of the site?
Do the facts seem reliable?
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 25
Tips for Searching the Web
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Use two or three search tools.
Know your search tool.
Understand case sensitivity.
Use nouns as search terms and up to eight
words in a query.
 Combine keywords
into phrases.
 Omit articles and
prepositions.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 26
Tips for Searching the Web
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Use wild cards.
Learn basic Boolean search strategies.
Bookmark the best sources.
Repeat your search a week later.
Keep trying.
Evaluate your Web
sources for currency,
authority, content, and
accuracy.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 27
Researching Primary Data
Surveys
Interviews
Observation
Experimentation
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 28
Documenting Data
Reasons for crediting sources
 Strengthens your argument
 Protects you from charges of
plagiarism
 Instructs readers
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 29
Documenting Data
Two documentation formats
 Modern Language Association
Author’s name and page (Smith 100)
placed in text; complete references in
"Works Cited."
 American Psychological Association
Author’s name, date of publication, and page
number placed near the text reference (Jones,
2006, p. 99). Complete references listed at the
end of the report in "References.”
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 30
Documenting Data
Learn what to document
 Another person's ideas, opinions,
examples, or theory
 Any facts, statistics, graphs, and drawings
that are not common knowledge
 Quotations of another person's actual
spoken or written words
 Paraphrases of another person's spoken
or written words
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 31
Documenting Data
Learn to paraphrase
 Read the original material carefully so
that you can comprehend its full meaning.
 Write your own version without
looking
at the original.
 Do not repeat the grammatical structure of the
original, and do not merely replace words of the
original with synonyms.
 Reread the original to be sure you covered the main
points but did not borrow specific language.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 32
Illustrating Report Data
Functions of graphics
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To clarify data
To create visual interest
To condense and simplify data
To make numerical data meaningful
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 33
Illustrating Report Data
Forms and Objectives
 Table
To show exact figures and
values
 Bar chart
To compare one item with
others
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 34
Illustrating Report Data
Forms and Objectives
 Line Chart
To demonstrate changes in
quantitative data over time
 Pie Chart
To visualize a whole unit and the
proportion of its components
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 35
Illustrating Report Data
Forms and Objectives
 Flow Chart
To display a process or
procedure
 Organization Chart
To define a hierarchy of elements
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 36
Illustrating Report Data
Forms and Objectives
 Photograph, map, illustration
To create authenticity, to
spotlight a location, and to
show an item in use
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 37
Vertical Bar Chart
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 38
Vertical Bar Chart
 Use bar charts to make visual comparisons.
Compare related items, illustrate changes in data
over time, or show segments as parts of wholes.
 Make bar charts in vertical, horizontal, grouped,
or segmented forms. Avoid shoeing too much
information, thus producing clutter and
confusion.
 Make the length of each bar and segment
proportional.
 Start dollar or percentage amounts at zero.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 39
Pie Chart
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 40
Pie Chart
 Use pie charts to show a whole and the proportion of
its components.
 Generally begin at the 12 o’clock position, drawing the
largest wedge first.
 Include, if possible, the actual percentage or absolute
value for each wedge.
 Use four to eight segments for best results; if necessary,
group small portions into one wedge called “Other.”
 Distinguish wedges with color, shading, or crosshatching.
 Keep all labels horizontal.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 41
End
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 11, Slide 42