Transcript Writing Reader-Oriented Informal Reports

Writing Reader-Oriented
Informal Reports
CHAPTER 13
What is it?
An informal report communicates
information about routine, everyday
business.
 You might present an informal report in a
paper memo, in an e-mail, or in an oral
presentation.
 Informal does not mean that the report is
insignificant.
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Principle 1: Find out About the Readers
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What they know about the topic of the report?
Why are they reading your report?
What questions will they ask?
Are readers internal or external?
Positions readers hold in the organization.
Will more than one group read the report?
What readers know about you and the
organization?
Prepare to Answer Questions
What is the purpose of the report?
 Why are they receiving the report?
 How does the report affect them or their
organization?
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Principle 3: Format and Conventional
Elements
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Memos: You will use this format for the most informal reports.
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Letters: These are more formal than memos.
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E-mail: It is effective because of its speed and convenience.
Further, it can be sent to many parties at the same time and
replies can be made confidentially and over a period of time.
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Preprinted forms and templates: This might just be a cover sheet
for the report, or it can be a format for the entire report.
Employees often use this template to create and achieve
minutes.
Writing Progress Reports
To describe progress on one or more
projects so readers can monitor the
work.
 To provide a written record of progress.
 To document problems with, and
changes to, a project.
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Elements of a Progress Report
Introduction:
1.
What project does the report cover?
2.
What time period does the report cover?
3.
What are the objectives of the project?
Discussion of the progress:
1.
What work have you accomplished since the beginning of the project
or since last PR?
2.
Is the project progressing as planned? What is planned next for the
reminder of the project?
3.
What are the results of the work?
4.
What problems, if any, have you encountered?
Conclusions:
1.
What changes if any, do you recommend?
2.
How will these changes affect the project?
3.
What is the overall status of the project?
Study
Study Figures 13.2, 13.3 and 13.4
 Finally, study Figure 13.5 (# 397)
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Writing Meeting Minutes (Fig. 13.8)
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Information about the meeting and attendees: (date, time,
type, who attended, when was the meeting adjourned, who
recorded the minutes etc)
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Old Business: Did you approve the minutes of the previous
meeting, did you amend the minutes before approving them, did
you act on business discussed on the previous meeting, what
motions were introduced and who introduced and seconded
them? Did the group pass, fail, or table the motion?
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New Business: What major topics did the group discuss, what
motion, if any were introduced, who read reports, introduced
action items etc.
Writing Field, Lab & Trip Reports
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You may write a field or lab report after you complete an experiment or after
you inspect some machinery or other equipment. You may write trip reports
after you return from business trips.
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Introduction: State the purpose of your report and the problem addressed
in the report.
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Methods: Describe the methods you used. In field and trip reports, most
writers deemphasize the methods.
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Results: State the results of your experiment, inspection, and so on.
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Conclusions: Tell the readers what you learned from the results.
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Recommendations: If your reader expects recommendations, include them
in the report.
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After introduction, you will have a summary, discussion and
recommendation for a trip report.
Assignment
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