Chapter 11 Organizing and Preparing Reports and Proposals
Chapter 11 Organizing and Preparing
Reports and Proposals
Learning Objectives
1. Identify the parts of a formal report and the contribution each part makes to the report’s overall effectiveness.
2. Organize report findings.
3. Prepare effective formal reports using an acceptable format and writing style.
4. Prepare effective short reports in letter, memorandum formats, email, and letter formats.
5. Prepare effective proposals for a variety of purposes.
Chapter Overview
The structure and the preparation of various types of reports are presented including formal reports, letter reports, memorandum reports, and proposals. The problem-solving, research-based orientation of reports is emphasized for each of the various types. The Appendix provides expanded information about referencing methods as a guide to students throughout the study and preparation of reports.
PowerPoint Slides
· Lecture Slides — Students can review key chapter concepts on the Lecture Slides (found on the companion website (Student’s Resources)). Slides can be downloaded for convenient printing of handouts for taking class notes.
Slide Number and Title
1. Chapter 11 Organizing and Preparing Reports and Proposals
2. Learning Objectives
3. Parts of a Formal Report
4. Parts of a Formal Report (cont.)
5. Developing a Report Outline
6. Using Headings Effectively
7. Choosing an Effective Writing Style
8. Improving Transitions
9. Enhancing Credibility
10. Writing Techniques for Short Reports
11. Structure of a Proposal
12. Process for Preparing Proposals
· E-lectures — Slides with engaging narration of key concepts—useful as reinforcement of lectures and exam reviews—are available through the CourseMate site for BCOM3.
· Resource Slides — A larger deck of slides for instructors for displaying in the classroom; these slides for class enrichment and solutions to activities and applications are also available at the companion website (Instructor’s Resources) and on the Instructor’s CD.
Slide Number and Title
1. Chapter 11 Organizing and Preparing Reports and Proposals
2. Learning Objectives
3. Learning Objective 1 Identify the parts of a formal report and the contribution each part makes to the report’s overall effectiveness.
4. Formal-Informal Report Continuum
5. Parts of a Formal Report
6. Parts of a Formal Report (cont.)
7. An Executive Summary Should . . .
8. Learning Objective 2 Organize report findings.
9. Questions to Be Answered in an Analytical Report
10. Organizing an Analytical Report by Criteria
11. Developing a Report Outline
12. Using Headings Effectively
13. Proper Outline Development
14. Avoid Common Errors in Heading Format
15. Talking Heads Should . . .
16. Learning Objective 3 Prepare effective formal reports using an acceptable format and writing style.
17. Choosing an Effective Writing Style
18. Improving Transitions
19. Enhancing Credibility
20. Learning Objective 4 Prepare effective short reports in letter, memorandum formats, email, and letter formats.
21. Writing Techniques for Short Reports
22. Short, Periodic Memo Report: Why It Works
23. Short, Periodic Memo Report: Why It Works (cont.)
24. Learning Objective 5 Prepare effective proposals for a variety of purposes.
25. Structure of a Proposal
26. Process for Preparing Proposals
Key Terms
Addenda 177
Analytical report 176
Executive summary 175
External proposal 189
Form reports 182
Internal proposals 189
Justification report 178
Preliminary parts 173
Short reports 182
Solicited proposals 189
Unsolicited proposal 189
Chapter Outline
PARTS OF A FORMAL REPORT 172
Preliminary Parts of a Report 173
Report Text 176
Report Addenda 177
ORGANIZATION OF FORMAL REPORTS 177
Writing Convincing and Effective Reports 178
Choosing a Writing Style for Formal Reports 180
SHORT REPORTS 182
Memorandum, Email, and Letter Reports 182
Form Reports 182
PROPOSALS 189
Proposal Structure 189
Proposal Preparation 191
Teaching Suggestions
Learning Objective 1
Identify the parts of a formal report and the contribution each part makes to overall effectiveness.
Parts of a Formal Report
Show the visual (next page) or refer students to Figure 11-1 on page 174 in the textbook to help them understand that reports are made up of (a) preliminary parts, (b) the report text, and (c) addenda. Emphasize that a report might include most or all of the parts shown in each of the three categories.
· Refer to Figure 11-2 on page 175 to show how a report develops from a simple memorandum to a long, formal report.
- Indicate that short reports are presented as memo, letter, and expanded letter reports (the text contains illustrations of these report formats).
· Describe how writers tend to add parts as their work grows in volume. A title page is often added when the text exceeds two or so pages. It also serves as a transmittal in a short report. As the report grows, a letter of transmittal might be added. A writer might add a contents page if headings appear in the report. The writer also may prepare a bibliography to demonstrate scholarship and to impress the receiver.
Resource slide 5: Parts of a Formal Report
Resource slide 6: Parts of a Formal Report (cont.)
Preliminary Parts
· Emphasize that the need for preliminary parts is associated with the length and formality of the report.
· Discuss the purpose for each of the following: (a) title page, (b) table of contents, (f) table of figures, and (g) executive summary.
Executive Summary
· Refer to other names for this part: abstract, overview, synopsis, etc. Emphasize that the executive summary gives the reader a “bird’s eye view” of the report and also serves the distant reader who may want only an overview of the project. Stress the importance of “boiling down” a report to its barest essentials yet providing enough information that a decision can be made.
· Many new MBA hires receive assignments to prepare for their supervisors abstracts of business literature and condensations of professional meetings and seminars.
· Assign Application 3 that requires students to prepare a summary of the events of a meeting.
Resource slide 7: An Executive Summary Should…
Report Text
· The “report text” can be compared to the events of a courtroom trial.
The “introduction” can be thought of as the opening statements.
The “body” can be thought of as the testimony and evidence phase.
The “summary and conclusions” can be likened to the closing arguments.
The “recommendation” can be compared to the verdict, which should not come as a surprise if careful evidence has been presented.
· Reinforce that an informational report will end with a summary; whereas, an analytical report will typically include conclusions and recommendations.
Addenda
References
· Re-emphasize the importance of referencing to avoid plagiarism. Emphasize that although numerous ways to reference exist, the important requirement is consistent use of the method selected. Guidelines for preparing citations and references are covered in Chapter 9 and Appendix B.
Appendix
· Emphasize the criterion for deciding whether to place material in the text or in an appendix: How closely related is the material to the text discussion? Emphasize that appendix items should be sequenced in the order mentioned in the text.
· Refer students to the chapter summary that includes a list of each report part with a concise explanation of its purpose. To ensure that students understand this concept before attempting to write a report, you might prepare a matching exercise that requires students to match the report part with its purpose. Use Figure 11-1 to generate this pop quiz.
Learning Objective 2
Organize report findings.
Organization of Formal Reports
· Use the following illustration to emphasize the importance of organization.
– Display a jigsaw puzzle, with the pieces scrambled in the box. Show the cover of the box, with the completed picture, and ask students to identify the difference between the two. (Student comments may mention that the pieces lack order, arrangement, or organization.)
– Give a deck of cards each to two students, one in suit order and the other randomly arranged. Emphasize that the same is true when identifying the difference between data and an effective report; the report provides meaningful order, logical arrangement, and effective organization.
Writing Convincing and Effective Reports
· Begin with the concept that report preparation takes place after the research has been completed. Data have been gathered, tabulated, and converted into figures for a report. Library research (printed and online sources) provided the report writer with information about research methods and literature related to the subject.
· Explain to students that annual report requirements were changed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) after recent business scandals and failures. Since the purpose of an annual report is to present accurate financial information about a company, the SEC now requires detailed financial information as well as a thorough analysis. Discuss how these new requirements by the SEC might pose a challenge in compiling attractive, readable annual reports. Discuss any current scandals involving inadequate reporting of financial information.
Outlining and Sequencing
· Discuss the importance of outlining a report before writing. Remind students that their outlines will grow into their final tables of contents. Also remind them that thinking through the outline will help determine whether to use inductive or deductive organizational pattern.
· Make sure students can distinguish an informational report that presents objective information and an analytical report that presents suggested solutions to problems.
· Review the definitions of informational and analytical reports presented in the “Types of Reports” section of Chapter 9 (pp. 141-143). Introduce the term justification report to designate reports that present conclusions and recommendations for managerial decisions.
· Show the visual as you ask students what two questions readers of an analytical report wishes to have answered as they read an analytical report.
Resource slide 9: Questions to be Answered in an Analytical Report
· Next, emphasize that the writer should present the information in the report in this same logical order: the conclusion presented first in a deductive pattern (the solution) and the body divided into sections that clearly inform the reader of the criteria used (why).
· Lead students through the poor and good outlines for an analytical report to select a smartphone on pp. 178-180. Show the visuals as you discuss the advantages of dividing the report into sections that reflect the criteria used to make the decision and not the alternatives compared:
(a) Emphasizes the criteria used for the decision.
(b) Makes comparison of each alternative easy and eliminates overlap of information.
(c) Uses original headings that relate to the specific problem being solved (problem, method, findings, conclusions would fit any research topic but would not reveal the nature of a specific problem).
Resource slide 10: Organizing an Analytical Report by Criteria
· Show the visual to illustrate that the basic outline of the report expands into the table of contents. Point out that the divisions reflect the criteria used to make the decision and talking headings reveal the conclusion drawn in each major section.
Resource slide 11: Developing a Report Outline
Using Headings Effectively
· Show the visuals as you reinforce the idea of using talking headings in parallel form throughout a report. Also caution against placing two headings consecutively with no intervening text.
Resource slide 12: Using Headings Effectively
Resource slide 13: Proper Outline Development
Resource slide 14: Avoid Common Errors in Heading Format
Resource slide 15: Talking Heads Should…
· Refer students to the Style Cards at the back of the text for guidelines on using levels of headings.
Learning Objective 3
Prepare effective formal reports using an acceptable format and writing style
Choosing a Writing Style for Formal Reports
· Refer to the visual that presents the formal-informal continuum of reports (Figure 9-1). Discuss how formal writing, which is typical in many business reports, differs from informal writing typically found in letters, memos, and email messages.
· Reinforce the writing style guidelines on the visual and presented in the text.
Resource slide 4 (Chapter 9): Formal-Informal Report Continuum
Resource slide 17: Choosing an Effective Writing Style
· Show the visual as you discuss the need for appropriate transitions to create “flow” in a report. If needed, view the concepts from Chapter 4 that discuss transition and coherence.
Resource slide 18: Improving Transitions
Enhancing Credibility
· Lead a discussion as to the importance of appearing credible as a researcher.
· Have students identify why each of the suggestions in the slide is important to establishing credibility.
Resource slide 19: Enhancing Credibility
· Assign Application 4 that requires students to obtain and analyze reports of organizations. Point out the differences and consistencies in style and format.
Learning Objective 4
Prepare effective short reports in letter, memorandum, and email formats.
Short Reports
· Show the visual as you discuss this section.
· Refer to the formal-informal report continuum (shown earlier in this chapter) to illustrate that short reports tend to appear closer to the informal side of the model than do formal reports.
· Review the report-writing principles applied in the following reports:
– Short periodic report in Figure 11-4 (memorandum format).
– Audit report in Figure 11-5 (letter format).
– Short consultant’s report in Figure 11-6 (letter format).
Resource slide 21: Writing Techniques for Short Reports
Memorandum and Letter Reports
· Show the visuals (next page) as you discuss Figure 11–4 (short, periodic report in memorandum format).
Resource slide 22: Short, Periodic Memo Report: Why It Works
Resource slide 23: Short, Periodic Memo Report: Why It Works(cont.)
· Refer students to Figure 11-4 (periodic report in memo format), and Figure 11-5 (audit report in short report format). Lead students in a discussion of why such reports are frequently used in business settings.
· As an in-class writing assignment, assign a short report that may be written in about 200 words. The goal of this exercise is to demonstrate how a rapid writing style can produce a rough draft in a short time. The report should contain two pieces of quantitative data that must be converted to tables or graphs. Impose a one-hour or one-class-session time restraint. The idea is for students to assemble the data and write the report as rapidly as possible without bothering to make minor editorial changes. If at all possible, have students compose without bothering to make minor editorial changes. If at all possible, have students compose the assignment using computers to simplify composing and revising. Have students prepare rough tables from the quantitative data. Using these rough tables, they may prepare computer-generated graphics outside of class to incorporate into their reports later. The following suggestions will assist students: