Includes material from Guffey Ch 9, Thill//bovee Ch 9, DiResta Ch 7
Reports: Research, Format, and Tone Includes materials from Guffey: Chapters 12, 13, and 14.
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Transcript of Reports: Research, Format, and Tone Includes materials from Guffey: Chapters 12, 13, and 14.
Reports: Research, Format, and Tone
Includes materials from Guffey: Chapters 12, 13, and 14
What Are Business Reports?
Business reports are systematic attempts to answer questions and solve problems. They include the following activities.
PlanningPlanning ResearchResearch OrganizationOrganization PresentationPresentation
Audience Analysis and Report Organization
Direct Pattern
Report
-----Main Idea ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If readersare informed
If readersare supportive
If readersare eager to
have results first
Audience Analysis and Report Organization
Indirect Pattern
If readersneed to beeducated
If readersneed to bepersuaded
If readersmay be hostileor disappointed
Report
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----Main Idea ----
Report Components
Refer to separate packet
Formal Report Tone
Goal: come across as objective and credible
Avoid first-person pronouns (I, we, me, my, us, our)
Use second-person pronouns as needed(he, she, they)
Use ‘it’, not ‘they’ when referring to the company
Formal Report Tone
Avoid attributing action to “the company” (it is inanimate)
Use “the client(s)” (or names) Use your consulting name to
refer to yourselves and/or use “the analysts”
Formal Report Tone
Avoid passive voice
Not: Periodicals were consultedThe study was conducted
Instead:Periodicals indicatedThe study revealed
Formal Report ToneBe consistent in tense Use past-tense to describe completed actions (the
respondents said, the study showed) Use present-tense to explain current actions (the
purpose of this report is to.., this table shows…) Use present-tense in conclusions and
recommendations When citing references
use past-tense verbs (Jones reported that…)
DON’T switch back and forth between tenses in a sentence
Highlighting: Making Your Report Accessible
Structural Cues
o Topic Sentenceso Transitions
• Present additional thoughts (additional, again, also, moreover)
• Suggest cause and effect (accordingly, as a result, consequently, therefore)
• Contrast ideas (however, though, but, at the same time)
• Show time and order (after, before, first, finally, now, previously, then)
• Clarify points (for example, for instance, in other words)
Headings
At least 1 heading per page All headings parallel within level Do not repeat heading in topic
sentence Do not use pronoun for heading in
topic sentence
Levels of Report Headings
MAJOR SECTION HEADINGS Bold, centered, all caps. Double-space after (1 blank line) Start new page for each Use for
• executive summary• introduction • research and analysis• conclusions and recommendations• appendices
Levels of Report Headings
First-Level Sub-heading
Left-justified, bold, title case Double-space (leaving one blank line)
before and after.
Levels of Report Headings
Second-Level Sub-heading. Part of the paragraph that follows it. Use bold, title case, ending with a period.
RESEARCHING REPORT DATA
Secondary Data
Books Periodicals Web sites
How current is the information? How credible is the author or source? What is the purpose of the site?
Researching Primary Data
Surveys Interviews Observation Experimentation
Preparing Effective Surveys
Provide clear instructionsProvide clear instructions
Keep it short and easy to answerKeep it short and easy to answer
Use questions that are easily tabulatedUse questions that are easily tabulated
Avoid leading questionsAvoid leading questions
Ask only one thing at a time Ask only one thing at a time
Pretest the questionnairePretest the questionnaire
Next Steps
Analysis (next lecture) Conclusions and
Recommendations (next lecture)