Chapter 20 Preparing Reports

Preparing Reports
· When you plan a report you need to ask yourself questions to determine the purposes, determine the formality , identify the audiences, decide how the report should be organized, and select the genre.

Determine the Purpose
Reports fall into one of three categories.
· To report information
· To analyze information
· To persuade readers
Writing a purpose statement gives a clear focus for a report and provides you with a way to control content and organization. A purpose statement should be placed at the beginning of the report and should state the problem, identify questions and activities related to the problem, and explain the ways the report responds to the problem.

Assess the Formality
Reports can be informal or formal or anywhere in between. Informal reports are fine when the writer has regular contact with the readers because they probably already know the background. Informal reports can be written as memos, letters, or short reports. Formal reports are used when the writer isn’t in regular contact. The background needs to be included and more documentation is required. Front and end matter are included in formal reports such as a table of contents and references. Determining whether or not to write a formal or informal report is based on the relationship the writer has with the reader and what they need to know.

Identify Audiences
Knowing the audience helps clarify purpose and organization. There are two different kinds of readers.
· Primary Readers: those who will use the recommendations for decision making and those who will be interested in the technical details.
· Secondary Readers: those indirectly affected by the conclusions and recommendations of a document

Organize the Information
1. Overview: This section states the purpose and/or problem.
2. Background: This section presents information dealing with methods of investigation as well as materials and equipment used. (optional)
3. Recommendation: This section identifies conclusions and/or recommendations.
4. Evidence: This section presents the results.
5. Discussion: This section explains or justifies the conclusion or recommendations.

Select a Genre
Information can be presented in prepared forms, memos, letters, or formal reports.
· Prepared and memos can be a routine task. Memos, letters, formal repots can be a non-routine task.
· Prepared forms, memos, and formal reports can be for internal audiences. Prepared forms, letters, and formal reports can be for external audiences.
· Prepared forms, memos, and letters can be written with an informal tone and format. Letters and formal reports can be written with a formal tone and format.
Types of Reports
· Research Reports and Articles should be accessible, open to analysis by peers and available to the public. It should be transparent, clear in structure, process, and outcomes. It should also be transferable, useful beyond the specific research project.

· Task Reports
o A recommendation report or justification report presents or defends specific suggestions or solutions for a particular situation
o An inspection report or examination report focuses on recording observable details, sometimes followed with recommendations.
o An information or investigation report is the result of an investigation that collects and evaluates information about some existing situation, but a recommendation isn’t always required.

· Periodic Activity Reports are usually used when the work is routine.
1. Overview: Identify projects
2. Activities: Specify project activities that are completed, in process, and planned.
3. Recommendations: Establish needed changes in scheduling, personnel, and budget.

· Progress Reports answer some questions like:
o How is the project going?
o Where are we now?
o Are we on schedule to meet our completion date?
1. Overview: Introduce the project.
2. Progress: Summarize the project to date.
3. Recommendation: Identify major recommended schedule changes.
4. Evidence: Provide reasons for changes.
5. Discussion: Discuss the impact of the proposed changes.

· Meeting Minutes provide a record of the discussion and decisions that occur at meetings, serving as official records.

· Trip and Conference Reports: The information is usually incorporated into a logically organized clearly stated report.

· Trip/ Conference
o Purpose
o Primary task
o Personal role
o People contacted/ Sessions attended
o Questions raised/ Information gainedConclusions