LEHMAN DUFRENE BCOM 7 11 Organizing and Preparing

LEHMAN/ DUFRENE BCOM 7 11 Organizing and Preparing Reports and Proposals Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

LEARNING OUTCOMES 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 memorandum, email, and letter formats 5 Prepare effective proposals for a variety of purposes Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. BCOM 7|CH 11 2

Formal Report • Type of report to be prepared depends on: • Subject matter • Purpose of the report • Readers’ needs • Sections • Preliminary parts • Report text • Addenda Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. BCOM 7|CH 11 3

Preliminary Parts of a Report • Included to add formality to a report • Emphasize report content • Aid the reader in locating information quickly and understanding the report easily • Title page • Includes title, author, date, and the name of the person or organization who requested the report Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. BCOM 7|CH 11 4

Preliminary Parts of a Report • Table of contents • Provides the reader with an analytical overview of the report and the order in which information is presented • Table of figures • Assists the reader in locating a specific graphic in a report with many graphics • Executive summary: Summarizes the essential elements of a report Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. BCOM 7|CH 11 5

Report Text • Introduction • Orients the reader to the problem • Body • Called the heart of the report • Presents the information collected and relates it to the problem • Analysis • Analytical report: Designed to solve a specific problem or answer research questions Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. BCOM 7|CH 11 6

Report Addenda • Includes all materials used in research that are not appropriate to be included in the report itself • References - Alphabetical listing of the sources used in preparing the report • Appendix - Contains supplementary information that supports the report • Index - Alphabetical guide to the subject matter in a report Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. BCOM 7|CH 11 7

Guidelines for Organizing Information • Outlining and sequencing • Serves as a framework to build the report • Development of the outline involves: • Identification of the major and minor points to be covered by the writer • Organization of the identified points into a logical sequence • Justification report: A report that outlines comparative information clearly to the reader • Used for comparing items of purchase Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. BCOM 7|CH 11 8

Guidelines for Organizing Information • Using headings effectively • Should have at least two subdivisions because second-level headings are subdivisions of first-level headings • All headings of the same level must be treated consistently Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. BCOM 7|CH 11 9

Figure 11. 3 The Basic Outline Expands into a Contents Page Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. BCOM 7|CH 11 10

Choosing a Writing Style for Formal Reports • Suggestions for writing a formal report • • Avoid first-person pronouns as a rule Use active voice Use tense consistently Avoid placing two headings consecutively without any intervening text • Use transition sentences to link sections of a report • Use a variety of coherence techniques • Use tabulations and enumerations Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. BCOM 7|CH 11 11

Choosing a Writing Style for Formal Reports • Define terms carefully • Check for variety • Suggestions for enhancing credibility • • Avoid emotional terms Identify assumptions Label opinions Use documentation Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. BCOM 7|CH 11 12

Short Reports • Include only minimum supporting material to achieve effective communication • Incorporate any of the following features • Personal writing style using first or second person • Contractions when they contribute to a natural style • Headings and subheadings to divide the body and to reflect organization • Memorandum, email, and letter formats when appropriate Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. BCOM 7|CH 11 13

Short Reports • Memorandum and email reports are directed to an organizational insider • Letter report is directed to a reader outside the organization • Form reports: Meet the demand for several repetitive reports • College registration forms, applications for credit, airline tickets, and bank checks Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. BCOM 7|CH 11 14

Form Reports • Benefits • Increase clerical accuracy by providing designated places for specific items • Save time by: • Telling the preparer where to put each item • Preprinting common elements to eliminate the need for narrative writing • Simplify the process of tabulation of data • Assist in analytical work • Most reports are computer generated Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. BCOM 7|CH 11 15

Proposals Internal • Used by managers to justify or recommend purchases or changes in the company External • Written to generate business Solicited • Generated when a potential buyer submits exact specifications in a bid request Unsolicited • Prepared by an individual or firm who sees a problem to be solved and proposes a solution Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. BCOM 7|CH 11 16

Proposal Structure • Includes: • Details about the manner in which the problem will be solved • Price to be charged or costs to be incurred • A lengthy report designed to “sell” the prospective buyer on the ability of the bidder to perform • Format depends on the length and the intended audience Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. BCOM 7|CH 11 17

General Parts of a Proposal Heading Problem or purpose Scope Methods Materials and equipment Qualifications Follow-up and/or evaluation Budget Summary Addenda Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. BCOM 7|CH 11 18

Proposal Preparation • Writers find a successful pattern and adopt it as their basic plan • Tested for its effectiveness in achieving its purpose • Involves: • Assembling parts in a manner that would coerce readers’ acceptance Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. BCOM 7|CH 11 19

KEY TERMS • • • Preliminary parts Executive summary Analytical report Addenda Justification report Short reports Form reports Internal proposals External proposals Solicited proposals Unsolicited proposal Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. BCOM 7|CH 11 20

SUMMARY • • • Basic sections of a formal report include preliminary parts, report text, and addenda Maintain consistent outline, sequencing, and use heading effectively to organize report findings Design research effectively after collecting, asdafwfrw interpreting, and presenting data in an objective, unbiased manner Short reports include only the minimum material required to achieve effective communication A proposal must include details about the manner in which a problem will be handled and the prices to be charged Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. BCOM 7|CH 11 21