Business Communication, Anniversary Edition Lehman and DuFrene 2002 South-Western/Thomson Learning

Chapter 11

Chapter 11 Chapter 11

Organizing and Preparing Reports and Organizing and Preparing Reports and ProposalsProposals

Business Communication, Anniversary Edition Lehman and DuFrene 2002 South-Western/Thomson Learning

Parts of a Formal ReportParts of a Formal ReportChapter 11

I n d e xI n c l u d e s a n a l p h a b e t i c a l g u i d e t o t h e s u b j e c t s i n t h e r e p o r t .

A p p e n d i x e sC o n t a i n s s u p p l e m e n t a r y i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t s u p p o r t s t h e r e p o r t b u t p l a c i n g t h i si n f o r m a t i o n i n t h e r e p o r t w o u l d m a k e t h e r e p o r t b u l k y a n d u n m a n a g e a b l e .

R e f e r e n c e sI n c l u d e s a n a l p h a b e t i c a l l i s t o f s o u r c e s u s e d i n p r e p a r i n g t h e r e p o r t .

S u m m a r y P a r t s R e v i e w s m a i n p o i n t s p r e s e n t e d i n t h e b o d y a n d m a y i n c l u d e c o n c l u s i o n s a n d r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s .

B o d yP r e s e n t s t h e i n f o r m a t i o n c o l l e c t e d .

I n t r o d u c t i o nO r i e n t s t h e r e a d e r t o t h e t o p i c a n d p r e v i e w s t h e m a j o r d i v i s i o n s .

E x e c u t i v e S u m m a r y S u m m a r i z e s e s s e n t i a l e l e m e n t s i n t h e r e p o r t .

F i g u r e sI n c l u d e s n u m b e r , t i t l e , a n d p a g e n u m b e r o f t a b l e s a n d g r a p h i c s .

C o n t e n t sP r o v i d e s a n o v e r v i e w o f t h e r e p o r t a n d o r d e r i n w h i c h i n f o r m a t i o n w i l l b e p r e s e n t e d ,c o n t a i n s h e a d i n g s a n d p a g e n u m b e r s .

T r a n s m i t t a lP r e s e n t s t h e r e p o r t t o t h e r e a d e r a n d s u m m a r i z e s t h e c o n c l u s i o n s o r m a j o r p o i n t s .

A u t h o r i z a t i o nP r o v i d e s w r i t t e n a u t h o r i z a t i o n t o c o m p l e t e t h e r e p o r t .

T i t l e P a g e I n c l u d e s t i t l e , a u t h o r , w r i t e r , a n d d a t e ; a d d s f o r m a l i t y .

H a l f - T i t l e P a g e ( T i t l e F l y ) C o n t a i n s t i t l e o f t h e r e p o r t ; a d d s f o r m a l i t y .

Business Communication, Anniversary Edition Lehman and DuFrene 2002 South-Western/Thomson Learning

Basic Outline Grows into Basic Outline Grows into a Contents Pagea Contents Page

Chapter 11

P r o b l e m

M e t h o d

F i n d i n g s

C o n c l u s i o n

C O N T E N T S

I n t r o d u c t i o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

P r o b l e m 1M e t h o d . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

D e l l I s L e a s t E x p e n s i v e 3

S e r v i c e / W a r r a n t i e s F a v o r G a t e w a y . . 4

E x p a n d a b i l i t y I s B e s t o n G a t e w a y . . 7

A v a i l a b i l i t y o f S o f t w a r e I s E q u a l . . . 1 0

G a t e w a y I s t h e B e s t B u y . . . . . . . 1 2

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Business Communication, Anniversary Edition Lehman and DuFrene 2002 South-Western/Thomson Learning

Suggestions for Creating a Suggestions for Creating a Conducive Writing EnvironmentConducive Writing Environment

• Plan early—allow plenty of time to finish

• Work at a steady pace in a non-distracting writing environment

• Start with an easy section; skip difficult sections and write them later

• Write rapidly and allow time to edit and rewrite your first draft

Chapter 11

Business Communication, Anniversary Edition Lehman and DuFrene 2002 South-Western/Thomson Learning

• Use a personal writing style (first- or Use a personal writing style (first- or second- person) and contractions second- person) and contractions that contribute to a natural stylethat contribute to a natural style

• Use graphics to reinforce textUse graphics to reinforce text

• Use headings to partition text and Use headings to partition text and reflect organizationreflect organization

• Use letter format for external reports Use letter format for external reports and memorandum format for and memorandum format for internal reportsinternal reports

Writing Techniques for Short Reports

Chapter 11

Business Communication, Anniversary Edition Lehman and DuFrene 2002 South-Western/Thomson Learning

• Use a personal writing style (first- or Use a personal writing style (first- or second- person) and contractions second- person) and contractions that contribute to a natural stylethat contribute to a natural style

• Use graphics to reinforce textUse graphics to reinforce text

• Use headings to partition text and Use headings to partition text and reflect organizationreflect organization

• Use letter format for external reports Use letter format for external reports and memorandum format for and memorandum format for internal reportsinternal reports

Writing Techniques for Short Reports

Chapter 11