CANKAYA UNIVERSITY FOREIGN LANGUAGES UNIT

CHAPTER IIRECOMMENDATION REPORT

OUTLINE

1.Report Basics2.Types of reports3.Recommendation report

REPORT BASICS

Functions of ReportsBasic Categories of Reports on the Basis of Their Functions

Informative reports

offer data, facts, feedback, and other types of information, without analysis or recommendation.

Business Plans, Lab Reports, Manuals, Brochures

Analytical reports offer both information and analysis, and they can also include recommendations.

Market Analysis Reports,Recommendation Reports

Proposals offer structured persuasion for internal or external audiences.

Grant Proposals, Investment Proposals, Sales Proposals, General Project Proposals

REPORT BASICS

TASK : Match these report types with their functions. Write “A” for analytical and “I” for informative reports . (p. 25)

• Report type Function of the report• Practicum Reports _________________• Feasibility Reports _________________• Summaries _________________• Minutes of meetings _________________• Troubleshooting Reports _________________• Progress Reports _________________

Functions of Reports

IA

IIA

I

REPORT BASICS

Formality of Reports

REPORT BASICS

Formality of Reports

The type of report you write depends highly on the purpose, audience, and scope of the information.

• If you are writing a report for your manager, you may provide the information about the latest antivirus program for your company benefits via an informal, analytical, and at the same time, internal report.

• if you are trying to sell your new antivirus program to companies, you write a formal, informative, and external report.

REPORT BASICS

Informal Reports

• Informal reports tend to

be short (usually eight or fewer pages), use memo or letter format, be personal in tone.

• Much of the writing done in industry and technical fields fall into the informal report category.

REPORT BASICS

Informal Reports

• Although the objectives and preparatory steps that apply to formal and informal reports are similar, the components of informal reports are less extensive, the structure is more flexible.

• Sometimes, as in the case of accident, trip, or expense reports, these documents are prepared on a standard, preprinted form.

REPORT BASICS

Informal Reports

• Informal reports have 5 basic elements, arranged in a fairly standard form.

1. Introduction2. Summary3. Background4. Conclusions & Recommendations5. Discussion

REPORT BASICS

CANKAYA UNIVERSITY - OFFICE OF BASIC AND ELECTIVE COURSES- ENGLISH UNIT

Formal Reports

• Formal reports are different from informal reports in length, organization, serious tone.

• They represent the product of thorough investigation and analysis.

• They provide management with vital data for decision making.

REPORT BASICS

Formal Reports

•Formal reports are usually lengthy (10 or more pages) and often adhere to a precise format and well-defined structure.

•The tone of a formal report is objective; there is no evidence of the “you” attitude here.

REPORT BASICS

Formal Reports

The Basic Elements of a Formal ReportCoverTitle PageLetter of TransmittalTable of ContentsList of FiguresGlossaryExecutive Summary or AbstractIntroduction Body ConclusionsRecommendations ReferencesAppendices

formal reports have more elements than

informal reports because they are more

detailed and longer documents.

formal reports have more elements than

informal reports because they are more

detailed and longer documents.

In formal reports, you have more personal or practical reasons to persuade the readers, such as selling your product, signing a

contract, raising a fund for your project, or starting a business.

In formal reports, you have more personal or practical reasons to persuade the readers, such as selling your product, signing a

contract, raising a fund for your project, or starting a business.

REPORT TYPES

Common report types

• Information reports• Progress reports• Recommendation reports• Feasibility reports• Trip reports• Instructions• Emprical research reports

TYPES OF REPORTS

1. Information Reports

• Reports that collect and organize information

• They may record routine activities such as daily, weekly, and monthly reports of sales or profits.

• They may investigate options, performance, or equipment.

• Although they provide information, they do not analyze that information.

TYPES OF REPORTS

2. Trip Reports

• One distinct type of information report is the trip report.

• In these reports, business travelers describe an event they attended or a company they visited, summarize main points, and itemize their expenses.

• Trip reports inform management about new procedures, equipment, trends, and laws or regulations.

• They may supply information affecting products, operations, and service.

TYPES OF REPORTS

2. Trip Reports

• A good trip report includes ;

an introduction, information about the specific concerns of the readers, information on topics of general interest to the company.

TYPES OF REPORTS

3. Progress Reports

• Progress reports monitor non-routine activities.

• Continuing projects often require progress reports to describe their status.

• Such reports usually answer three questions:

Is the project on schedule? (How are you doing?)Are corrective measures needed? (What have you done?)What activities are next? (What are you going to do next?)

TYPES OF REPORTS

3. Progress Reports

• Elements included in a progress report are: Introduction Project description: Briefly describe the work being done,

stating the purpose and scope. Work Completed: Tell what you have accomplished to date. Work Planned for Future Periods: Tell what you expect to

accomplish in the future: your goals, expected outcomes, and schedule.

Appraisal of Progress: Evaluate your progress. Indicate where you are ahead of schedule and where you are behind. If there are good reasons as to why the work is not going according to plan, state them clearly.

•See sample progress report on page 28.

TYPES OF REPORTS

4. Feasibility Reports

•A feasibility report would examine the advisability of following a course of action.

•They answer this question: Will this plan or proposal work?

•A company needs it when it must decide whether to proceed with a plan of action:

Should a company invest thousands of dollars to expand its web site?

•See sample feasibility report on page 30.

TYPES OF REPORTS

5. Empirical Research Reports

•Investigators gather information through carefully planned, systematic observations or measurements.

•Empirical research has two distinct purposes:

Most aims to help people make practical decisions:When engineers test engine parts made of various alloys

Some aims to extend human knowledge : When scientists send a satellite to investigate the atmosphere of a distant planet

TYPES OF REPORTS5. Empirical Research Reports

SUPERSTRUCTURE FOR EMPIRICAL RESEARCH REPORTSIntroductionWhy is your research important to us?Objectives of the researchWhat were you trying to find out?Methods Was your research method sound?Results What results did your research produce?Discussion How do you interpret those results?ConclusionsWhat is the significance of those results?Recommendations What do you think we should do?

TYPES OF REPORTS

6. Instructions (Manuals)

• Whether you are developing a new procedure, training a new coworker, or preparing to leave for vacation, you may need to provide written directions to someone else.

• To determine what to include, you need to consider your reader’s aims and needs.

TYPES OF REPORTS

7. Recommendation Reports

• Similar to information reports: present information

• Different from information reports: offer analysis in addition to data

• Attempt to solve problems by evaluating options and offering recommendations

• Often solicited

TYPES OF REPORTS

7. Recommendation Reports Reports that recommend something:

buying equipment, changing a procedure, hiring an employee or investing funds.

2 patterns to organize recommendation reports: Direct: For non-sensitive topics, you can identify the problem

and the need briefly in the introduction. Indirect: For sensitive topics, you don’t reveal your

recommendation in the introduction.

TYPES OF REPORTS

7. Recommendation Reports

•See sample recommendation reports on pages 33-35.

•See recommendation report quiz on page 38.

•See report types activity on page 39.

•See term project topics on page 13-15.

NEXT WEEK

• What other topics can you write about? Choosing the Best Career Opportunity : Comparisons Between State

and Private Sector Jobs Choosing the Best Erasmus Country: Comparisons Between Spain and

Germany Choosing the Best Trip for the University: Comparisons between

Antalya and Istanbul Choosing the Best Country to Learn English: Comparisons between

England and the US Choosing the Best Country for MA: Comparisons between Finland and

France Choosing the Best Smartphone for the Company: Comparisons

between Iphone 6 and Samsung S5

Choose Your Topic