INFORMAL REPORTS

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INFORMAL REPORTS

• Will not have wide distribution

• Will not be published

• Shorter than 10 pages long

• Purpose:

- informative (to clarify or explain)

- persuasive (to convince)

- informative & persuasive2

GUIDELINES

1. Plan Well Before You Write Record specific information about: - the document’s purpose

- the variety of readers who will receive the document- the needs and expectations of readers- an outline of main points to be covered in the body

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GUIDELINES

2. Make text visually appealing

- bulleted points for short lists.

- numbered points for long lists.

- frequent use of headings and subheadings to help locate information quickly.

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GUIDELINES

3. Use the Right Format of Organization

- Introduction – start with a capsule version of the information most needed by decision-makers.

- Body – give details

- Conclusion – reserve the end of the report for a description or list of findings, conclusion or recommendation.

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GUIDELINES

4. Introduction section

- Purpose for the report – why are you writing it?

- Scope statement – what range of information does the report contain?

- Summary of essentials – what main information does the reader most want or need to know.

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GUIDELINES

5. Put Important Details in the Body

- Use headings generously

- Precede subheadings with a lead-in passage:

“This section covers 3 phases of the field study: clearing the site, collecting samples and classifying samples.”

- Move from general to specific in paragraphs.

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GUIDELINES

6. Separate Fact from Opinion in Report Discussion

- Findings: facts you uncover

- Conclusions: ideas and beliefs you develop based on your findings.

- Recommendations: suggestions or action items based on your conclusion. Recommendations are almost exclusively made up of opinions.

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GUIDELINES

7. Focus Attention on Conclusion

- Provide heading

Option 1: If your major conclusions or recommendations have already been stated in the discussion, only restate them briefly to reinforce their importance.

Option 2: If the discussion leads up to, but has not covered, these conclusions or recommendation, give more detail in this final section. 9

TYPES OF REPORTS

• PROGRESS REPORT

- a report that provides the reader with details about work on a specific project.

• PERIODIC REPORT

- a report that summarizes the work on diverse tasks over a specific time period.

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PROGRESS/PERIODIC REPORT

• Introduction:

- purpose of report, time period the project cover and objectives of project.

• Discussion of progress:

- work accomplished since beginning of project or since the last progress report.

- work planned for the next reporting period or for the remainder of the project.

- problems encountered.

• Conclusion:

- changes recommended, if any, overall status of project.

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TYPES OF REPORTS

• IMRD REPORT

- standard way to present information that is the result of some kind of research.

- present lab research, questionnaire results

or result of actions to find out about a topic.

- discuss what was discovered.

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IMRD REPORT

• Introduction:

- purpose of report, goal of the research (question investigated), point of the report.

• Methodology:

- process description of actions taken to achieve the goal, why the actions were performed, why perform those actions, establish credibility,

• Results:

- results of each action or sequence, what was discovered,

• Discussion:

- has the goal been achieved, explain significance of findings, interpret by relating it to some other important concept, or suggest it’s causes or effects, implications of the results

• Conclusion:

- brief restatement of major findings, or recommendations.

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PROBLEM ANALYSIS REPORT

• Introduction:

- purpose of report, summary of problem.

• Body:

- background of problem, thorough description of problem, data to support claim.

• Conclusion:

- brief restatement of problem, degree of urgency to solve problem, suggested next step. 14

RECOMMENDATION REPORT

• Introduction:

- purpose of report, background information, criteria used for recommendation, options, summary of recommendation.

• Body:

- details of recommendation by comparing all options based on criteria, data that supports recommendation, benefits

• Conclusion:

- brief restatement of major findings, main benefits, offer to help with next step.

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EQUIPMENT EVALUATION REPORT

• Introduction:

- purpose of report, summary of what report says about the equipment.

• Body:

- thorough description of equipment, well-organized critique (either analyzing parts of one piece of equipment or contrasting several parts of similar equipment according to selected criteria)

• Conclusion:

- brief restatement of major findings, conclusions or recommendations.

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- THE END -

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