Chapter 10, Writing Reports & Proposals
pie chart
commonly used tool for showing how the parts of a while are distributed.
A ____________ identifies the topic of an illustration, however an _______ calls attention to the conclusion that should be drawn by the data in the illustration.
descriptive title, informative title
infographics
diagram that contain enough visual and textual information to function as independent documents.
organization chart
diagram that illustrates the positions, units, or functions of an organization and their relationships.
data visualization
diverse class of displays that can show enormous sets of data in a single visual or show text and other complex information visually.
bar chart/bar graph
portrays numbers with the height or length of its rectangular bars, making one or more series of numbers easy to read or understand.
report body
presents, analyzes and interprets the information gathered during your investigation and supports the recommendation or conclusions discussed in your document.
General purpose of any ___ is to persuade the audience to do something
proposal
When writing business reports for outsiders, it is best to
use a formal tone
An effective proposal can follow the
AIDA model
Where would you list action items in a report?
In the close
Clip art cluttering a bar chart is an example of
chartjunk
Video
online videos are now an essential business communication medium.
introduction
the first section in the text of any report or proposal
Drawings are better than photographs because:
they let you focus on the most important details.
informative title
title that highlights the conclusion to be drawn from the data
descriptive title
title that simply identifies the topic of an illustration.
When preparing review sections in a report,
use multiple review sections if the report is long and complex
Drafting report content needs to be:
Accurate, Complete, Balanced, Clear & logical, Documented properly
Which of the following does not belong in the body of an informational or analytical report?
An explanation of weaknesses in the report.
Which of the following is not a recommended strategy for strengthening your proposal arguement?
Identify the amount of time you've invested in the proposal.
flow chart
Process diagram that illustrates a sequence of events from start to finish
How are audiences likely to react if they spot several errors in your reports?
They'll become skeptical about the quality of all your work.
table
a systematic arrangement of data in columns and rows.
When writing a proposal, an indication of pricing and financial concerns should be addressed in the
body of the proposal
caption
brief commentary or explanation that accompanies a visual
The solution section in a proposal
explains how your proposal will help readers meet their business objectives.
To avoid ethical problems with visual support in a message
group data carefully
legend
helps readers decode the visual by explaining what various colors, symbols, or other designs choices mean
If you find a photograph online that you want to use in a document
if it is not specifically offered free, assume that someone owns it and is entitled to credit and/or payment
line chart
illustrates trends over time or plots the relationship of two variables.
A special class of diagrams called ________ contains enough visual and textual information to function as standalone documents.
infographics
surface chart/area chart
is a form of line chart that shows a cumulative effect. All the lines add up to the top line.
The work plan section of a formal proposal
is contractually binding if the proposal is accepted.
title
is similar to subheading, providing a short description that identifies the content and purpose of the visual.
Understands the various design elements used in a visual
legend
Effective transitions in business reports
maybe as long as a paragraph
Data and other information presented in the report
must be factually correct.
When developing a document electronically, it should be
sent as a PDF
When writing content to post on the web, keep in mind that careful readers tend to be
skeptical
In order to help your readers make informed decisions
tell them what they need to know
visual literacy
the ability to create effective images and to correctly interpret visual messages.
visual symbolism
the connotative has opposed to the denotative or literal meaning of visuals.