chapter 15

topics covered in a report body

1. Explanations of a problem or an opportunity. 2. facts, statistical evidence and trends. results of studies or investigations. 3. discussions and analyses of potential course of action. 4.advantages, disadvantages, costs and benefits of a particular course of action.

topics commonly covered in proposal introduction.

1. background of statement of the problem. 2. solution. 3. scope. 4. organization

strategies to strengthen argument when drafting proposal content

1. demonstrate your knowledge. 2. provide concrete information & examples. 3. research competition. 4. prove proposal appropriate & feasible for your audience. 5. relate your product, service or personnel to the readers exact needs. 6 . package proposal attractively.

reports close

1. for direct order-summarize key points except in short memos, list in order they appear in body. 2. for indirect order- use close to present conclusions, don't present new facts. 3. for motivating action - spell out what should happen next, provide schedule & task assignments.

to be a valuable wiki contributor, keep this points in mind

1. let go of traditional expectations of authorship, including individual recognition and control. 2. team members need to be encouraged to edit and improve each other's work. 3. using page templates and other formatting options, can help ensure content fits same style as the rest wiki.

proposal body includes these sections

1. proposed solution,- what u have 2 offer 2. work plan, -timing, resources to be used,person responsible, when work begins, stages of work, finish. 3. statement of qualification,- organizations experience. 4. costs,-cover pricing, reimbursable expenses,discount.

an effective introduction accomplishes four tasks

1. puts reports or proposals in context by tying it to a problem or assignment. 2. introduces subject or purpose of report or proposal & indicates its importance. 3. previews main ideas & order they will be covered. 4. establishes tone of document & writer's relationship with the audience.

way to utilize technology to reduce mechanical work in writing long reports include;-

1. templates themes & style sheets, 2. linked in & embedded documents e.g. spread sheets, databases. 3. Electronic forms include; sales reports, compliance reports. consider creating a document that uses form tools such as text boxes,check boxes

drafting online content. 6 additional points to keep in mind.

1.build trust with intended audience, content needs to be accurate, current, complete and authoritative. 2. adapt content to global audience,localize homepage. 3. compelling reader oriented content is key to success.present most important information briefly at first then gradually reveal layers.

proposals close

1.review of argument- briefly summarize key points. 2. review of how readers benefit. 3. review of merits of your approach- why your approach is better than competitors. 4. restatement of qualifications- why your firm should do the work. 5. request, ask for a decision from the reader.

utilizing technology to reduce mechanical work

4. electronic documents. - portable documents format PDF files have replaced printed proposals and reports.adobe acrobat into PDF. PDF is considered safer than word document but recent its noted could be sued to transmit viruses.

points to keep in mind when drafting online content.

4. present information in a concise, skim-amble format so readers won't have to dig for buried information. use lists, color & boldface, informative headings 5.write effective headings and links that serve both site navigation skimming.

to be a wiki contributor

4. use talk page or other commenting feature in you want to discuss the content NOT in the main page. 5. sandbox for new users , a safe non published section of the wikis where team members can practice editing and writing.

technology to reduce mechanical work

5. multimedia documents e.g. video clips animations, presentation software slides, screen casts. 6. proposal- writing software, ensures certain elements aren't forgotten.

topics covered in a report body.

5. procedures or steps in a process. 6. methods and approaches. 7. criteria for evaluating alternative options. 8. conclusions and recommendations. 9. supporting reasons for conclusions or recommendations.

to be a wiki contributor.

6. have guidelines to help new contributors integrate their work into group's ongoing effort. ask for help.

when drafting online content.

6.make website living documents by adding fresh content and deleting content that is out of date and no longer relevant to target audience.

AIDA MODEL

Get Attention, Hold Interest, Arouse Desire, Obtain Action.

report organization

The organization of the report. This "road map" helps readers understand whats coming in the report and why this information is included.

revising reports and proposals

The revision process is same for reports as for other business messages though it may take longer depending on the length of the document. evaluate organizational, style and tone making sure your content is clear, logical and reader oriented.

organizational chart

The visual representation of an organization's structure

readers understand that a proposal is

a persuasive message, so they're willing to accommodate a degree of promotional emphasis in your writing, as long as its professional and focused on their needs.

the body of your report presents

analyzes, and interprets the information you gathered during your investigation and supports your recommendations or conclusions.

Limitations

are factors beyond your control that affect report quality, such as budgets, schedule constraints or limited access to information or people, however don't use this section to apologize or explain away personal shortcomings, such as poor planning on your part.

drawings

are sometimes better than photographs because they let you focus on the most important details.

pie charts

are used frequently in business reports, but in many instances, they r not as helpful to readers as bar charts and other types of visuals would be.

completing reports and proposals

as with shorter messages, when you have finished your first draft, you need to perform four tasks to complete your document. Revise, produce, proofread and distribute.

report contents

authorization

report introduction

authorization, problem/purpose, scope, background, sources and methods, definitions, limitations, report organization.

proposals introductions

background or statement of the problem. solution. scope. report organization.

solution if using direct approach,

briefly describe the change that you propose and highlight your key selling point and their benefits to your audience. with indirect approach, explain that you will be describing an effective solution to reader's challenges.

when communicating with people from other cultures

calls for more formality in reports to respect cultural preferences and to reduce the risk of miscommunication. informal elements such as humor and casual language tend to translate poorly from one culture to another.

formal reports

can contain a variety of prefatory parts, choose elements that will make your report successful

printed tables

can display extensive amounts of data, but tables for online display and electronic presentations need to be simpler.

data visualization tools and inforgraphics

can overcome the limitations of conventional charts and other display types. unlike conventional charts, data visualization tools are more about uncovering broad meaning and finding hidden connections

revision process for long reports

can take considerable time, so be sure to plan ahead. Tight efficient writing is especially important with online content.The number and variety of parts you include in a report, audience requirements, organizational expectations and report length.

if report calls for followup action

clearly identify who is going to do what.the nature of the close of a report depends on the type of report whether informational or analytical & approach, direct or indirect.

line charts

commonly used to show trends over time or the relationship between two variables.

report close

content and length of close depends primarily on your choice of direct or indirect approach. if using the direct approach, end with summary of key points listed in order in which they appear in the report body. introduce new facts in your close if they were not included in the end of the body.

prefatory parts of a formal document

cover. start with concise title that gives reader information they need to grasp, purpose & scope of report. 2. title fly. 3. title page, the title page includes report title , name, job title, address of the person, group or organization that authorized report.

using technological tools to craft reports and proposals.

creating lengthy reports and proposals can be a huge task, so take advantage of technological tools that can help throughout the process such as templates, themes and style sheets.

the specific elements to include in an introduction

depends on nature & length of the report, circumstances under which you are writing it & the relationship with the audience. elements for each report include authorization. problem /opportunity/purpose. scope. background. sources and methods. definitions. limitations. report organization.

inforgraphics

diagrams that contain enough visual and textual information to function as independent documents. photographs r both functional and decorative, in some situations, can show too much detail.

in an informal proposal

discussions of some or all of these elements may be grouped together and presented in a letter format, as shown in the proposal. in a formal proposal, each of these elements is given its own section.

make sure proposals are

error free, inviting and readable. readers will prejudge the quality of your products, services or capabilities by quality of the proposal you submit. errors, omissions and inconsistencies will work against you and might cost you important career and business opportunities.

body of reports

explanations. facts, statistical evidence & trends. analysis of action. pros and cons. procedures. methods and approaches. criteria. conclusions and recommendations. support.

body of proposal

facts and evidence to support your conclusion. proposed approach. work plan. statement of qualifications. costs.

before adding a new page to a wiki

figure out how the material fits with the existing content, writers are encouraged to insert incomplete pages usually called stubs in wiki parlance and rough drafts under personal pages until material is ready to be added in main wiki.

if responding to a request for proposals

follow instructions in the RFP "means request for proposal." in every detail. purpose of proposal is to persuade readers to do something, so writing style is same as that of persuasive messages.use AIDA model to gain attention, build interest, create desire and motivate action.

a flow chart

illustrates sequence of events form start to finish, it is indispensable, when illustrating processes, procedures and sequential relationships.

line chart

illustrates trends over time or plots the relationship of two variables. in line charts that show trends, the vertical y axis shows the amount, horizontal x axis shows time or other quantity. multiple lines can be used to show different quantities.

a work plan or statement of work

in a proposal indicates exactly how you will accomplish the solution presented in the proposal. the close is your last chance to convince the reader of the merits of your proposal, so make doubly sure its clear, compelling and audience-oriented.

informal solicited proposal

in letter format provides the information the customer needs to make a purchase. Note that by signing the proposal and returning it, the customer enters into a legal contract to pay for the services described.

helping readers find their way.

in; headings or links, 2. transitions, 3. previews and reviews. headings/links enable readers to follow structure of document, pick up on key points of your message from headings and subheadings. use hyperlinks with online reports for readers to navigate.

proposal introduction

introduction of a proposal describes the problem you intend to solve or opportunity you want to pursue, along with suggested solution. if solicited, follow RFPs instructions about indicating the specific RFP to which you're responding.if unsolicited , mention factors leading to submit proposal.

a surface chart also called area chart

is a form of line chart that shows cumulative effect.all lines add up to the top line, which represents the total. it helps you illustrate changes in the composition of something overtime. make the most significant at the bottom moving up to the least significant.

visual literacy

is ability to create effective images and to interpret images correctly. pay close attention to consistency, contrast, balance, emphasis, convention and simplicity.

the close

is the final section in the text of your report or proposal, it has 3 important functions. 1. it emphasizes your main points 2. it summarizes the benefits to the reader if the document suggests a change or some other course of action 3. it brings all the action items together in one place.

your close

is the last opportunity to get your message across, so make it clear and compelling. make sure it carries a strong clear message.

a table

its a systematic arrangement of data in columns and rows. to present detailed, specific information. tables are ideal when your audience needs information that would be either difficult or tedious to handle in the main text.

convention

just like written communication is guided by spelling, grammar, punctuation and usage conventions that dictate virtually every aspect of design , in any given culture, certain colors and shapes have specific meanings.

report introduction.

keep introduction as brief as possible while providing enough information to help readers use the report effectively

simplicity

limit number of colors & design elements that clutter documents. chart features can get in the way of effective visual communication. e.g. 3 dimensional bar charts , cones, pyramids can look appealing but the third dimension adds no additional information & can be deceiving.

emphasis

make sure that the visually dominant elements really does represent the most important information.

business proposals need to provide

more than just attractive ideas. readers look for evidence of practical, achievable solutions. make sure your proposal is error free, inviting and readable. readers will prejudge quality of your products and services or capabilities by quality of proposal u submit.

in a report recommending a firm expands its website to full e-commerce capability

one can use the body of the report to provide enough information to support her argument, without burdening her high level readership with a lot of tactical details. the close is supported with reasoning evidence.

wikis provide

opportunity to post new or revised material without prior approval, an approach that is different from web content management in reviewing and approving content are tightly controlled.

Organization

orient reader to proposal and call attention to major divisions of information. in short proposals, discussions of topics is brief, a sentence or two for each. for long, formal proposals, each of these topics may warrant separate subheadings and several paragraphs of discussion.

producing a formal report.

parts included in a report depend on type of report you are writing, audience & organizational requirements . this pertains mainly to printed reports but can be adapted to reports delivered electronically.

producing a formal report

parts included in report depend on the type of report you are writing, audience requirements, organization one is working for, length of report.

previews and reviews

previews section introduce important topics by helping readers get ready for new information. reviews section come after a body of material and summarize the information for your readers helping them absorb details.

maps show routes,territories, locations and

represent statistics by geographic area and show spatial relationships. organizational chart illustrates positions, units or functions and they way the interrelate, can be used to portray hierarchy, including topics,subtopics and supporting points u need to organize for a report.

background of statement of the problem

review the readers situation and establish a need for action. in unsolicited proposals, u may need to convince readers that a problem or opportunity exists b4 you can convince them to consider or eventually accept your solution.

revising reports & proposals

revision is same for reports as well as other business messages.keep revising content until its clear, concise and compelling.minor mistakes can affect credibility. tight efficient writing is important with online content.

creating clear effective tables;-

separate columns or rows with lines or extra space, to make table easy to follow.don't cram in too much information. document the source of data using the same format as text footnote. keep online tables small enough to read comfortably on screen.

report body

should contain only enough information to convey your message in a convincing fashion. use an appendix for less important details.

bar charts

show variety of relationships among two or more variables. bars can be oriented horizontally or vertically in which case referred as column charts. best for comparing quantities over time.used in project management such as timelines.

to make tone less formal

speak to readers in the first person , refer to them as you and refer to yourself as I or we if there are multiple report authors.

scope

state the boundaries of the proposal, what you will and will not do. this section is sometimes called "Delimitations."

proposal close

summarizes key points, emphasizes the benefits that readers will realize from your solution. summarizes the merits of your approach, restates why you and your firm are a good choice, ask for decisions from the reader. keep this section brief and use a confident, optimistic tone.

drafting online content

the basic principle of reports writing apply to online content. composing effective online content requires some unique considerations.

Background

the historical conditions or factors that led up to the report. sources and methods is description of primary and secondary research that provided information for the report. definition is list of terms that might be unfamiliar to your audience along with brief definitions.

composing reports and proposals

the three main sections include:- opening, body and close. introduction needs to put the report in context for the reader, introduce the subject, preview main ideas and establish the tone of the document.

contrast

to emphasize difference, depicts items in contrasting colors, such as red, blue, black,white . to emphasize similarities, make colors differences subtle.

the right visual for the job

to present a large set of numeric values or detailed textual information, a table for example, is the obvious choice in most cases. audience is likely to expect line charts & bar charts to show trends. N/B; chart & graphs r used interchangeably for most display formats.

to create clear effective tables;-

use common, understandable units , clearly identify them as $, %,price,ton. express all items in a column in the same unit, round off for simplicity. label column headings clearly, use sub heads if necessary.

to make your tone more more formal

use impersonal journalism style; be objective, avoid personal opinions , build arguments on provable facts. eliminate all personal pronouns like I, YOU,WE,US,OUR. avoid humor, smiles, metaphors, colorful adjectives or adverbs, avoid monotonous writing. create rhythm by varying sentences.

if your report is intended to prompt others to action

use the close to spell out exactly what would happen next. if you'll be taking all the action yourself, make sure your readers understand this fact so that they know what to expect from you.

for analytical reports

using direct approach, state your conclusions or recommendations in the introduction. use body of your report to provide your evidence and support. if using your indirect approach, use body to discuss your logic and reserve your conclusions or recommendations until the very end.

collaboration of wikis

using wikis is a great way for teams and other groups to collaborate on writing projects from brief articles to long reports and reference works. unlike websites, wikis don't require contributors to have technical expertise to create or edit content.

improve report readability by

varying sentence length, keep paragraphs short, use lists, bullets. add headings and subheadings. keep revising content until its clear, concise and compelling, remember minor mistakes can affect your credibility. tight efficient writing easy to skim is good for impatient online audience.

balance

visual balance can either be formal in which elements are arranged symmetrically around a center point or axis, or informal in which elements are not distributed evenly, but stronger and weaker elements are arranged in a way that achieves overall effect balance.

consistency

visual parallelism, similar to textual parallelism that helps audiences understand and compare a series of ideas. you can achieve visual parallelism through the consistent use of color, shape,size,texture, position, scale or typeface.

authorization

when, how and by whom the report was authorized, who wrote it and when it was submitted. problem/opportunity and purpose is reason report was written and what to accomplish after having written it. scope is what is or isn't covered in report.

strike a balance between overly formal

which can be perceived as trivializing important issues. overly formal can put too much distance between reader and writer, if you know readers well, use an informal tone.

drafting proposal content

with proposals, content for each section is governed by many variables, the most important of which is the motivation behind the proposal.if unsolicited, you have some latitude in the scope and organization of content.

transitions

words or phrases that tie together ideas and show how one thought is related to another. in addition , a long report, an entire paragraph might be used to highlight transitions from one major section to the next.

as a website owner offering audience oriented content

written with a you attitude is essential. too many website owners fall into trap of focusing on themselves, their company, products. make it about the reader.

writing reports and proposals

you attitude is especially important with long or complex reports because they demand a lot from readers. formality can be adjusted through word choices and writing style.

Drafting report content

your credibility, career advancement are on the line. content has to be; 1. accurate. if not, its viewed with skepticism. 2. complete. 3. balanced. present all sides of a issue fairly . 4. clear and logical. easy to follow writing. 5. documented properly. document all sources.