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.