Ch12 - Slides

Unit 4
Reports, Proposals, and Presentations
1
Chapter 12
Informal Business Reports
Instructor PowerPoint Library, 9e
Guffey/Loewy, Business Communication: Process and Product, 9 th Edition. © 2018 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be
2
scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Learning Outcome 1
Analyze, sort, and interpret statistical data and other information using
tables, measures of central tendency (mean, median, and mode) and
decision matrices.
Guffey/Loewy, Business Communication: Process and Product, 9 th Edition. © 2018 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not 3
be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Interpreting Digital-Age Data
1. Collecting information is nearly
effortless today.
2. Making sense of massive amounts
of data is a lot harder.
3. Unprocessed data become
meaningful through skillful sorting,
analysis, combination, and
recombination.
Tabulating and Analyzing Data
Mean, Median, Mode (1 of 2)
The Athletic Department is collecting data

on shoe sizes for male and female
players. Here are the shoe sizes for 20
people:
Mean, Median, Mode (2 of 2)
Answers:
Coincidence or Correlation?
1. When researchers tabulate and

analyze data, relationships
among two or more variables
may emerge that help explain
the findings.
2. Proceed with caution: Are the
variables truly related? Does a
causal relationship exist?
Apparent correlations can
stimulate investigation and
present possible solutions.
Learning Outcome 2
Draw meaningful conclusions and make practical report
recommendations after sound and valid analysis.
Drawing Report Conclusions (1 of 3)
1 Interpret and summarize the findings.

Tell what your findings (collected data) mean.
2 Relate the conclusions to the report problem.

Focus only on conclusions that help solve the original problem.
3 Limit the conclusions to the data presented.

Do not introduce new material.
4 Be objective.
Avoid exaggerating or manipulating the data to prove a point.
5 Use consistent criteria.

In evaluating options, use the same criteria for each alternative.
6 Enumerate each conclusion.

Number and list each item. Present each conclusion in parallel form.
Making Report Recommendations (1 of 2)
01 Suggest actions.
What specific procedures can help solve the report problem?
02 Focus on recommendations that are practical and agreeable.

Suggest feasible actions that would be acceptable to this audience.
Making Report Recommendations (2 of 2)
03 Present recommendations separately.

Enumerate each in a statement beginning with a verb. For
example: Invest half of the income in growth funds.
04 Describe how to implement the recommendations, if requested.

Some writers present detailed plans for executing the
recommendations.
Report Conclusions and Recommendations
Conclusion
The raw materials used in smartphones often come from war-torn countries
and are extracted under dangerous conditions, often by children.
Recommendation
Create a fair-trade smartphone that is not manufactured from polluting “conflict
metals” mined by children.
Learning Outcome 3
Organize report data logically, and provide reader cues to aid
comprehension.
Organizing Report Information (1 of 2)
Time Component
Arrange data by Arrange data by classification such as
chronology, e.g. 2017, location, geography, division, product,
2018, 2019. or part.
Importance
Order data from most important to least
important or vice versa.
Organizing Report Information (2 of 2)
Criteria
Arrange data by evaluative categories.
In a report comparing the iPad and other
tablets, organize by price, warranty, size,
screen resolution, and more.
Convention
Organize data according to prescribed
categories.
Proposals, for example, are organized by
staff, budget, schedule, and so forth.
Providing Reader Cues (1 of 3)
Introduction Transitions
Discusses the purpose of the report however
and the significance of the topic. on the contrary
Previews main points and order of therefore
development.
moreover
Headings
01 Write short but clear headings.
02
03 Include at least one heading per report page.
Headings
04 Create headings that are parallel. For example:

Creating Team Motivation
Treating Employees Like Customers (NOT Employees
Should Be Treated Like Customers)
05 Integrate headings gracefully.

Do not repeat the heading in the following
sentence. Avoid:
Customer Surveys
These are…
Levels of Report Headings
Report, Chapter, And Part Titles
The title of a report, chapter heading, or major part should be centered in all caps.
First-Level Subheading
Headings indicating the first level of division are centered and bolded. Whether a report
is single-spaced or double-spaced, most writers triple-space (leaving two blank lines)
before and double-space (leaving one blank line) after a first-level heading.
Second-Level Subheading
Headings that divide topics introduced by first-level subheadings are bolded and begin
at the left margin. For that reason, a second-level subheading is also called a side
heading.
Third-level subheading. Because it is part of the paragraph that follows, a third-level
subheading is also called a paragraph subheading. It should appear in boldface print.
Types of Headings (1 of 2)
Functional Headings Talking Headings
Executive Summary The Best Business Laptop Money Can Buy
Introduction Tablet Computers Displace Notebooks
Findings Texting: The New Smoking Gun
Discussion What’s New in Social Media?
Types of Headings (2 of 2)
Combination Headings
Background: How Apple Won
Personnel: The Savvy Workforce
Production Costs: The Investment Is Paying Off
Learning Outcome 4
Write short informational reports that describe routine tasks.
Summaries (1 of 3)
• compress the main points from a

book, report, article, website,
meeting or trip
• present an accurate condensed
version of a report at only 5-15
percent of its length
• save time
Summaries (2 of 3)
In writing a summary, follow these general guidelines:
Present the purpose of the document being summarized. Why was it written?
Highlight the research methods (if appropriate), findings, conclusions, and
recommendations.
Omit illustrations, examples, and references.
Summaries (3 of 3)
In writing a summary, follow these general guidelines:
Organize for readability by including headings and bulleted or numbered lists.
Include your reactions or an overall evaluation of the document if asked to do
so.
Informational Report Content (1 of 4)
Introduction
• Identify the report and its purpose.
• Present a brief overview of the report’s organization, especially for longer
reports.
• Provide brief background information when readers are unfamiliar with the
topic.
Report Body
• Group facts or findings into three to five
roughly equal, discrete segments.
• Organize by time, component, importance,
criteria, convention, or some other method.
• Supply functional or talking heads (at least
one per page) to describe each section.
Report Body
• Use an informal, conversational writing
style unless the audience expects a formal
tone.
• Use bullets, numbered and lettered lists,
headings, underlined items, and white
space to enhance readability.
Summary/Conclusion
• When necessary, briefly review the main points and discuss what action will
follow.
• If relevant, express appreciation to describe your willingness to provide
further information.
Typical Informational Reports (1 of 2)
Periodic (activity) reports Trip, convention, conference reports
Describe production, sales, Describe an event, summarize

shipping, service, and three to five main points of
other recurring activities. interest, itemize expenses,
and analyze the event’s value.
Typical Informational Reports (2 of 2)
Progress and interim reports Investigative reports
Explain continuing progress Examine problems and supply

including work completed, work in facts without interpretations or
progress, future activities, and recommendations
completion date.
Learning Outcome 5
Prepare short analytical reports that solve business problems.
Analytical Reports
Analytical reports collect and present

data but also do the following:
Evaluate the data
Try to persuade the reader to accept

the conclusions and act on the
recommendations
Emphasize reasoning and

conclusions
Analytical Report Content (1 of 4)
Introduction
• Explain why the report was written. For
research studies, include the significance,
scope, limitations, and methodology of the
investigation.
• Preview the report’s organization.
• Summarize the conclusions and
recommendations for receptive audiences.
Report Body
• Discuss the pros and cons of each alternative.
For receptive audiences, consider placing the
recommended alternative last.
• Establish criteria to evaluate alternatives. In
“yardstick” studies, create criteria to use in
measuring each alternative consistently.
Report Body
• Support the findings with evidence: facts,
statistics, expert opinions, survey data, and
other proof.
• Use headings, enumeration, lists, tables, and
graphics to focus emphasis.
Conclusions/ Recommendations
• Develop reasonable conclusions that answer
the research question. Justify the conclusions
with highlights from the findings.
• Make recommendations, if asked. Use action
verbs. Explain recommendations that need
explaining.
Typical Short Analytical Reports (1 of 2)
Justification/ recommendation reports

Make recommendations to management;
provide data to solve problems and make
decisions
Feasibility reports
Analyze problems and predict
whether alternatives will be
practical or advisable
Typical Short Analytical Reports (2 of 2)
Yardstick reports
Establish criteria and evaluate

alternatives by measuring
against the “yardstick” criteria.
Student Progress Report (1 of 3)
DATE: January 2, 2018
TO: Cheryl Bryant, Director OAS Recycling Program
FROM: Alan Christopher OAS Business Senator
SUBJECT: Progress of Recycling Study at South Bay College
This report describes the progress of my project with OAS to study the Sun
Coast University recycling program and to recommend ways to increase
participation.
Background
Although results from the campus recycling program are satisfactory, OAS
feels the participation could increase. As a result, OAS asked me to lead a
campaign to learn more about campus attitudes toward recycling
Ms. Cheryl Bryant Page 2 January 2, 2018
and to suggest ways to improve the program. I agreed to collect secondary data by
reading periodicals about recycling efforts in other parts of the country. More
importantly, I agreed to collect primary data by conducting a campus survey.
Work Completed
To date, I have completed the secondary research, which included using the library
and databases to find current articles about recycling programs in other areas.
Several references had particularly relevant data that will be useful for this report.
To collect data from the campus population, my business communication class and
I developed a pilot questionnaire. We tried it out on 28 people and then revised it.
Then we administered our revised questionnaire to a random sample of 220
individuals.
Ms. Cheryl Bryant Page 3 January 2, 2018
Work to Be Completed
The questionnaire data must now be tabulated. I plan to work with a committee of
three other students in counting questionnaire responses.
After making tables and analyzing the data, I will discuss the findings with the class.
We will draw conclusions from the findings and discuss ways to improve
participation in the recycling program. A group discussion is a good way to
brainstorm for ideas to improve the program.
Because I don't expect problems, I should be able to submit the final report to you
by our January 18 deadline.
Periodic (Activity) Report – E-Mail Format (1 of 2)
Periodic (Activity) Report – E-Mail Format (2 of 2)
End

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Unit 4

Reports, Proposals, and Presentations

The Athletic Department is collecting data

1. When researchers tabulate and

1 Interpret and summarize the findings.

2 Relate the conclusions to the report problem.

3 Limit the conclusions to the data presented.

5 Use consistent criteria.

6 Enumerate each conclusion.

02 Focus on recommendations that are practical and agreeable.

03 Present recommendations separately.

04 Describe how to implement the recommendations, if requested.

01 Write short but clear headings.

04 Create headings that are parallel. For example:

05 Integrate headings gracefully.

• compress the main points from a

Periodic (activity) reports Trip, convention, conference reports

Describe production, sales, Describe an event, summarize

Progress and interim reports Investigative reports

Explain continuing progress Examine problems and supply

Analytical reports collect and present

Evaluate the data

Try to persuade the reader to accept

Emphasize reasoning and

Justification/ recommendation reports

Establish criteria and evaluate

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