Informal/Short Reports

Information Reports – Reports that collect and organize information are informative or investigative.  Some information reports are highly standardized, such as police reports, hospital admittance records and government regulatory reports. They may record routine activities such as daily, weekly, and monthly reports of sales or profits. They may investigate options, performance, or equipment.  Although they provide information, they do not analyze that information, provide recommendations or draw conclusions.

Information reports generally contain three parts: introduction, body (findings) and conclusion.  The body may have many subsections.

Consider these suggestions for writing information reports:

·        In the introduction explain why you are writing.  For some reports, describe what methods and sources were used to gather information and why they are credible.  Provide any special background information that may be necessary.  Preview what is to follow.

·        In the findings section organize the facts in a logical sequence.  You might group information in one of these patterns: (1) chronological, (2) alphabetical, (3) topical (4) geographical (5) journalism style (who, what, when, where, why and how) (6) simple to complex, or (7) most to least important.

·        Decide whether to use functional (generic) headings, talking headings or a combination.  Be sure that words used as headings are parallel in structure.

·        Conclude by summarizing your findings or highlighting your main points.

Progress Reports – Progress reports monitor the headway of unusual or non-routine activities.  Continuing projects often require progress reports to describe their status.  For example, progress reports would keep management informed about a committee’s preparations for a trade show 14 months from now.  Such reports usually answer three questions: (1) Is the project on schedule? (2) Are corrective measures needed? (3) What activities are next?

Progress reports typically follow this pattern of development:

·        Specify in the opening the purpose and nature of the project.

·        Provide background information if the audience requires filling in.

·        Describe the work completed.

·        Explain the work currently in progress, including personnel, activities, methods and locations.

·        Anticipate problems and possible remedies or solutions.

·        Discuss future activities and provide the expected completion date.

Justification/Recommendation Reports – Justification and recommendation reports are similar to information reports in that they present information.  However, they offer analysis in addition to data.  They attempt to solve problems by evaluating options and offering recommendations.  These reports are solicited; that is, the writer has been asked to investigate and report. Managers and employees must occasionally write reports that justify or recommend something, such as buying equipment, changing a procedure, hiring an employee, consolidating departments, or investing funds.  Let your audience and topic determine your choice of direct or indirect structure.  For non sensitive topics and recommendations that will be agreeable to readers, you can organize directly according to the following sequence:

·        In the introduction identify the problem or need briefly.

·        Announce the recommendation, solution, or action concisely and with action verbs.

·        Discuss pros, cons and costs. Explain more fully the benefits of the recommendation or steps to be taken to solve the problems.

·        Conclude with a summary specifying the recommendation and action to be taken.

Feasibility Reports – When a company must decide whether to proceed with a plan of action, it may require a feasibility report.  For example, should a company invest thousands of dollars to expand its Web site?  A feasibility report would examine the practicality of implementing the proposal.  You must answer this question: Will this plan or proposal work?  Feasibility reports typically are internal reports written to advice on matters such as consolidating departments, offering a wellness program to employees, or hiring an outside firm to handle a company’s accounting or computing operations.  These reports may also be written by consultants called in to investigate a problem.  The focus in these reports is on the decision: stopping or proceeding with the proposal. In writing feasibility reports, consider these suggestions:

·        Announce your decision immediately.

·        Describe the background and problem necessitating the proposal.

·        Discuss the benefits of the proposal.

·        Calculate the costs associated with the proposal, if appropriate.

·        Show the time frame necessary for implementation of the proposal.

Minutes of Meetings – A record of the proceedings of a meeting is called “the minutes.”  This record is generally kept by a secretary. Minutes may be kept for groups that convene regularly, such as the meetings of clubs, committees and board of directors.  In writing minutes you should do the following:

·        Provide the name of the group, as well as the date, time, and place of the meeting.

·        Identify the names of attendees and absentees, if appropriate.

·        Describe the disposition of previous minutes.

·        Record old business, new business, announcements and reports.

·        Include the precise wording of motions; record the vote and action taken.

·        Conclude with the name and signature of the person recording the minutes.

Summaries – A summary condenses the primary ideas, conclusions and recommendations of a longer report, article, Web site, meeting, convention or publication.  Employees may be asked to write summaries of technical reports.  Students may be asked to write summaries of periodical articles or books to sharpen their writing skills.  Executive summaries condense long reports such as business plans and proposals.  A summary saves time because it can reduce a report or article 85 to 95 percent.  In writing a summary, you’ll follow these general guidelines:

·        Present the goal or 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.

·        Organize for readability by including headings and bulleted or enumerated lists.

·        Include your reactions or an overall evaluation of the document if asked to do so.

Source: Mary Guffey, “Essentials of Business Communication,” (Mason, Ohio, Thomson 2004), 243-251.