REPORTS Prof. Q

Overview  Audience and Purpose  Elements of Effective Reports  Parts  Progress Reports (Informational)  Periodic Activities Report (Informational)  Trip Reports (Informational)  Peer Review Reports (Analytical)  Meeting Minutes (Informational)  Feasibility Reports (Analytical)  Recommendations Report (Analytical)  Comparative Analyses (Analytical)  Causal Analyses (Analytical)

Audience  Government officials  Corporate managers  Executives  Comparative Analysis  Feasibility Analysis  Other Analysis  Informational Purposes Purpose

Elements  Accurate, Appropriate, and Clearly Interpreted Data  Clearly Identified Purpose Statement  Understandable Structure  Readable Style  Audience-Centered Visuals  User-Friendly Design

Parts (Sample on P. 326)  Letter of Transmittal  Front Matter  Title Page  ToC  List of Tables / Figures  Abstract  Text of the Report  Introduction  Body  Conclusion  End Matter  References  Glossary  Appendices

Progress Reports  Monitor progress and problems  Evaluate projects  Monitor employees  Keep track of delays  How time and money is being spent  Internal Personnel or Outside Clients  Usually have a deadline  Sometimes follow MEMO format

Periodic Activity Reports  Summarize activities  Focus on a given period  Have a deadline (most often weekly)  Used to keep supervisors aware of employee activities  May take MEMO format

Trip Reports  Focus on activities during trips  Have spending reports and charts  Often take the form of letters

Peer Review Reports  Analyze the performance of co-workers or peers  Offer constructive criticism and feedback  Must be tactful  Format varies, most often memo or letter

Meeting Minutes  Report on what happened in any given meeting.

Feasibility Report  Used to assess an idea, plan, or course of action  Provides answers to questions of implementation  Do the benefits outweigh the risks?  What are the pros, cons, and alternatives?  Is this course of action likely to succeed?  Should anything be done at all?  Organized by Headings:  Situation  Recommendation  Reasons

Recommendation Reports  Skips feasibility analysis and makes a recommendation.  Short and to the point.  Include supporting data  Organization:  Cause of problem  Recommended Changes  Supporting Data

Comparative Analyses  Compare two or more items or scenarios.  Answer questions like “What firewall should we use?”  Criteria:  Costs  Benefits  Drawbacks  Appearance  Results

Causal Analysis  Explains the cause of an event, problem, or decision.  Cause must fit the effect.  Make effects between cause and effect clear.  Sometimes recommends solutions

PROMPT FOR REPORT  For this project, you will write a full Feasibility / Recommendation, Causal, OR Comparative Analysis Report.  It must include ALL the parts of a formal report  10% of the Final Grade  Letter of Transmittal  Front Matter  Title Page  ToC  List of Tables / Figures  Abstract  Text of the Report  Introduction  Body  Conclusion  End Matter  References  Glossary  Appendices

Team Activity  Select ONE type of report appropriate for the shareholders of your company, and create said report.