C. Arizona Durables Consumption
If you use talking headings they will do a better job:
III.
A. Pennsylvania Leads in Overall Consumption
B. Michigan Stands in a Close Second Position
C. Third-Ranking Arizona Follows on the Heels of Michigan
Writing the Report
The actual drafting of the report need not be a daunting task if you have followed the previous advice in
this chapter: writing a clear problem statement, keeping track of your interpretations, and making an
organizational plan. Following the advice in previous chapters will also help make the report writing
process, especially the drafting stage, as painless and productive as possible.
The advice about adaptation in previous chapters will help you write a readable and interesting report.
Particularly when revising, be sure to write in a way that your readers will find clear and efficient, and be
sure that attractive formatting provides easy access to the contents.
Slide 8-38
Here’s an overview of report-writing advice. The following sections give more specific advice.
Slide 8-39
Beginning and Ending
The beginning and ending are critical parts of almost any report because these are likely to be the most
read parts. (While reviewing the criteria on this slide, you might look at the beginnings and endings of the
sample reports in the chapter.)
Slide 8-40
Impersonal and Personal Style
Because an impersonal style (no I’s, we’s, you’s) can make a report seem more objective, business reports
have traditionally used this style.
But as workplaces have become less formal, personal writing has become more common. And critics of
the impersonal style say that it is overly passive and therefore dull.
You should follow an intelligent compromise:
Use the impersonal style for more formal reports and situations.
Use the personal style for informal reports and situations.
Another note about style is that the writer should always be objective. The goal of a report writer is to
seek the best information and the most reasonable interpretations. To achieve this goal, the report writer
must keep an open mind and maintain a judicial attitude. These qualities should make the report as
objective as possible.