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10: Understanding and Planning Reports and Proposals
10-11
Students will often question how company documents can be considered both secondary and
primary sources. Provide illustrations to help them understand the distinctions.
customers and clients.
Discuss the necessary planning steps for effective interviews. Remind students that they may
conduct informal interviews when gathering data for letters and memos. However, their research
for reports will be more successful with careful planning.
manual you have selected to use for the course. Provide specific illustrations of how to cite
Internet sources with and without named authors.
Students should be familiar with preparing summaries of facts. Drawing conclusions and
SUGGESTED CLASSROOM EXERCISES
1. Learning how businesses use reports and proposals. Invite a manager from a local
alternative, have students interview someone about report writing on the job. This exercise
of their job tasks.
2. Preparing report work plans. Select a topic that students can all relate to (perhaps something
related to the school or to a college freshman). As a class exercise, lead students through
10: Understanding and Planning Reports and Proposals
10-12
3. Finding secondary information. Assign a topic and ask students to find three businesses or
4. Summarizing, paraphrasing, and citing sources. Distribute an article for students to read.
Prepare below-average and above-average examples to show during class discussion.
assignment for a grade.
5. Planning a report. Select one of the informational report cases at the end of the chapter. Let
students work in teams of two or three to plan the report you assign. Select a second report
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
10-1. The three basic categories of reports are informational, analytical, and proposals. (LO 10.1;
AACSB: Written and oral communication)
10-2. For simpler reports, the work plan can be an informal list of tasks and a simple schedule.
oral communication)
10-3. A conclusion is a logical interpretation of the facts that you presented in your report.
10-4. You want to start with secondary research because—compared to primary research—it can
oral communication)
10-5. Writers use RFPs to formulate their proposals. RFPs specify the type of work to be
performed or products to be delivered, budgets available, deadlines that must be met, and
10: Understanding and Planning Reports and Proposals
10-13
APPLY YOUR KNOWLEDGE
10-6. Some students will claim that one person’s mistake could be their company’s gain and will
general public, you should report it to the webmaster. (LO 10.3; AACSB: Ethical
understanding and reasoning)
10-7. In addition to considering the steps needed for planning a printed report, writing for the
Written and oral communication)
10-8. If your audience does not know you, you need to establish your credibility; thus, an
PRACTICE YOUR SKILLS
Activities
10-9. Students will want to ask and answer questions that will help them focus on audience
needs. First, they’ll ask questions to define the audience. Students will want to ask
problem).
Drafting the work plan will give students a chance to consider all the factors that go into
(e.g., observation, surveys about the festival’s significance, review of other companies that
rent booths at SXSW). The outline can be brief, but should follow either the alphanumeric
communication)
10-10. At this stage of research, students may not know which styles they will ultimately use for
endnotes and bibliography in the finished document, so their resource list should include
a. Author information
b. Title information, including volume or edition where appropriate
10: Understanding and Planning Reports and Proposals
10-14
Students could use the following sources to locate this information:
10-11. Directories in the library, Encyclopedia of Associations (LO 10.3; AACSB: Written and
oral communication)
10-14. Robert Morris Associates, Industry Norms and Key Business Ratios (LO 10.3; AACSB:
Written and oral communication)
10-15. Hoover’s Online, Internet search engines (many of which have stock performance data on
10-16. Statistical Abstract of the United States (LO 10.3; AACSB: Written and oral
communication)
10-17. Statistical Abstract of the United States (LO 10.3; AACSB: Written and oral
communication)
10-18. Answers will vary depending on the company selected. (LO 10.3; AACSB: Written and
oral communication)
10-19. Before developing specific questions, students should consider the questionnaire’s
purpose, its length, and whether it will be completed on the spot or completed and mailed
income/occupation, and movie-going habits. Remind students to use a variety of question
types and to check their questions for clarity and objectivity. Also remind them that they
10-20. First, students should realize that ignoring signs of impatience would be the wrong move.
They could be labeled a time-waster, out of tune with the company’s priorities. Most
students are close to getting all the information they came for, they can say something such
as, “I know you’re busy today, so we can wrap this up quickly,” and then do so. However,
10: Understanding and Planning Reports and Proposals
10-15
10-21. Comparing the two Dell reports, the Year in Review is targeted primarily to shareholders,
Students will probably agree that the easier and more interesting report for them to read is
10-22. Students should be able to identify this report as being one that monitors and controls
10-23. Answers will vary depending on the industry selected. (LO 10.5; AACSB: Written and
oral communication)
10-24. A sample outline might look like this:
I. Availability of parking places
A. Inadequate student spaces at critical hours
B. Motorcycles taking up full spaces
D. Inadequate total space
II. Security problems
A. Inadequate attempts to keep neighborhood residents from occupying
spaces
B. Discourteous security officers
neighboring houses
III. Parking fees
A. Full fees charged to night students who use the lots during low-demand
periods
B. Relatively high parking fees
IV. Maintenance of lots
A. Poor night lighting near computer center
B. Dim marking lines
(LO 10.5; AACSB: Written and oral communication)
10-25. Direct; the report is based entirely around recommendations and the recommendations
10-26. Indirect; the recommendation might not be well received and the writer should explain
10: Understanding and Planning Reports and Proposals
10-16
10-27. Direct; the report is based entirely around recommendations. (LO 10.6; AACSB: Written
and oral communication)
10-28. Indirect; the recommendation to reduce labor may not be well-received, and you need the
Written and oral communication)
10-29. Direct; you’ve been asked to prepare this report and the audience will want to receive this
information. (LO 10.6; AACSB: Written and oral communication)
10-30. When reviewing students’ work, look for their ability to define the problem and break it
into smaller components for analysis (if appropriate). To keep the exercise manageable,
and a list of facts to be used when describing the problem and proposing a workable
solution. For the sake of this exercise, they can list facts that they imagine to be true
AACSB: Written and oral communication)
EXPAND YOUR SKILLS
review. (LO 10.1; AACSB: Written and oral communication)
Sharpen Your Career Skills Online: This exercise calls upon students to use Bovée and Thill’s
convey the information that was learned. (LO 10.1; AACSB Tag: Written and oral
communication)
CASE SOLUTIONS
10-31. Message Strategies: Informational Reports
Responses will vary, but should be sure to follow the conventions of a good informational report:
10: Understanding and Planning Reports and Proposals
10-17
10-32. Message Strategies: Informational Reports
informational report, it should present this information without analysis or recommendations.
(LO 10.5; AACSB: Written and oral communication)
10-33. Message Strategies: Informational Reports
The audience for this information report will be interested, so the direct approach is appropriate.
The purpose of the memo report should be clearly identified in the first paragraph. Information in
the report should be presented in a straightforward manner. Developing a preliminary outline
The reader will be interested in points such as the number of semesters the student has been in
school, the number of courses typically taken each semester, and the number of courses
complete the work? How will my progress be affected by courses offered only once a year or
only in certain terms? They must also address how working part- or full-time may affect their
Although the report will be relatively short, the reader will benefit from headings such as
“Progress as of [date],” “Remaining Coursework,” and “Related Completion Activities.” To
AACSB: Written and oral communication)
10-34. Message Strategies: Informational Reports; Media Skills: Wiki Writing
When considering the use of social media in the workplace, students will find varying elements
Advantages:
to long reports and reference works
10: Understanding and Planning Reports and Proposals
10-18
their superiors
Promotes open communication between companies and their customers, keeping fresh
content flowing into the company
Disadvantages:
Takes time away from other work duties
constructive action
Opens the possibility of employees interacting with customers in ways not consistent
with company policy
(LO 10.1, 10.2; AACSB: Written and oral communication)
10-35. Message Strategies: Informational Reports
anyone attending any college. (LO 10.5; AACSB Tag: Written and oral communication)
10-36. Message Strategies: Online Content
audience needs before writing a message. (LO 10.5; AACSB Tag: Written and oral
communication)
10-37. Message Strategies: Analytical reports
to which technology will dominate in coming years. The conclusion should be logically sound
communication)
10-38. Message Strategies: Analytical Reports
consequences afterward. This helps moderate the emotions (e.g., “I hate myself for what I did”)
