CHAPTER 9 LECTURE NOTES
Informal Reports
CHAPTER SYNOPSIS
An effective flow of information is the life blood of business organizations. Reports serve multiple
purposes ranging from simply keeping superiors updated and creating a record to complex studies that
are designed to facilitate problem solving and decision making in the organization. Chapter 9
discusses the functions, strategies, writing style, and formats of typical business reports. It discusses
the importance of clearly identifying the problem to be solved and the specific purpose of the report.
Students are introduced to collecting data and documenting sources with an emphasis on online
databases, the Web, and other resources for business writers. The chapter addresses primary and
secondary sources. The chapter also provides tools for creating meaningful and interesting report
graphics.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Explain informational and analytical report functions, organizational strategies, and writing
styles.
2. Describe typical report formats and understand the significance of effective headings.
WHAT’S NEW IN THIS CHAPTER
The authors made the following changes and improvements:
• Streamlined chapter contents by reorganizing into five concise learning objectives for quick
comprehension and retention.
• Revised and updated guidelines for writing effective headings, including the importance of
establishing a clear hierarchy of heading levels within a report.
• Created new model documents showing levels of headings in reports, a memo-style conference
report, and a memo-style article summary.
• Rewrote 90 percent of the chapter review and 100 percent of the critical thinking questions to
reinforce concepts.
LECTURE OUTLINE
I. Reporting in the Digital Age (p. 270)
• Efficient reporting plays a critical role in helping organizations sift through data and
make major decisions.
A. Informational and Analytical Report Functions
• Informational reports: present data without analysis or recommendations
• Analytical reports: provide data, analysis, and conclusions
B. Organizational Strategies
• Direct strategy – when the purpose is presented close to the beginning
C. Informal and Formal Writing Styles
• Reports can range from informal to formal depending on their purpose, audience, and
setting.
• Research reports from consultants to their clients tend to be more formal.
Figure 9.3 – Report-Writing Styles
II. Report Formats and Heading Levels (p. 274)
A. Typical Report Formats
• Memo and e-mail formats: Useful for informal reports circulated within
organizations; usually attached to e-mails or contained in the body of an e-mail.
• Manuscript format: Useful for longer, more formal reports; usually printed on plain
paper.
Figure 9.4 – Informal Reports Delivered as Slide Decks
B. Effective Report Headings
• Construct a clear hierarchy of heading levels.
• Capitalize and underline carefully.
• Create grammatically equal heading levels
Figure 9.5 – Distinguishing Among Functional, Talking, and Combination Headings
Figure 9.6 – Varying Styles of Levels in Headings
III. Defining the Purpose and Gathering Data (p. 279)
A. Determining the Problem and Purpose
First, the writer must determine the problem and purpose of the report. Once the report purpose
is understood, report writers should begin to gather data needed to start writing the report.
properly document their resources.
B. Gathering Information From Secondary and Primary Sources
• Look in company records.
• Access printed material.
• Search databases and other electronic resources.
IV. Writing Short Informational Reports (p. 281)
• Informational reports often describe periodic, recurring activities (such as monthly sales
or weekly customer calls) as well as situational, nonrecurring events (such as trips,
conferences, and special projects).
A. Trip, Convention, and Conference Reports
• Begin by identifying the event (name, date, and location) and previewing the topics
that were discussed.
Figure 9.7 – Conference Report
B. Progress, or Interim, Reports
Progress reports explain the progress of continuing projects. For example, you must
report on the progress of a golf tournament your organization is planning.
• Describe the purpose and nature of project.
• Provide background information if necessary.
Figure 9. 8 – Progress Report
C. Minutes of Meetings
Meeting minutes summarize the proceedings of a meeting.
• Begin with the name of group, date, time, place, name of the meeting.
• List names of attendees and absentees.
• State whether the previous minutes were approved or revised.
Figure 9.9 – Formal Meeting Minutes
D. Summaries
Summaries compress data from a longer publication, such as a book, report, article,
Web site, meeting, or convention.
• Present the goal or purpose of the document being summarized.
• Highlight the research methods (if appropriate), findings, conclusions, and
recommendations.
Figure 9.10 – Article Summary
V. Preparing Short Analytical Reports (p. 285)
• This section describes three common types of analytical business reports: (a)
justification/recommendation reports, (b) feasibility reports, and (c) yardstick reports.
A. Justification/Recommendation Reports
Justification/recommendation reports are written to justify or recommend something,
such as buying equipment, changing a procedure, hiring an employee, or
consolidating departments.
Reader Response Determines Structure
If reader will likely agree with recommendations, use direct strategy:
• Problem
If reader may oppose recommendations, use indirect strategy:
• Problem
1. Direct Strategy
• Identify the problem or the need briefly.
• Announce the recommendation, solution, or action concisely and with action
verbs.
2. Indirect Strategy
• Make a general reference to the problem in subject line.
• Describe the problem or need your recommendation addresses.
• Discuss alternative solutions, beginning with the least likely to succeed.
Figure 9.11 – Justification/Recommendation Report, Direct Strategy, APA
Style
B. Feasibility Reports
Feasibility reports examine the practicality and advisability of following a course of
action. For example, your company must decide whether to add a child-care facility.
• Announce your decision immediately.
• Describe the background and problem necessitating the proposal.
Figure 9.12 Feasibility Report
C. Yardstick Reports
Yardstick reports examine problems with two or more solutions. To determine the
best solution, the writer establishes criteria by which to compare the alternatives.
• Begin by describing the problem or need.
• Explain possible solutions and alternatives.
Figure 9.13 Yardstick Report
Critical Thinking Discussion Guide
11. Under what circumstances would a recommendation report be written directly? Give an
example. (Obj. 1)
If a company recommends a popular course of action and expects no negative reactions to
factors such as expense, time frame, or risk factor, the approach would likely be direct. An
example would be a company that wants to optimize its website for mobile devices to meet the
12. Do you think informational reports should be written directly or indirectly? For what
reasons would an analytical report be written with a direct or an indirect approach? State
your reasoning. (Obj. 1)
Opinions may vary, but the following ideas are generally true:
Informational reports are written directly because the reader is usually anxious for or accepting
of the report’s contents. Even though informational reports sometimes show negative numbers
13. What heading guidelines should you follow when writing a report? (Obj. 2)
Students should include at least five of the following guidelines:
a. Use an all-caps heading for the title of a report.
b. Strive for parallel construction within each heading level. Use the same font size, font style,
14. What technology trends do you think will affect business reporting and delivery in the
future? (Obj. 5)
Encourage students to research technology and reporting trends. Their responses may vary.
They may discover that digital reporting is continually evolving with the use of mobile devices,
15. How can report writers ensure that they present their information objectively and
credibly? (Obj. 3)
Writers should strive to present both sides of an issue, even if they favor one option. They need
Activities
Note: The solutions to the activities and cases for this chapter are located in the Solutions to
Activities section of the Instructor’s Manual.
Communication Workshop (p. 303)
Collaboration: Pulling Together a Successful Team Writing Project
This workshop establishes a framework in which to assign collaborative projects. Students are
instructed to prepare a report as a collaborative effort and implement the suggestions included in the
workshop. Furthermore, this workshop introduces the option of using a wiki to facilitate student
collaboration and instructor oversight.
ASSESSING INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE
1. Confidential peer evaluations. These evaluations are an incentive to individuals to perform
2. Leader’s or chairperson’s report. This report should detail the tasks or responsibilities of each
3. Student logs or journals. Ask students to keep a log or journal about the group’s activities, the
group’s small–group processes, and their feelings about other members’ behavior and
4. Class attendance record. Take attendance on class days when instructions are being given on
group processes, writing processes, and the report project, as students who are absent miss
ASSIGNING GROUP GRADES
Using a combination of group and individual grades increases the likelihood that the grade a student
receives is an accurate reflection of his or her writing ability and contribution to the group and the
assignment. Thus, a student’s grade should be based on the score assigned to the written report and
one or more of the evaluation processes described previously. Using a combination of evaluations
provides you with a defensible and objective basis for assigning grades. Some suggestions for using
the combined evaluations follow.
1. Score the written report and give each group member the same grade. In addition, give a
separate grade for each student’s contribution to the report and to the group process based on the
2. Score the written report and add or deduct 10 points for individual members according to the
3. Score the written report and deduct points (no limit) for individual members according to the
four evaluations they received (discussed previously). You should have some guidelines for
deducting the points to ensure consistency. For example, each low rating on the peer evaluation
is –5 points, each missed meeting is –3, each missed class period is –3, and so on.
To minimize having to adjust grades for nonperformers, encourage groups to confront these
Workplace in Focus
Page 271
Reports generally fit into one of two broad categories: informational reports and analytical reports.
Informational reports provide information and data only, whereas analytical reports examine raw
data, draw conclusions, and even make recommendations.
Coca-Cola’s sales report is primarily an informational report. It delivers statistical data on sales of
various product categories, and it draws comparisons to sales from prior quarters. However, this raw
data is meaningless to managers without further analysis. Company leaders can see the numbers in
decline, but they can’t interpret what the data mean, or understand what should be done to turn the
business around.