Writing Reader-Focused Informal Reports

1. Writing Reader-Focused Informal Reports C H A P T E R 17

2. Presentation Overview • What Is an Informal Report? • How Do You Prepare to Write an Informal Report? • How Do You Write Directives? • How Do You Write Progress Reports? • How Do You Write Meeting Minutes? • How Do You Write Field and Lab Reports? • How Do You Write Trip Reports?

3. What Is an Informal Report? Reports are oral or written communications that help people to understand, to analyze, to act, and/or to make decisions. Informal reports communicate information about routine, everyday business.

4. How Do You Prepare to Write an Informal Report? • Find out about your readers. • Anticipate and answer your readers’ questions. • Select the appropriate format.

5. Find Out about Your Readers • Their knowledge about the topic of your report • Their reason for reading the report • Questions will they ask as they read the report • Their position inside or outside your organization, and if inside, their position within the organizational hierarchy • The various groups reading the report • Their knowledge and opinions of you and your organization

6. Anticipate and Answer Their Questions Ask: • What is the purpose of the report? • Why are they receiving the report? • How does the report affect them or their organization?

7. Select the Appropriate Format • Memos • Letters • E-mail • Forms and templates • Formal report format

8. How Do You Write Directives? • Inform or remind readers of a policy or procedure. • Explain why the policy or procedure is important to the readers and/or the organization. Example In my first act as new president of Picket Fence Properties, I am enacting an open door policy. This policy means that employees can approach any supervisor in the company with an idea, question, or problem, without fearing any adverse consequences. I would like to foster an environment of open communication . . . .

9. How Do You Write Progress Reports? • Describe the current status of an ongoing project or the activities of a department or division. • Honestly report your progress. • Use the conventional structure: • Introduction • Discussion of the progress • Conclusion

10. Introduction • Identify the project or projects that the report covers. • State the time period that the report covers. • State the objectives of the project or projects (if readers need this information). Example This report covers my team’s progress from March 1 to April 1 on the 5435 Easy Street remodeling job.

11. Discussion of the Progress • Organize by • Progress made and progress expected • Tasks or projects • Include information about • How your progress compares with what you planned to accomplish during the reporting period • Any problems that you have encountered • The results of your work

12. Discussion of the Progress Example of Progress Made/Progress Expected Organization • Progress Made • Cleared and prepped site • Painted • Progress Expected • Replace carpet • Replace fixtures and hardware • Landscape

13. Discussion of the Progress • Task #4: Replace fixtures and hardware • Progress made • Progress expected • Task #5: Landscape • Progress made • Progress expected Example of Task Organization • Task #1: Clear and prep site • Progress made • Progress expected • Task #2: Paint • Progress made • Progress expected • Task #3: Replace carpet • Progress made • Progress expected

14. Conclusion • Summarize the progress made on the project. • Summarize any problems experienced during the reporting period. • Evaluate the overall progress. • Recommend ways to improve or change the project or future work, if necessary. Example At this point, we are about 30% finished with the job. Because we did not receive the carpet and other supplies until this week, we lost valuable time and will not finish by the April 10 deadline. In the future, we should consider ordering from a different supplier to avoid experiencing delays . . . .

15. How Do You Write Meeting Minutes? • Decide whether they are informal or formal.

16. Informal • Summarize what was discussed. • Summarize agreements. • Identify action items.

17. Formal • Use the conventional structure: • Information about the meeting and the attendees • Items discussed • Action items • Your information

18. Information about the Meeting and the Attendees • The name(s) of the group(s) involved in the meeting • The location, date, and time of the meeting • The type of meeting • The attendees • The time the meeting adjourned • Name and title of the person who wrote the minutes.

19. Items Discussed • Follow the organization of the agenda: • Old business and new business for recurring meetings • Discussion items for one-time meetings • Record major topics discussed.

20. Action Items • Identify • the specific action • the person responsible for completing the action • the deadline for completing the action

21. Your Information • Include • Your name as the note taker • Your contact information (optional)

22. Respectfully Submitted by [Your Name]

23. How Do You Write Field and Lab Reports? • Use the conventional structure*: • Introduction • Methods • Results • Conclusions • Recommendations * You can read more about the content for these sections in Chapter 18.

24. How Do You Write Trip Reports? • Use the conventional structure: • Introduction • Summary • Discussion • Recommendations

25. Questions?