Post on 14-Dec-2015
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INFORMAL REPORTS
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INFORMAL REPORTS
• Will not have wide distribution
• Will not be published
• Shorter than 10 pages long
• Purpose:
- informative (to clarify or explain)
- persuasive (to convince)
- informative & persuasive2
GUIDELINES
1. Plan Well Before You Write Record specific information about: - the document’s purpose
- the variety of readers who will receive the document- the needs and expectations of readers- an outline of main points to be covered in the body
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GUIDELINES
2. Make text visually appealing
- bulleted points for short lists.
- numbered points for long lists.
- frequent use of headings and subheadings to help locate information quickly.
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GUIDELINES
3. Use the Right Format of Organization
- Introduction – start with a capsule version of the information most needed by decision-makers.
- Body – give details
- Conclusion – reserve the end of the report for a description or list of findings, conclusion or recommendation.
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GUIDELINES
4. Introduction section
- Purpose for the report – why are you writing it?
- Scope statement – what range of information does the report contain?
- Summary of essentials – what main information does the reader most want or need to know.
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GUIDELINES
5. Put Important Details in the Body
- Use headings generously
- Precede subheadings with a lead-in passage:
“This section covers 3 phases of the field study: clearing the site, collecting samples and classifying samples.”
- Move from general to specific in paragraphs.
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GUIDELINES
6. Separate Fact from Opinion in Report Discussion
- Findings: facts you uncover
- Conclusions: ideas and beliefs you develop based on your findings.
- Recommendations: suggestions or action items based on your conclusion. Recommendations are almost exclusively made up of opinions.
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GUIDELINES
7. Focus Attention on Conclusion
- Provide heading
Option 1: If your major conclusions or recommendations have already been stated in the discussion, only restate them briefly to reinforce their importance.
Option 2: If the discussion leads up to, but has not covered, these conclusions or recommendation, give more detail in this final section. 9
TYPES OF REPORTS
• PROGRESS REPORT
- a report that provides the reader with details about work on a specific project.
• PERIODIC REPORT
- a report that summarizes the work on diverse tasks over a specific time period.
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PROGRESS/PERIODIC REPORT
• Introduction:
- purpose of report, time period the project cover and objectives of project.
• Discussion of progress:
- work accomplished since beginning of project or since the last progress report.
- work planned for the next reporting period or for the remainder of the project.
- problems encountered.
• Conclusion:
- changes recommended, if any, overall status of project.
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TYPES OF REPORTS
• IMRD REPORT
- standard way to present information that is the result of some kind of research.
- present lab research, questionnaire results
or result of actions to find out about a topic.
- discuss what was discovered.
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IMRD REPORT
• Introduction:
- purpose of report, goal of the research (question investigated), point of the report.
• Methodology:
- process description of actions taken to achieve the goal, why the actions were performed, why perform those actions, establish credibility,
• Results:
- results of each action or sequence, what was discovered,
• Discussion:
- has the goal been achieved, explain significance of findings, interpret by relating it to some other important concept, or suggest it’s causes or effects, implications of the results
• Conclusion:
- brief restatement of major findings, or recommendations.
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PROBLEM ANALYSIS REPORT
• Introduction:
- purpose of report, summary of problem.
• Body:
- background of problem, thorough description of problem, data to support claim.
• Conclusion:
- brief restatement of problem, degree of urgency to solve problem, suggested next step. 14
RECOMMENDATION REPORT
• Introduction:
- purpose of report, background information, criteria used for recommendation, options, summary of recommendation.
• Body:
- details of recommendation by comparing all options based on criteria, data that supports recommendation, benefits
• Conclusion:
- brief restatement of major findings, main benefits, offer to help with next step.
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EQUIPMENT EVALUATION REPORT
• Introduction:
- purpose of report, summary of what report says about the equipment.
• Body:
- thorough description of equipment, well-organized critique (either analyzing parts of one piece of equipment or contrasting several parts of similar equipment according to selected criteria)
• Conclusion:
- brief restatement of major findings, conclusions or recommendations.
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- THE END -
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