Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Writingthe Report

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Writing the report

• Determine an appropriate report structure and organization.

• Draft the report body and supplementary pages.• Use an effective writing style.• Provide appropriate documentation when using

someone else’s work.• Revise, format, and proofread the report.


Organizing the report

• Basis • Time• Location• Importance• Criteria• Known to unknown• Simple to complex

• Heading format• Noun phrases• Participial phrases• Partial statements• Statements• Questions


Making use of the data

• Findings: Dana frequently misses work. He rarely reaches his quota. He doesn’t get along well with his coworkers.

• Conclusion: Dana is not an effective worker.• Recommendation: Dana should be fired.


Report outline

THE STATUS OFWORKING MOTHERS IN MANAGEMENT

Janice BellevueI. INTRODUCTION

A. Purpose and ScopeB. Procedures


Report outline (cont’d)

II. FINDINGSA. Number of Working Mothers

1. National Labor Force2. State Labor Force

B. Effects on Labor Productivity1. Absenteeism2. Rate of Turnover3. Commitment to the Job

C. Special Needs of Working Mothers1. On-Site Child-Care Centers2. Flexible Working Hours3. Family Leave


Report outline (cont’d)

III. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONSA. Summary and ConclusionsB. Recommendations


Body of the report

Background

Need for the study

Authorization for the report

Hypotheses or problem statementand subproblems

Purpose and scope

Procedures

Introduction


Body of the report

Presentation, analysis,and interpretation of the data

Tables and figures

Report headings

Documentation

Findings


Body of the report

Summary

Conclusions

Recommendations

FinalSection


Supplementary sections • Title page

• Report title• Names of reader and writer• Month and year

• Transmittal Document• Letter or memorandum conveying the completed report

• Executive Summary or Synopsis or abstract• Table of Contents

• Identification of report headings • Page numbers on which the report headings

are found


Supplementary sections

• Appendix• Supplemental information• References• Complete citation of all sources referred to

in the text


Writing style

Tone Not: The auditor did not buy the supplier’s story.But: The auditor did not believe the supplier.


Writing style (cont’d)

Use of pronouns Informal: I mailed the questionnaire to nearly 300

customers.Passive: This questionnaire was mailed to nearly

300 customers.Active: Nearly 300 customers received the

questionnaire.



Use of pronouns Informal: I believe the cause of the problem is low

morale.Formal: The cause of the problem is probably

low morale.



Verb tense Not: The issue will be discussed in the next

section.But: The issue is discussed in the next section.Not: The president thought the project should

be canceled.But: The president thinks the project should be

canceled.


Author-date documentation

• Smith (2005) found that . . .• In a recent productivity study (Smith, 2005), . . .• As Smith and Jones (2007) demonstrated, . . .• As has been shown (Smith & Jones, 2007), . . .• Several studies (Abel, 2004, 2007a, 2007b; Brooks, 2001;

Curtin, 2008), . . .• His answer was, “Not in your lifetime” (Dye, 2008, p. 230).• Medco sold its Akron plant for $2.4 million (“Medco Lights

Up,” 2008, p. 14B).

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Chapter 10

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