Description
Book SynopsisThe professional''s quick-reference handbook for writing business and technical reports
Professionals in business, government, and technical fields often need help in organizing and writing reports for associates, clients, and managers. This simple tutorial handbook offers expert tips and useful ideas for organizing ideas, structuring reports, and adding spice to technical papers.
Writing Reports to Get Results offers in-depth guidance for writing:
- short, informal reports, such as job progress reports and inspection reports
- semiformal reports, such as laboratory and medium-length investigation and evaluation reports
- formal reports, such as analytical and feasibility studies and major investigations
- technical and business proposals of varying complexity
The authors use a simple pyramid method to help writers organize their information into the most convenient and simplest structure for any type of docum
Trade Review
"...designed for people who work in a business or technical environment and have to write reports...plans are designed to assist managers, business administrators, researchers, supervisors, scientists, and students in writing more readily and...easily." (Clinical Leadership & Management Review, January/February 2002)
Table of Contents
Preface xi
Part I A Practical Approach to Report Writing 1
1 How to Use These Guidelines 2
2 The Report Writer’s Pyramid 4
Getting Started 4
Identifying the Reader 5
Identifying the Message 6
Using the Pyramid Method 7
Focusing the Message 8
Developing the Details 10
Expanding the Details Section 13
Part 2 Informal Reports 17
3 Incident, Field Trip, and Inspection Reports 18
Incident Reports 18
Incident Report: Reporting a Project Delay 20
Field Trip Reports 22
Trip Report No. 1: Reporting an Installation 24
Trip Report No. 2: Reporting a Site Evaluation 26
Reporting Conference Attendance 26
Inspection Reports 28
Inspection Report No. 1: Inspecting a Contractor’s Work 32
Inspection Report No. 2: Inspecting Electronic Equipment 34
4 Progress Reports, Project Completion Reports, and Short Investigation Reports 38
Progress Reports 38
Occasional Progress Report 40
Progress Report No. 1: Occasional Progress Report 42
Periodic Progress Report 44
Progress Report No. 2: Periodic Progress Report 45
Headings and Paragraph Numbering 49
Project Completion Report 49
Project Completion Report: Reporting a Project Is Finished 50
Short Investigation Reports 52
Short Investigation Report: Correcting an Electrical Problem 53
Part 3 Semiformal Reports and Proposals 55
5 Test and Laboratory Reports 56
Industrial Laboratory Reports 56
Industrial Laboratory Report: Testing a Water Stage Manometer and Digital Recorder 58
Academic Laboratory Reports 67
6 Investigation and Evaluation Reports 69
Semiformal Investigation Report: Study of High Gas Consumption 70
Comparison between Semiformal and Letter-Form Investigation Reports 80
7 Suggestions and Proposals 84
Informal Suggestions 85
Informal Suggestion: Proposal for a Study 86
Semiformal Proposals 86
Proposals That Present an Idea 88
Semiformal Proposal No, 1: Proposal to Install Videoconference Facilities in Three Capilano Group Divisions 90
Proposals That Offer a Service 105
Semiformal Proposal No. 2: Offering to Provide a Service 106
The Formal Proposal 117
Letter of Transmittal 119
Summary 119
Introduction 119
Description of Work, Problem, and Situation 119
Approach to Doing Work, Resolving Problem, or Improving Situation 119
Organization and Planning 119
Exceptions 120
Price Proposal 120
Experience 120
Appendixes 120
Proposal Appearance 120
Part 4 Formal Reports 121
8 The Formal Report 122
Traditional Arrangement of Report Parts 122
Alternative Arrangement of Report Parts 124
Analysis of a Formal Report 125
Cover Letter 125
Title Page 128
Summary 130
Table of Contents 132
Introduction 134
Discussion 136
Conclusions 146
Recommendations 148
References/Bibliography 148
Appendix 150
Dan Rogerson’s Report Writing Sequence 154
Part 5 Report Writing Techniques and Methods 155
9 Appearance and Format of Memorandum, Letter, and Semiformal Reports 156
Sample Reports 158
Notes about Figures 9‒2 and 9‒3 158
Notes about Figure 9‒4 161
Improving the Body of the Report 162
Redesigning the Page 162
Choosing a Font 162
Justifying Text Only on the Left 164
Avoiding All Caps 164
Using Tables to Display Information 164
10 Developing a Writing Style 166
Get the Focus Right 166
Identify the Reader 167
Identify the Purpose 167
Write to Inform 168
Write to Persuade 168
Be Direct 168
Use the Pyramid Structure 169
Write in the First Person 170
Use the Active Voice 172
Avoid “Clutter” 174
Use Simple Words 174
Remove Words of Low Information Content 175
Eliminate Overworked Expressions 177
Avoiding Gender-specific Language 178
Be Consistent When Referring to Men and Women 178
11 Whiting a List of References or a Bibliography 180
How to Write References 181
Bibliographies 186
Footnotes 187
Planning for Reference/Bibliography Entries 189
12 Inserting Illustrations into Reports 190
Some General Guidelines 191
Using Computer Software to Produce Graphics 191
Tables 192
Graphs 193
Bar Charts 197
Histograms 199
Surface Charts 200
Pie Charts 201
Flowcharts, Site Plans, and Line Diagrams 202
Photographs 204
The Size and Position of Illustrations 204
13 Guidelines for Spelling and Handling Abbreviations and Numbers 206
Spelling 206
Abbreviations 207
Numbers 208
Metric (SI) Units 209
References 209
14 The Report Writing Process 210
Preparing to Write 210
Organizing the Information 212
Writing the Words (Draft) 214
Editing the Information 216
Initial Proofreading 216
Detailed Editing 217
Revising the Text 220
Doing a Second (or Subsequent) Edit 220
Obtaining an Objective Opinion 220
15 Guidelines for Working with a Report Production Team 222
Working with Management 223
Working with Other Writers 223
Using Email to Communicate with Others 225
Working with Illustrators, Draftspersons, and Graphic Artists 226
Working with a Printer 227
Index 229
