Chapter-6-business-reports

BusinessReportsChapter6WhatIsaBusinessReport?Organizedpresentationordocumentthat—–Givesinformation–Requestsfundingorapproval–Analyzescompanyormarketdata–MakesrecommendationsforchangeP79WhatDoweDotoWriteaBusinessReports?Businessreportsaresystematicattemptstoanswerquestionsandsolveproblems.Theyincludethefollowingactivities.PlanningResearchOrganizationPresentationFunctionsofReportsProvideinformationInformationalreportcontainsobjectivestatisticaldataorfacts.WriterdoesnotinterpretordrawconclusionsfromdataAnalyzedataandinformationAnalyticalreportsmaysuggestpossibleinterpretationsofdataoroffersolutionstoproblemsPersuadePersuasivereportspresentandinterpretdataandsuggestacourseofactionFunctionsofbusinessreports•InformationalreportsarewrittentopresentdatawithoutanalysesorrecommendationsExamples:Tripreports,situationalreports,andinvestigativereportsFunctionsofbusinessreports•Analyticalreportsprovidedata,analysesandconclusionsontheissuethatthewriterhasbeenaskedtoinvestigate.Suchreportsoftenproviderecommendationsforthereaderstoconsider,butonlyonrequest.•Examples:Feasibilityreports,recommendationreports,yardstickreportsCategoriesofBusinessReports•Bycontent:feasibilityreport,laboratoryreport,proposalreport•Byprintedform:absencereport,accidentreport,tripreport,pettycashreport•Bytime:preliminaryreport,progressreport,periodicalreport,finalreportCategoriesofBusinessReports•Byformat:memoreport,letterreport,manuscript•Byformality:informalreport,formalreport•Bylength:shortreport,longreport•Byfunction:informationalreport,analyticalreportTipsforProducingGoodBusinessReportsNineTruthsAboutBusinessReports1.Everyonewritesreports.2.Mostreportsflowupward.3.Mostreportsareinformal.4.Threereportformatsaremostcommon:MemoformatLetterformatManuscriptformat5.Reportsdifferfrommemosandletters.NineTruthsAboutBusinessReports6.Today’sreportsarewrittenoncomputers.7.Somereportsarecollaborativeefforts.8.Ethicalreportwritersinterpretfactsfairly.9.Thewriteristhereader’sservant.ApplyingtheWritingProcesstoReportsInSevenSteps1.Analyzetheproblemandpurpose.2.Anticipatetheaudienceandissues.3.Prepareaworkplan.4.Researchthedata.5.Organize,analyze,interpret,illustratethedata.6.Composethefirstdraft.7.Revise,proofread,andevaluate.StandardFormatFollowstandardreportorganization1StatementofproblemsDiscussionpossiblesolutionConclusion2StatementofproblemsProposedsolutionAdvantagesDisadvantagesSupportingdocumentsP81StructuralCues（线索）forReportReadersHeadingsTheuseofseverallevelsofheadings•Clarifiestheorganizationofareport•Helpsreadersfindtheinformationtheyneed•ForcesthewriterstoorganizethereportcarefullyandlogicallyWriteshortbutclearheadingsExperimentwithwordingthattellswho,what,when,where,andwhyIncludeatleastoneheadingperreportpageHeadingsInbusinessreports,aclearlystatedtopicsentencecanhelpreadersgraspthemainideaoftheparagraph.Therefore,itisessentialtodesigneachparagraphcarefullybywritingthetopicsentencefirstandthenarrangingsupportivesentencesafterit.TopicSentencesTopicSentencesStudentversionInthepasttwomonths,oursystemhasbeenparalyzedthreetimesbytwokindsofTrojanviruses,buttheanti-virussoftwareinusecannotdetectthemeventhoughourengineersupdatethesoftwareeveryday.Expertspredictonthe13thofthismonth,ahighlyinfectiouscomputerviruswillspreadthroughtheInternet.TopicSentencesRevisedversionWemustinstall,withinoneweek,morepowerfulanti-virussoftwaretoprotectoursystem.Thisisbecause,first,inthepasttwomonths,oursystemhasbeenparalyzedthreetimesbytwokindsofTrojanviruses,buttheanti-virussoftwareinusecannotdetectthemeventhoughourengineersupdatethesoftwareeveryday.Second,expertspredictonthe13thofthismonth,ahighlyinfectiouscomputerviruswillspreadthroughtheInternet.Transitions•Transitionsarewords,phrases,sentencesorevenparagraphsthatlinkideastogether•Youshouldusetransitionstohelpreadersmovefromonesentence,oneparagraphoronesectiontoanother.UsesofTransitionsGivingadditionalinformation–moreover–inaddition–orbesidesShowingcasualrelationship-therefore-because-consequentlyWhencomparingtwothings–similarly–incomparison–StillWhencontrastingtwothings–conversely–whereas–howeverUsesofTransitions•Toexpressintensification–Indeed–Inanyevent–Infact•Tosummarize–Inbrief–Inshort–TosumupUsesofTransitionsEssayCoherence:ConnectionsBetweenParagraphsAdditionalInfoAndFurtherMoreoverAgainNextWhat’smoreAlsoInadditionEquallyimportantChronologySoonAfterwardsFinallyThenPreviouslyFormerlyNextImmediatelyContrastHoweverButAlthoughNonethelessIncontrastMeanwhileYetOntheotherhandConverselyDetails/EmphasisInfactForexampleForinstanceToillustrateIndeedInotherwordsInshortObviouslyThatisConclusionThereforeThusInconclusionConsequentlyOnthewholeAsaresultHenceInbriefSignposts/CuesfortheReaderDirectandIndirectApproachesDirectapproachPresentasolutiontotheproblematthebeginningIndirectapproachEmphasizetheconclusionsandrecommendationstowardstheendofthereportReportOrganizationIfreadersareinformedIfreadersaresupportiveIfreadersareeagertohaveresultsfirstDirectPatternReport-----MainIdea------------------------------------------------------