Preparing to Write Business Reports

Preparing to write business reports
Understanding Report Basics
Reports are useful documents employed within most business organizations. They serve as mediums to understand and comprehend the problems faced in a business in an attempt to solve them. Business reports take on many forms from memos to letters to half-page trip reports. They all serve the purpose of answering questions and solving problems. Reports can be analytical or informational depending on the purpose they fulfill. Informational reports present data without analysis while analytical reports provide conclusions and examinations.
Direct Reports
A direct report is one where the solutions or recommendations are placed at the beginning of the report. This format is useful when the recipient is familiar with the subject and is more concerned with seeing the solutions. These formats are beneficial for executives seeking to scan through multiple documents quickly.
Indirect Reports
Unlike direct reports, indirect reports are not as concerned with the final results. They first mention all the data and interpretations from the author, and then proceed to mention the conclusions. These reports are excellent for persuasive use or to express bad news.
3x3 Writing Process
The three by three writing process is simply an outline for the final report. It helps the author to develop his report methodically. It usually begins with determining the problem and purpose, the audience and the work plan. Once this is solved, the writer can agree on which kind of data he or she will use, as well as his or her interpretations of the data.
Problem and Purpose
The most efficient way to start a report is to outline its purpose in one clear sentence. This is known as the problem statement, and the report will seek to resolve it. A question can also do the trick. The problem statement helps to keep the project on target. It should include action words such as choose, investigate, justify etc. Next is the scope, which sets the elements that need to be examined. The scope acts as the boundary for the report. The problem statement must also be significant to the author or recipient. If the report is not significant then there is no use in creating it. Furthermore, if there are too many limitations, then the report will lose its usefulness. All these factors play a role in establishing an excellent statement of purpose.
Anticipating the Audience
The reader of the report has much influence on the contents found within it. Depending on his or her bias on the topic at hand, the report will have a different format or formality, different recommendations and in some cases different data. To analyze the audience, the author must ask himself questions such as “What do my readers need to know about this topic?” as well as breaking his or her major problem into subproblems.
Preparing a Work Plan
With the statement of purpose laid out and the audience predicted, the author can now formulate his work plan. The work plan will feature the time allocated to each section of the report. It gives a complete picture of the project. It should also include a work schedule in order to remain constant with the workload.
Gathering Information from Secondary Sources
A report without data is like a cake without batter. You can’t complete one without the other. Data comes in two forms: primary and secondary. Secondary sources are defined as printed documents which explain events which took place in the past during a real-time experience. Simply said, secondary sources are primary sources written down. They can be in the form of books, magazines, periodicals etc. When looking for a secondary source, developing a search strategy can save a lot of time. For example, when searching through a library catalogue, indicating the author’s name or the name of the editor can provide more precise search results.
Comprehending the Evolving Nature of Communication Technology
The internet has taken the world by surprise over the past 15 years. The information found within it is endless, and it gives anybody access to all the details they need for whatever they want to accomplish. Needless to say, the World Wide Web is an excellent database; however, it does have some downturns. Most of the information on the internet is unfiltered, meaning that it comes from a person who may be stating something without knowing much about it. People are often tempted to use the internet as their number one resource, but this is not always the best idea. In order to get the best of the internet, one should definitely use a search engine such as Google or Yahoo. These offer quick web pages that answer any possible question. Blogs which are virtual communities help bring people with the same interests together. This is useful for some enterprises who want all their employees on the same level with the same knowledge. Search tools found on blogs and search engines help people navigate through the endless information found on the web.
Illustrating Data
In order to present large amount of data or numbers collected in an easily understandable way, charts and graphs are essential. Graphics help simplify complex numerical data and allows the reader to visualize the information. Different types of graphs are used to represent different ideas, depending on what should be emphasized. Decide what and how many graphs to use by evaluating the audience targeted. Too many graphs will overwhelm the reader. All the information presented should be accurate and error-free. All graphics should be near the place where they are mentioned in the report. Be sure to explain what the graphics represent.
Tables
Tables are constructed by drawing both vertical columns and horizontal rows and is the most frequently used graphics in reports. Tables can display a large quantity of data without taking too much space. However, they are not suitable for comparing them. A clear title at the top of the table and headings for each columns and rows should be clearly displayed.
Bar charts
Bar charts are useful for comparing data, as the information is represented by bars of different lengths, depending on their value. Change over time and differences between two sets of data can be easily seen with a bar chart. All bars need to be of equal width and the x-axis and y-axis clearly identified.
Line charts
Line charts represents change over time. The x-axis is the time while the y-axis is the dependent variable. Line charts can compare more than one variable. Use dots to mark the intersection between the y-value and the year and then connect all the dots to form a line.
Pie charts
Pie charts are best used for visualising the proportion of components in whole. The percentage of each section can be clearly represented and compared to each other. There should be no more than six sections, as too many sections will overwhelm the audience. Use colors to clearly define each component.
Flow charts
Flow charts show the steps of a process and helps visualize them. Ovals, rectangles and diamonds are the main symbols to use when making a flow chart.
Organizational charts
Organizational charts show a company’s internal structure and the relation between each rank
Photographs, maps and illustrations
To make a piece of information more credible, photographs can be used, as they are visual proofs. Maps are useful for visualizing geographical data. Illustrations helps show how an object is like and is easier to understand than a chunk of text.
Documenting data
Documenting data is the process of using another person’s work to supplement your own ideas. Documentation is used to reinforce the credibility of information and ideas in a report. Anything that is another person’s idea, words or opinion should be cited. The same goes for graphics and statistics found by somebody else. In the academic world, documentation is treated very seriously. Every source has to be cited and quotations marks need to be used for quotes. Plagiarism is considered an extremely serious offense. In the business realm however, documentation is a less serious issue, where team project are abundant and individual author is not important.
When searching for information, it is important to take notes. Note taking can be done manually or electronically. Be sure not to confuse quotations with your own paraphrasing and summaries.
Paraphrasing is when you rewrite a text passage in your own words. All paraphrase need to be cited. When paraphrasing, the original text should be read several time, and then rewritten. I t is important not to just replace some words with synonyms, as that would be considered plagiarism.
Quotes are passages taken from an original piece exactly as they were and repeated by another person. Quotations marks are essential when quoting. Quotes are used when they can strengthen the accuracy of an argument, especially if it’s from experts. They are also used often because they present precise information.
Gathering information from primary sources
Primary data are first-handed sources about the information studied. They are important because they are direct evidence from people about the topic researched. Surveys, interview and observation are ways to acquire primary sources
Surveys
Surveys are questionnaires used to collect information form a sample of people. Surveys are efficient because they can reach a broad audience when mailed. However, the response rate is low and people can lie on surveys thus, falsifying the findings. In order to avoid these problems, a sample size as large as possible must be selected. A cover letter used to explain why it is necessary to complete the survey and incentive such as gifts can help convince people to write the survey. Also, each question must be essential to the study. Avoid questions that can be interpreted differently by different people.
Interviews
Interviews are face-to-face conversation between an interviewer and an interviewee. The interviewer asks questions to the interviewee about a specific topic, where the latter is generally and expert on. The best way to make sure the information obtained is going to be relevant is to select the person with the most knowledge about your topic for the interview. Before the interview, research the person you are going to meet and prepare the questions you are going to ask. When conducting the interview, maintain a friendly and professional attitude. Try to use open-ended questions in order to get as much information as possible.
Observation and Experimentation
Observation is the act of recording our surroundings. When observing, it is important to know what and why you are doing this and how is it going to help your research. Note-taking is essential when doing observation in order to record every necessary detail. Experimentation is done when a cause and effect relationship is suspected between two variables.

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