Formal Reports

1
Formal Reports

• Christopher Merkner

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Lecture Overview

• Defining and Understanding Formal Reports
• The Information in Formal Reports
• The Elements of Formal Reports

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Defining Formal Reports

• Formal Reports
• Represent the end-product of a thorough
  investigation and analysis
• Are five or more pages (sometimes in the 100s)
• Require some standard structural elements
• Answer these questions

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Defining Formal Reports

• Formal Reports Answer these questions
• What is being examined?
• Why? (What is wrong? Or, What is at stake?)
• What alternatives are available?
• Why are we considering these alternatives?
• What are the important features of the
  alternatives?
• What are the overall conclusions?
• What do you recommend?

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Elements of Formal Reports

• Front-Matter
• Middle-Matter (The Report)
• End-Matter
• Which do you think most managers read most?

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Elements of a Formal Report

• Front-matter
• Cover Binding
• Title page
• Letter/memo of Transmittal
• Table of Contents Figures
• Executive Summary

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Elements of Formal Reports

• Middle-Matter (the report)
• Introduction
• Body
• Conclusions
• Recommendations

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Elements of Formal Reports

• End-Matter
• Appendix (ixes)
• Additional Charts/Graphs
• Resumes
• Supporting documents
• Notes
• Bibliography, References, or Works Cited
• Glossary

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Middle-Matter

• Introduction
• Body (Discussion)
• Conclusion(s)
• Recommendations

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Middle-Matter Introduction

• Explains the problem, or the issue at stake
• Provides and describes ample background
• Describes approach, methodology, resources
  involved
• Forecasts the reports content and organization
• Constitutes roughly 10 15 of report text

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Middle-Matter Body

• (Also called Discussion)
• Discusses, analyzes, compares, interprets,
  connects all of the contents of the report
• Organizes the report into logical, parallel
  chunks with level-headings and
  sub-level-headings
• NOTE Be sure these coordinate with the Table of
  Contents
• Uses tables and charts to highlight the text
  being discussed (not vice versa!)
• Follows the three-part paragraph pattern
  throughout
• Constitutes roughly 70 of report text

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Middle-Matter Conclusion

• Reviews the nature (background) of the report
• Explains what the findings seem to suggest
• (Sometimes will provide recommendations/call to
  action)
• Recommendations
• Based upon the conclusions, the findings of the
  discussion, you recommend which course of action
  the reader should (according to you) take
• You might also recommend how to go about
  implementing these recommended ideas
• Not uncommon to offer multiple courses of action

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Front-MatterCoverpage

• Consider binding types
• Includes
• Report Title
• Name and Title of Recipient
• Date

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Front-MatterTitle Page

• Looks similar to reports cover(page)
• Full title (nature scope)
• Name of company or agency preparing
• Name of the report writers
• Date of the report
• Name of the agency or company for whom the report
  has been prepared

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Front-Matter Letter/Memo of Transmittal

• Document that addresses reader directly about the
  report and includes
• Introduction
• States title of the report
• Recalls interest or authorization
• Provides overview of report main points
  discussed
• Body
• Summarizes conclusions recommendations
• Conclusion
• Offers appreciation to reader
• Offers discussion with reader
• Offers contact information

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Front-Matter Table of Contents

• Includes major sections
• Includes sub-sections
• Includes leader-dots (correct) page
• List of Figures
• Includes all figures and tables
• Uses number title
• Includes leader-dots (correct) page

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Front-MatterExecutive Summary

• Describes the problem and purpose of the report
• Describes the approach taken to determine
  solutions/recommendations
• Summarizes major conclusions
• Summarizes major recommendations
• About 1 page long
• NOTE The Executive Summary, sometimes called the
  Abstract, discusses more broadly the report text
  than the letter of transmittal, but (yes) much is
  repeated herethe letter of transmittal, however,
  is more geared toward the readers specific
  request for the report

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End-Matter

• Appendix (ixes)
• Additional (not-discussed) Charts/Graphs
• Resumes
• Supporting documents
• Notes, Bibliography, References, or Works Cited
• Discuss the differences here
• Glossary Index
• Audience, scope, purpose, formality

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Pagination
While you do not place page numbers on the cover,
title, or letter of transmittal, you still
account for their pages in the numbering of the
document

• Coverpage
• Title Page
• Letter of Transmittal
• Table of Contents/Table of Figures (ii)
• Executive Summary (iii)
• --------------------------------------------------
  
• Introduction (1)
• Discussion (4)
• Conclusion (13)
• Recommendation (14)
• --------------------------------------------------
  -
• Notes (16)
• Works Cited (17)