REPORT WRITING

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REPORT WRITING

• Cozetta Lee-Woolfolk
• Operations Research Analyst
• WI Research

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TOPICS

• Why Reports Fail to Communicate Effectively
• Prerequisites for Writing a Report
• Writing the Report
• Use of Graphs

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Why Reports Fail to Communicate Effectively

• TURN-ONS
• TURN-OFFS

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Why Reports Fail to CommunicateEmphasis

• Not Decision Oriented
• Emphasize means (techniques) rather than the end
  (business decision)
• Not appropriate for the background/
  interests/needs of the reader(s)

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Why Reports Fail to CommunicateContent

• Information Not Data
• Interpret Dont Describe
• Tell a Story Not a Book
• Honest Not Deceptive
• KISS
• Timely

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Why Reports Fail to CommunicatePresentation
Problems

• Long Winded
• Redundant
• Verbose/Wordy
• Tired and Unimaginative
• Indecisive/Noncommittal
• Typographical Errors
• Ineffective Charts/Graphics

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When Do You Start Writing the Report?

• The Moment the Project Takes Life!!

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Prerequisites
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Background

• Historical information
• Specific business issues that gave rise to the
  study
• Previous research
• Requestor of research / Decision Maker
• Major Concerns

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Background Example

• Anecdotal information exists within the IRS
  community that EITC taxpayers are amending their
  original Form 1040 returns to claim EITC or
  increase the amount of EITC claimed originally,
  but denied.
• Prior research studies of amended returns
  claiming EITC indicates the following
• Based on this information the Director of
  Reporting Compliance, requested that Research
  conduct a study on amended EITC claims to analyze
  the noncompliance among these taxpayers and prove
  or disprove the anecdotal information.
• This project allows the Service to better
  understand taxpayers behavior when filing EITC
  amended claims. Information from this study will
  allow the customer to make recommendations on
  educating and assisting taxpayers in filing
  correct original returns, thus achieving IRS
  mission to help taxpayers understand and meet
  their tax responsibilities.

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Purpose

• Should refer to specific decision elements
• Should state or imply a future decision

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Purpose Example

• Analysis of amended claims that will lead to a
  decision on future strategies to address the
  problem of taxpayers circumventing the original
  processing procedures.

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Objectives

• Highlight the questions that will be answered in
  the study.
• Provide a structured framework for organizing the
  report.

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Objectives Should Be
Specific Important Limited to a few clearly
stated questions so the reader can sail through
the report
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Objective Example

• The main objective is to support or refute the
  contention that taxpayers amend their original
  Form 1040 returns to claim EITC, increase the
  amount of EITC already claimed after it has been
  denied on the original return, or to claim
  additional EITC that had been partially
  disallowed.
• Hypothesis
• Taxpayers are amending their tax returns to
• circumvent automated processing checks done
• when original returns are processed.

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Objective Example

• Determine the population of taxpayers that amend
  their original returns to claim EITC or increase
  the amount of EITC.
• Determine the percentage of these taxpayers that
  were previously denied EITC or did not claim EITC
  on their original returns.
• Determine the percentage of taxpayers that amend
  their original returns to claim EITC for TY 2001.
  
• Determine the percentage of all taxpayers that
  amend their original returns for TY 2001.
• Is there a difference between the sub-groups
  identified above?
• Profile the EITC claims population for TY 1999,
  2000, and 2001.
• Profile the examination results and return
  preparer information on the examined EITC claims.
  
• Are the characteristics of (6) different from the
  characteristics of (7)?

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SEE Information in Data

• SIMPLIFY
• EXAMINE
• EXPLAIN

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Simplify

• Minimize distracting details
• Eliminate redundancies
• Use summary statistics
• Highlight key information

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Checklist for Simplifying Data

• Reduce the number of digits
• Use self-exploratory labels
• Use averages/top box scores to focus on key
  issues
• Keep figures to be compared together
• Use columns to show figures that vary little
• Reorder columns/rows to reflect average size
• Highlight exceptional values
• Eliminate redundant information
• Minimize non-essential, nice-to-know information
• Use numbers/units directly comparable within a
  table

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Examine

• Separate need to know from nice to
  know
• Sort results to show visible patterns

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How to separate need to know from nice to
know

• Start with a clear plan
• Only include information that directly relates to
  the objectives

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Explain

• Focus on what the analysis revealed rather than
  what it is
• Support conclusions with specific results
• Use the so what test
• Provide what if analysis
• Make explanations user friendly
• Check for logical and technical errors

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Explain

• The mean perception rating for tax examiners on
  the attribute of hard working was significantly
  higher (alpha of .05) than the mean rating for
  revenue agents.

• Tax examiners are viewed as harder workers than
  revenue agents.

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Explain

• Income and age are excellent predictors of
  compliance.

• The R2 value, using compliance behavior as
  criterion and income and age as predictors was
  .84.

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Explain

• The increase in EITC awareness following the
  television advertising campaign was statistically
  significant at the 90 level.

• Evidence showed that the TV ads increased
  taxpayer awareness of EITC.

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First Draft

• Who is the reader
• What is expected from the report
• Which format does the primary reader prefer?
• Writing style
• Ideal length

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Formal Report

• Executive Summary
• Background/Purpose/Objectives
• Conclusions
• Recommendations
• Detailed Report
• Title Page
• Table of Contents
• Introduction
• Conclusions/Recommendations/Suggestions
• Appendix
• Methodology, Limitations, Technical Details
• References, Glossary, Bio of Researchers

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TITLE

• Succinct
• Objective Oriented
• Descriptive of the Scope
• Key Words for later Reference

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PARAGRAPHS

• Topic Sentence
• 4 Cs
• (Clear-Concise-Correct-Complete)
• Avoid Detail on Detail
• Put Numbers in Table
• Dont Change Tense
• Logical Flow

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PARAGRAPH TRANSITIONS

• Results
• hence, therefore, consequently, as a result
• Examples
• for example, as an illustration, for instance,
  specifically
• Additions
• moreover, furthermore, also, too, besides
• Avoid
• however, but, although

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SENTENCE CONSTRUCTION

• Interpretive vs. Descriptive
• Avoid Tired Language
• Active vs. Passive
• Avoid Numbers (as much as possible)
• Vary Sentence Length
• Average Length (15 - 20 words)
• Use Punctuations/Underlining Sparingly

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WORDS / PHRASES

• Short Simple vs. Multi-syllable
• Verb vs. Non-Verb
• Forceful/Concrete vs. General/Abstract
• Active vs. Passive
• Clearly define Abbreviations/Tech Terms
• Avoid
• Buzz Words
• Slang Words

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SIMPLIFY the CONVOLUTED

• Afford an opportunity
• After the conclusion of
• Along the lines of
• As a result of
• At the present time
• At this point in time
• By means of
• Due to the fact that

• Allow
• After
• Like
• Because
• Now
• Now
• By
• Since/Due to

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SIMPLIFY the CONVOLUTED

• For the purpose of
• In accordance with
• In connection with
• In order to
• In the event of
• In the first place
• In the majority of instances

• For
• By
• With
• To
• If
• First
• Usually

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SIMPLIFY the CONVOLUTED

• In the matter of
• In view of the fact that
• Involve the necessity of
• Is of the opinion that
• Nothwithstanding the fact that
• Provided that
• Subsequent to

• About
• Since
• Require
• Believes
• Although
• If
• After

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SIMPLIFY the CONVOLUTED

• Within the realm of possibility
• With regard
• With the exception of

• Possibly
• About
• Except

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SIMPLE vs. MULTI-SYLLABLE

• Accomplish
• Acquiesce
• Admonition
• Aggregate
• Anticipate
• Approximately
• Apparent
• Arduous

• Do
• Agree
• Warning
• Total
• Expect
• About
• Clear
• Hard

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SIMPLE vs. MULTI-SYLLABLE

• Augment
• Characterize
• Configuration
• Cognizant
• Expeditious
• Facilitate
• Modification
• Subsequently

• Add
• Describe
• Form
• Aware
• Quick
• Help
• Change
• Later

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SIMPLE vs. MULTI-SYLLABLE

• Substantiate
• Supersede
• Unmistakable
• Voluminous
• Positioning
• Segmentation
• Interrogate
• Sponsorship

• Prove
• Replace
• Plain
• Bulky
• Unique/hard to simplify
• Too many words to replace
• More precise than ask
• More familiar than short word

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BUZZ WORD CREATOR

• Integrated Management Options
• Total Organizational Flexibility
• Systemized Monitored Capability
• Parallel Reciprocal Mobility
• Functional Digital Programming
• Responsive Logistical Concept
• Optional Transitional Time Phase
• Synchronized Incremental Projection
• Compatible Third-Generation Hardware
• Balanced Policy Contingency

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RECOMMENDATIONS

• Force the report to be end rather than means
  oriented
• Poor recommendations can overshadow an otherwise
  effective report
• Be cognizant of limitations of the study
• Read between the lines
• Dont compromise professional integrity to please
  decision makers

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FINISHING TOUCHES

• Type
• Dont use too many styles
• Avoid All Caps
• Difficult to Read
• Double Space
• Dont number 1st page
• Lower-case Roman Numeral
• Material before Text
• Arabic numerals
• Text
• Number Placement
• Bottom Center

• Paper
• High Quality
• Rag Bond
• 20 Weight
• White/Off-White
• 8 ½ x 11
• Margins
• Top Sides - 1
• Bottom - 1 ½
• Left Right Justify