Short Report
Write a short trip, lab, or evaluation report. Ensure you address the report to
a specific audience and employ professional writing style and technique.
Remember to use an appropriate format.
Refer to Module 4
Module 4: Report Writing and Research
Objectives
By the end of this module, you should be able to
•research technical topics and recognize credible secondary sources
•organize a report
•recognize the standard components of a report
•apply the standard conventions of report-writing
Module 4: Report Writing and Research
Commentary
Topics
Research
Reports
——————————————————————————–
Research
Research skills are important in both the academic and the work environment. During your career as a student, you have researched different subjects to gain knowledge. In the workplace, you may conduct research for numerous reasons, such as to determine the cost of new equipment, to gain an understanding of a technical term or concept, to summarize a procedure for your supervisor, or to uncover facts for a technical report.
To keep up with changes in technology, it is imperative that you gain familiarity with all available research methods. In the past, people typically performed research at a library. Today, they turn to the World Wide Web; however, technical writers can conduct research through numerous channels. Personal interviews, e-mail questionnaires, and listservs (programs by which e-mail messages are sent to a mailing list go out to all those on that list) can provide valid research opportunities.
Chances are, if you need to research a particular topic, your first source will be the Internet. There, you can find information from government organizations, academic institutions, commercial groups, and individuals. Remember, though, that not every site on the Web is a reliable source of information. Universities, for example, are more credible than obscure Web sites with a single author who lacks verifiable credentials. To conduct research on the Internet, follow these tips:
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•Look for Web sites that end in .gov, .org, and .edu.
•For a .edu or other site, make sure you can find the author of the material.
•Check the author’s credentials and see if he or she is referenced in the field.
•Find out whether the author has a bibliography or a works cited section, and check to ensure that his or her references are reputable (i.e., academic books, government journals, etc.).
•See whether the Web page has a publication date, and when the last update occurred.
•If you can’t locate the origins of a Web page or its author, be aware that you may not have found a credible source.
Many groups, including federal agencies, offer online indexes and databases. These are generally broken down by subject matter (such as MEDLINE from the Community of Science (COS), which offers medical journals and health publications; or ERIC from the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) of the U.S. Department of Education, which provides literature on education from journals and other sources). Within each of these databases, you can drill down to relevant research materials by entering specific search requirements. UMUC’s Information and Library Services Web site provides a wealth of up-to-date online indexes. You can also find this link in the Toolkit section of this course, if you would like to use it for your reference.
The type of research you’ll perform will be determined by your audience and purpose. For example, if your supervisor wants you to report on the latest trends and developments in telecommuting, you might start with a database search for relevant periodical articles on the topic. You may also type keywords into Google or Ask.com and follow the leads that seem promising. If your supervisor wants to know the feasibility of implementing telecommuting as an option within your company, you might begin your research by creating a list of questions to ask your Human Resources department. You might interview your management team and survey employees to gather data and opinions. You would integrate your sources into your report by quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing.
Giving Credit
Every time you use a source for research, including colleagues and other interviewees, you need to give credit to the source. You must also provide a source for graphics, if you use images you did not create yourself. Depending on the style guide you use, you may provide one or more of the following:
•in-text citations in parentheses
•footnotes
•endnotes
•a reference, works cited, or bibliography section
In most technical fields, the American Psychological Association (APA) style is the preferred documentation method. In medical and scientific fields, the American Medical Association (AMA) and the Council of Science Editors (CSE) style guides are the standards. Depending on your field, you may also use the Modern Language Association (MLA) guide or the Chicago Manual of Style.
Table 4.1 shows links where you can access these style guides or find out how to obtain them. You can also find these links in the Toolkit section of this course, if you would like to use them for your reference. Sometimes, conducting an online search for a style guide will yield academic Web sites with relevant information.
Table 4.1
Style Guides
Purpose Organization or Source Web site
Technical writing American Psychological Association (APA) Online APA Style Guide
Medical writing American Medical Association (AMA) AMA Web site
Scientific writing Council of Science Editors (CSE) Online CSE Guide for Citations (click on the last three links)
General/literary writing Modern Language Association (MLA) MLA Web site
General/literary writing; useful for a wide range of editorial questions and concerns Chicago Manual of Style Chicago Manual Web site
Remember that the sources you use should support or refute your ideas. Your research should not replace your thoughts; rather, it should enhance them or provide validity. Use direct quotes sparingly unless your report relies heavily on interviews. Twenty-five words is considered the limit for one quote. When you quote, copy the source word-for-word and note it directly after the quote with an in-text citation or a footnote. Remember to place the quote in quotation marks. This step can be easily forgotten!
To avoid numerous quotes, you can paraphrase a source. When paraphrasing, rewrite the original information, varying both the words and the sentence structure. Do not include additional information. Be sure to cite the source immediately after the paraphrase, in the same manner as you would a quote.
If you need to incorporate longer secondary source material into your document, it may be best to summarize it. Your supervisor might ask you to review information in numerous reports, and to give a short account of what you have read. When you summarize, remember to write the original information in your own words and to make it as succinct as possible. Try to sum up an entire report in no more than a short paragraph with a citation.
Reports
Think about why we read reports. We want to stay informed about a particular topic in our field, to make a decision, to make an effective presentation, and/or to justify an action. When writing a report, we adapt the content and style to our audience’s needs.
Types of reports include
•meeting minutes, to record discussions, actions, and results of a meeting
•status or progress reports, to update others on how projects are coming along, and to alert others to potential problems
•feasibility or evaluation reports, to assess various solutions, equipment, and personnel
•recommendations, to suggest solutions to a problem or optimal courses of action
•trip summaries, to report on discussions, actions, and results of business trips
•lab reports, to record the results of laboratory work
•incident/hazard/accident reports, to describe events, identify their causes and results, and reveal possible findings and/or solutions
These and other reports all fall under the categories of the two basic types of report: the short report (or memo report), and the long report (or formal or research report). All reports, like all letters, essays, and articles, have three main parts, including
•abstract, or summary
•body, or discussion section
•conclusion/recommendation
Long reports may have many more components; however, they still retain this basic structure.
A short report may address one person or several, and is typically written to an internal audience (within your company). Generally, longer reports are written for a variety of people who have disparate backgrounds and varying reasons for reading the report.
Think of the needs you would have to meet with a long report, such as a study on the benefits of incorporating an employee wellness plan, written to a client. Your client might send the report to his or her Human Resources department, to supervisors, and to a middle management team to gather feedback. How could you address the needs of these readers? You could write a background section for the supervisors explaining why competing companies have incorporated wellness plans. You might include clear definitions for the middle managers. You could add a section letting Human Resources know what its role would be in implementing such a plan. You would need to use headers to direct your readers to the sections of the report that would most interest them.
Many reports also contain graphics to break down information for readers. You can display percentages and facts in a table or graph. Be sure to number and label all graphics and to reference those graphics within the body of your report. Only use graphics that have a clear purpose and that support the content of your report. Graphics should not serve as decorations.
Short Report Organization
Clear organization is key to providing a roadmap for your readers. Four common types of organization are
1.classification
2.chronological organization
3.cause-and-effect
4.compare-and-contrast
Classification, or the grouping of items according to their qualities, is a common organization tool. If you were rearranging your closet, you might put shoes, pants, and shirts in different areas. You might even separate those items into smaller categories, such as running shoes, work shoes, dress shoes, beach shoes, etc. If you were writing a report on Atlanta as a destination for a conference, you might also separate your subjects, as shown in figure 4.1:
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Figure 4.1
Classification Report Structure
I.Possible Hotels
A.Wyatt Hotel
B.Georgia Inn
C.Peachtree Convention Center
II.Possible Restaurants
A.Catfish Tavern
B.Lucy’s
C.Green Light
III.Possible Entertainment
A.Ryder string quartet
B.Delaney’s jazz band
and so on. You can use this type of structure even if you are discussing different items without any further breakdown in classification.
A chronological organization may work best for such documents as meeting minutes, timelines, or project schedules. Chronological organization requires you to segment information in increments of time or in order of occurrence. If you worked for a theater company, you might use a structure similar to that in figure 4.2 to record minutes at a meeting:
Figure 4.2
Chronological Report Structure
9:30 started meeting
9:35 planned seasonal budget
9:50 discussed hiring of new lighting designer
10:10 took coffee break
10:15 discussed problem with sound quality
and so on.
A cause-and-effect structure shows how various events occurred or will occur. This type of organization can be used when reporting a problem. For example, if a poorly trained customer representative is causing numerous complaints, your boss might ask you to prepare a report on the situation. You might describe a skill the representative lacked, and then list examples of the type of complaint it caused, with examples. You would repeat this pattern until you exhausted the list of skills, or until you made your point. You might use the approach shown in figure 4.3:
Figure 4.3
Cause-and-Effect Report Structure
Representative A lacks the skill of diplomacy. This has caused the following complaints:
•He insulted Client A.
•He didn’t apologize to Client B. about the late work service, resulting in a tense telephone exchange.
•He shouted at Client C.
Representative A is often late. This has caused the following problems:
•Client D’s equipment went without repairs for a month.
•Client E called five times for help with a problem.
and so on.
A compare-and-contrast structure analyzes different items or ideas, showing which features are superior. This type of organization can be useful in reports that evaluate equipment or give recommendations. Generally, you would group items either by criteria or by alternative. If you were evaluating two types of laptops for your field agents, the criteria would be the relevant features of the laptops, and the alternatives would be the laptops themselves. Before starting your report, you would need to determine which features of the laptops were important enough to analyze. Your agents might identify monitor size, battery life, and weight as the most important aspects of a laptop. Your supervisor might cite cost as the decision-making factor. Your organization structure would look like either figure 4.4 (by alternative) or figure 4.5 (by criteria):
Figure 4.4
Compare-and-Contrast Report Structure, by Alternative
IBM ThinkPAD X40
•Monitor size
•Battery life
•Weight
•Cost
Dell Latitude D620
•Monitor size
•Battery life
•Weight
•Cost
Figure 4.5
Compare-and-Contrast Report Structure, by Criteria
Monitor Size
•IBM ThinkPAD X40
•Dell Latitude D620
Battery Life
•IBM ThinkPAD X40
•Dell Latitude D620
Weight
•IBM ThinkPAD X40
•Dell Latitude D620
Cost
•IBM ThinkPAD X40
•Dell Latitude D620
You can use tables in this type of report to make information easy to understand at a glance. Tables 4.2 and 4.3 show how you can accomplish this:
Table 4.2
Compare-and-Contrast Table, by Alternative
IBM ThinkPAD X40 Dell Latitude D620
Monitor size Monitor size
Battery life Battery life
Weight Weight
Cost Cost
Table 4.3
Compare-and-Contrast Table, by Criteria
Monitor Size Battery Life Weight Cost
IBM ThinkPAD X40 IBM ThinkPAD X40 IBM ThinkPAD X40 IBM ThinkPAD X40
Dell Latitude D620 Dell Latitude D620 Dell Latitude D620 Dell Latitude D620
Figure 4.6 shows a short report with poor organization. Scroll your mouse over the numbers to see the ways in which it could be improved.
Figure 4.6
Poorly Organized Short Report
From: Moyo Tutu, principal investigator, Mission Systems
To: Yung Chong, senior executive, Mission Systems
Date: 04/06/06
RE: My Trip Report 1
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In accordance with your wishes to be kept informed 2 of developments in the field of computer software, I am filing the following trip report covering my recent visit to T-Data corporate headquarters at 55 Logan Circle, Salt Lake City, Utah. Although my flight from Cleveland left an hour late (at 10:05 a.m.), I got to Salt Lake City (after changing planes in Dallas) by 12:00 p.m. noon last Weds. 3 After lunch (see my expense records), I went out to the T-Data headquarters, where I was met by Guy DeFalco around 1:30 p.m. He is one of T-Data’s best marketing representatives. Guy showed me their newest line of word processing and file management software. 4 Although I was impressed by the speed and simplicity of the new HyperText package and its ability to mesh with other software, I found the FileSort file management program to be slower and harder to use than our present FilePlan system. 5 HyperText has a lot of layout functions that are easy to use, and we could make good use of it if we decided to go to desktop publishing in the future, especially for our use in-house. We could use it to create things like company newsletters and promotional brochures. 6
My initial look at T-Data’s software line took up most of my time that afternoon, but at 3:00 p.m., I did get to take a glimpse of one of their latest developments in computer hardware: a mini with wireless capability. This is what we are looking for if we want to interface our mainframe with our micros. For your information, the model number on this new minicomputer is WW EZ 123. 7 It could be the hardware we are looking for to replace our rapidly aging HP processors—the ones that are used in our accounts receivable offices. One other thing might be worth mentioning here: T-Data is offering a substantial discount to new corporate customers who are willing to replace their present line of micro processors with T-Data hardware. They’ll cut by 50%. This, by the way, is the best offer I have seen in the past 6 months. 8
Moyo 9
Click on the pop-up below to discuss how you would organize this report differently.
Think About It 4.1: Organizing the Report
For contrast, look at figure 4.7, which shows an improved version of the same report. Scroll your mouse over the numbers to find out why it is superior to the report in figure 4.6.
Figure 4.7
Organized Short Report
From: Moyo Tutu, principal investigator, Mission Systems 1
To: Yung Chong, senior executive, Mission Systems
Date: 04/06/06
RE: Evaluation of T-Data’s Software and Hardware Products 2
ABSTRACT 3
I visited the T-Data headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah on 4/1/06 to evaluate software and hardware products. One of T-Data’s leading marketing representatives, Guy DeFalco, showed me their newest line of word processing and file management software, as well as their minicomputer. T-Data’s word processing package and minicomputer would be valuable to our organization. T-Data is offering a 50 percent discount 4 on their minis.
NEW PRODUCTS 1
The bulk of my time was spent in evaluating T-Data’s new word processing and file management software. However, I also had the opportunity to look at their latest developments in computer hardware.
Word Processing 5
The new HyperText package is a quick, easy-to-use word processor that meshes well with other software. This package also has layout functions that would be beneficial if we decided to go to desktop publishing. Our house organizations could use this feature to create company newsletters and promotional brochures.
File Management 5
The FileSort program is slower and harder to use than our present FilePlan system. FileSort took twice as long to upload an 800-megabyte file as our software, and I found it difficult to navigate the system hierarchy.
Computing 5
The WW EZ 123 minicomputer is an excellent candidate for replacing the rapidly aging HP processors in our accounts receivable offices. The mini’s wireless capability also makes it a candidate for interfacing our mainframe with our micros. As an added incentive, T-Data is offering a 50 percent discount 6 to new corporate customers who are willing to replace their present line of microprocessors with T-Data hardware.
RECOMMENDATIONS 1
We should not pursue T-Data’s FileSort program; however, I believe that we should further evaluate and consider the following T-Data products: 7
•HyperText – A quick, easy-to-use word processor with layout functions
•WW EZ 123 minicomputer – A wireless mini for accounts receivable
T-Data’s offer to reduce the cost of the WW EZ 123 minicomputer by 50 percent 6 makes this the best proposal I have seen in the past six months.
Long Reports
Before you begin writing a long report, you need to do your homework. Regardless of whether your subject has been determined for you, or whether you have decided what you need to write about, be sure to analyze your audience. Long reports are often read by numerous readers; think about each person’s needs, education, level of expertise, reasons for reading the report, etc.
Think of your primary audience first. Your primary audience is made up of the folks who will make decisions based on your report. Your secondary audience is made up of those people who will be affected by the actions of the primary readers. If you were writing a long report evaluating laptops for field agents, your primary audience would be the supervisor who controls the budget and who has the final say over the decision. You would need to make sure that the supervisor knew the bottom line of each purchase. The secondary audience would include those field agents who would use the new laptops on a daily basis. The agents would be much more concerned about the functionality of the laptops than about the cost.
When writing a long report, perform research as necessary. First, find out whether your organization has already compiled research on the subject. This type of information-gathering is known as secondary research. Review existing documents, determine whether you still need information, and conduct additional research as needed. New research you perform is called primary research.
Brainstorm your report by asking the journalistic questions who, what, where, when, why, and how. Then, think of how to structure your report. If you are comparing the two laptops, make lists of the pros and cons of each system; if you are proposing changes to a process, explain why first, and then list possible changes.
A formal report is comprised of front matter, a body/discussion, and back matter. These sections contain several components:
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I. Front matter
•transmittal letter or memo
•cover page
•abstract
•table of contents
•list of figures (optional)
II. Body/discussion
•introduction
•scope
•presentation and discussion of facts
•conclusion
•recommendations (optional)
III. Back matter
•works cited
•glossary of terms
•appendices
We elaborate on these components below.
Front Matter
Front matter introduces the main topics of the report and leads the reader to the body or discussion. Below, we discuss each of the components of front matter.
Transmittal Letter or Memo
Always send out long reports with a transmittal letter or memo. If the report is going outside the company, format the transmittal as a letter; if it is staying within the company, format the transmittal as a memo. In either case, the transmittal basically states, “Here is the report I promised to write.” The letter or memo is generally one page; it briefly discusses the purpose of the report, and includes contact information. Conclude the transmittal by politely stating what you would like your readers to do after reviewing the report, i.e., “Please call my assistant to set up a meeting to discuss our findings.”
Cover Page
Your cover page should look professional. It may contain your company’s logo or a graphic relevant to the report. Do not place annoying clipart on the cover page to “dress it up.” If you are going to use a graphic, it should lend meaning to the report. If it does not, omit it. At a minimum, your cover page should contain the title of the report, the main readers’ names, and your name, along with those of anyone else who helped prepare the document. It should also include a date, and may list a version number.
Abstract
There are two types of abstracts: descriptive and informative. A descriptive abstract is similar to a summary, in which you condense the discussion section of your report. An informative abstract differs from a descriptive abstract in that it states the results of the report. An informative abstract provides data as well as information, and includes your concluding ideas and recommendations.
Your abstract will help your readers determine whether they want or need to read your entire report, or whether they should route your report to someone else. For this reason, the abstract should be able to stand on its own. Keep in mind that your report is not a mystery novel; it should not build up to a surprising conclusion. You should “give away” all the important facts up front. Provide significant details in your abstract, such as how long it will take to complete a contract, how much new equipment will cost, how many work hours are needed to win a proposal, etc. If you are not sure which type of abstract to write, create an informative one.
You cannot begin your abstract until you complete the report, for the sheer reason that it is impossible to summarize what you have not yet written. Click on the pop-up below to see if you can distinguish a descriptive from an informative abstract.
Think About This 4.2: Abstracts
Table of Contents and List of Figures
The front matter should also contain a table of contents and a list of figures, if necessary. These guide your readers through the report and let them know what to expect. They also give your audience an easy way to locate specific information.
Body/Discussion
The body makes up the bulk of the report and contains all the information relevant to the readers. It should be as long as it needs to be to get the main points across, but should not be padded with fanciful language or unnecessary anecdotes. Below, we discuss each of the components of the body/discussion.
Introduction
Your introduction is the first section of the body of your report. It differs from the abstract in that it acquaints your readers with the main themes of your report without providing a summary. The introduction should identify the main problem or topic, the purpose of the report, and the key factors involved. For example, an introduction to the laptop evaluation report would need to mention the items evaluated (the two types of laptops), why the equipment is being evaluated (because supervisor Fran Kennedy wants to upgrade 800 field examiners’ systems), and how the equipment is being evaluated (through a comparison of monitor size, battery life, weight, and cost).
Scope
In the scope section of a report, you state what factors are included in the report and what issues are not discussed. Break your information down into categories such as project goals, deadlines, money, equipment, work hours, etc. Also include any limitations to your work: “This comparison of the IBM ThinkPAD X40 and the Dell Latitude D620 presents an analysis of four major features of each laptop; however, this report does not contain information about any other laptop.” You may want to provide a description of the people who helped create or contribute to the report, naming the organizations they represent. You might also include a “roadmap” of the report, in which you explain to your readers how many sections the report contains as well as the information that can be found in each section.
Presentation and Discussion of Facts
When organizing your report, be sure to provide background information for readers who may need additional information. You might, for example, include a review of previous research in a background section. Is there a timeline of events that your readers will want to see? Does your audience need to know your rationale for writing the report?
To construct the main body of your report, employ one of the modes of organization, such as classification, chronological organization, cause-and-effect, and compare-and-contrast, or perhaps a combination of two or more. Reporters use a journalistic, or inverted pyramid, style. They provide the most important facts first, with the least important at the end of the article. Whatever organizational structure you choose, make good use of headings and subheadings. Instead of titling parts of your report with their generic names (Introduction, Scope, Body, etc.), use meaningful headings such as shown in the sample report outline in figure 4.8:
Figure 4.8
Specific Headings
1. Field Examiners’ Work Requirements
1.1 Overseas
1.2 In the U.S.
2. Laptop Features Breakdown
2.1. Dell Latitude D620 Review
2.2. IBM ThinkPAD X40 Review
3. Laptop Price Breakdown
3.1. Dell Latitude D620 Review
3.2. IBM ThinkPAD X40 Review
Conclusion and Recommendations
Most reports conclude with either a summary to highlight the important information in the report, and/or a recommendation to suggest how to solve a problem or make an improvement. Many reports employ a mix of these.
Regardless of how you conclude your report, it needs to provide some meaning to the report, and it should be brief. Figure 4.9 shows the conclusion of a report evaluating laptops. Scroll your mouse over the numbers to see what the author has done to make it an effective end to the main body of the report.
Figure 4.9
Report Conclusion
To perform their work effectively, the field examiners must have dependable, sturdy, and lightweight laptops. 1 In addition, they need laptops powerful enough to handle a vast array of complex formulas and spreadsheets, as well as financial auditing software to assist them in determining whether the institutions are meeting OTS guidelines for safety and soundness. 2 Having researched the IBM ThinkPad X40 and Dell Latitude D620, I recommend buying the Dell Latitude D620 for the OTS examiners. 3
Although the IBM has weight, keyboard, and battery advantages over the Dell, the Dell has the overall advantage in computer processor power, disk space, RAM, wide screen format, multi-level data security, battery life, rapid battery charge time, and wireless and broadband technologies. 4 In addition, the Dell laptop costs $200 to $400 less than the IBM ThinkPad. 4 The savings associated with the purchase of the Dell will be even greater because OTS is an existing Dell customer, and qualifies for a bulk rate discount. 4 The Dell has just about everything the field examiners need to perform their duties. Additionally, the Dell has the new wireless and broadband technologies already built in, 4 which will prevent us from incurring costs if we develop the overseas market and/or go wireless. 5
Back Matter
The back matter of a report starts on the page after the conclusion. Below, we discuss each of the components of back matter.
Works Cited
In the works cited or references page, you list all the sources you used for research or for quotations as you composed the report. Using the APA, CSE, AMA, Chicago, or MLA style, be sure to reference all books, journals, newspapers, Web sites, and other source of information. Alphabetize your references, and include a double space between each listing.
Glossary of Terms
Include a glossary of terms for those readers who may need a refresher or further explanation of technical terms. Alphabetize this list, and include a double space between each listing. Keep in mind that some workplaces prefer the glossary at the beginning of the report rather than at the end.
Appendices
Use appendices to provide supplemental information for your readers. For instance, if you interviewed the field examiners to determine their work needs for a laptop, you might want to list your interview questions along with the results you gathered in an appendix. Materials for appendices include brochures, questionnaires, previous reports, maps, illustrations, etc. This material is generally not discussed in the report itself, though you should refer your readers to appendices whenever appropriate: “For completed field examiners’ questionnaires, see Appendix A.” Label each appendix with a letter (i.e., Appendix B, Appendix C), and number the pages accordingly (i.e., B-1, C-1, etc.).
In figure 4.10, you can see the various components of a long report. Put the components in the correct category in the table, in the order in which they should appear. Correct answers will stick.
Figure 4.10
Organizing a Long Report:
Putting the Parts in Order
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