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Your Attention, Please!

Your Attention, Please!. Writing Business Reports & Executive Summaries Kim Silk, MLS Data Librarian, Martin Prosperity Institute Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto February 2014. Agenda. Basic Report Components Getting Organized Audience is Key

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Your Attention, Please!

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  1. Your Attention, Please! Writing Business Reports & Executive Summaries Kim Silk, MLS Data Librarian, Martin Prosperity Institute Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto February 2014

  2. Agenda • Basic Report Components • Getting Organized • Audience is Key • Tables of Contents, Appendices & Executive Summaries • Practice & Discussion

  3. Component 1: Make Your Statement • You are the author; these are your opinions • What do you think?? • This is the main idea for this section of the report Example: “Toronto Public Library is the largest library system in Canada”.

  4. Component 2: The Evidence • What is your evidence? • You must back up your statements with evidence, logic and reasoning. Example: “According to data collected by Toronto Public Library and reported to the Canadian Urban Libraries Council (CULC), TPL circulated more items than any other system in 2012”.

  5. Component 3: The Audience Context • Statements and evidence must be meaningful to your audience • Different audiences require different approaches Example: “taxpayers” vs. “citizens” “investment” vs. “cost”

  6. Getting Organized Reports require structure • What is the story you want to tell? • “chunk it out” into logical sections; think in terms of your TOC telling a story • If a section doesn’t seem to fit, ask: should it be there?

  7. Audience Matters • Always remember your audience • Multiple audiences and stakeholders: • Your manager • Your manager’s manager • Your team • Your direct reports • How will your stakeholders use this report? Consider their personal context and goals.

  8. Building Your Table of Contents • Your TOC is built using the headings for each section • Your TOC should tell the story of your report Example: • TPL creates over $1 billion in total economic impact • Total direct benefit is as much as $500 per member • The average open hour at a branch generates $2,515 in direct benefits • Return on Investment is 463%

  9. Building Appendices • The appendix is where you put stuff that’s important, but not part of the main story • Detailed data, evidence, interviews, etc. go here • Use tables whenever you can

  10. Executive Summary • Traditionally addresses sr. level executives who are time-pressed; • Summarizes your report, your argument • Key points only • Less than 1 page • “soundbite”

  11. Practice & Discussion Scenario: You’re taking (or have taken) an Information Workshop as part of your degree. Write a report to convince others to take this workshop. Think About & Begin to sketch out: • Your position, point of view • Your statement(s) • Your evidence • Who is/are your audience(s). Think in terms of context. • What does your TOC look like? • What would you put in an appendix? • What would you concentrate on in your executive summary?

  12. Thank you for your attention. Kimberly Silk, Data Librarian Kimberly.Silk@rotman.utoronto.ca @kimberlysilk

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