Chapter 22 Formal Reports

1. Chapter 22Formal Reports

2. Formal Reports • Address larger, more complex problems than informal reports • Address different and more formal audiences of colleagues, executives, or external clients • Involve critical thinking • Must be composed accurately and ethically with the audience in mind

3. Criteria • Provide reports with the standards used to make recommendations and evaluations • Must be defined within the report • Are established by researching appropriate sources

4. Types of Formal Reports • Recommendation reports • Feasibility reports • Evaluation reports

5. Recommendation Reports • Demonstrate understanding of the problem • Recognize the audience of stakeholders • Recommend choices that best fit the criteria

6. Feasibility Reports • Study a situation or problem and provide a plan for addressing that situation or problem • Help readers decide whether it is possible to implement the plan successfully

7. Evaluation Reports • Provide a researched opinion about the worth, value, or effectiveness of something • Tend to consider whether previous decisions were effective and appropriate • Are sometimes referred to as “assessment reports” or “performance reports”

8. Guidelines for ComposingFormal Reports • Formal reports are specific to their problems and situations. • Therefore, avoid formulas and rely on problem-solving and rhetorical strategies.

9. Address Audience Needs • By reviewing the rhetorical situation: • Defining the problem • Identifying stakeholders • Understanding audience needs and expectations • By accounting for different levels of expertise and different reasons for wanting or needing the document itself

10. Conduct NecessaryResearch • To provide answers to the audience's questions • To provide accurate information and facts to support one’s recommendations or evaluations • By knowing what kinds of research are necessary for the situation

11. Include Helpful Visuals • To enhance readability and usability • By considering a variety of visual genres • By planning visual strategies alongside persuasive strategies

12. Because formal reports can be lengthy, detailed, and complex, it is not uncommon for them to be composed collaboratively by teams or committees.

13. Draft & Revise • By working “inside-out,” beginning in the middle with body sections of the document or with research and data • By writing multiple drafts • By revising frequently until the report is finalized

14. Distribute Professionally • By sending as hardcopies, printed on quality paper, and illustrated with color, when applicable • By considering whether electronic distribution is available or appropriate

15. Three Main Partsof Formal Reports • Report structures differ depending on audience needs, but tend to involve three standard parts: • Front Matter • Body • Back Matter

16. Front Matter • The front cover includes a specific title, a byline, a date, and appealing images and pictures. • The table of contents helps users navigate the document, and is necessary for reports longer than 10 pages. • Other elements of front matter include lists of tables, figures, and symbols.

17. Body • Introduction • Should indicate the kind of document (e.g., recommendation report) • Should be clear and concise • Should briefly discuss the rationale for the report • Description or Definition of the Problem • Technical Background • Criteria, formulated as numerical values, yes/no values, or ratings values

18. Body • Discussion of Options • Comparison of options or choices • Conclusions • Summarizes conclusions reached in previous sections • Resolves any confusion or contradiction from previous sections • Final Recommendations • Executive Summaries

19. Back Matter • References • Appendices • Back Cover • Should present information about authors, organizations, or the subject matter • Is usually unnecessary in electronic formats

20. Ethical Issues with Formal Reports • Accuracy of reported results and explanations • Full disclosure of all information pertinent to the situation • Honesty, even when feeling pressure from an authority to provide desired or expected answers