Transcript Formal Reports

Chapter 22
Formal Reports
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
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
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Criteria
 Provide reports with the standards used to make
recommendations and evaluations
 Must be defined within the report
 Are established by researching appropriate
sources
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Types of
Formal Reports
 Recommendation reports
 Feasibility reports
 Evaluation reports
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Recommendation Reports
 Demonstrate understanding of the problem
 Recognize the audience of stakeholders
 Recommend choices that best fit the criteria
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
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
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
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”
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Guidelines for Composing
Formal Reports
 Formal reports are specific to their
problems and situations.
 Therefore, avoid formulas and rely
on problem-solving and rhetorical
strategies.
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
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
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Conduct Necessary
Research
 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
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Include Helpful Visuals
 To enhance readability and usability
 By considering a variety of visual genres
 By planning visual strategies alongside
persuasive strategies
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Because formal reports can
be lengthy, detailed, and
complex, it is not uncommon
for them to be composed
collaboratively by teams or
committees.
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
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
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
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
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Three Main Parts
of Formal Reports
 Report structures differ depending on audience
needs, but tend to involve three standard parts:
 Front Matter
 Body
 Back Matter
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
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.
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
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
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
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
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Back Matter
 References
 Appendices
 Back Cover
 Should present information about authors,
organizations, or the subject matter
 Is usually unnecessary in electronic formats
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
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
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.