Organizing and preparing reports and proposals

1. Chapter 11
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Business Communication, Anniversary Edition Lehman and DuFrene ã2002 South-Western/Thomson Learning

2. PPaarrttss ooff aa FFoorrmmaall RReeppoorrtt
Chapter 11
I n d e x
I n c l u d e s a n a l p h a b e t i c a l g u i d e t o t h e s u b j e c t s i n t h e r e p o r t .
A p p e n d i x e s
C o n t a i n s s u p p l e m e n t a r y i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t s u p p o r t s t h e r e p o r t b u t p l a c i n g t h i s
i n f o r m a t i o n i n t h e r e p o r t w o u l d m a k e t h e r e p o r t b u l k y a n d u n m a n a g e a b l e .
R e f e r e n c e s
I n c l u d e s a n a l p h a b e t i c a l l i s t o f s o u r c e s u s e d i n p r e p a r i n g t h e r e p o r t .
S u m m a r y P a r t s
R e v i e w s m a i n p o i n t s p r e s e n t e d i n t h e b o d y a n d m a y i n c l u d e c o n c l u s i o n s
a n d r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s .
B o d y
P r e s e n t s t h e i n f o r m a t i o n c o l l e c t e d .
I n t r o d u c t i o n
O r i e n t s t h e r e a d e r t o t h e t o p i c a n d p r e v i e w s t h e m a j o r d i v i s i o n s .
E x e c u t i v e S u m m a r y
S u m m a r i z e s e s s e n t i a l e l e m e n t s i n t h e r e p o r t .
F i g u r e s
I n c l u d e s n u m b e r , t i t l e , a n d p a g e n u m b e r o f t a b l e s a n d g r a p h i c s .
C o n t e n t s
P r o v i d e s a n o v e r v i e w o f t h e r e p o r t a n d o r d e r i n w h i c h i n f o r m a t i o n w i l l b e p r e s e n t e d ,
c o n t a i n s h e a d i n g s a n d p a g e n u m b e r s .
T r a n s m i t t a l
P r e s e n t s t h e r e p o r t t o t h e r e a d e r a n d s u m m a r i z e s t h e c o n c l u s i o n s o r m a j o r p o i n t s .
A u t h o r i z a t i o n
P r o v i d e s w r i t t e n a u t h o r i z a t i o n t o c o m p l e t e t h e r e p o r t .
T i t l e P a g e
I n c l u d e s t i t l e , a u t h o r , w r i t e r , a n d d a t e ; a d d s f o r m a l i t y .
H a l f - T i t l e P a g e ( T i t l e F l y )
C o n t a i n s t i t l e o f t h e r e p o r t ; a d d s f o r m a l i t y .
Business Communication, Anniversary Edition Lehman and DuFrene ã2002 South-Western/Thomson Learning

3. BBaassiicc OOuuttlliinnee GGrroowwss iinnttoo
aa CCoonntteennttss PPaaggee
Chapter 11
P r o b l e m
M e t h o d
F i n d i n g s
C o n c l u s i o n
C O N T E N T S
I n t r o d u c t i o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
P r o b l e m . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
M e t h o d . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
D e l l I s L e a s t E x p e n s i v e . . . . . . . .
3
S e r v i c e / W a r r a n t i e s F a v o r G a t e w a y . . 4
E x p a n d a b i l i t y I s B e s t o n G a t e w a y . . 7
A v a i l a b i l i t y o f S o f t w a r e I s E q u a l . . . 1 0
G a t e w a y I s t h e B e s t B u y . . . . . . . 1 2
Business Communication, Anniversary Edition Lehman and DuFrene ã2002 South-Western/Thomson Learning

4. Chapter 11
SSuuggggeessttiioonnss ffoorr CCrreeaattiinngg aa
CCoonndduucciivvee WWrriittiinngg EEnnvviirroonnmmeenntt
• Plan early—allow plenty of time to finish
• Work at a steady pace in a non-distracting
writing environment
• Start with an easy section; skip difficult
sections and write them later
• Write rapidly and allow time to edit and
rewrite your first draft
Business Communication, Anniversary Edition Lehman and DuFrene ã2002 South-Western/Thomson Learning

5. Chapter 11
Writing Techniques for Short Reports
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• UUssee lleetttteerr ffoorrmmaatt ffoorr eexxtteerrnnaall rreeppoorrttss
aanndd mmeemmoorraanndduumm ffoorrmmaatt ffoorr
iinntteerrnnaall rreeppoorrttss
Business Communication, Anniversary Edition Lehman and DuFrene ã2002 South-Western/Thomson Learning

6. Chapter 11
Writing Techniques for Short Reports
• UUssee aa ppeerrssoonnaall wwrriittiinngg ssttyyllee ((ffiirrsstt-- oorr
sseeccoonndd-- ppeerrssoonn)) aanndd ccoonnttrraaccttiioonnss
tthhaatt ccoonnttrriibbuuttee ttoo aa nnaattuurraall ssttyyllee
• UUssee ggrraapphhiiccss ttoo rreeiinnffoorrccee tteexxtt
• UUssee hheeaaddiinnggss ttoo ppaarrttiittiioonn tteexxtt aanndd
rreefflleecctt oorrggaanniizzaattiioonn
• UUssee lleetttteerr ffoorrmmaatt ffoorr eexxtteerrnnaall rreeppoorrttss
aanndd mmeemmoorraanndduumm ffoorrmmaatt ffoorr
iinntteerrnnaall rreeppoorrttss
Business Communication, Anniversary Edition Lehman and DuFrene ã2002 South-Western/Thomson Learning