Chapter 16, Eight Edition

1. Technical Communication:
Process and Product
8th Edition
Steven M. Gerson
Sharon J. Gerson
Instructor: Zulfiqar Ali Chachar

2. Chapter 16
Short, Informal Report
This chapter discusses the following:
•What is a Report?
•Unique Aspects of Reports
•Types of Report
•Criteria for writing Reports
•Types of Short, informal Reports

3. What is a Report?
Report is a simple word that is hard to define.
“Report is a written account of something that one has
observed, heard, done or investigated.”
Reports come in different lengths and levels of formality, serve
different and often overlapping purposes and can be conveyed to an
audience using different communication channels.

4. Why we need to write a Report?
Your report will serve one or all of the following purposes:
• Supply a record of work accomplished
• Record and Clarify complex information for future reference
• Present information to a large number of people
• Record problems encountered
• Document schedules, timetables and milestones
• Recommend future action
• Document current status
• Record procedures

5. Unique Aspects of Reports
Length and Scope
Short
• Typically 1-5 pages long
• Focuses on topics with limited
scope
Long
• More than 5 pages long
• Focuses on topics with large
scope

6. Unique Aspects of Reports (cont.)
Formality (tone)
Informal
• Most short reports are informal
• Routine messages
• Letters, memos, E-mails etc.
Formal
• Long and contains standardized
components.
• Title page, Table of contents,
Appendices, References etc.

7. Unique Aspects of Reports (cont.)
Audience
Internal
(high or low tech)
• Colleagues,
Supervisors,
Subordinates in office
• Report in E-mail or
memo format is
written
External
(multiple level)
• Vendors, Clients,
Customers or
Companies
• Report in letter format
is written
Both
(Internal and External)
• If audience is both
internal and external,
you would write
either E-mail, memo
or letter format
report.

8. Unique Aspects of Reports (cont.)
Purpose
Informational
• Focus on factual
data
• Limited in scope
Analytical
• Provide information
• Analyze causes
behind occurences
• Draw conclusions
based on
interpretations
Persuasive
• Convey information
• Draw conclusions
• Justify recommended
follow-up actions

9. Unique Aspects of Reports (cont.)
Communication Channels
E-mail
• Typically short and
informal
• To both internal and
external audience
Memo
• Usually short and
informal
• To internal audience
Letter
• Can be short or long,
formal or informal
• To external audience

10. Types of Reports
Many Reports fall into any of the following categories
• Incident Reports
• Investigative Reports
• Trip Reports
• Progress Reports
• Lab Reports
• Meeting minutes
• Feasibility/Recommendation Reports
• Research Reports
• Proposals

11. Criteria for Writing Reports
Organization
Every short report should contain five basic units:
1. Identification Lines
2. Headings and Talking Headings

12. Criteria for Writing Reports (cont.)
3. Introduction
• Purpose
• Personnel
• Dates
4. Discussion
5. Conclusion/Recommendations

13. Criteria for Writing Reports (cont.)
Development
Now you might be asking “How do I develop my ideas?”
First answer the reporter’s questions;
Who?
When?
Why?
Where?
What?
Second, when providing information ‘quantify’. Do not be vague or
imprecise.

14. Criteria for Writing Reports (cont.)
Audience
Since reports can be sent both internally and externally, your
audience could be high tech, low tech, lay or multiple. Before you
write, determine your audience. It could help you determine;
Tone
Terminology
The tone could further be determined if you are writing
Vertically
Laterally
To Multiple audience

15. Criteria for Writing Reports (cont.)
Style
Your style of report could include
Conciseness
Highlighting techniques
Headings
Subheadings
Graphics

16. Six Types of Short, Informal Report Format
All reports include:
 Identification information
 Introduction
 Discussion
 Conclusion/Recommendation

17. 1. Incident Reports
An Incident Report documents an un-expected problem that has
occurred. This could be an:
• Automobile accident
• Equipment malfunction
• Fire
• Robbery
• Injury

18. Incident Report (cont.)
Criteria:
• Introduction
 Purpose
 Personnel
• Discussion
• Conclusion/Recommendation
 Conclusion
 Recommendation

20. 2. Investigative Report
As the word ‘Investigative’ implies, an Investigative Report asks
you to examine the causes behind an accident. Something has
happened.
Criteria:
• Introduction
 Purpose
 Location
 Personnel
 Authorization

21. Investigative Report (cont.)
• Discussion
 Body
 Findings
 Agenda
• Conclusion/Recommendations
 Conclusion
 Recommendation

22. Include a new page notation for every page after
page 1.

23. 3. Trip Reports
A Trip Report allows you to report on job-related travel.
Criteria:
1. Introduction
• Purpose
• Personnel
• Authorization
2. Discussion
• Body
• Findings
• Agenda
3. Conclusion/Recommendations

25. 4. Progress Reports
A Progress Report lets you document the status of an activity,
explaining what work has been accomplished and what work remains.
Criteria:
1. Introduction
• Objective
• Personnel
• Previous Activity
2. Discussion
• Work Accomplished
• Problems Encountered
• Work Remaining
3. Conclusion/Recommendations

26. Include a new page notation on every page after page
1. In this notation, provide the writer’s name, page
number and date.

28. 5. Lab Reports (Test Reports)
A Lab or Test Report lets you document the status of and findings from a
laboratory experiment, procedure, or study.
Criteria:
1. Introduction (overview, background)
Purpose ( Why is this report being written? )
• Rationale ( What problem motivated this report? )
• Objectives ( What does this report hope to prove? )
• Authorization ( Under whose authority is this report being written? )
2. Discussion (body, methodology)
Apparatus
Procedure
3. Conclusions/Recommendations
Conclusions
Recommendations

30. 6. Feasibility/Recommendation Reports
A feasibility/recommendation report accomplishes two goals.
First, it studies the practicality of a proposed plan. Then, it
recommends action.
Criteria:
• Introduction
Objectives
• What is the purpose of this feasibility report?
• What problems motivated this study?
Personnel

31. Cont.
• Discussion
Criteria (state the criteria upon which the recommendation is based)
Analysis (compare your findings against the criteria)
• Conclusion/Recommendations
Conclusion
Recommendation