The document discusses the importance of preparing business proposals and reports. It defines proposals and reports, and outlines their key components and preparation steps. Proposals can be informal or formal, and have components like introductions, background on problems/purposes, plans, schedules, staffing, and budgets. Formal reports analyze findings, draw conclusions, and make recommendations; they involve determining scope, audience needs, research methods, conducting research, organizing information, and editing the report. Both secondary and primary sources should be used in gathering information for proposals and reports.

1. 1

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a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 2
Understand the importance, types,
and components of informal and
formal proposals.
Learning Outcome 1

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Ch. 10 / Slide 3
Preparing Business Proposals
Importance: Proposals can mean life or death
for an organization.
Types: Internal proposals
are often justification and
recommendation reports.
External proposals
usually respond to Requests
for Proposals (RFPs).
Definition: A proposal is a written offer to
solve problems, provide services,
or sell equipment.

4. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 4
Components of
Informal Proposals
Informal
Proposals
Introduction
Background,
problem,
purpose
Proposal,
plan, schedule
Conclusion or
authorization
Budget
Staffing

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a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 5
Components of
Formal Proposals
Formal
Proposals
Copy of RFP
(optional)
Abstract
or
summary
Title page
Table of contents
List of figures
Introduction of Body
Background,
problem, purpose
Proposal, plan,
schedule
Staffing
Budget
Authorization
Appendix
Letter of
transmittal

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a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 6
Components of Informal Proposals
Introduction
 Explain why the proposal is
being written.
 Highlight the writer’s
qualifications.
 Strive for persuasive “hook” such
as the following:
• Extraordinary results
• Low costs, speedy results
• Remarkable resources
• Serious problem (a worry item)
• Key issue or benefit

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a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 7
Components of Informal Proposals
Background,
Problem, and Purpose
 Identify the problem
and your goals.
 For unsolicited proposals,
describe an existing problem.
 For solicited proposals, use the
language of the RFP and show
that you understand
the problem.

8. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 8
Components of Informal Proposals
Proposal, Plan,
and Schedule
 Present your plan for solving the
problem.
 Describe implementation
and evaluation.
 Outline a schedule of activities
with a timetable.

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a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 9
Components of Informal Proposals
Staffing
 Explain the specific credentials
and expertise of the key
personnel for the project.
 Show how your support staff and
resources are superior.
 Give clients exactly what they
requested regarding staff,
number of participants,
and details.

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a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 10
Components of Informal Proposals
Budget, Authorization
 Itemize costs carefully because
proposals are contracts.
 Present a deadline for
the bid figures.
 Ask for approval, and make it
easy to reply.
$
$
$
$

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a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 11
Learning Outcome 2
Describe the preparation of formal
reports, including their components,
work plan, organizational strategies,
and editing.

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a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 12
Writing and Editing Formal
Business Reports
Definition: A formal report is a document in which the
writer analyzes findings, draws conclusions, and
makes recommendations intended to solve a problem.
Formal reports are similar to formal proposals in:
1. Length
2. Organization
3. Serious tone
However, unlike proposals, formal reports do not
make an offer or respond to an RFP.

13. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 13
Steps for Writing Formal
Business Reports
⑥ Design graphics to clarify the report’s message.
① Determine the purpose and scope of the report.
② Anticipate the needs of the audience.
③ Decide on a work plan and appropriate
research methods.
④ Conduct research using primary and
secondary sources.
⑤ Organize, analyze, and draw conclusions.

14. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 14
What to Review When Editing
Formal Business Reports
Format Accuracy
MechanicsGraphics
Heading
levels
Consistency

15. Ch. 10 / Slide 15
Collect primary and secondary
information being careful to assess
its credibility.
Learning Outcome 3
© 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
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a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 16
Gathering Information From
Secondary Sources
Print Resources:
Books – rarely accessed
by print catalog
(mostly online)
Periodicals – print indexes
(now electronic indexes)

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Ch. 10 / Slide 17
Gathering Information From
Secondary Sources
Research Databases:
ABI/INFORM Complete
(ProQuest)
Factiva (Dow Jones)
JSTOR Business
Business Source Premier
(EBSCO)
LexisNexis Academic

18. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 18
Tips for Google Searching
Include quotation
marks for exact words.
“job interview tips”
Add define when
searching for a definition.
define networking
Add related to find
similar sites.
related:nytimes.com

19. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 19
Tips for Google Searching
To show results with one of
several choices, include OR in
caps between words.
Super Bowl winner 2018 OR 2019
Include an asterisk as a wildcard
to find an unknown word.
“A * saved is a * earned.”
Use basic Boolian
search strategies.
AND, OR, and NOT

20. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 20
Evaluating the Credibility
of Internet Resources
What is the
date of the
Web article?
When was
the website
last
updated?
Is anything
out of date?
Currency

21. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 21
Evaluating the Credibility
of Internet Resources
Who publishes
or sponsors
the page?
What
makes the
author an
authority?
Is contact
information
available?
Authority

22. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 22
Evaluating the Credibility
of Internet Resources
Content
Is the purpose
of the site to
entertain,
inform,
persuade, or
sell?
Who is the
intended
audience?
How does the
content
compare with
content
elsewhere?

23. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 23
Evaluating the Credibility
of Internet Resources
Accuracy
Do the
facts seem
reliable? Do you find
errors in spelling,
grammar, and
usage?
Can you
detect
bias?

24. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 24
Conducting Primary Research
Interviews
Surveys
(e.g., SurveyMonkey,
SurveyGizmo, or
FluidSurveys)
Observation and
experimentation

25. Learning Outcome 4
© 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 25
Identify the purposes and techniques of
documentation in business reports as
well as how to avoid plagiarism.

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a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 26
Documenting Information
Giving credit is ethical and offers
these benefits:
• Strengthens your argument
• Protects you from charges of
plagiarism
• Instructs readers
• Saves time

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a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 27
Documenting Information
To avoid plagiarism, you must give credit
whenever you use the following:
Another person’s ideas, opinions,
examples, or theory
Any facts, statistics, charts, and drawings
that are not common knowledge
Another person’s exact spoken or
written words
Paraphrases of another person’s
spoken or written words
Visuals, images, and any kind of
electronic media

28. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 28
Documenting Information
Practice the fine art of paraphrasing:
1. Read the original material closely
to comprehend its full meaning.
2. Write your own version without
looking at the original.
3. Avoid repeating the grammatical
structure of the original and
merely replacing words
with synonyms.
4. Reread the original to be sure
you covered the main points but
did not borrow specific language.

29. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 29
When and How to Quote
1. To provide objective background data and
establish the severity of a problem as seen
by experts
2. To repeat identical phrasing because of its
precision, clarity, or aptness
3. To duplicate exact wording before discussing
it.
Beware of overusing quotations.
Use direct quotations for three purposes only:

30. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 30
Two Documentation Formats
Modern Language Association
• Author’s name and page
(Smith 100) placed in text
• Complete list of sources in
Works Cited
American Psychological Association
• Author’s name, date of publication,
and page number placed near the
text reference (Jones, 2018, p. 99)
• Complete list of sources in
References

31. Learning Outcome 5
Ch. 10 / Slide 31
Convert report data into meaningful
visual aids and graphics.
© 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.

32. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 32
Creating Meaningful Visual
Aids and Graphics
Graphics fulfill the following functions:
1 Clarify data 2 Create visual
interest
3 Condense and
simplify data 4 Make numerical
data meaningful

33. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 33
Creating Meaningful Visual
Aids and Graphics
Match the graphic to the objective:
Table
To show exact figures
and values
Bar chart
To compare related
items

34. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 34
Creating Meaningful Visual
Aids and Graphics
Match the graphic to the objective:
Line chart
To demonstrate
changes in quantitative
data over time
Pie chart
To visualize a whole unit
and the proportion of its
components.

35. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 35
Creating Meaningful Visual
Aids and Graphics
Match the graphic to the objective:
Flow chart
To display a process
or procedure
Organization chart
To define a hierarchy of
elements

36. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 36
Creating Meaningful Visual
Aids and Graphics
Match the graphic to the objective:
Photograph,
map, illustration
To create authenticity,
to spotlight a location,
and to show an item
in use

37. Learning Outcome 6
Ch. 10 / Slide 37
Describe the content of typical
formal reports.
© 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.

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a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 38
Formal Report Components: Front Matter
Cover and title page
 Choose a professional binder
or cover.
 Balance the following parts on
the title page:
o Name of report in all caps
o Receiver’s name, title, and
organization
o Author’s name, title, and
organization
o Date submitted

39. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 39
Formal Report Components: Front Matter
Letter or memo of
transmittal
 Announce the topic and explain who
authorized it.
 Briefly describe the project.
 Highlight the findings, conclusions,
and recommendations (if the
receiver is supportive).
 Close with appreciation for the
assignment, follow-up actions,
acknowledgment of help from
others, or offers of assistance in
answering questions.

40. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 40
Formal Report Components: Front Matter
Table of contents
List of illustrations
 Show the page number where each
report heading begins in the text.
 Include tables, illustrations, or
figures showing the title of each and
its page number.
 May place the list on the same page
with the table of contents if
both are small.

41. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 41
Formal Report Components: Front Matter
Executive Summary
 To prepare an executive summary:
o Look for strategic words and
sentences.
o Prepare an outline with headings
for the purpose, findings,
conclusions, and
recommendations.
o Fill in your outline.
o Begin with the purpose:
The purpose of this report is to…

42. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 42
Formal Report Components: Front Matter
Introduction
 Describe events leading to the
problem or need.
 Explain the report topic and why
it is important.
 Clarify the scope, i.e. the boundaries
of the report.
 Identify who commissioned the report.
 Include a literature review, especially
in academic and scientific reports.
 Explain secondary and primary
sources; define key terms.

43. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 43
Formal Report Components: Body
 Present your research findings or a
solution to the initial problem.
 Discuss, analyze, and interpret
the findings in logical segments.
 Use clear, descriptive
headings.

44. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 44
Formal Report Components:
Conclusions
 Explain what the findings mean
in relation to the report.
 Draw conclusions based on
the findings.

45. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 45
Formal Report Components:
Recommendations
 Strive for practical, reasonable,
feasible, and ethical
recommendations.
 In enumerated lists,
make recommendations
(if requested).

46. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 46
Formal Report Components:
Back Matter
Appendix
 Include incidental or supporting
materials not relevant to all
readers.
 Include such items as survey forms,
copies of other reports, tables,
large graphics, and
correspondence.

47. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 47
Formal Report Components:
Back Matter
Works Cited or References
 List all references in Works
Cited (MLA style) or in
References (APA style).
 Optionally include a bibliography
showing all the works cited and
perhaps consulted, arranged
alphabetically.

48. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 48
Formal Report Components:
Final Writing Tips
 Allow sufficient time.
 Finish collecting data before
beginning to write.
 Work from a good outline.
 Provide a proper writing environment.
 Use your computer features wisely.
 Write rapidly; revise later– unless you prefer
a more deliberate style.

49. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in
a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.
Ch. 10 / Slide 49
Formal Report Components:
Final Writing Tips
 Save difficult sections until you
have gained confidence.
 Use verb tenses consistently
(the survey showed; the
respondents said).
 Generally avoid I and we.
 Let the first draft sit.
 Revise for clarity, coherence, and conciseness.
 Proofread the final copy three times.

50. Ch. 10 / Slide 50