CHAPTER 7.
Writing Effective Short Reports
and Proposals
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Short Reports
▪ A short report, also known as an informal or
semiformal report, is an organized presentation
of relevant data on any topic. It may indicate
that:
1. Work is being completed
2. Schedules are being met
3. Costs have been contained
4. Sales projections are being met
5. Unexpected problems have been solved
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Types of Short Reports
▪ The six most common types of short reports are:
1. Periodic reports. Provide readers with information at regularly
scheduled intervals.
2. Sales reports. Provide businesses with financial and managerial
information.
3. Progress reports. Inform readers about the status of ongoing
projects.
4. Travel reports. Document business trips and how they affect
ongoing or future business.
5. Incident reports. Outline unexpected events that interfere or
threaten normal, safe business operations.
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Guidelines for Writing Short Reports
▪ The following guidelines will help you write any
short report successfully:
1. Anticipate how the audience will use your report. Consider how
much your audience knows about your project and what types
of information they need most.
2. Do the necessary research. Take careful notes, record all
necessary background information, collect relevant factual
data, and interview key individuals.
3. Be objective and ethical. Avoid guesswork, do not substitute
impressions or unsupported personal opinions for careful
research, avoid biased/skewed/incomplete data, and double
check
Copyright all facts/figures/specifications.
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Guidelines for Writing Short Reports
4. Organize carefully. Include a purpose statement, findings, a
conclusion, and recommendations.
5. Use reader-centered headings, bullets, numbering, and visuals.
Help readers locate and focus on key information in your report.
6. Write clearly and concisely. Use an informative title/subject that
gets to the point right away, write in plain English, use
international English, adopt a professional yet personal tone, and
do not include unnecessary background information.
7. Use appropriate format and visuals. Make your report look
professional, readable, and easy to follow; help readers locate
and digest information quickly; be consistent in your design and
format; include only the most essential visuals; and design,
import, and place visuals appropriately.
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Periodic Reports and Sales Reports
▪ Depending on needs, periodic reports may be daily, weekly,
bimonthly, monthly, or quarterly. They help a company or
agency keep track of the quantity and quality of the services is
provides and the amount and types of work done by
employees.
▪ Sales reports fulfill two functions: financial and managerial. As
financial records, they list costs per unit, discounts or special
reductions, and subtotals and totals. As managerial tools, they
help businesses make both short- and long-range plans.
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Progress Reports
▪ Progress reports are intended for people who are not working
alongside you but need to know your activities. They consist
of three parts:
1. Introduction. Indicate why you are writing the report, provide any
necessary project titles and codes with dates, and help readers recall the
job you are doing for them.
2. Body. Provide significant details about costs, materials, personnel, and
times for the major stages of the project.
3. Conclusion. Give a timetable for the completion of duties or submission of
the next progress report.
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Trip/Travel Reports
▪ Travel/trip reports may be field trip reports or site inspection
reports. Writing the travel/trip report will be easier and your
report will be better if:
1. Before you leave, you obtain contact information, do background
research, gather necessary documents, bring essential supplies,
locate a map/get directions, organize appointments, and if
necessary get permissions.
2. When you return, you write the report promptly, detail where you
stayed/how long, exclude irrelevant details, and double check
names and figures.
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Incident Reports
Incident reports must contain identification details, the type of
incident, the time and location of the incident, a description of
what happened, an indication of what was done after the
incident, an explanation of what caused the incident, and
recommendations.
Submit your report promptly and sign or initial it.
Be accurate, objective, and complete.
Give facts, not opinions.
Do not exceed your professional responsibilities.
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Proposals
A proposal is a detailed plan of action that a writer submits to a
reader or group of readers for approval:
1. They vary in size and in scope. They can be as short as a sales letter or as
long as hundreds of pages.
2. They are persuasive plans. You cannot write a successful proposal until
you fully understand your audience’s needs/problems, formulate a
careful/detailed plan to solve these needs/problems, prove beyond doubt
that you are able to solve the audience’s precise problems, and match your
timetable/budget with your reader’s.
3. They are frequently collaborative efforts. Even a short in-house proposal is
often researched and put together by more than one individual.
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Guidelines for Writing a Successful Proposal
Refer to these guidelines both before and while your
formulate your plan:
1. Approach writing a proposal as a problem-solving activity
2. Regard your audience as skeptical
3. Research your proposal topic thoroughly
4. Scout out what your competitors are doing
5. Prove that your proposal is workable
6. Be sure your proposal is financially realistic
7. Package your proposal attractively
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Internal Proposals
The primary purpose of an internal proposal is to offer a realistic
and constructive plan to help your company run its business
more efficiently and economically. Common topics of internal
proposals include:
1. Purchasing new or more advanced technology
2. Recruiting new employees or retraining current ones
3. Eliminating a dangerous condition or reducing an environmental risk
4. Cutting costs
5. Improving communication within and between departments
6. Expanding work space or making it more efficient
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Organization of an Internal Proposal
An internal proposal follows a straightforward plan, from
identifying the problem to solving it. Internal proposals contain
four parts:
1. The purpose. Begin your proposal with a brief statement of purpose.
2. The problem. Prove that a problem exists and document its importance,
avoiding vague generalizations and including quantifiable details.
3. The solution. Describe the change you propose and tie it directly with the
problem you have just documented.
4. The conclusion. Keep the conclusion short. Re-emphasize that there is a
problem, that change is justified, and that action needs to be taken.
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