Writing

Reports and Proposals

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 1

 The Three-Step Process

Planning Writing Completing

Analyze Situation Revise

Adapt to
the Audience
Gather Information Produce

Select Medium Proofread

Compose
the Message
Get Organized Distribute

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 2

 Audience Adaptation

Analysis of Needs

Relationships

Style and Tone

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 3

Reports and Proposals

The Introduction
The Introduction

Body Sections
Body Sections

Closing Section
Closing Section

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 4

The Introductory Section

Subject
Subject
Report
Report Context
Context or
or Purpose
Purpose

Main
Main Ideas
Ideas Overall
Overall Tone
Tone

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 5

 The Body Section

Present
Present

Analyze
Analyze

Interpret
Interpret

Support
Support
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 6
 The Closing Section

Emphasize Main Points

Summarize Benefits

Reinforce Structure

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 7

 Drafting Report Content

Accurate
Accurate Complete
Complete

Clear
Clear and
and Documented
Documented
Balanced
Balanced Logical
Logical Properly
Properly

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 8

 Report Introduction
Authorization Problem/Purpose

Scope Background

Sources and Methods Terms and Definitions

Limitations Report Organization

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 9
 The Report Body
 Explanations of problem or opportunity
 Facts, statistics, and trends
 Results of studies or investigations
 Discussion and analysis of potential actions
 Advantages, disadvantages, costs, and benefits
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 10
 The Report Body
 Procedures or steps in a process
 Methods and approaches
 Criteria for evaluating options
 Conclusions and recommendations
 Support for conclusions and recommendations
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 11
 The Report Closing
Key-Item Summary
Key-Item Summary

Conclusions
Conclusions

Recommendations
Recommendations

Action Plans
Action Plans
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 12
Drafting Proposal Content
Attention Interest

Proposal
Proposal

Introduction
Introduction
Solicited Unsolicited
Proposal Proposal
Body
Body

Closing
Closing

Action Desire
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 13
 Strategies for Success

Demonstrate
Demonstrate Provide
Provide
Your
YourKnowledge
Knowledge Concrete
ConcreteExamples
Examples

Research
Research Offer
Offeraa
the
theCompetition
Competition Workable
WorkableProposal
Proposal

Relate
Relateto
toYour
Your Present
Present an
an
Audience’s
Audience’sNeeds
Needs Attractive
AttractivePackage
Package

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 14

Proposal Introduction

Background
Background Solution
Solution

Scope
Scope Organization
Organization

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 15

 The Proposal Body

Solution
Solution Work
Work Plan
Plan

Qualifications
Qualifications Detailed
Detailed Cost
Cost

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 16

 The Proposal Closing

Summarize
Summarize Emphasize
Emphasize
Key
Key Points
Points Benefits
Benefits

Restate
Restate Obtain
Obtain
Qualifications
Qualifications Commitment
Commitment

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 17

 Drafting Online Content

 Build trust with intended audiences

 Adapt content for global audience
 Compose web-friendly content
 Use a concise, skimmable format
 Include effective links
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 18
 Help Readers Navigate
Headings Transitional Previews
and Links Devices and Reviews


Readability
Readability 
Words
Words 
Introductions
Introductions


Frameworks
Frameworks 
Sentences
Sentences 
Summaries
Summaries


Relationships
Relationships 
Paragraphs
Paragraphs 
Overviews
Overviews

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 19

 Technology for
Reports and Proposals
Embedded
Embedded and
and
Templates
Templates Linked
Linked Documents
Documents

Electronic
Electronic
Electronic
Electronic Forms
Forms Documents
Documents

Multimedia
Multimedia Proposal-Writing
Proposal-Writing
Documents
Documents Software
Software
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 20
 The Power of Images
• Enhance textual messages
• Replace verbal messages
• Convey complex information
• Hold people’s attention
• Communicate with diverse audiences
• Convey connotative meaning
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 21
 Visual Design Principles

Consistency
Consistency Contrast
Contrast Balance
Balance

Emphasis
Emphasis Convention
Convention Simplicity
Simplicity

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 22

 The Ethics of Visual
Communication

Possible
Possible Background
Background Support
Supportfor
for
Interpretations
Interpretations Information
Information Argument
Argument

Complex
Complex Cause-Effect
Cause-Effect Emotional
Emotional Aggregation
Aggregation
Situations
Situations Relationships
Relationships Manipulation
Manipulation ofofData
Data

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 23

Choosing Points Clear
to Illustrate
Complete

Concise

Connected

Compelling
The 5 C’s of Visual Design
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 24
Selecting the Right Visuals

Data
Data and
and
Information
Information

Concepts
Concepts
and
and Ideas
Ideas

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 25

 The Parts of a Table
Multicolumn Head* Single Single
Column Column
Stub head Subhead Subhead Head Head

Row head XXX XXX XX XX

Row head
Subhead XX XXX XX XX
Subhead XX XXX XX XX
Total XXX XXX XX XX
Source: (In the same format as a text footnote).
*Footnote (for explanation of elements in the table).
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 26
 Preparing Data Tables

Use Common
Use Common Units
Units

Round Numbers
Round Numbers

Label Columns
Label Columns

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 27

 Preparing Data Tables

Rows and
Rows and Columns
Columns

Select Information
Select Information

Document Sources
Document Sources

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 28

 Line and Surface Charts
100%

Trends
Trends
80%

Variables
Variables
60%

Relationships
Relationships

2005 2006 2007 2008

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 29

 Average Kiln Temps
2500

2000
Temperature °F

1500

1000

500

0
8:00 9:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 1:00 2:00 3:00 4:00 5:00
AM AM AM AM AM PM PM PM PM PM

Kiln A Kiln B

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 30

 Home Game Ticket Sales
90,000

80,000
Average Per Game

70,000

60,000

50,000

40,000

30,000

20,000

10,000

0
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Other Students Families Alumni Staff

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 31

 Using Bar Charts
Compare Items

Show Changes

Indicate Composition

Show Relative Sizes

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 32
 CommuniCo
Staff Computer Skills
100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50% East

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%
E-mail Instant Graphics Spread Desktop Database HTML/XML
Message Sheets Publish Develop

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 33

 CommuniCo Preferred
Communication Media
100%
90%
80%

70%
60%
50%
40%
30%

20%
10%
0%
Sales Engineering Admin

IM E-mail Telephone Face-to-Face

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 34

 CommuniCo Stock Price
$50.00

$45.00

Open
High
$40.00 Low
Close

$35.00

$30.00
12/5 12/6 12/7 12/8 12/9

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 35

 CommuniCo Employee
Training Costs
16,000 $8,000

14,000 $7,000

12,000 $6,000

10,000 $5,000

Training Costs
Head Count

8,000 $4,000

6,000 $3,000

4,000 $2,000

2,000 $1,000

0 $0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Head Count Training Costs

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 36

 Creating Pie Charts

The Number of Slices

Logical Arrangement

Contrasting Colors

Numbers or Percents
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 37
Percentage of Time Spent Online
By Age Group

10%

27%

15%

23%
25%

Age 25-34 Age 35-49 Age 50+ Age 18-24 Age 2-17

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 38

 Information,
Concepts, and Ideas
Organization Charts Flow Charts

Positions
Positions Processes
Processes

Units
Units Procedures
Procedures

Functions
Functions Sequences
Sequences
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 39
 Flow
Flow Chart
Chart of
of the
the Report
Report Writing
Writing Process
Process

Keyboard First Next

Input Hard Copy Hard Copy

Edit OK? Yes

Yes
Edit
No Submit
Report
Add?
Keyboard Keyboard
Input/Edit Input/Edit
No

Style and Style and

Spelling Spelling

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 40

 The Chain of Command
Chief Executive
Officer

Executive Executive
President
Vice President Vice President

Vice Vice Vice Vice Vice

President President President President President

Region Region Region Region Region

1 2 3 4 5

District District District District District District District

A B C D E F G

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 41

 Using Maps as Visuals

Location and Distance Points of Interest

Geographic Distributions Market Territories

Distribution Routes Facilities Locations

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 42

 Other Business Graphics
Drawings or Diagrams Photographic Images

Functions
Functions Realism
Realism

Operations
Operations Visual
Visual Appeal
Appeal

Selected
Selected Details
Details Ethical
Ethical Concerns
Concerns
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 43
 Animation and Video
Shapes and
Shapes and Text
Text

Computer Animation
Computer Animation

Digital Video
Digital Video

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 44

Producing and Integrating
Visuals

Creation
Creation

Integration
Integration

Verification
Verification
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 45
Integrating Visuals and Text

Balance
Balance of
of Words
Words References
References to
to
and
and Visuals
Visuals Visuals
Visuals

Placement
Placement of
of Titles,
Titles, Captions,
Captions,
Visuals
Visuals and
and Legends
Legends

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 46

Verifying Quality of Visuals

Accuracy
Accuracy

Documentation
Documentation

Honesty
Honesty
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 12 - 47