Chp 11: Writing And Completing Reports And Proposals

Front 1

Adapting to your audience

Back 1

not too formal, not too informal; you attitude

Front 2

Drafting Report Content

Back 2

Effective intro accomplishes 4 tasks:

1. context-problem-reader comprehension

2. subject matter-importance

3. main idea-preview

4. tone-audience-relationship

Close--3 important functions:

1. summarizes key points

2. emphasizes reader benefits

3. brings action items together

Front 3

body

Back 3

presents, analyzes, and interprets information

Front 4

preview section

Back 4

helps reader get ready for information

Front 5

review section

Back 5

summarizes key points after a body of material

Front 6

Report introductory elements

Back 6

1. authorization

2. problem/purpose; reason

3. scope; covered

4. background; led up

5. sources and methods; primary and secondary

6. definitions; terms

7. limitations; beyond control

8. report organization; topics

Front 7

proposal introductory elements

Back 7

1. background or statement of the problem; situation at hand

2. solution; proposed change

3. scope; boundaries

4. report organization; divisions

Front 8

report body elements

Back 8

1. explanations; project details

2. facts, .... evidence; results

3. analysis of action; courses of action

4. pros and cons

5. procedures; steps

6. methods and approaches

7. criteria; benchmarks

8. conclusions and recommendations; reveals

9. support; reasons

Front 9

proposal body elements

Back 9

1. facts.. evidence

2. proposed approach; concept-reader benefits

3. work plan; steps-accomplish

4. statement of qualifications; experience

5. costs; realistic costs

Front 10

Report close

Back 10

1. For direct approach; summarize key points

2. For indirect approach

3. For motivating action; should happen

Front 11

proposal close

Back 11

review of the argument; key points

review of reader benefits; help reader

review of the merits of your approach; more effective

restatement of qualifications; reemphasize

request; ask for decision

Front 12

Drafting website content

Back 12

1. skeptical audience

2. adapt to global audience

3. pyramid style-most important to less important

4. concise, skimmable format

5. effective links

6. living document

Front 13

Collaborating on wikis

Back 13

1. traditional expectations-authorship

2. encourage improvement

3. page templates

4. editing and discussion capabilities

5. sandbox

Front 14

Visual literacy

Back 14

ability to create effective messages and correctly interpret visual messages

Front 15

6 principles of graphic design

Back 15

1. consistency; visual parallelism; series of ideas

2. contrast; emphasizes differences

3. balance; formal or informal

4. emphasis; dominant element

5. convention; rules

6. simplicity; limit colors and design elements; chartjunk

Front 16

table

Back 16

systematic arrangement of data in columns and rows; when you need to present detailed, specific information

1. understandable units

2. round off for simplicity

3.clear column headings

4. easy to follow

5. small enough

6. text footnote

Front 17

Line chart

Back 17

illustrates trends over time or plots the relationship of two variables

Front 18

Surface chart

Back 18

form of line chart that shows a cumulative effect

Front 19

bar chart

Back 19

portrays numbers with the height or length of rectangular bars

Front 20

pie chart

Back 20

shows how parts of a whole are distributed

Front 21

data visualization

Back 21

diverse class of display capabilities

extracting broad meaning from giant masses of data

Front 22

flowchart

Back 22

illustrates a sequence of events from start to finish

flowchart language; shapes have meanings

Front 23

organizational chart

Back 23

illustrates the positions, units, or functions in an organization and the ways they interrelate; hierarchy

Front 24

Maps, drawings, diagrams, infographics, photographs

Back 24

maps; location, distance, points of interest, geographic distribution of data.

drawings and diagrams; endless variety of business concepts

photographs; functional and decorative value

Front 25

infographics

Back 25

diagrams that contain enough visual and textual information to function as independent documents.

Front 26

animation and video

Back 26

visual impact

animate shapes and text

Front 27

title

Back 27

short description and identifies content and purpose of the visual

Front 28

caption

Back 28

additional discussion of visual's content

Front 29

legend

Back 29

helps readers decode the visual

Front 30

Designing effective visuals

Back 30

have designer set up template

3 benefits of template; better designs, consistency, save time

style and quality of visuals communicate subtle message

visuals need to integrate well with text

check visuals for accuracy; errors, honesty, computer issues

ethical implications of visuals

Front 31

Report prefatory elements

Back 31

cover; concise title

title fly; plain sheet of paper with title of report

title page; report tile, name, title of writer(s), date of submission

letter of authorization; letter of authorization to include in report

letter of transmittal; introduces report

table of contents; section headings, subheadings

list of lllustrations; include if important

synopsis or executive summary

Front 32

synopsis(abstract)

Back 32

brief overview of a report's most important points; can be informative(direct) or descriptive(indirect)

Front 33

executive summary

Back 33

alternative to synopsis; mini version of report

Front 34

report supplementary elements

Back 34

appendixes, bibliography, index

Front 35

proposal supplementary elements

Back 35

appendixes, resumes of key players

Front 36

proposal prefatory elements

Back 36

cover, title fly, title page

copy of or reference to the RFP

synopsis or executive summary; more common in formal proposals than in reports

letter of transmittal