Answers from Chapter 9

1.  What is the difference between formal and informal reports

  1. Informal reports are:
  2. Shorter (less than 8 pages)
  3. Use memo or letter format (formal= manuscript)
  4. Personal in tone (can use I, you, we, she, he)

2.  How do business reports differ from business letters (pg. 226)

  1. Letter reports are usually:
  2. Longer
  3. More careful organization
  4. Uses headings

3.  How are informative reports different from analytical reports?

  1. Informal: present information WITHOUT analysis or recommendations. Ex: Progress report about your group project
  2. Analytical report: provide information WITH conclusions/analyses. Can be used to persuade. Feasibility report for a class trip to the Maldives.

6. Why do you need to know how to write reports?

  1. To get your ideas to your readers.
  2. To solve questions and answer questions

7. List 6 kinds of informal reports.

1. Information reports: Collect and organize information. DO NOT ANALYSE.

2. Progress reports: show the progress of a project. What has been done up to now.

3. Justification/recommendation results: Similar to an information report, but show analysis.

4. Feasibility Reports: similar to justification/recommendation but this report answers the question: Can We Do This?

5. Minutes of a meeting: records what happened in a meeting

6. Summaries: a shorter version of a longer work. It has the main ideas, conclusions and recommendations.

8. Types of Reports:

Letter

Memo

Manuscript

Printed

Digital

9. A. Your supervisor asks you to review the Apple iPhone to determine if the gadget would work with your corporate e-mail system. FEASIBILITY/MEMO

B. You want to tell management about an idea you have for consolidating two departments in order to eliminate redundancy and lower expenses. RECOMMENDATION/MEMO

C. You are in charge of developing a new procedure for processing payroll. Your boss wants to know what you have done so far. progress/memo

D You were selected to record the meeting of a project team where new tasks were assigned to each member. minutes/digital/printed or memo

E. As Accounting Department manager, you have been asked , you have been asked to describe for all employees your procedure for processing expense claims. INFORMATION/MEMO/

F. As a security officer, you are writing a report of an office break-in. INFORMATION/PRINTED

G. examine the problem and offer solutions: Recommendation/Memo