REPORT WRITING CHAPTER 16 homework

REPORT WRITING CHAPTER 16 homework

1.     Q: What are the purposes of report preliminaries?

A: The preliminary parts of a formal report help to make the report user-friendly. Those parts provide a convenient way to physically transmit the report, establish a context for understanding it, and enable the reader to locate specific information easily. Some preliminary parts may be omitted when justified by the length of the report, the complexity of the topic, or the formality of the situation. Include: cover or binder; flyleaves; title pages; transmittal message; authorization and acceptance message; contents; preface; acknowledgments; executive summary.

2.     Q: Why should you bind a report?

 A: A reader must be able to handle the report document conveniently. Although some readers may prefer that you present unbound pages, perhaps enclosed in an envelop or a file folder, many prefer that you bind the report securely. A cover or binder protects the pages of the report and prevents them from loosening while the reader uses the report. You report cover should show at least the title of the report; if the title is long, a shortened from may appear on the cover. You may also include a design or illustration to suggest the content of report and stimulate interest.

3.     Q: What information should a title page contain?

A: The title page usually contains four facts:

(1): the full title of report

(2): the identity of the person or agency for whom report was prepared, including full name and address;

(3): the author’s identity: including full name, address, and possibly the telephone number or e-mail address;

(4): the submission date.

4.     Q: What should a transmittal message accomplish?

A: the transmittal massage, in letter or memorandum format, presents the report to your primary readers. Generally, a letter is used for external reports and a memo for internal report.

5.     Q: What are the functions of authorization and acceptance messages?

A: the authorization message evidence of permission to undertake the project, and the acceptance message gives evidence of agreement to do the task. Those messages are often exchanged before the project is undertaken, sometimes orally and sometimes in writing. If written, they may be included in the report as formal notice to secondary readers that the project was appropriately authorization and accepted. However, if the transmittal message includes reference to the authorization, those messages may be omitted from the report.

6.     Q:  What should be included in an executive summary?

 A: The executive summary, sometimes called a synopsis, immediately precedes the body of the report. In this summary, briefly state the research problem, purpose, research methods, mayor findings, conclusions, and recommendations. The summary must contain enough information to help a reader decide how much of the full report he or she should read.

Some executives prefer that the summary be no longer than one pager. The length and complexity of the report, however, most often govern the length of the summary. Unless instructed to so, do not feel that you must limit the summary to one page.