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Short Reports
Purpose: Short reports are written, factual accounts that objectively communicate some aspect of business. The goal of short reports is to make information as convenient and clear as possible. Format of Short Reports
Direct: lead off with summary of key findings; most popular and convenient
Types of Short Reports:
Periodic report:
includes an overview of routine responsibilities, discussion of special projects, plans for coming period, and analysis of problems.
Personal activity report:
memo format that describes what happened over a specific period.
Analytical Reports: written to respond to special circumstances; includes justification, business plan, and troubleshooting.
Justification:
establishes a need for action, lists benefits of action, makes recommendations to achieve benefits, and summarizes.
Business plan:
documents an organization's overall goals and operational method it will use to achieve those goals.
Troubleshooting: logical structure to summarize problems and propose a solution
Can be direct or indirect, logical or topical
Indirect: key findings come after description of research methods;
use if audience is hostile.
Topical: organize report based on importance, sequence, chronology, location, spatial relationship, or categories
Logical:
organize report based on logical arguments that reflect the reasoning process behind conclusions and recommendations
Length of Short Reports:
Fill-in-the-blank:
routine, numerical information is usually less than 3 pages
Letter: directed to outsiders, also less than 5 pages
Memo: distributed within organization, less than 10 pages
Manuscript:
formal approach usually more than 10 pages
Tips to Remember:
Choose the proper degree of formality when writing a short report.
Establish a time perspective.
Use openings, headings, lists, transitions, previews,
and reviews to help the reader find their way.
