english

INFORMAL REPORTS

WHAT ARE INFORMAL REPORTS?

 Purpose is always to inform

 Less formal (obviously) than formal reports

 Always know  The audience  Your role  The desired effect

 Types of informal reports  Informative  Analytical

 Often internal, so use memo format with headers for each section

INFORMATIVE REPORTS

 Short (1-2 pages)

 Timely (weekly, daily, monthly depending on the need)

 No conclusion (part of a project that is ongoing)

 Types:  Progress  Activity  Trip  Meeting minutes

ANALYTICAL REPORTS

 Longer

 More detailed

 Informative AND conclusive

 Often persuasive  Persuasion can be subtle

 Types:  Feasibility  Recommendation  Peer Review  Lab Reports

INFORMATIVE REPORTS

PROGRESS REPORTS

 To a familiar audience

 To document progress in key areas  Major milestones  Changes in timeline  Adjustments in funding

 To satisfy supervisors’ need to know

 To get permission on changes

 To alert supervisors to potential problems

ACTIVITY REPORT

 Similar to a progress report

 Periodic (at a set schedule or over a specific period)

 Summary of all activity

BONUS: INCIDENT REPORTS

 To document an incident

 Usually within a form

 Necessary information  Date of incident  Who was involved  Who observed  What happened  Why (in unbiased terms)  Simple observation  Complex investigation

 What has been done to follow up  What will be done to follow up

TRIP REPORT

 To report the results of business-related travel

 To a specific location or for a specific purpose

 Often structured around a schedule or events

BONUS: FIELD REPORTS

 Always from expert observations

 Always to an informed audience

 Used to  Describe  Explain  Document  And, sometimes, recommend

MINUTES

 Usually using a template

 From a member present

 Always objective  free from opinion or perspective

 To members present for recall

 To members absent to inform

 Necessary information:  Date  Time  Location  Called by  Attending  Note taker  Agenda items

 Main points of discussion  Person leading discussion  Action items  Deadline

BONUS: DIRECTIVES

 Always from a place of authority

 To instruct

 To clarify

 To persuade

 To document

ANALYTICAL REPORTS

FEASIBILITY

 Asks “is it realistic?” or “is it practical?”

 Provides background summary first

 Makes a direct recommendation

 Offers supporting sections

RECOMMENDATION

 Asks “which one?” or “how should we?”

 Provides background summary

 Provides a section outlining the specific exigence (the thing driving or demanding the action)

 Makes a direct recommendation

 Supports the recommendation with details

 Discusses the benefits of the recommendation

PEER REVIEW

 Provides feedback to a peer for the benefit of improving a document or presentation

 Begins with a brief summary of the positive aspects

 Focuses on constructive feedback

 Organized based on the categories of feedback provided

 Utilizes a polite tone throughout

 Always focuses on constructive, not emotive or vague, feedback  Avoid simply saying that you “like” or “dislike” something  Ask yourself “why?”

LAB REPORTS

 Always uses passive voice  No first person  Does not use memo format  Relies heavily on lab notes  Equations  Questions  Actions  The audience is other scientists  Not read linearly, so structure must be

followed

LAB REPORTS STRUCTURE

Descriptive and explicit title • Clear, not creative

Abstract • Not always required • Helps the reader find relevant

information • Includes

• Purpose of the experiment • Approach used in the experiment • Significance of the experiment

Introduction • Moves from general to specific

• Establishes the context of the experiment

• Addresses background, secondary research, and concepts that impact the experiment

• Directly addresses the singular purpose of the experiment

Method and materials • What is being done • What is being used • Often provided in a science classes

(state the experiment was completed as assigned)

• Note any issues here

Results • The data derived from the

experiment • Always in past tense • No conclusions in this section

Discussion • Conclusions and discussions of

meaning • Further questions • Address inconclusive data

FORMAL REPORTS

WHAT ARE FORMAL REPORTS

 Analytical  Informative and conclusive

 Requires critical thinking

 Requires research

 Relies on your expertise

 Used to inform decision makers

 Often external, so use APA paper format (abstract, lit review, methods, etc.)

 Types of formal reports:  Comparative Analysis  Causal Analysis  Feasibility

ASSIGNMENT OVERVIEW Progress Report

INTRODUCTION

 The introduction of a progress report should :  Identify the document as a progress report  Describe your project or assigned work  State that you are describing the progress made since starting the

project

DISCUSSION

 Explain what you have accomplished. You need to be clear and correct in this section so that your reader is not misled.

 Narrate each task thoroughly  Work accomplished  Progress expected  Problems encountered  Discuss solutions or ask for help

 Use complete sentences

 Do not include “empty” sections

DISCUSSION ORGANIZATION

 Task 1  Work Accomplished  Progress Expected  Problems

 Task 2  Work Accomplished  Progress Expected  Problems

CONCLUSION

 Overall progress

 Ability to make deadline

 Offer to answer questions or concerns