English assignment

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COMPLEX, EXPENSIVE PROJECTS call for a lot of documents. Before a project begins, a vendor might write a proposal to interest prospective clients in its work. After a project is completed, an organization might write a completion report to document the project or a recommendation report to argue for a future course of action. In between, many people will write various informational reports.

Whether they are presented as memos, emails, reports, or web pages, informational reports share one goal: to describe something that has happened or is happening now. Their main purpose is to provide clear, accurate, speci!c information to an audience. Sometimes, informational reports also analyze the situation. An analysis is an explanation of why something happened or how it happened. For instance, in an incident report about an accident on the job, the writer might speculate about how and why the accident occurred.

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In writing informational reports, pay special attention to these steps in the writing process.

PLANNING In some cases, determining your audience and to whom to address the report is di"cult. Choosing the appropriate format for your report can also be di"cult. Consider whether your organization has a preferred format for reports and whether your report will be read by readers from other cultures who might expect a formal style and application. See Chapter 4 for more about analyzing your audience.

DRAFTING Some informational reports are drafted on site. For instance, an engineer might use a tablet computer to “draft” a report as she walks around a site. For routine reports, you can sometimes use sections of previous reports or boilerplate. In a status report, for instance, you can copy the description of your current project from the previous report and then update it as necessary. See Chapter 2, page 24, for more about boilerplate.

REVISING

EDITING

PROOFREADING

For more about analyzing an audience from another culture, see Ch. 4, p. 63.

F O C U S O N P R O C E S S Writing Informational Reports

Informal does not mean careless. Revise, edit, and proofread. Even informal reports should be free of errors.

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WRITING INFORMATIONAL REPORTS 12 320

This chapter discusses !ve kinds of informational reports:

r� A supervisor writes a directive explaining a company’s new policy on recycling and describing informational sessions that the company will o#er to help employees understand how to implement the policy.

r� An insurance adjuster writes a !eld report presenting the results of his inspection of a building after a storm caused extensive damage.

r� A research team writes a progress report explaining what the team has accomplished in the !rst half of the project, speculating on whether it will !nish on time and within budget, and describing how it has responded to unexpected problems.

r� A worker at a manufacturing company writes an incident report after a toxic- chemical spill.

r� A recording secretary writes a set of meeting minutes that will become the o"cial record of what occurred at a meeting of the management team of a government agency.

Another type of informational report is the recommendation report (see Chapter 13).

Writing Directives In a directive, you explain a policy or a procedure you want your readers to follow. Even though you have the authority to require your readers to follow the policy, you want to explain why the policy is desirable or at least neces- sary. You will be most persuasive if you present clear, compelling evidence (in the form of commonsense arguments, numerical data, and examples); con- sider opposing arguments effectively; and present yourself as cooperative, moderate, fair-minded, and modest. Figure 12.1 is an example of a directive.

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To analyze a report presented as a website and a report presented through an interactive graphic, go to LaunchPad.

D O C U M E N T A N A LYS I S AC T I V I T Y

High Plains Water-Level Monitoring Study Source: United States Geological Survey, 2014: http://ne.water.usgs .gov/ogw/hpwlms/.

“Global Forest Change” Interactive Map Source: Hansen/UMD/Google/ USGS/NASA. Hansen, M. C., P. V. Potapov, R. Moore, M. Hancher, S. A. Turubanova, A. Tyukavina, D. Thau, S. V. Stehman, S. J. Goetz, T. R. Loveland, A. Kommareddy, A. Egorov, L. Chini, C. O. Justice, and J. R. G. Townshend. 2013. “High-Resolution Global Maps of 21st- Century Forest Cover Change.” Science 342 (15 November): 850–53. Data available online from: http:// earthenginepartners.appspot.com /science-2013-global-forest.

Writing Directives 321

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NOTICE TO EMPLOYEES Research has shown that minors !nd it easy to buy tobacco products even though state law prohibits sales to anyone under 18. To stop the sale of tobacco to minors and to comply with state law, we are implementing the following policy immediately:

THIS COMPANY WILL NOT SELL CIGARETTES, CHEWING TOBACCO, SMOKELESS TOBACCO, OR SMOKING PARAPHERNALIA TO ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 18.

YOU CAN BE FINED $100 PLUS COURT COSTS AND FEES FOR SELLING ANY OF THESE PRODUCTS TO ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 18.

Under this new policy, you are required to request valid photo identi!cation for anyone attempting to purchase tobacco products who appears to be under the age of 27.

If a customer questions this policy, please explain that state law prohibits the sale of tobacco products to those under the age of 18, and therefore we refuse to sell to minors.

A copy of the law is posted near the cash register. Please read the law carefully and, if you have questions, confer with your supervisor.

Any employee who does not follow this policy will be subject to disciplinary action. Thank you for your cooperation.

The writer, the owner of a convenience store, begins with a clear explanation of the problem the directive addresses. Present- ing the reasons for the new policy shows respect for the readers and therefore makes the directive more persuasive.

The writer uses a polite but o!cial tone because the new policy is a policy, not a request. Notice that the directive speci"es a penalty for not adhering to the policy and directs readers to their supervisors if they have questions.

FIGURE 12.1 A Directive

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Writing Field Reports 12 323

Writing Field Reports A common kind of informational report describes inspections, maintenance, and site studies. Such reports, often known as !eld reports, explain problems, methods, results, and conclusions, but they deemphasize methods and can include recommendations. The report in Figure 12.2 illustrates a possible variation on this standard report structure.

The writer states the purpose of the inspection.

The word visual describes the methods.

Because the writer and the reader work for di#erent companies, a let- ter is the appropriate format for this brief informational report.

The writer has chosen to incorpo- rate the words summary and conclu- sion in the body of the letter rather than use headings as a method of organization.

LOBATE CONSTRUCTION 3311 Industrial Parkway Speonk, NY 13508 Quality Construction Since 1957

April 11, 2016

Ms. Christine Amalli, Head Civil Engineering New York Power Smithtown, NY 13507

Dear Ms. Amalli:

We are pleased to report the results of our visual inspection of the Chemopump after Run #9, a 30-day trial on Kentucky #10 coal.

The inspection was designed to determine if the new Chemopump is compatible with Kentucky #10, the lowest-grade coal that you anticipate using. In preparation for the 30-day test run, the following three modi!cations were made by your technicians: r� �/FX�GSPOU�CFBSJOH�IPVTJOH�CVGGFS�QMBUFT�PG�UVOHTUFO�DBSCJEF�XFSF�JOTUBMMFE� r� �5IF�QVNQ�DBTUJOH�WPMVUF�MJOFS�XBT�DPBUFE�XJUI�UVOHTUFO�DBSCJEF� r� �/FX�CFBSJOHT�XFSF�JOTUBMMFE� Our summary is as follows. A number of small problems with the pump were observed, but nothing serious and nothing surprising. Normal break-in accounts for the wear. The pump accepted the Kentucky #10 well.

The following four minor problems were observed: r� �5IF�PVUFS�MJQ�PG�UIF�GSPOU�FOE�CFMM�XBT�DIJQQFE�BMPOH�UXP�UIJSET�PG�JUT�

circumference. r� ��0QQPTJUF�UIF�QVNQ�EJTDIBSHF �UIF�WPMVUF�MJOFS�SFDFJWFE�B�TMJHIU�XFBS�HSPPWF�BMPOH�

one-third of its circumference. r� �5IF�JNQFMMFS�XBT�OPU�GSFF�SPUBUJOH� r� �5IF�IPMFT�JO�UIF�GSPOU�FOE�CFMM�XFSF�àMMFE�XJUI�JOTVMBUJOH�NVE�

The following three components showed no wear: r� ��1/2” impeller r� �TVDUJPO�OFDL�MJOFS r� �EJTDIBSHF�OFDL�MJOFS

Our conclusion is that the problems can be attributed to normal break-in for a new Chemopump. The Kentucky #10 coal does not appear to have caused any extraordinary problems. In general, the new Chemopump seems to be operating well.

FIGURE 12.2 A Field Report

(continued)

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WRITING INFORMATIONAL REPORTS 12 324

Responding to Readers’ Questions in a Field Report

When you write a !eld report, be sure to answer the following six questions:

What is the purpose of the report?

What are the main points covered in the report?

What were the problems leading to the decision to perform the procedure?

What methods were used?

What were the results?

What do the results mean?

If appropriate, also discuss what you think should be done next.

We would recommend, however, that the pump be modi!ed as follows:

1. Replace the front-end bell with a tungsten carbide-coated front-end bell. 2. Replace the bearings on the impeller. 3. Install insulation plugs in the holes in the front-end bell.

Further, we recommend that the pump be reinspected after another 30-day run on Kentucky #10.

If you have any questions or would like to authorize these modi!cations, please call me at 555-1241. As always, we appreciate the trust you have placed in us.

Sincerely,

Marvin Littridge Director of Testing and Evaluation

page 2

Informational reports sometimes include recommendations.

The writer concludes politely.

FIGURE 12.2 A Field Report (continued)

Writing Progress and Status Reports A progress report describes an ongoing project. A status report, sometimes called an activity report, describes the entire range of operations of a depart- ment or division. For example, the director of marketing for a manufacturing company might submit a monthly status report.

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Writing Progress and Status Reports 12 325

A progress report is an intermediate communication between a proposal (the argument that a project be undertaken) and a completion report (the comprehensive record of a completed project) or a recommendation report (an argument to take further action). Progress reports let you check in with your audience.

Regardless of how well the project is proceeding, explain clearly and fully what has happened and how those activities or events will affect the overall project. Your tone should be objective, neither defensive nor casual. Unless your own ineptitude or negligence caused a problem, you’re not to blame. Regardless of the news you are delivering—good, bad, or mixed—your job is the same: to provide a clear and complete account of your activities and to forecast the next stage of the project.

When things go wrong, you might be tempted to cover up problems and hope that you can solve them before the next progress report. This course of action is unwise and unethical. Chances are that problems will multiply, and you will have a harder time explaining why you didn’t alert your readers earlier.

E T H I C S N OT E REPORTING YOUR PROGRESS HONESTLY Withholding bad news is unethical because it can mislead readers. As sponsors or supervisors of the project, readers have a right to know how it is going. If you !nd yourself faced with any of the following three common problems, consider responding in these ways:

t� �The deliverable—the document or product you will submit at the end of the project— won’t be what you thought it would be. Without being defensive, describe the events that led to the situation and explain how the deliverable will di#er from what you described in the proposal.

t� �You won’t meet your schedule. Explain why you are going to be late, and state when the project will be complete.

t� �You won’t meet the budget. Explain why you need more money, and state how much more you will need.

ORGANIZING PROGRESS AND STATUS REPORTS The time pattern and the task pattern, two organizational patterns fre- quently used in progress and status reports, are illustrated in Figure 12.3.

For more about proposals, see Ch. 11. For more about recommendation reports, see Ch. 13.

The task pattern enables you to describe, in order, what has been accomplished on each task. Often a task-oriented structure incorporates the chronological structure.

In the time pattern, you describe all the work that you have com- pleted in the present reporting period and then sketch in the work that remains. Some writers include a section on present work, which enables them to focus on a long or complex task still in progress.

The time pattern The task pattern

Discussion A. Past Work B. Future Work

Discussion A. Task 1 1. Past work 2. Future work B. Task 2 1. Past work 2. Future work

FIGURE 12.3 Organizational Patterns in Reports

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WRITING INFORMATIONAL REPORTS 12 326

A!status report is usually organized according to task; by its nature, this type of report covers a speci"ed time period.

CONCLUDING PROGRESS AND STATUS REPORTS In the conclusion of a progress or status report, evaluate how the project is proceeding. In the broadest sense, there are two possible messages: things are going well, or things are not going as well as anticipated.

If appropriate, use appendixes for supporting materials, such as computa- tions, printouts, schematics, diagrams, tables, or a revised task schedule. Be sure to cross-reference these appendixes in the body of the report, so that readers can "nd them easily.

Projecting an Appropriate Tone in a Progress or Status Report

Whether the news is positive or negative, these two suggestions will help you sound like a professional.

If the news is good, convey your optimism but avoid overstatement. OVERSTATED We are sure the device will do all that we ask of it, and more.

REALISTIC We expect that the device will perform well and that, in addition, it might o#er some unanticipated advantages.

Beware of promising early completion. Such optimistic forecasts rarely prove accurate, and it is embarrassing to have to report a failure to meet an optimistic deadline.

Don’t panic if the preliminary results are not as promising as you had planned or if the project is behind schedule. Even the best-prepared proposal writers cannot anticipate all problems. As long as the original proposal was well planned and contained no wildly inaccurate computations, don’t feel responsible. Just do your best to explain unanticipated problems and the status of the project. If your news is bad, at least give the reader as much time as possible to deal with it e#ectively.

Sample Progress Report The following progress report was written for the project proposed on pages 309–15 in Chapter 11. (The recommendation report for this study is on pages 360–83 in Chapter 13.)

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Sample Progress Report 12 327

Date: November 14, 2013 To: Jill Bremerton, M.D. Chief Executive O"cer Rawlings Regional Medical Center From: Jeremy Elkins, Director of Information Technology Eloise Carruthers, Director of Nursing Rawlings Regional Medical Center Subject: Progress Report for the Tablet Study at RRMC

Purpose

This is a progress report on our study to recommend the best course of action for integrating tablet computers into the RRMC clinical setting.

Summary

On October 8, 2013, Dr. Jill Bremerton, RRMC Chief Executive O"cer, approved our proposal to study national trends in tablet use, determine clinical-sta# knowledge of and attitudes toward tablets, examine administrative models for tablet use, devise criteria for assessing tablets, and present our !ndings, including a recommendation.

We have completed Tasks 1 and 2 (understanding tablet use in a clinical setting and determining the clinical sta#’s knowledge of and attitudes toward tablet use), as well as part of Task 3 (assessing the bring-your-own- device and hospital-owned tablet models).

Our study is currently on schedule, and we expect to submit a recommendation report on December 14, 2013, as indicated in our proposal dated October 6, 2013.

Rawlings Regional Medical Center 7500 Bannock Avenue Rawlings, MT 59211Ra

w li

n gs

R

eg ional Medical C

en ter

In most professional settings, writ- ers use letterhead stationery for memos.

Progress reports can be presented as memos or as reports.

The writers include their titles and that of their primary reader. This way, future readers will be able to readily identify the reader and writers.

The subject heading indicates the subject of the memo (the tablet study at Rawlings Regional Medical Center) and the purpose of the memo (progress report).

Memos of more than one page should begin with a clear statement of purpose. Here, the writers com- municate the primary purpose of the document in one sentence.

Memos of more than one page should contain a summary to serve as an advance organizer or to help readers who want only an overview of the document.

Readers of progress reports want to know whether the project is proceeding according to schedule and (if applicable) on budget.

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Introduction

On October 8, 2013, Dr. Jill Bremerton, RRMC Chief Executive O"cer, approved our proposal to determine the best course of action for integrating tablet computers into the RRMC clinical setting.

Currently, RRMC has no formal policy on tablet usage by clinical sta#. By default, we are following a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) approach. More than half of our clinical sta# use their personal tablets in their work. This situation is not ideal because not all clinical sta# are taking advantage of the enormous potential for improving patient care and reducing costs by using tablets, and IT is struggling to keep up with the work needed to ensure that all the di#erent tablets are working properly and that information-security protocols required by HIPAA and the A#ordable Care Act are not being violated.

Dr. Bremerton approved our proposal to determine the best approach to take in making tablets available to all our clinical sta#. Speci!cally, Dr. Bremerton asked us to perform !ve tasks: t� �%FUFSNJOF�IPX�UBCMFUT�BSF�CFJOH�VTFE�CZ�DMJOJDBM�TUBò�BDSPTT�UIF�OBUJPO� t� �%FUFSNJOF�UIF�33.$�DMJOJDBM�TUBò�T�LOPXMFEHF�PG�BOE�BUUJUVEFT�UPXBSE�

tablet use. t� �%FUFSNJOF�IPX�IPTQJUBMT�BENJOJTUFS�UIF�VTF�PG�UBCMFUT�JO�B�DMJOJDBM�

setting. t� �&TUBCMJTI�DSJUFSJB�CZ�XIJDI�XF�NJHIU�FWBMVBUF�UBCMFUT�GPS�33.$� t� �"TTFTT�BWBJMBCMF�UBCMFUT�CBTFE�PO�PVS�DSJUFSJB�

In the following sections, we present the results of our research to date, followed by an updated task schedule and references.

Results of Research

In this progress report, we present our completed work on Tasks 1–2 and our status on Task 3. Then we discuss our future work: Tasks 4–6.

Task 1. Acquire a basic understanding of tablet use by clinical sta! across the nation Since the introduction of the Apple iPad in 2010, the use of tablets by clinical sta# in hospitals across the country has been growing steadily. Although there are no precise statistics on how many hospitals either distribute tablets to clinical sta# or let them use their own devices in

A brief statement of the context for the proposal. Note that the writers refer to the reader’s having autho- rized the proposal.

An explanation of the problem: the current situation is inadequate because the medical center is not taking full advantage of tablets and because IT is spending a lot of time ensuring that the tablets in use are in compliance with federal requirements.

A formal statement of the task that Dr. Bremerton asked the writers to perform.

Most of the information in the introduction is taken directly from the proposal. This reuse of text is ethical because the writers created it for that earlier document.

The introduction concludes with an advance organizer for the rest of the proposal.

The writers begin by describing the organization of the results section. For a progress report, a chronologi- cal organization—completed work, then future work—makes good sense.

The writers follow the task structure that they used in the proposal.

Memo to Jill Bremerton, M.D. November 14, 2013 Page 2

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Sample Progress Report 12 329

their work, the number of articles in trade magazines, exhibits at medical conferences, and discussions on discussion boards suggests that tablets are quickly becoming established in the clinical setting. And many hundreds of apps have already been written to enable users to carry out health-care-related tasks on tablets.

The most extensive set of data on tablets in hospitals relates to the use of the iPad, the !rst tablet on the market. Ottawa Hospital has distributed more than 1,000 iPads to clinical sta#; California Hospital is piloting a program with more than 100 iPads for hospital use; Kaiser Permanente is testing the iPad for hospital and clinical work$ow; and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is testing the iPad in its hospital. The University of Chicago’s Internal Medicine Residency Program uses the iPad; the iPad is also being distributed to !rst-year medical students at Stanford, University of California–Irvine, and University of San Francisco. In addition, there are reports of Windows-based and Android-based tablets being distributed at numerous other hospitals and medical schools (Husain, 2011).

Today, tablets have !ve main clinical applications (Carr, 2011): t� �Monitoring patients and collecting data. Clinical sta# connect tablets to

the hospital’s monitoring instruments to collect patient information and transfer it to patients’ health records without signi!cant human intervention. In addition, sta# access patient information on their tablets.

t� �Ordering prescriptions, authorizations, and re!lls. Clinical sta# use tablets to communicate instantly with the hospital pharmacy and o#-site pharmacies, as well as with other departments within the hospital, such as the Imaging Department.

t� �Scheduling appointments. Clinical sta# use tablets to schedule doctor and nurse visits and laboratory tests, to send reminders, and to handle re-scheduling and cancellations.

t� �Conducting research on the "y. Clinical sta# use tablets to access medication databases and numerous reference works.

t� �Educating patients. Clinical sta# use videos and animations to educate patients on their conditions and treatment options.

Tablets provide clinical sta# with signi!cant advantages. Sta# do not need to go back to their o"ces to connect to the Internet or to the hospital’s own medical-record system. Sta# save time, reduce paper usage, and reduce transcription errors by not having to enter nearly as much data by hand.

Memo to Jill Bremerton, M.D. November 14, 2013 Page 3

The writers skillfully integrate their secondary research into their discussion of the task. By doing so, they enhance their credibility.

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WRITING INFORMATIONAL REPORTS 12 330

Task 2. Determine the RRMC clinical sta!’s knowledge of and attitudes toward tablet use On October 14, 2013, we sent all 147 clinical sta# members an email linking to a four-question Qualtrix survey. In the email, we said that we were seeking opinions about tablet use by clinical-sta# members who already own tablets and made clear that the survey would take less than two minutes to complete. (The questionnaire, including the responses, appears in the Appendix, page 9.)

We received 96 responses, which represents 65 percent of the 147 sta# members. We cannot be certain that all 96 respondents who indicated that they are tablet owners in fact own tablets. We also do not know whether all those sta# members who own a tablet responded. However, given that some 75 percent of physicians in a 2013 poll own tablets, we suspect that the 96 respondents accurately represent the proportion of our clinical sta# who own tablets (Drinkwater, 2013).

Here are the four main !ndings from the survey of tablet owners: t� �4PNF����QFSDFOU�PG�SFTQPOEFOUT�PXO�BO�"QQMF�J1BE �BOE����QFSDFOU�

own either a Samsung Galaxy or another tablet that uses the Android operating system. Only 6 percent use the Microsoft Surface, one of the several Windows-based tablets.

t� �4PNF����QFSDFOU�PG�UIF�SFTQPOEFOUT�TUSPOHMZ�BHSFF�XJUI�UIF�TUBUFNFOU� that they are expert users of their tablets. Overall, 90 percent agree more than they disagree with the statement.

t� �4PNF����QFSDFOU�PG�SFTQPOEFOUT�VTF�UIFJS�UBCMFUT�GPS�BU�MFBTU�POF�DMJOJDBM� application. They have either loaded apps on their tablets themselves or had IT do so for them.

t� �4PNF����QFSDFOU�PG�UIF�SFTQPOEFOUT�XPVME�QSFGFS�UP�DPOUJOVF�UP�VTF� their own tablets for clinical applications, whereas 38 percent would prefer to use a tablet supplied by RRMC. Some 35 percent had no strong feelings either way. None of the respondents indicated that they would prefer not to use a tablet at all for clinical applications.

Task 3. Assess the BYOD and hospital-owned tablet models Currently, hospitals use one of two models for giving clinical staff access to tablets: the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) model and the purchase model, whereby the hospital purchases tablets to distribute to staff. In this section, we will present our findings on the relative advantages of each model.

Memo to Jill Bremerton, M.D. November 14, 2013 Page 4

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Sample Progress Report 12 331

The BYOD model is based on the fact that, nationally, some three-quarters of physicians already own tablets (with the Apple iPad the single most popular model) (Drinkwater, 2013). We could !nd no data on how many nurses own tablets.

The main advantage of the BYOD model is that clinical sta# already know and like their tablets; therefore, they are motivated to use them and less likely to need extensive training. In addition, the hardware costs are eliminated (or almost eliminated, since some hospitals choose to purchase some tablets for sta# who do not have their own). Todd Richardson, CIO with Deaconess Health System, Evansville, Indiana (Jackson, 2011), argues that sta# members who own their own tablets use and maintain them carefully: they know how to charge, clean, store, and protect them. In addition, the hospital doesn’t have to worry about the question of liability if sta# members lose them during personal use. And if the sta# member moves on to a new position at a di#erent hospital, there is no dispute about who owns the information on the tablet. All the hospital has to do is disable the sta# member’s account.

However, there are three main disadvantages to the BYOD model: t� �4PNF�DMJOJDBM�TUBò�EP�OPU�IBWF�UIFJS�PXO�UBCMFUT �BOE�TPNF�XIP�EP�

don’t want to use them at work; to make the advantages of tablet use available to all the clinical sta#, therefore, the hospital needs to decide whether to purchase tablets and distribute them to these sta# members.

t� �-BCPS�DPTUT�BSF�IJHI�CFDBVTF�FBDI�UBCMFU�OFFET�UP�CF�FYBNJOFE�DBSFGVMMZ� by the hospital IT department to ensure that it contains no software that might interfere with or be incompatible with the health-care software that needs to be loaded onto it. This labor-intensive assessment by IT can seriously erode the cost savings from not having to buy the tablet itself.

t� �$IBODFT�PG�MPTT�JODSFBTF�CFDBVTF�UIF�TUBò�NFNCFS�JT�NPSF�MJLFMZ�UP�VTF� the tablet at home as well as in the hospital.

Currently, we are studying the advantages and disadvantages of the other model for making tablets available to clinical sta#: for the hospital to purchase the same tablet for each sta# member.

We are now completing Task 3 and beginning work on Task 4. The writers explain that they are in the process of completing Task 3.

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Task 4. Establish criteria for evaluating tablets We will study the voluminous literature on tablets. We have already determined our !rst criterion: a cost of no more than $800 per device, fully con!gured with any commercial software needed to operate it. We will then determine the additional criteria to use in our study.

Task 5. Assess available tablets based on our criteria We will study reviews in trade magazines and, if necessary, carry out on- site evaluations at RRMC.

Task 6. Analyze our data and prepare a recommendation report We will draft our recommendation report and edit it in response to suggestions from interested readers among the clinical sta#. Then, we will solicit one more round of edits and revise the report. Finally, we will present the report to Dr. Bremerton on December 14, 2013.

Updated Schedule

Figure 1 is an updated task schedule. The light blue bars represent tasks yet to be completed.

Tasks Date of Tasks (by Weeks)

Task 1: Research tablet use

Task 2: Determine sta# knowledge and attitudes

Task 3: Research management models

Task 4: Establish criteria

Task 5: Assess tablets based on criteria

Task 6: Prepare report

10 17 24 31 7 14 21 28 5 12

Oct. Nov. Dec.

Figure 1. Schedule of Project Tasks

Memo to Jill Bremerton, M.D. November 14, 2013 Page 6

The Gantt chart shows the progress toward completing each of the project tasks. See the Tech Tip in Ch. 11, p. 307, for advice on how to create Gantt charts.

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Sample Progress Report 12 333

Conclusion

We have successfully completed Tasks 1–2 (and part of 3) and begun Tasks 4 and 5. We are on schedule to complete all tasks by the December 14 deadline. We have a good understanding of how tablets are used nationwide, and we have completed our survey of tablet users among the RRMC clinical sta#, as well as half of our study of the two administrative models used by hospitals. We are currently completing that task and are about to begin to establish criteria and analyze tablets based on them. In the report we will present on December 14, we will include our recommendation on how we think RRMC should proceed to take better advantage of the potential for clinical use of tablets.

Please contact Jeremy Elkins, at [email protected] or at 444-3967, or Eloise Carruthers, at [email protected] or at 444-3982, if you have questions or comments or would like to discuss this project further.

The conclusion summarizes the status of the project.

The writers end with a polite o#er to provide additional information.

Memo to Jill Bremerton, M.D. November 14, 2013 Page 7

References

Carr, D. F. (2011, May 21). Healthcare puts tablets to the test. InformationWeek Healthcare. Retrieved October 1, 2013, from http:// www.informationweek.com/healthcare/mobile-wireless/healthcare -puts-tablets-to-the-test/229503387

Drinkwater, D. (2013, April 19). Three in 4 physicians are using tablets; some are even prescribing apps. TabTimes. Retrieved October 12, 2013, from http://tabtimes.com/news/ittech-stats-research/2013/04/19/3-4 -physicians-are-using-tablets-some-are-even-prescribing

Husain, I. (2011, March 10). Why Apple’s iPad will beat Android tablets for hospital use. iMedicalApps. Retrieved October 15, 2013, from http:// www.imedicalapps.com/2011/03/ipad-beat-android-tablets-hospital -medical-use/

Jackson, S. (2011, August 3). Why physicians should buy their own mobile devices. FierceMobileHealthcare. Retrieved October 4, 2013, from http:// www.!ercemobilehealthcare.com/story/why-physicians-should -buy-their-own-mobile-devices/2011-08-03

Memo to Jill Bremerton, M.D. November 14, 2013 Page 8

This list of references follows the APA documentation style, which is discussed in Appendix, Part A, p. 454. The APA documentation system calls for References to begin on a new page. Check with your instructor.

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WRITING INFORMATIONAL REPORTS 12 334

Appendix: Clinical-Sta! Questionnaire

This is the questionnaire we distributed to the 147 RRMC clinical sta# members. We received 96 responses. The numbers in boldface below represent the percentage of respondents who chose each response.

Questionnaire on Tablet Use at RRMC

Directions: As you may know, Dr. Bremerton is conducting a study to determine whether to institute a formal policy on tablet use by clinical sta#.

If you own a tablet device, please respond to the following four questions. Your opinions can help us decide whether and how to develop a policy for tablet use at RRMC. We greatly appreciate your answering the following four questions.

1. Which brand of tablet do you own? 47% Apple iPad 28% Samsung Galaxy 9% Amazon Kindle Fire 6% Microsoft Surface 10% Other (please name the brand) (Respondents named the Asus, Google

Nexus, and a Toshiba model.)

2. “I consider myself an expert user of my tablet.” Strongly disagree 8% 2% 13% 19% 58% Strongly agree

3. Do you currently use your tablet for a clinical application, such as monitoring patients or ordering procedures?

63% Yes 37% No

4. If RRMC were to adopt a policy of using tablets for clinical applications (and to supply the appropriate software and training), which response best describes your attitude?

27% I would prefer to use my own tablet. 38% I would prefer to use a hospital-supplied tablet. 35% I don’t have strong feelings either way about using my own or a hospital-

supplied tablet. 0% I would prefer not to use any tablet at all for clinical applications.

Thank you!

Memo to Jill Bremerton, M.D. November 14, 2013 Page 9

Presenting the percentage data in boldface after each question is a clear way to communicate how the respondents replied. Although most readers will not be interested in the raw data, some will.

_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____

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Writing Incident Reports 12 335

Writing Incident Reports An incident report describes an event such as a workplace accident, a health or safety emergency, or an equipment problem. (Specialized kinds of inci- dent reports go by other names, such as accident reports or trouble reports.) The purpose of an incident report is to explain what happened, why it happened, and what the organization did (or is going to do) to follow up on the incident. Incident reports often contain a variety of graphics, including tables, draw- ings, diagrams, and photographs, as well as videos.

Incident reports can range from single-page forms that are "lled out on paper or online to reports hundreds of pages long. Figure 12.4 shows an acci- dent report form used at a university.

UNC – Chapel Hill – Facilities Services – Safety Plan

Employee’s Accident Report Form University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

APPENDIX A

This form is to be completed by the employee and forwarded to the Health and Safety office as soon as practicable after the injury. (See Human Resources Manual)

Accident Date:

1. Name of employee:

2. Date and time of injury:

3. Descibe how the injury occurred:

4. Describe what job duty you were doing at the time of your injury:

5. Describe what part of your body was injured:

6. Describe what you would recommend to prevent a reoccurrence:

7. Further information you would like to include regarding your injury:

Employee signature Date

HTTP://www.fac.unc.edu

FIGURE 12.4 An Accident Report Form Source: University of North Carolina– Chapel Hill Environment, Health, and Safety.

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WRITING INFORMATIONAL REPORTS 12 336

Figure 12.5 is the executive summary of a National Transportation Safety Board accident report on a 2012 head-on collision between two freight trains in Oklahoma. Investigators spent many months researching and writing the full report.

On Sunday, June 24, 2012, at 10:02 a.m. central daylight time, eastbound Union Paci!c Railroad (UP) freight train ZLAAH-22 and westbound UP freight train AAMMLX-22 collided head-on while operating on straight track on the UP Pratt subdivision near Goodwell, Oklahoma. Skies were clear, the temperature was 89°F, and visibility was 10 miles.

The collision derailed 3 locomotives and 24 cars of the eastbound train and 2 locomotives and 8 cars of the westbound train. The engineer and the conductor of the eastbound train and the engineer of the westbound train were killed. The conductor of the westbound train jumped to safety. During the collision and derailment, several fuel tanks from the derailed locomotives ruptured, releasing diesel fuel that ignited and burned. Damage was estimated at $14.8 million.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the eastbound Union Paci!c Railroad train crew’s lack of response to wayside signals because of the engineer’s inability to see and correctly interpret the signals; the conductor’s disengagement from his duties; and the lack of positive train control, which would have stopped the train and prevented the collision regardless of the crew’s inaction. Contributing to the accident was a medical examination process that failed to decertify the engineer before his deteriorating vision adversely a#ected his ability to operate a train safely.

The accident investigation focused on the following safety issues: t� �5IF�BDUJPOT�BOE�SFTQPOTJCJMJUJFT�PG�UIF�USBJO�DSFXT��$SFX�DPOWFSTBUJPOT�

in the locomotive cab concerning signal aspects, radio transmissions, or any condition that can a#ect the safe operation of the train are important crew activities. In this accident, as the train passed signals for advance approach, approach, and stop, the engineer actively adjusted the throttle and dynamic brake as if all three signals were clear. The fact that the conductor was disengaged from his duties and did not appropriately intervene as the train proceeded through the signals demonstrates . . .

t� �5IF�NFEJDBM�FYBNJOBUJPO�QSPDFTT�GPS�SBJMSPBE�FOHJOFFS�DFSUJöDBUJPO�� The UP’s medical records for the engineer of the eastbound train indicated that the engineer had passed his required vision test in 2009. However, the medical records from the engineer’s personal physician, his ophthalmologist, and his optometrist documented . . .

t� �5IF�TVSWJWBCJMJUZ�PG�FWFOU�SFDPSEFS�EBUB��5IF�MFBE�BOE�USBJMJOH�MPDPNPUJWFT� of both trains in this accident had event recorders to capture and preserve operational data that is important to accident investigation. However, most of the data could not be retrieved after the severe damage to the lead locomotives from the postaccident !re. . . .

FIGURE 12.5 Executive Summary of a Complex Accident Report Source: National Transportation Safety Board, 2013: http://www.ntsb.gov/doclib /reports/2013/RAR1302.pdf.

The summary—two pages near the beginning of a 65-page report— begins with the basic facts about the accident.

The writers discuss the probable cause of the accident and the result- ing damage to the trains.

The writers explain the issues raised by this fatal accident.

(continued)

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Writing Meeting Minutes 12 337

Writing Meeting Minutes Minutes, an organization’s of"cial record of a meeting, are distributed to all those who belong to the committee or group represented at the meeting. Sometimes, minutes are written by administrative assistants; other times they are written by technical professionals or technical communicators.

In writing minutes, be clear, comprehensive, objective, and diplomatic. Do not interpret what happened; simply report it. Because meetings rarely follow the agenda perfectly, you might "nd it challenging to provide an accurate record of the meeting. If necessary, interrupt the discussion to request a clari"cation.

Do not record emotional exchanges between participants. Because min- utes are the of"cial record of the meeting, you want them to re#ect positively on the participants and the organization. For example, in a meeting a person might say, undiplomatically, that another person’s idea is stupid, a comment that might lead to an argument. Don’t record the argument. Instead, describe the outcome: “After a discussion of the merits of the two approaches, the chair asked the Facilities Committee to consider the approaches and report back to membership at the next meeting.”

Figure 12.6 (on page 338), an example of an effective set of minutes, was written using a Microsoft template. Many organizations today use templates like this one, which has three advantages:

r� #FDBVTF�JU�JT�B�XPSE�QSPDFTTJOH�UFNQMBUF �UIF�OPUF�UBLFS�DBO�FOUFS� information on his or her computer or tablet during the meeting, reducing the time it takes to publish the minutes.

r� #FDBVTF�UIF�UFNQMBUF�JT�B�GPSN �JU�QSPNQUT�UIF�OPUF�UBLFS�UP�àMM�JO�UIF� appropriate information, thus reducing the chances that he or she will overlook something important.

r� #FDBVTF�UIF�UFNQMBUF�JT�B�UBCMF �SFBEFST�RVJDLMZ�CFDPNF�BDDVTUPNFE�UP� reading it and thereby learn where to look for the information they seek.

For more about conducting meetings, see Ch. 3, p. 38.

t� �5IF�OFFE�GPS�JNQMFNFOUBUJPO�PG�QPTJUJWF�USBJO�DPOUSPM��#FGPSF�SFBDIJOH� the Goodwell siding, the eastbound train crew had passed three signals without appropriately responding by slowing and then stopping their train. Regardless of the reason for the crew’s nonresponse, had a positive train control system been in place in the area of the accident, it would have slowed and stopped the train, avoiding the collision.

As a result of this investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board makes safety recommendations to the Federal Railroad Administration, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, . . . . The National Transportation Safety Board also reiterates recommendations to the Federal Railroad Administration and the Association of American Railroads and reclassi!es three recommendations to the Federal Railroad Administration.

Finally, the writers list the results of the investigation.

FIGURE 12.5 Executive Summary of a Complex Accident Report (continued)

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WRITING INFORMATIONAL REPORTS 12 338

FIGURE 12.6 A Set of Meeting Minutes

Weekly Planning Committee Meeting MINUTES February 14, 2016 3:40 p.m. conference room

meeting called by Principal Robert Barson

type of meeting regular weekly

note taker Zenda Hill

attendees William Sipe, Patty Leahy, George Zaerr, Herbert Simon, Robert Barson, Zenda Hill. Absent: Heather Evett

Agenda topics 2 minutes approval of minutes Zenda Hill

discussion The minutes of the February 7, 2016, meeting were read.

action items person responsible deadline

One correction was made: In paragraph 2, “800 hours” was replaced with “80 hours.” The minutes were then unanimously approved.

Zenda Hill N/A

authorization for antidrug 30 minutes presentation by Alan Winston Principal Barson

discussion Principal Barson reported on his discussion with Peggy Giles of the School District, who o#ered positive comments about Winston’s presentations at other schools in the district last year.

Mr. Zaerr expressed concern about the e#ect of the visit on the teaching schedule. Principal Barson acknowledged that the visit would disrupt one whole day but said that the chairs unanimously approved of the visit. Student participation would be voluntary, and the chairs o#ered to give review sessions to those students who elected not to attend.

Ms. Hill asked if there was any new business. There was none.

action items person responsible deadline

Ms. Hill called for a vote on the motion. The motion carried 5–0, with one abstention.

Ms. Hill will arrange the Winston visit.

February 23, 2016

There being no new business, Ms. Hill moved that the committee adjourn. Motion passed. The committee adjourned at 4:12 p.m.

N/A N/A

The "rst section of this template calls for information about the logistics of the meeting. You can modify the template to make it appropriate for your organization.

The second section of this template is devoted to the agenda items for the meeting.

Note that for each agenda item, the note taker is prompted to state how long the discussion took, the subject of the discussion, and the name of the person leading the discussion.

For each agenda item, the note taker records the main points of the discussion and the action items. Because the template calls for the action item (such as a vote or a task to be done), the name of the person responsible for doing the task, and the deadline for the task, there should be no confusion about who is to do which task and when it is due.

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