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For Business Administration and Related Streams

How To Use The Business Report Template

(version 1.0)

Formal business reports are prepared in a different format than essays or other academic assignments. Preparing professional reports, and proposals, will help you communicate your ideas to your employers while also adding to your value as an employee. This is an important skill to develop and practice while here at Centennial.

Business writing should involve three key steps:

Planning Writing Completing

Planning:

· Analyzing the situation or topic. Defining the purpose, the “business problem” or “opportunity” that a report may address. Formulating a main message for your report - often this involves proposing a solution or response to the purpose. Developing an audience profile.

· Gathering information. In other words, primary and secondary research, as required.

· Organizing the information: Creating an outline or structure for the key points that need to be expressed.

Writing:

· Adapting to the audience. Developing a tone or style that is sensitive to audience needs while projecting and protecting your organization’s image and/or brand.

· Composing the message: Follow the outline prepared earlier, using carefully constructed paragraphs and sentences. Identify or create any visual or graphic representations of data that you want to use.

Completing:

· Revising: Proofread and edit for spelling, grammar and typographical errors. Re-write for conciseness and clarity.

To assist you with the formatting of such documents, we have prepared a template that you can use to guide you through the report preparation process.

· Download the template.

· Save one “master” copy to use again in the future.

· Save a new copy with a new file name that reflects your report or assignment.

· Instructions are given and highlighted in yellow. Read all instructions and delete them when you no longer need them.

· Replace all other elements (titles, headings, sample text, etc.) with YOUR content, as instructed.

· When you finish using the template, the final document should contain your own original work, formatted as a standard business report. All instructions or examples given in this template should be either deleted or replaced with your own content.

Instructions for the cover page:

The next page is a cover page and contains the report title (mandatory), a subtitle (optional) and information on the author, the intended audience (in this case, a professor), and the date it was prepared.

Every business report should have a title that reflects its content or “main message”. The title should be in the same font as the body of your work, but at least twice as large as your regular text. It should be centred, bold, underlined and should appear about one third to halfway down the page from the top. Depending on the nature and content of the report, you may decide that a subtitle is appropriate. For example, a report about recycling in Toronto might look like this:

Recycling In Toronto

Saving The City One Plastic Bottle At A Time

Titles do not require punctuation, although you can use a colon at the end of the title if you decide to use a subtitle. This is optional.

Guidelines regarding fonts and font sizes:

Use either a simple sans serif font (Ariel, Calabri, Tahoma) or Times New Roman (a simple serif font). Regardless of which font you select, use the same font for the entire document. Do not use italics at any point in your report. Use the following font sizes and configurations:

Cover Page Title: 22 point, bold, underlined, centered

Cover Page SubTitle: 16 point, centered

Headings: 16 point ,bold, underlined, centered

Subheadings: 13 point, bold, underlined left-justified

Body text: 11 point

DELETE THE ABOVE BEFORE YOU HAND IN YOUR WORK!

Running head: FULL TITLE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

Liz Clarke, Kerri Shields – For Distribution throughout the School of Business, Centennial College

The Title Of Your Report

The Subtitle of Your Report

Your Name

Your Student Number

Professor’s Name

Course Name

Course Code

Date Submitted

Executive Summary

Instructions:

The heading “Executive Summary” is standard and should remain unchanged on this page.

An Executive Summary is the last item that an author prepares when writing a business report. It should contain NO MORE than three paragraphs, each with three or four sentences. The Executive Summary should never exceed one page.

Paragraph One: Introduce the topic of the report.

Paragraph Two: Discuss the main problem(s) that the report examines.

Paragraph Three: Review, briefly, any conclusions or recommendations that the report offers.

A reader should get a reasonable representation of the overall content from reading these three paragraphs.

Table of Contents

These page numbers are provided as samples. Use the real page numbers for your report. Put actual headings and subheadings as per your actual report.

Introduction		1
First Topic Heading		1
	Subheading	1
	Subheading	1
	Subheading	2
Second Topic Heading		2
	Subheading	2
	Subheading	3
	Subheading	3
Third Topic Heading		3
	Subheading	3
	Subheading	4
	Subheading	4
Recommendations		4
Conclusion		4
References		5
Appendices		6
	Appendix One – Title	7
	Appendix Two – Title	8
	Appendix Three – Title	9
	Appendix Four – Title	10

Instructions:

The Table of Contents shows the reader where to find specific content areas. If you have prepared a strong outline prior to writing your report (highly recommended), the headings, subheadings and other information should be easily available and clearly organized. This example shows three headings and two subheadings for each, however this is just for the purposes of this example. There is no set amount for these elements. Use as many of each as you feel are appropriate to construct a complete report.

Insert the accurate page number for each corresponding element. It is often best to construct this table of contents after all content is prepared and edited. This will allow for fewer revisions to the table of contents.

The appendices show any data tables, charts, graphs, or visuals that you refer to within the body of the report. Such visual material should appear at the end in an appendix rather than taking up page space within the body of the report.

A note about page numbers: The first page of the report is the page that follows this table of contents and should contain a few introductory paragraphs to the topic, followed by the first major topic heading. However, the first page NUMBER should appear on page two. It is standard to leave the page number out on page one.

SHORT TITLE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

Introduction: About This Topic

Sample text for introduction … Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum magna quam, auctor at congue nec, venenatis a felis. Nunc ornare, velit ac tincidunt volutpat, sapien velit consequat nulla, id dignissim est eros et risus. Vivamus consequat arcu tristique risus ornare a fringilla nisl consequat. Quisque at tristique eros. Duis sit amet eros sed nunc consequat mattis eu vitae quam. Nullam facilisis iaculis tortor id pulvinar. In pellentesque nisl quis risus eleifend placerat. Nam ac malesuada magna. Praesent tristique sem ac ipsum suscipit a ornare quam ultrices. Suspendisse at arcu nisl. Ut vel odio massa. Aenean eget ipsum eros, quis pellentesque neque. Etiam consequat vulputate purus, et posuere urna lacinia non. Proin tortor nisl, lacinia a faucibus condimentum, dictum eu mauris. Morbi velit ipsum, eleifend suscipit rhoncus in, elementum eget urna.

Vivamus sed felis et est commodo aliquet. Praesent quis urna ante. In sed dui odio, adipiscing mollis augue. In bibendum nibh ut ipsum lacinia ut luctus lacus vulputate. Quisque eget metus neque. Mauris commodo massa eu elit sodales ut scelerisque justo vestibulum. Phasellus semper ipsum sit amet dolor facilisis a fringilla tellus tincidunt. Etiam at magna lorem, ut rutrum elit. Suspendisse egestas consequat eros, et interdum felis placerat ut. Aenean ut lacus lectus, vitae dictum lacus. Praesent ac nisl diam, id vestibulum lacus. Nullam consectetur, leo nec imperdiet pellentesque, nisl risus venenatis nulla, quis tempus metus dolor dignissim sem. Aenean vitae scelerisque tortor. Morbi sem odio, sollicitudin sed porttitor at, ullamcorper sit amet diam. Pellentesque turpis nunc, viverra vel malesuada in, iaculis in magna.

Instructions:

In the introduction, write two or three paragraphs introducing the topic of the report and, in particular, explaining why it is important. Do not use subheadings here. Change the heading above to reflect your actual topic.

A good choice for line spacing is 1.15, as shown here. 1.5 is also acceptable. Double-spacing is not appropriate for business reports.

First Topic Heading

Subheading

Sample text … Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum magna quam, auctor at congue nec, venenatis a felis. Nunc ornare, velit ac tincidunt volutpat, sapien velit consequat nulla, id dignissim est eros et risus. Vivamus consequat arcu tristique risus ornare a fringilla nisl consequat. Quisque at tristique eros. Duis sit amet eros sed nunc consequat mattis eu vitae quam. Nullam facilisis iaculis tortor id pulvinar. In pellentesque nisl quis risus eleifend placerat. Nam ac malesuada magna. Praesent tristique sem ac ipsum suscipit a ornare quam ultrices. Suspendisse at arcu nisl. Ut vel odio massa. Aenean eget ipsum eros, quis pellentesque neque. Etiam consequat vulputate purus, et posuere urna lacinia non. Proin tortor nisl, lacinia a faucibus condimentum, dictum eu mauris. Morbi velit ipsum, eleifend suscipit rhoncus in, elementum eget urna.

Subheading

Instructions:

The major difference between a “business report” and an “essay” is that a business report clearly divides its content into logically flowing topic areas, divided by headings and subheadings. These should ALWAYS correspond to a properly prepared outline – something that makes your task much easier. Use as many headings / subheadings as make sense for your report. There is no standard regarding the number of paragraphs or sentences per paragraph, although most paragraphs contain – at minimum – three sentences. Use as many or as few as make sense for what you have to say about your topic.

Please note: A heading or subheading should NEVER appear in the last 15% (i.e. at the bottom) of any page. In such a case, leave white space and start the next section at the top of the next page.

In-Text Citations: For all ideas, quotations or content, use standard APA in-text citation format of the author’s name followed year of publication. (Argenti 2006) The reader should then be able to refer to your reference page to find where you sourced your specific material.

Second Topic Heading

Subheading

Third Topic Heading

Subheading

Recommendations

First Recommendation

Second Recommendation

Third Recommendation

Vivamus ultrices eros eget sem aliquam quis tincidunt ligula gravida. Nam id risus augue. Vivamus fringilla tincidunt imperdiet. Maecenas sit amet tellus facilisis urna lacinia tempor. Curabitur nec urna risus, at feugiat lectus. Vivamus erat elit, lacinia a aliquet non, tincidunt non libero. Nulla magna lorem, hendrerit sit amet sodales dignissim, laoreet vitae tellus. Fusce vitae erat justo. Aenean nec tellus lacus. Sed eget ornare mi. In lacinia dolor et arcu ultricies sed ultricies nulla viverra. Proin suscipit laoreet lorem, eu luctus urna placerat a. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Vestibulum eu lorem mi, et cursus nunc

In Conclusion

Instructions:

Most business reports are written with the purpose of presenting findings and offering recommendations. When preparing the conclusion, you may wish to review the main points from the introduction (for example, re-stating whatever business problem you were examining) and suggesting what positive results might follow should your recommendations be followed.

References

Argenti, P. A., & Foreman, J. (2006). The Power of Corporate Communication: Crafting the Voice and Image of Your Business. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Hoover’s Online. (2007) Intel-Company Capsule. Retrieved September 6, 2007 from www.hoovers.com/intel-corporation/--ID_13787--/free-co-factsheet.xhtml.

Porter, M.E. & Kramer, M.R. (2002, December). The competitive advantage of corporate philanthropy. Harvard Business Review, 80(12), 56-68.

Instructions – APA Citation Style:

The American Psychological Association (APA) style is one of three standard formats used to cite works that have been used as research for reports and essays. ALL non-original ideas and content within a document MUST be cited or you may be plagiarizing – in other words, you may be presenting work that appears to be yours, but in fact is not. Your professor has the option to give a grade of zero for either the work, or the course, should a student be found plagiarizing.

The best way to avoid this is to use APA to cite EVERYTHING. Keep track of every article you read, every book, journal or website you use. Personal interviews with experts are great sources of information and must be cited in the text as well however do not need to be included in the reference page.

APA has the following attributes:

· Citations are formatted as hanging indents and appear alphabetically by author last name.

· Citations contain the following information (when available), IN THIS ORDER:

1. Author last name followed by initials

2. Year of publication (in parentheses)

3. Title information

4. Publication information

5. Date retrieved or accessed (for online journals and web sites)

6. Page range (for periodicals only)

7. URL (for online journals and websites)

The examples above offer three different types of citations for the reference page. There are dozens more that cover all possible situations. Examples can be found online if you search for “APA examples”, or you can refer to any reputable communications textbook for guidance.

Appendix One – Title

Chart Title

· List the source and the date here

Instructions:

Put all visual materials into appendices that appear at the end of your report. Each page should contain only ONE visual. Change the title of the appendix here to reflect your work. MAKE SURE you properly label the data, and that you use an explanatory chart title. The source for the visual should always be listed, as well as a date. This is particularly important if you are using data that might be questioned or may be obsolete.

Appendix Two – Title

Chart Title

· List the source and the date here

Appendix Three – Title

$C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\MEDIA\CAGCAT10\j0285444.wmf$

Picture Title

· List the source and the date here

- 3 -

Support_Doc_Business_Memo.docx

Memo Report

A memo report may be written to a reader who works in the same organisation as the writer. Because the writer is likely to know something about the reader and his/her requirements and level of knowledge of the subject matter, the memo report does not need to contain detailed background information about all of the things to which it refers. This report is written on memo paper and follows the memo format. However, it is longer than the conventional memo (two pages or more) and is therefore divided into separate, labelled sections. The memo report is usually written in the first person and active voice (e.g. “I consider that …” rather than “It is considered that …”) and is more informal than a letter report

From: Flang, S. (2008). Report writing: purpose, planning and structure. Charles Sturt University, Australia

Memo

To:

From: Communication Center

Date: August 16, 2010

Subject: Constructing a Coherent and Readable Memo

Constructing an effective memo requires you to consider two key issues: the form of your memo and the process by which you write. By considering both, you should be able to construct a memo that conveys key ideas quickly and that takes a form the audience finds easy to read.

Addressing the Form of Your Memo Includes Five Key Dimensions

In order to maximize the impact of your memo, pay attention to the following:

· The opening of your memo must identify the What, Why, and How. In combination, the subject line and the first two or three sentences should explain what the topic is, why the topic is important to the reader, and how the memo will proceed.

· The headings should be in the informative style. Your handbook for the Writing Workshop contains a document titled, "Informative Headings Improve Memo's Readability." This document will explain the three styles of headings.

· The transitions should provide clear road signs for the reader. Simple phrases such as, "second," "in addition," or "however" will clarify the relationship between points in your memo.

· The visual design should include white space and visual variety. Too much text and not enough white space makes the memo look daunting and difficult to read. Bulleted lists, italics, headings, or graphs will add white space and make the document more visually appealing.

· The close should provide a specific action request, suggested means for implementing, justified deadline, and a reminder of the key benefits.

Improving the Process of Memo Writing Requires Editing

In addition to reviewing the memo's form, good business writers should be concerned with the writing process. Key to this process is editing. An effective edit will take place on three levels:

· Headings. Are your headings in the informative style and are they parallel?

· Paragraph. Does each paragraph develop a single point? Does the topic sentence appear first?

· Supporting evidence. Does every assertion have elaboration? Does that elaboration include some form of quote, statistic, fact, example, or logic?

Concluding Your Memo Requires Final Review of the Product

Now that you have improved the form of your memo and used an effective process, it is time to give your memo a last "glance." Are you comfortable with the style of your writing? Do you avoid jargon? Have you double-checked punctuation and grammar?

When you take the time to construct your memos following these guidelines, you will have a finished piece that is coherent and easy to read—something that will quickly establish your reputation as an effective communicator!

From: Syverson, J., Littlefield H., 92010), Business Administration 3033: Business Communication, Center for Writing, University of Minnesota

center for writing | UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA page 1

This material is intended to give ideas for teaching and learning activities.

Posted with permission. Copyright belongs to the creator. © 2010 JoAnn Syverson and Holly Littlefield

center for writing | UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA page 1

This material is intended to give ideas for teaching and learning activities.

Posted with permission. Copyright belongs to the creator. © 2010 JoAnn Syverson and Holly Littlefield

Business+Reports_Mila.ppt

Planning, writing and completing business reports and proposals

Mila Romaniuk

Tips for Success

“Written reports are essential for evaluating business opportunities. Without the facts, boards can’t act.”

— Gerry Roy,

Chief Corporate Officer and Legal Counsel,

Inualiut Regional Corporation

Business reports are systematic attempts to answer questions and solve problems.

What Are Business Reports?

*

Reports: Three Basic Categories

Information: Facts, feedback, data

Analytical: Information and analysis

Proposals: Persuasive recommendations

** The three-step process suits all kinds of report writing

Copyright © 2016 Pearson Canada Inc.

Chapter 10-6

Plan

Research

Organize

Complete

Present

More Detailed Process to
Write Business Reports

*

Analyze the problem and specific audience.

Anticipate the audience and issues.

Key questions to ask. . . .

What is the problem/opportunity?

What is important to the audience?

What key issues need to be addressed?

P=A3

Plan

Research

Organize

Complete

Present

*

ROC

Use different types of research methodologies to provide most important persuasive data.

Key questions to ask. . .

What does the audience need to know to act or think differently?

How can your team best collect this information/data?

Plan

Research

Organize

Complete

Present

*

Adapting to Your Audience

Informal

Be less formal if the report is likely to meet approval or you know your readers

Use personal pronouns (I, we, our, you, your, etc.)

Formal

Use impersonal style

Emphasize objectivity

Eliminate personal pronouns

Avoid humour

Watch figurative language

Copyright © 2016 Pearson Canada Inc.

*

Need for Objective Information

Present both sides of an issue.

Separate fact from opinion.

Gain credibility.

Cite sources carefully.

*

Activity: Researching for Effective Persuasion

In groups of 3-4 people. . .

Identify the types of research methodologies to use for effective persuasion. You must include either survey or interview as one of the methodologies.

State what information you would gather from each methodology.

State how you would use that information in your persuasion.

*

Reasons for
Documenting/Citing Data?

Strengthens your argument

Instructs the reader

Protects you from charges of plagiarism

Use APA for Centennial assignments

*

Writing an Outline

Your outline will dictate the organization of your research paper.

All research reports must have a minimum of two main points and no more than five main points.

If there are any sub points, there must be at least two. (There cannot be only one sub point.)

The headings must be short and clear. They must be written in a consistent format.

All reports must have at least one recommendation.

*

Application

I. Executive Summary

II. Problem

III Background

IV. Discussion of Findings

A. Highlights of Jamba Juice 1. Unique Health Experience

a. Nutritional content

b. Convenient nourishment

2. Established Business with Growth Potential

a. Community contribution

b. Corporate partnership

B. Positive Reasons to Become Partners

1. Improve Image

2. Offer a Useful Service

3. Promote a Healthier Lifestyle

Gains attention

Builds interest

Creates desire/need

*

Application

C. Advantages for 24 Hour Fitness

1. Minimal Effort Required

2. Value-added Service

3. Increased Profit Potential

4. Positive Aesthetic Impact

D. Fitness and Juice by the Numbers

1. Customer Satisfaction Survey

2. Profit Estimates

V. Conclusions and Recommendations

A. Review of Benefits

B. Proposal for Action

1. Launch Two-Store Implementation

2. Evaluate for Potential Expansion

VI. Appendix: Customer Survey

VI I. Works Cited

Creates desire/need

Motivates action

*

Another person's ideas, opinions, examples, or theory.

Any facts, statistics, and graphics that are not common knowledge.

Quotations of another person's actual spoken or written words.

Paraphrases of another person's spoken or written words.

What to Document/Cite

*

Organize Information

Reader comprehension, not writer convenience, should govern report organization.

Key Question to Ask. . . .

How will the audience best accept and understand the information?

ROC

Plan

Research

Organize

Complete

Present

*

Indirect Organizational Pattern

Indirect Pattern

Analytical Report

Introduction/Problem

Facts/Findings

Discussion/Analysis

Conclusions/Recommendations

Gain attention

Build interest; create desire/need to change

Motivate action

*

The direct approach anticipates no resistance to its message-for instance, "you've been hired," "your order is being shipped today," or even "the project will be done in one week." In direct message, the main point goes at the beginning, followed by details, explanations or evidence supporting it. It prevents the reader from getting bored and frustrated by having to search through paragraph of information to get in the main topic. An organized message saves the reader time by getting to the purpose of the message at once.

In indirect pattern the main point goes later in the message, after all the explanations or wade of different paragraphs. The indirect message shows that you respect your reader’s feelings, which may be hurt by the main point. Use indirect approach when:

the reader is going to be uninterested, unpleased or aware

your letter, memo, or e-mail message contains "bad news" of some type - a rejection of a request for funding, a report that a project won't be completed on time, a notice that an order hasn't been shipped yet.

Generally, his approach will serve you well if you are trying to offer something or relaying some important matters as it strategically delays the bad news until your reader has been prepared to accept or deal with it in a positive way.

Direct Organizational Pattern

Analytical Report

Introduction/Problem

Conclusion/Recommendation

Facts/Findings

Discussion/Analysis

Direct Pattern

Direct approach

Establish need for action

Introduce benefits

List steps required to achieve benefits

Explain each step

Summarize recommendations

*

Organizing Informational Reports

Copyright © 2016 Pearson Canada Inc.

Chronological order is organized by chronology: e.g., 2000, 2001, 2002.

Geographical or spatial is organized by physical location

Topical or functional is organized by topic or function.

*

Helping Readers Find Their Way

Headings or links: Clarify structure and emphasize key points

Transitions: Tie ideas together and show relationships

Previews and reviews: Help readers get ready for new information, summarize current information

Copyright © 2016 Pearson Canada Inc.

Chapter 11-8

Helping Readers Find Their Way

To help readers navigate a long report

the opening introduces the subject and indicates its importance

headings and lists highlight important ideas and provide clues

transitions tie ideas together and keep readers moving

previews and reviews introduce new information and summarize what’s been discussed

the ending summarizes ideas, conclusions, or recommendations.

*

Planning Proposals

Internal proposals

External proposals

Investment proposals

Grant proposals

Sales proposals

Solicited proposals: use direct approach

RFPs

Unsolicited proposals: use indirect approach

Copyright © 2016 Pearson Canada Inc.

Chapter 10-35

Drafting Proposal Content

The most important consideration is whether the proposal is solicited or unsolicited: it affects organization, content, and tone

Your purpose is to persuade readers to act

Ensure your proposal is error-free, inviting, readable—errors will work against you

Copyright © 2016 Pearson Canada Inc.

Chapter 11-9

Three Parts of Message

Introduction Provides context Introduces subject matter Previews main idea Establishes tone

Body Presents, analyzes, and interprets information Supports recommendations and conclusions

Close Summarizes key points Emphasizes benefits Brings action items together

Reminders Ensure all content is accurate, complete, balanced, clear Document your sources

An introduction (or executive summary in long reports)guides the reader into the report or proposal, focusing on the statement of purpose and suggesting the range of the information that follows. A synopsis is a brief overview of a report's most important points.

*

Developing Visual Literacy

Consistency (visual parallelism)

Contrast

Balance (formal or informal)

Emphasis

Convention

Simplicity (avoid “chartjunk”)

Copyright © 2016 Pearson Canada Inc.

Chapter 11-16

Selecting the Best Visual

Copyright © 2016 Pearson Canada Inc.

Chapter 11-17

Selecting the Best Visual (cont’d)

Copyright © 2016 Pearson Canada Inc.

Chapter 11-18

Choosing the Right Visual

Tables

Use common, clearly identified units

Use the same units for all items in a column

Label column headings

Enhance readability

Document data sources

Copyright © 2016 Pearson Canada Inc.

Chapter 11-19

Choosing the Right Visual (cont’d)

Line charts: Illustrate trends over time, relationship between two variables

Surface charts (area charts): Show cumulative effects

Bar charts: Portray numbers through relative height/length of bars

Pie charts: Show distribution of parts of a whole

Copyright © 2016 Pearson Canada Inc.

Chapter 11-20

Choosing the Right Visual (cont’d)

Data visualization:

Extracts meaning from masses of data or puts data in context

May combine data with text to communicate complex or dynamic data

Flowcharts: Illustrate a sequence from start to finish

Organization charts: Illustrate positions, units, and functions and their interrelation

Copyright © 2016 Pearson Canada Inc.

Chapter 11-21

Choosing the Right Visual (cont’d)

Maps: Show territories, routes, locations

Infographics: Help readers make connections between fragmented pieces of information

Photographs: May be functional or decorative; may show too much detail

Animation and video: Have unparalleled visual impact in many applications

Copyright © 2016 Pearson Canada Inc.

Chapter 11-22

Plan

Research

Organize

Complete

Present

More Detailed Process to
Write Business Reports

*

Revising Reports and Proposals

Review organization, style, tone

Ensure content is clear, logical, reader-oriented

Revise until content is clear, concise, compelling

Make one last review: inconsistencies, errors, missing components

Ensure all links work, all files are active and available

Copyright © 2016 Pearson Canada Inc.

Chapter 11-27

Producing Formal Reports and Proposals

May include features beyond text and visuals

Synopsis (abstract): a brief overview

Executive summary: fully developed “mini” report

Could also include cover, title page, letter of authorization, letter of transmittal, table of contents, list of illustrations, appendixes, bibliography, and index

Copyright © 2016 Pearson Canada Inc.

Chapter 11-28

Distributing Your Reports and Proposals

Physical distribution:

Hire a professional courier or delivery service

Deliver the document in person

Electronic distribution:

- PDF preferred unless audience specifies otherwise

Copyright © 2016 Pearson Canada Inc.

Chapter 11-29

Introduction	Provides context Introduces subject matter Previews main idea Establishes tone
Body	Presents, analyzes, and interprets information Supports recommendations and conclusions
Close	Summarizes key points Emphasizes benefits Brings action items together
Reminders	Ensure all content is accurate, complete, balanced, clear Document your sources