Bài giảng Business and Administrative Communication - Chapter 15 Researching Proposals and Reports

Chapter 15Researching Proposals and ReportsSteps in Report WritingDefine the problemGather necessary dataAnalyze the dataOrganize the informationWrite the reportFormal vs. Informal ReportsFormal reports contain formal elements: Title pageTransmittalTable of contentsList of illustrationsInformal reports may be memos, letters, e-mail, sales figures, etc.Report ClassificationsInformation reports collect data for readerSales reportsQuarterly reportsAnalytical reports interpret data but do not recommend actionAnnual reportsAudit reportsMake-good or pay-back reportsRecommendation reports recommend action or a solutionFeasibility reportsJustification reportsProblem-solving reportsReport Classifications, continuedSome reports combine information, analytical, and recommendation typesAccident reportsCredit reportsProgress reportsTrip reportsClosure reportsDefining Report TopicsReal problemImportant enough to be worth solvingNarrow but challengingReal audienceAble to do recommended actionsDefining Report Topics, continuedData, evidence, and factsConvey severity of problemProve that recommendation will solve problemAvailable to writerComprehensible to writerPurpose StatementMakes three things clearOrganizational problem or conflictSpecific technical questions that must be answered to solve problemRhetorical purpose the report is designed to achieveExplain - Recommend – Request - ProposeResearch Types Primary research gathers new dataSurveysInterviewsObservationsSecondary research retrieves information that someone else gatheredLibrary researchOnline searchesCriteria for Evaluating Web SourcesAuthorsWhat person or organization sponsors site?What credentials does author have?ObjectivityDoes site give evidence to support claims?Does it give both sides of issues?Is the tone professional? Criteria for Evaluating Web Sources, continuedInformationHow complete is information?What is it based on?CurrencyHow current is the information?AudienceWho is the intended audience?Surveys, Questionnaires, and InterviewsSurvey—questions large groups of people, called respondents or subjectsQuestionnaire—written list of questions that people fill outInterview—a structured conversation with someone who will be able to give useful informationQuestions to Consider about SurveysWho did the survey and who paid for it?How many people were surveyed and how were they chosen?How was the survey conducted?What was the response rate?What questions were asked?Characteristics of Good Survey QuestionsAsk only one thingAre phrased neutrallyAre asked in an order that does not influence answersAvoid making assumptions about the respondentMean the same thing to different peopleQuestion TypesClosed questions—limited number of possible responsesOpen questions—unlimited responses possibleBranching questions—direct subjects to different parts of questionnaire based on answers to earlier questionsQuestion Types, continued...Multiple choice—make the answer categories mutually exclusive and exhaustiveProbes—follow up original question to get at specifics of a topicMirror questions—paraphrase content of last answerSample Types Convenience sample—set of subjects who are easy to getJudgment sample—group of people whose views seem usefulRandom sample—each person in group has equal chance of being chosenUsing Technology in ResearchOnline networksWeb-based surveysData miningAnalyticsCitation and DocumentationCitation—attributing an idea or fact to its source in report bodyDocumentation—listing bibliographic information readers would need to locate original sources