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Business and Technical Communication

Report Writing

Lecture #1

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Imagine you work for the world-famous SAMSOFT SOFTWARE INNOVATIONS

1. SSI wants to set up a sales office in an overseas site. You’re asked to investigate three Asian cities and come up with a recommendation.

What are you going to do? 2. Joe’s FunSkool is looking for a software company to develop

language-learning software.What are you going to do?

3. You’re in the midst of developing the FunSkool software and your boss asks you to report on your progress so far.

What are you going to do?4. Your boss finds the project’s investment cost is bigger than expected

and SSI needs more funding.What are you going to do?

SSI

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Why does your report need to be WONDERFUL?

• To impress the boss.

• To beat out the competition and get what you want.

WOW!

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Business and Technical CommunicationREPORT WRITING

• What is a report?• What does a report do?• Types of reports• Doing research• Designing the solution -- (Start-up sheet)• Choosing sequence and headlines• Creating visual impact• Kissing• Topic review: Video

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An orderly, objective message

used to convey information

from one organisational area to another

or

from one institution to another.

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1. Feasibility reports

2. Progress reports

3. PROPOSALS

3 very common types of reports…

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FEASIBILITY REPORTS (Dummies Ex. 9-1 p. 134)

• Assess several alternatives

• using criteria

• and recommend the best alternative.

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PROGRESS REPORTS

Provide information about:– progress achieved, and – timetable for future work and completion

to– identify possible problems, and– make decisions about resource allocation.

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Progress Reports-Sections-

• INTRODUCTION (explanation of the project)

• WORK TO DATE (accomplishments & problems)

• FUTURE WORK

• CONCLUSION(situation overall)

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PROPOSAL

* It is an offer to perform one (or more) of the following services:• furnish goods or services • research a subject• provide a solution to a problem,

to persuade the reader to follow your proposal and/or apply for funding.

* It may be solicited (in response to a RFP) or unsolicited.

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It helps the reader make a decision, by being…

PERSUASIVE

WELL-WRITTENCREDIBLE

SEALED WITHA KISS

CLEAR

What does a wonderful report do?

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Joe’s FunSkool RFP

Joe’s FunSkool requires software for its English language learning department. Proposals should include:

1. the features of your software

2. samples of your work from past similar projects

3. fees

4. schedule.

Submit proposals to Joe Blow, Curriculum Director, Joe’s Funskool, 1 Cool Lane, S. 123456 by May 1, 2000.

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PROPOSAL

* It is an offer to perform one (or more) of the following services:• furnish goods or services • research a subject• provide a solution to a problem,

to persuade the reader to follow your proposal and/or apply for funding.

* It may be solicited (in response to a RFP) or unsolicited.

(Samsoft scenarios #2,#4)

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Where do I begin?

RESEARCH

Scoping out your prospect

(p.154,155)

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Primary research:

1. Interviews

2. Questionnaires

3. Observations

- of people, animals, situations

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Secondary research:

(published records)

Internet

library

offices

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PRACTICE TASK: If you wanted to find out the following information, what kinds of research would you conduct?

1. How pervasive is kiasu-ism in the NUS campus?

2. A comparative study of the Computer Science Course in NUS and MIT, U.S.A.

3. Do CS2301 students with female tutors get better grades than those with male tutors?

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Where to now?

DESIGN THE SOLUTION

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Where to now?

START UP SHEET (p. 17-21)

1. primary reader? 2. reader’s content needs?3. reader’s WIIFM? (p. 154)4. special angle?5. reader’s attitude?6. My purpose is to _____ so my reader will ___.

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START UP SHEET, cont.

7. key point?

8. copies?

9. communication medium?

10. delivery time?

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HEADLINES AND SEQUENCING

FORMAL or INFORMAL

Where to now?

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HEADLINES AND SEQUENCING--THE INSIDES--

(Ch. 3)

Refer to RFP See p. 34, Table 3-1

See p. 153See p. 157

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HEADLINES AND SEQUENCINGPutting it all together

IntroductionProspect’s position & problemYour solution (brief)Benefits to Joe’s FunSkoolSchedule (brief)Costs (brief)

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HEADLINES AND SEQUENCINGPutting it all together

BodyDetailed description of your softwareDetails of your scheduleDetails of your costs / feesWhy you?

Past workQualifications

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HEADLINES AND SEQUENCINGPutting it all together

ConclusionExpress your appreciation.Express your confidence in your ability to

do the job.Highlight the advantages of working with

your company.

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YOUR APPENDIX.

Put complex details in an Appendix.

• Research methods, e.g. questionnaire forms, interview questions

• Research results, e.g. questionnaire and interview answers

• Details of project costs

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EFFECTIVE HEADINGS

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ATTENTION-GRABBING HEADINGS

Which one is better? Why?

A. “Description of Solution”

B. “Innovative language-learning software”

A. “Warranty information”

B. “Your warranty has expired”

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Your Report Heading

SSI REPORT

A long, formal report

Title Page

A short, internal report

Memo heading

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Memo Heading

To: Joe Blow, Curriculum Director

From: Lee Gek Ling, Head Teacher

Date: March 7, 2000

Re: Proposal for New Oral Presentation Component