Chapter 10 Review

Chapter 10: Writing Business Reports

Business reports are an important part of business writing. Though they are not written as often as memos or letters, they are very useful to present ideas and create change in business. Major decisions often involve a written report. There are several types of reports. They can be formal, informal, short, long, etc. They can be periodic reports, progress reports, problem-solving reports, or compliance reports.

The first step is to gather the data for the report. Determine a specific need or purpose. If primary research is necessary, follow the steps on conducting primary research. Compose the report. Include purpose, procedures, analysis, conclusions, and recommendations. Review and revise the report using the DOCS method. Design should be clean and follow HATS. Organization should follow the direct approach. Content should be clear, complete, correct, and compelling. Sentences should follow the SPELL writing quality.

For short reports, give adequate background information, use a direct approach, identify critical factors to be considered in solving the problem, define and introduce alternative solutions, evaluate alternatives, include a decision table, and draw to a close with a conclusion. Long reports are used to report the findings of in-depth investigations and complex studies. The information in these reports will be used for many years to come.