Writing and Completing

Reports and Proposals

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 Reports and Proposals

Long Message
Formats

Effective
Visual Support

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 Adapting to the Audience

The “You” Attitude

Message Tone

Cultural Awareness

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 Composing Reports
and Proposals
Introduction Body Conclusion

Report Context Presentation Main Points

Subject/Purpose Analysis Benefits

Main Ideas Interpretation Structure

Overall Tone Support Action Items

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 Drafting Report Content

Accurate Complete

Clear and Documented

Balanced
Logical Properly

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 Report Introduction
Authorization Opportunity or Purpose

Scope of Coverage Background

Sources and Methods Terms and Definitions

Limitations Report Organization

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 The Report Body
Explanations of problem or opportunity
Facts, statistics, and trends
Results of studies or investigations
Discussion and analysis of potential actions
Advantages, disadvantages, costs, and benefits
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 The Report Body
Procedures or steps in a process
Methods and approaches
Criteria for evaluating options
Conclusions and recommendations
Support for conclusions and recommendations
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 The Report Closing

Summary

Conclusions

Recommendations

Action Plans
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 Strategies for
Successful Proposals
• Demonstrate your knowledge
• Provide examples and information
• Research the competition
• Prove your proposal is feasible
• Relate your proposal to the reader
• Package the proposal attractively
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 Drafting Proposal Content
Introduction Body Conclusion

Background The Solution Key Points

Solution Work Plan Benefits

Scope Qualifications Merits and Qualities

Organization Detailed Costs Commitment

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 Drafting Online Content
1. Build trust with intended audiences
2. Adapt content for global audience
3. Include reader-oriented content
4. Use a concise, skimmable format
5. Include effective links
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 Guiding the Readers
Headings Transitional Previews
and Links Devices and Reviews

Readability Words Introductions

Frameworks Sentences Summaries

Relationships Paragraphs Overviews

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 Technology for
Reports and Proposals
Templates Linking and Embedding

Electronic Forms Electronic Documents

Multimedia Documents Proposal-Writing Software

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 Consistency Interpret Images Emphasis

Contrast
Visual Convention
Literacy

Balance Create Images Simplicity

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Pick the Right Visuals
Data and
Information

Concepts
and Ideas

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 The Parts of a Table
Multicolumn Head*
Column
Subhead Subhead Subhead Subhead Head
Row head XXX XXX XX XX
Row head
Subhead XX XXX XX XX
Subhead XX XXX XX XX
Total XXX XXX XX XX
Source: (In the same format as a text footnote).
*Footnote (for explanation of elements in the table).
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Preparing Data Tables
Use Common Units

Round Numbers

Label Columns

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Preparing Data Tables
Rows and Columns

Limit Information

Document Sources

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 Line and Surface Charts
100%

Trends
80%

60% Variables

40%

Relationships
2006 2007 2008 2009

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 Average Kiln Temps
2500

2000
Temperature °F

1500

1000

500

0
8:00 9:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 1:00 2:00 3:00 4:00 5:00
AM AM AM AM Noon PM PM PM PM PM

Kiln A Kiln B

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 Home Game Ticket Sales
90,000

80,000

70,000
Average Per Game

60,000

50,000

40,000

30,000

20,000

10,000

0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Other Students Families Alumni Staff

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 Using Bar Charts
Compare Items

Show Changes

Indicate Composition

Show Relative Sizes

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 CommuniCo
Staff Computer Skills
100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50% East

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%
E-mail Instant Graphics Spread Desktop Database HTML/XML
Message Sheets Publish Develop

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 CommuniCo Preferred
Communication Media
100%

90%
80%

70%
60%

50%
40%
30%

20%
10%

0%
Sales Engineering Admin

IM E-mail Telephone Text Message Face-to-Face

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 CommuniCo Employee
Training Costs
16,000 $8,000

14,000 $7,000

12,000 $6,000

10,000 $5,000

Training Costs
Head Count

8,000 $4,000

6,000 $3,000

4,000 $2,000

2,000 $1,000

0 $0
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Head Count Training Costs

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 Using Pie Charts
The Number of Slices

Logical Arrangement

Contrasting Colors

Numbers or Percents
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Percentage of Time Spent Online
By Age Group

10%

27%

15%

23%
25%

Age 25-34 Age 35-49 Age 50+ Age 18-24 Age 2-17

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 Data Visualization

Countless Data Points

Wide Graphical Variety

Complex Dynamic Data

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 Flow Chart of the Report Writing Process

Keyboard First Next

Input Hard Copy Hard Copy

Edit OK? Yes

Yes
Edit
No Submit
Report
Add?
Keyboard Keyboard
Input/Edit Input/Edit
No

Style and Style and

Spelling Spelling

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Organization Chart: The Chain of Command

Chief Executive
Officer

Executive Executive
President
Vice President Vice President

Vice Vice Vice Vice Vice

President President President President President

Region Region Region Region Region

1 2 3 4 5

District District District District District District District

A B C D E F G

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Other Business Graphics

Maps Drawings

Diagrams Photographs

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 Animation and Video
Shapes and Text

Computer Animation

Digital Video

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Designing Effective Visuals

Templates Body Text Accuracy

Design Position Appearance

Consistency Title/Number Documentation

Efficiency Caption/Legend Honesty

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 Completing Reports and
Proposals

Revising

Producing

Proofreading

Distributing

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 Revising
Reports and Proposals
Content

Readability

Organization

Style and Tone

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 Producing Formal Reports

Type of Report
Audience Needs

Report Length
Prefatory Text of the Supplementary
Parts Report Parts

Type of Company

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 The Prefatory Parts

Cover Title Fly Title Page

Letter of Letter of Table of

Authorization Transmittal Contents

List of Synopsis or Executive

Illustrations Abstract Summary

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 The Text of the Report

Introduction

Body

Closing

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 Supplementary Parts

Appendixes

Bibliography

Index

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 Formal Proposals
Unique Prefatory Elements

Copy of the RFP

Synopsis/Executive Summary

Transmittal Document

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 Text of a Proposal

Introduction

Body Section

Conclusion

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 Proofreading

Inconsistencies

Errors and Omissions

Missing Elements

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 Distribution of
Reports and Proposals
Physical Electronic Web-Based

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