The writers of formal reports are rarely those in a company who are fully aware of the subject they are asked to write about . Therefore, they must maximize their knowledge on the topic before jumping into the writing process. For example: analyzing a specific situation on which a company wants to have information on. Those steps preceding the production of the report are called the “analytical process”.
Here is a list of the main subtopics covered in this section.
Obtain or review authorization
Problem statement
Identification of the scope
Identification of the limitations
Hypotheses
Research Plan
Organize the data
Interpret and draw conclusions
Recommendations
Patterns of organisation
In order to show that the request sent by a superior is understood, the author of the report should always seek to obtain or review authorization. For instance, if it seems necessary that an extensive – potentially expensive – research must be conducted before the writing process, the author should enquire how much time or how much money he is allowed to spend on the project. This determines exactly the available resources to construct the report.
Once everything is clear, the writer must identify the issue he has to gather information on and establish a clear, succinct problem statement that acts as the primary reason why the report is being produced and eventually read. It should include three components:
- The issue itself, which can be written in the question, infinitive (-ing) or declarative form.
- Technical or subsidiary questions that need to be answered in order to resolve the initial problem.
- A rhetorical purpose which sets the objective of the report (explanation, request, proposition or recommendation).
Next is the identification of the scope, which represents the breadth and depth of the matter of the report. The breadth defines the areas of information that must be researched in order to cover the broadness of the subject, and the depth identifies to what extent those areas of information must be investigated. Depending on the length and complexity of the report, three to seven categories should be enough to divide the data into different utilities.
Along with the scope comes the identification of the limitations. While the subject might be very broad, it is often not possible to conduct a complete analysis because of various shortcomings such as lack of money or lack of time. Those matters should be mentioned in the introduction of the report, and must also be taken into account before the beginning of the research. The authorization often acts as the main indicator of the limitations.
In order to orientate the gathering of information, it is possible (but not necessary) to develop hypotheses which are tentative explanations of the problem statement. This helps finding sources that either prove or disprove the message that the report will diffuse.
Now that the fields of information are defined, the author can draw a research plan which determines the sources (primary and secondary) that will be used and the collecting methods of data (interviews, surveys, books...). It is then time to gather data. The first information to be collected are secondary data which come from previous works found in books, articles, older reports or on the Internet. If needed (the longer the report, the bigger the need for specific data), it is the writer’s (or researcher’s) duty to collect primary data via surveys, observations, experimentations or interviews. Those will complement information that cannot be found in the secondary sources. It is important that those components are as formally presented and clear as the final report because they should ultimately be integrated in it as appendixes.
Once all areas of information have been sufficiently researched, it is time to organize the data collected by regrouping them under each factor that was set during the identification of the scope.
Once all information covering the topic have been gathered and organized, it is time to interpret the data and draw conclusions which will be discussed in the report. First, the author must summarize the facts, or establish how the factors of the research (determined in the identification of the scope) have been answered and explained. This should not be about repeating what was found (what are the facts?) but explaining how it is linked to the problem statement (how are those facts influencing the problem?). Here is an example of how a conclusion can be drawn :
“Assume you are researching alternative sites for a new plant and have gathered the following data:
Site A: $50,000 cost, 5 acres, and 5 miles from the interstate
Site B: $75,000 cost, 7 acres, and 1 mile from the interstate
The conclusions could be that Site A is least expensive and that Site B has more acreage and is closer to the interstate.”
Source: Wilhelm, William J. "The Analytical Report Process." BEIT 336, Business Report Writing. Indiana State University, Jan. 2010. Web. 20 Mar. 2010.
http://misnt.indstate.edu/wilhelm/ASBE%20336/The%20Analytical%20Report%20Process-08.doc
Once a conclusion is drawn, the author usually has the responsibility to suggest recommendations, or actions the company could take in order to avoid or adjust the matter that was raised in the problem statement. The recommendation must be explicit and detailed; it should be formulated with actions verbs and should explain how the company could act in the most efficient way.
When all the steps depicted above are done, the author must select a proper pattern to organize the report depending on the subject matter (the reason behind the report) and it’s utility to the readers. Here are the most common ones.
- Comparision/ Contrast
This organization is mainly used to study and comment various ways of carrying out a project or discussing the pros and cons of a specific recommendation.
- Problem-Solution
This pattern first identifies and provides explanation on a specific issue and then focuses on a single recommendation with justifications on why it is the most efficient. It is particularly persuasive for a neutral audience.
- Elimination of alternatives
By presenting impractical solutions first and gearing towards the most efficient, this patter helps redefining the audience’s initial idea of how to correct an issue.
- General to particular / Particular to general
This way of organizing a formal report either starts explaining the problem as the audience knows it and concentrate on more specific details found with researches or shows how something particular is part of a larger issue.
- Geographical or spatial
This pattern enables to discuss a matter in a physical arrangement, explaining how it can ranges from “office-to-office” to, for instance “subdivision-to-subdivision”. It helps treating problem from an international perspective.
- Functional
By separating data into different, broader areas of information, this pattern treats different sections of the report independently and shows how various situations are linked to a larger issue.
- Chronological
This organization shows, explain and discuss the progression of the subject matter over time.
Source:
Locker, Kitty O. Business Communication: Process and Product. Colombus, OH: McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 1989. Print.
Further Readings:
For a more detailed look into the writing process, consider accessing the following online documents: Nelson, Sandra J. "Business Report Writing Study Notes." BEIT 336, Business Report Writing. Indiana State University, 2008. Web. 23 Feb. 2010.
http://misnt.indstate.edu/wilhelm/ASBE%20336/NelsonStudyNotes_sp10.doc
Wilhelm, William J. "The Analytical Report Process." BEIT 336, Business Report Writing. Indiana State University, Jan. 2010. Web. 20 Mar. 2010.
http://misnt.indstate.edu/wilhelm/ASBE%20336/The%20Analytical%20Report%20Process-08.doc
Allan, Thompson. "Guide to Business Report Writing." Best Entrepreneur. Murdoch Business School, 2005. Web. 1 Mar. 2010.
http://bestentrepreneur.murdoch.edu.au/Guide_To_Report_Writing.pdf
