Chapter 13 - Completing Reports and Proposals

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Completing Messages:

-Revise the Message

- Produce the Message

- Proofread the Message

- Distribute the Message

Prefatory Parts:

- Synopsis or executive summary

- List of illustrations

- Table of contents

- Letter of transmittal

- Letter of acceptance

-Letter of authorization

- Title Page

-Title Fly

-Cover

Text Parts

- Notes

- Recommendations

-Conclusions

- Summary

- Body

- Introduction

If you want a section to stand out, start it on a new page

Prefactory Parts

Cover:

- Many companies have a standard cover

- include report title, writers name, submission date

- "A report of" "A Study of" "A Survey Of"

Title Fly & Title Page:

- Title Fly is a single sheet of paper with only the title of the report on it

- ads loyalty, but is optional

- Title Page

- Title of Report

- Name, title, address of the person, group, organization that authorized it

- name, title and address of the person, group that prepared the event

- Date when report was written

Letter of Authorization and letter of acceptance

- include letter of authorization if received permission to write report (or asking or directing to)

Letter of acceptance

- include letter of acceptance if you write a letter accepting the assignment and clarifying any conditions

Letters of Authorization & Acceptance are only included in the most formal reports

Letter of Transmittal is a specialized form of a cover letter, that introduces report to audience, and appears before the table of contents

Table of contents outlines the coverage, sequence and relative importance of information in report

- use a table of contents generator

List of Illustrations - make a list of illustrations if you have more than a few illustrations. use a single page beneath the table of contents, or right after

A Synopsis is a brief overview (one page or less) of most important points of the report, to give a quick preview. Also called Abstract

Executive Summary is more comprehensive and preferred

Most reports don't need a synpotsis or executive. 10 or fewer don't need one, over 20 pages should

Text of Report

Introduction: invites audience to read what the report is about, how it's organized

Body: information that supports conclusions and recommendations, analysis, logic and interpretation.

Close: summarizes main ideas, highlights conclusion or recommendations, and list course of action that should be taken

Supplementary Parts

Appendix: contains materials related to report not not included because they are too long or not relevant

Bibliography: sources, or references

Index: an alphabetical list of names, places and subjects in report, pages they occur

producing formal proposals

Goal of proposal: impress readers with professionalism and make your offering and company standd out from competition.

- formal for potential customers and investors

-smaller projects and situations with working relationship can be less formal

prefatory parts

-cover, title fly, title page, table of contents, and list of illustrations are the same as other formal reports.

- Copy of RFP - some companies require you include a copy of rfp, others want referral. Follow instructions

-synopsis - you may include synopsis when proposal are long, less useful in formal proposal.

-letter of transmittal if proposal is solicited, transmittal letter follows pattern for positive messages. If it's unsolicited, approach as persuasive message

Text of proposal:

- introduction - presents and summarizes problem and your solution, as well as the benefits

-body - complete detail of solution, how it will be done, divided, what method, equipment, material, personel, when work will end and cost. why company is qualified

- close emphasizes benefits that readers will receive.