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v Adapt the three-step writing process to reports and proposals.

Ø To adapt the three-step process to reports and proposals:

§ Identify purpose

§ Prepare work plan,

§ Determine whether a separate research project might be

needed,

§ Choosing the medium,

§ Selecting the best approach for the specific type of report.

v Describe an effective process for conducting business research, explain

how to evaluate the credibility of an information source, and identify the five

ways to use research results.

Ø Begin the research process with ----

§ Careful planning to make sure you focus on the most

important questions.

§ Then locate the data and information, using primary and

secondary research as needed. Process the results of your research and apply

your findings by summarizing information, drawing conclusions, or developing

recommendations.

§ Finally, manage information effectively so that you and

others can retrieve it later and reuse it in other projects.

Ø Evaluating the credibility of an information source can

involve eight questions.

§ (1) Does the source have a reputation for honesty and

reliability?

§ (2) Is the source

potentially biased?

§ (3) What is the purpose of the material?

§ (4) Is the author

credible?

§ (5) Where did the

source get its information?

§ (6) Can you verify the material independently?

§ (7) Is the material current and complete?

§ (8) Does the information make sense? Five ways to use research results are

quoting, paraphrasing, or summarizing textual material; drawing conclusions;

and making recommendations.

vExplain the role of

secondary research, and describe the two major categories of online research

tools.

Ø Secondary research is generally used

first, both to save time in case someone else has already gathered the

information needed and to offer additional insights into your research

questions.

Ø The

two major categories of online research tools are----

§

Tools used for searching (including

various types of search engines, web directories, and online databases) and

§

Tools used for automatically monitoring

for new information.

v Explain the role of primary research, and identify the two most common

forms of primary research for business communication purposes.

Ø Primary research involves the collection of new data, and it

is conducted when the information required is not available through secondary

research.

Ø The two most common primary research methods for business

communication purposes are –

§ surveys and interviews.

v Explain how to plan informational reports and website content. I

Ø informational reports focus on the delivery of facts,

figures, and other types of information.

Ø Most informational reports use a topical organization,

arranging material by comparison, importance, sequence, chronology, geography,

or category.

Ø When developing online reports and websites in general,

§ Start by planning the structure and navigation paths before

writing the content.

§ Next, make sure you let readers be in control by giving them

navigational flexibility.

§ Finally, break your

information in chunks that can be scanned and absorbed quickly.

v Identify the three most common ways to organize analytical reports.

Ø Analytical reports assess a situation or problem and

recommend a course of action in response.

Ø The three most common ways to organize analytical reports

are by

§ Focusing on conclusions,

§ Focusing on recommendations, and

§ Focusing on logical arguments

v Explain how to plan proposals.

Ø The most significant factor in planning a proposal is

whether the proposal is solicited or unsolicited.

Ø Solicited proposals are obviously expected and welcomed by

the recipient, but they often must follow a specific organization, particularly

when they are submitted in response to a request for proposals (RFP).

Ø For unsolicited proposals, the writer has flexibility in

choosing the most effective organization, format, and content. However, because

unsolicited proposals are unexpected, the writer often needs to explain why the

solution offered in the proposal is even necessary for the reader to consider.

Because of this, the indirect approach is usually preferred for unsolicited

proposals.

v

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