Writing Reports to Get Results: Quick, Effective Results Using the Pyramid Method

The professional's quick-reference handbook for writing business and technical reports Professionals in business, government, and technical fields often need help in organizing and writing reports for associates, clients, and managers. This simple tutorial handbook offers expert tips and useful ideas for organizing ideas, structuring reports, and adding spice to technical papers. Writing Reports to Get Results offers in-depth guidance for writing: short, informal reports, such as job progress reports and inspection reports semiformal reports, such as laboratory and medium-length investigation and evaluation reports formal reports, such as analytical and feasibility studies and major investigations technical and business proposals of varying complexity The authors use a simple pyramid method to help writers organize their information into the most convenient and simplest structure for any type of document-from single-page proposals to full-length presentations. Rounding out this easy, instructional handbook are helpful tips on a number of other topics, such as: constructing reference lists and bibliographies; the use of numbers, abbreviations, and metric symbols; preparing illustrations for insertion into a report; and working collaboratively as a member of a writing team.

Table of Contents:
Preface xi Part I A Practical Approach to Report Writing 1 1 How to Use These Guidelines 2 2 The Report Writer’s Pyramid 4 Getting Started 4 Identifying the Reader 5 Identifying the Message 6 Using the Pyramid Method 7 Focusing the Message 8 Developing the Details 10 Expanding the Details Section 13 Part 2 Informal Reports 17 3 Incident, Field Trip, and Inspection Reports 18 Incident Reports 18 Incident Report: Reporting a Project Delay 20 Field Trip Reports 22 Trip Report No. 1: Reporting an Installation 24 Trip Report No. 2: Reporting a Site Evaluation 26 Reporting Conference Attendance 26 Inspection Reports 28 Inspection Report No. 1: Inspecting a Contractor’s Work 32 Inspection Report No. 2: Inspecting Electronic Equipment 34 4 Progress Reports, Project Completion Reports, and Short Investigation Reports 38 Progress Reports 38 Occasional Progress Report 40 Progress Report No. 1: Occasional Progress Report 42 Periodic Progress Report 44 Progress Report No. 2: Periodic Progress Report 45 Headings and Paragraph Numbering 49 Project Completion Report 49 Project Completion Report: Reporting a Project Is Finished 50 Short Investigation Reports 52 Short Investigation Report: Correcting an Electrical Problem 53 Part 3 Semiformal Reports and Proposals 55 5 Test and Laboratory Reports 56 Industrial Laboratory Reports 56 Industrial Laboratory Report: Testing a Water Stage Manometer and Digital Recorder 58 Academic Laboratory Reports 67 6 Investigation and Evaluation Reports 69 Semiformal Investigation Report: Study of High Gas Consumption 70 Comparison between Semiformal and Letter-Form Investigation Reports 80 7 Suggestions and Proposals 84 Informal Suggestions 85 Informal Suggestion: Proposal for a Study 86 Semiformal Proposals 86 Proposals That Present an Idea 88 Semiformal Proposal No, 1: Proposal to Install Videoconference Facilities in Three Capilano Group Divisions 90 Proposals That Offer a Service 105 Semiformal Proposal No. 2: Offering to Provide a Service 106 The Formal Proposal 117 Letter of Transmittal 119 Summary 119 Introduction 119 Description of Work, Problem, and Situation 119 Approach to Doing Work, Resolving Problem, or Improving Situation 119 Organization and Planning 119 Exceptions 120 Price Proposal 120 Experience 120 Appendixes 120 Proposal Appearance 120 Part 4 Formal Reports 121 8 The Formal Report 122 Traditional Arrangement of Report Parts 122 Alternative Arrangement of Report Parts 124 Analysis of a Formal Report 125 Cover Letter 125 Title Page 128 Summary 130 Table of Contents 132 Introduction 134 Discussion 136 Conclusions 146 Recommendations 148 References/Bibliography 148 Appendix 150 Dan Rogerson’s Report Writing Sequence 154 Part 5 Report Writing Techniques and Methods 155 9 Appearance and Format of Memorandum, Letter, and Semiformal Reports 156 Sample Reports 158 Notes about Figures 9‒2 and 9‒3 158 Notes about Figure 9‒4 161 Improving the Body of the Report 162 Redesigning the Page 162 Choosing a Font 162 Justifying Text Only on the Left 164 Avoiding All Caps 164 Using Tables to Display Information 164 10 Developing a Writing Style 166 Get the Focus Right 166 Identify the Reader 167 Identify the Purpose 167 Write to Inform 168 Write to Persuade 168 Be Direct 168 Use the Pyramid Structure 169 Write in the First Person 170 Use the Active Voice 172 Avoid “Clutter” 174 Use Simple Words 174 Remove Words of Low Information Content 175 Eliminate Overworked Expressions 177 Avoiding Gender-specific Language 178 Be Consistent When Referring to Men and Women 178 11 Whiting a List of References or a Bibliography 180 How to Write References 181 Bibliographies 186 Footnotes 187 Planning for Reference/Bibliography Entries 189 12 Inserting Illustrations into Reports 190 Some General Guidelines 191 Using Computer Software to Produce Graphics 191 Tables 192 Graphs 193 Bar Charts 197 Histograms 199 Surface Charts 200 Pie Charts 201 Flowcharts, Site Plans, and Line Diagrams 202 Photographs 204 The Size and Position of Illustrations 204 13 Guidelines for Spelling and Handling Abbreviations and Numbers 206 Spelling 206 Abbreviations 207 Numbers 208 Metric (SI) Units 209 References 209 14 The Report Writing Process 210 Preparing to Write 210 Organizing the Information 212 Writing the Words (Draft) 214 Editing the Information 216 Initial Proofreading 216 Detailed Editing 217 Revising the Text 220 Doing a Second (or Subsequent) Edit 220 Obtaining an Objective Opinion 220 15 Guidelines for Working with a Report Production Team 222 Working with Management 223 Working with Other Writers 223 Using Email to Communicate with Others 225 Working with Illustrators, Draftspersons, and Graphic Artists 226 Working with a Printer 227 Index 229