1. Module 1, Unit 1
Analyzing Workplace Reports

2. Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this module, students will be
able to:
D. Identify the various factors that shape a
report.
F. Define the term “report”.
H. Determine the qualities that make a report
effective.

3. Objective A:
Factors that shape a report.
When reading a report you should be able to
answer the following 7 questions…

4. Questions Elements
1. Who is asking that this report be Authorizer
written?
2. Who is writing the report? Writer (Sender)
3. To whom is the report being written? Audience (Receiver)
4. What is the report about? Subject Matter
5. Why is the report being written? Purpose
• Informing or analyzing • general
• What is the writer hoping to • specific
accomplish?
6. How is the report being sent? Format
• Oral or written
• Letter, memo, formal report,
telephone, fax, oral, e-mail, Internet
7. How often is the report being sent? Time Frequency
• Periodic reports (internals – daily,
weekly, monthly, annually)
• Special report – single occasion for a Due date
unique situation

5. APPLICATION #1
Identify Common Reasons for Writing Reports
Refer to page 4 of your Study Guide.

6. Complete the following sentences:

7. Reports are generally
assigned by…
• Authorizer: The person who has asked/
instructed that the report be written in
the first place.

8. Reports are written by…
• Writer (Sender): The person who has
developed/written the report.

9. Reports are written to…
• Audience (Receiver):
– This group of people are the ones the
report is intended for.
– The group of people to whom the writer is
writing.
– The people who will be reading the report.

10. Reports are written about…
• This question refers to the subject
matter of the report

11. Reports are written for a…
Purpose
– General
– Specific
Why is the report being written?
• Informing or analyzing
• What is the writer hoping to accomplish?

12. Reports are presented using formats
such as…
• What channel of communication:
– oral
– written
• In what medium will the report be presented:
– letter - telephone
– memo - fax
– formal report - oral
– memo - e-mail

13. Reports written regularly are
called…
• Periodical reports:
– Daily
– Weekly
– Monthly
– Annually

14. Reports written for one
occasion only are called…
• Special reports:
– Written for a single occasion in response
to a unique situation.

15. Objective B:
Working Definition of the term“report”
A “report” is an organized1, objective2
presentation of facts3 sent to one or
more
persons4 for a specific purpose5.

16. Objective B:
Working Definition of the term“report”
A “report” is an organized1, objective2
presentation of facts3 sent to one or
more
persons4 for a specific purpose5.

17. 1. Organize your report.
• If a reader cannot follow the writer’s
organization…communication will not
occur.

18. To be organized a report must:
• Follow an established format that fits the
occasion.
• Follow a writing pattern (sequence) that fits
the occasion.
• Adopt a direct or indirect approach.

19. 1. Follow an established format suitable
for the occasion.
a. oral vs. written,
b. forms,
c. memo vs. long and formal
d. Etc…

20. 2. Follow a writing pattern (sequence)
appropriate to the occasion.
• Incid e nt R e p orts : ch ronological ord e r
(accid e nt re p orts … h ow d id it all occu r?)
• E valu ating R e p orts : (com p are / contras t and
e valu ate a p e rs on, p rod u ct, or s e rvice
accord ing to you r crite ria)
• Inve s tigative R e p orts :(id e ntify th e p rob le m ,
e s tab lis h th e cau s e and p rop os e a s olu tion)

21. 3. Adopt a direct or indirect approach.
• direct approach: the main message goes right up
front so that the reader knows exactly what is
happening as soon as they begins to read.
• indirect approach (the diplomatic method), the
writer explains the problem or the reasons before
giving the main message. Used when the writer
thinks the reader may not be receptive to the
message.

22. Direct approach…eg.
• When Gerry writes up his investigation
report about Cathy, the missing camper, he
will want to put his recommendations right
up front at the beginning of the report.
Because the directors had already asked
him to investigate the situation, he does not
need to persuade them that changes should
be made.

23. Indirect Approach…eg.
• As a team leader, you feel that the
members of your team would benefit from
a workshop on empowerment. However,
after researching the project, you realize
that it will be costly. As a result, you will
need to persuade your boss that the
benefits of this workshop justify the cost.

24. Objective B:
Working Definition of the term“report”
A “report” is an organized1, objective2
presentation of facts3 sent to one or
more
persons4 for a specific purpose5.

25. 2. Write Objectively
• To be objective, a writer must present
facts without bias, prejudice or opinion
and include all relevant data.

26. • Although a report should always seek to present the
true picture, it is not possible to be totally unbiased:
– Each person sees life based on his or her own
PRECEPTIONS
– We often make INFERENCES about different on-the-job
situations,
• HOWEVER…you must always be prepared to prove
that your conclusion is based on facts, not on bias,
prejudice, or opinion.

27. Objective B:
Working Definition of the term“report”
A “report” is an organized1, objective2
presentation of facts3 sent to one or
more
persons4 for a specific purpose5.

28. 3. Presentation of the facts:

29. • As such, the information must be:
– Complete: get all the details
– Accurate: make sure info. is correct…
don’t assume

30. Application #3
Distinguishing Between Fact and
Inferences
Pages 3 & 4 in your handout.
Page 6 of your Study Guide

31. Objective B:
Working Definition of the term“report”
A “report” is an organized1, objective2
presentation of facts3 sent to one or
more
persons4 for a specific purpose5.

32. 4. Direct the report to one or
more persons:
• Reports are written to people who
need your information in order to make
decisions and take action.
1. Primary Audience
3. Secondary Audience

33. • Primary Audience: the main person who
needs your report in order to be informed.
• Secondary Audience: anyone else who
might read your report to:
– become informed
– help in the decision making process
– carry out instructions

34. Types of Communication Audience/Receiver Function
Upward • President or director • To inform about what is
Communication • Administrators happening
(Internal) • Supervisors • To facilitate problem-solving
• To facilitate decision-
making
Downward • Personnel within different • To inform
Communication departments (financial, • To request information
(Internal) human resources, plant, • To request cooperation
training, maintenance)
• Front-line workers
• Secretaries
Horizontal At the same organizational • To inform
Communication level: • To facilitate problems
(Internal) •Between colleagues solving
•From one department to • To facilitate decision-
another making
External • Clients/customers • To inform
Communication • Public • To facilitate problem-solving
(directed upwards, horizontally • Government • To facilitate decision-
and/or downwards) • Financial sources making
• Workers and/or supervisors
in agencies, businesses,
industries

35. Objective B:
Working Definition of the term“report”
A “report” is an organized1, objective2
presentation of facts3 sent to one or
more
persons4 for a specific purpose5.

36. 5. Write for a purpose!
• Why have you written your report?
• What do you want to happen as a
result?

37. Each report should have a:
 Common reason
 General purpose
 Specific purpose
Each report is written for a reason or a
purpose and often one report can suit
several purposes at one time…eg…

38. Double purpose reporting:
• A supervisor reports to her boss about the
high turnover of staff at their work place.
In doing so, she is informing her boss
about possible problems in the workforce
while at the same time, helping her boss
resolve situations and make long-term
plans.

39. Common reasons for writing reports
could include…
• To document services and • To share information.
statistics – provide necessary data
– Employee progress reports about a customer/client or
– Inventory services to third parties.
– Profits/losses • To control quality standards
• To provide legal – To investigate and evaluate
documentation. in order to improve and
– records of all accidents and maintain high standards.
incidents (WSIB) • To make decisions and long-
• To provide continuity of term plans.
service. – To provide a supervisor
– Passing off a client from with complete and correct
information so that he/she
worker A to worker B.
can make good decisions
and long-term plans.

40. Application #4
Common Reasons for Writing
Reports
Page 5 in your handout
Page 11 in your Study Guide

41. “General” purposes for writing
reports:
• In “general” people write reports to
either inform or analyze

42. Informing vs. Analyzing
• Writers write to:
– Inform (present the facts) or,
– Analyze (Analyze the facts in order to
come to a conclusion and make
recommendations).
1.

43. Informational Reports
• They present facts, observations, and/or
experiences without any analysis, interpretation,
conclusions, or recommendations.
– daily logs - financial reports
– service documentation, - sales reports
– statistical reports

44. Analytical Reports
• Also inform, but they go a step further.
• They present information about an issue, a problem or a
situation. The report then offers an analysis or interpretation of
the information presented.
• After the writer has evaluated the problem or situation, he may
go on to present conclusions and recommendations.
– Gerry, the camp director, will present the data on the three applicants for
the position of camp assistant; he must then analyze his data so that he
can make the best selection.

45. Application #5
General Purpose of a Report
Page 7 of your handout
Page 13 of your Study Guide

46. “Specific” purposes for writing
reports:
• Besides identifying whether you need to
inform or to analyze, you must also
determine why you are writing your report.

47. • What do you want or expect to happen
because of your report?
– To help you shape the direction of your report
writing, picture handing the report to the boss and
saying, “When I hand you this report, I want such
and such to happen.”
– What you want to happen is your “specific”
purpose.

48. Application #6
Specific Purpose of the Report
Page 7 in your handout
Page 14 of your Study Guide

49. Application – Group Activity
(time permitting??)
Analyze a Report According to the
Definition of a Report
Page 9 in your handout
Page 15 of your Study Guide
Investigation Report - 206

50. Objective C:
Qualities of an Effective Report
• Workplace readers require efficient reports.
• They want reports that:
– waste no words;
– do not use pompous language;
– state the main point quickly, clearly and
concisely.

51. • What is liability?

52. LIABILITY!!!
YOU ARE LEGALLY ON THE LINE FOR
EVERYTHING YOU WRITE.

53. Writers are accountable for their
documents.
• In questions of liability, faulty writing is
no different from any other faulty
product.
• If you’re inaccurate or unclear or
incomplete information leads to injury
or damage or loss, you can be held
legally responsible.

54. To make your report effective, you must
include the following qualities:
• Content
• Organization
• Style
• Format

55. 1. Content
• Content that is complete and accurate:
– What the report is about.

56. 2. Organization
• Organization that displays logical
thinking and correct emphasis:
– How the report is organized.

57. 3. Style
• Style that is clear, concise and correct:
– How the report is written.

58. 4. Format
• Format that is accessible and
attractive:
– How the report looks.

59. REFERENCES
• Sulis, M.A. (Revised 2007) Write and present
technical reports: Open Learning Study Guide (In-
class version). Northern College.