Writing Effective Short

Reports and Proposals

Short Reports
▪ A short report, also known as an informal or semiformal report, is an
organized presentation of relevant data on any topic. It may indicate
that:
1. Work is being completed
2. Schedules are being met
3. Costs have been contained
4. Sales projections are being met
5. Unexpected problems have been solved
Types of Short Reports
▪ The six most common types of short reports are:
1. Periodic reports. Provide readers with information at regularly
scheduled intervals.
2. Sales reports. Provide businesses with financial and
managerial information.
3. Progress reports. Inform readers about the status of ongoing
projects.
4. Travel reports. Document business trips and how they affect
ongoing or future business.
5. Incident reports. Outline unexpected events that interfere or
threaten normal, safe business operations.
Guidelines for Writing Short Reports

▪ The following guidelines will help you

write any short report successfully:
1. Anticipate how the audience will use your report.
Consider how much your audience knows about
your project and what types of information they
most need.
2. Do the necessary research. Take careful notes,
record all necessary background information,
collect relevant factual data, and interview key
individuals.
3. Be objective and ethical. Avoid guesswork, do not
substitute impressions or unsupported personal
opinions for careful research, avoid
biased/skewed/incomplete data, and double
check all facts/figures/specifications.
Guidelines for Writing Short Reports
(continued)
4.Organize carefully. Include a purpose statement,
findings, a conclusion, and recommendations.
5.Use reader-centered headings, bullets, numbering,
and visuals. Help readers locate and focus on key
information in your report.
6.Write clearly and concisely. Use an informative
title/subject that gets to the point right away, write in
plain English, use international English, adopt a
professional yet personal tone, and do not include
unnecessary background information.
7.Use appropriate format and visuals. Make your report
look professional, readable, and easy to follow; help
readers locate and digest information quickly; be
consistent in your design and format; include only the
most essential visuals; and design, import, and place
visuals appropriately.
Periodic Reports and Sales Reports

▪ Depending on needs, periodic reports may be

daily, weekly, bimonthly, monthly, or quarterly. They
help a company or agency keep track of the
quantity and quality of the services is provides and
the amount and types of work done by employees.
▪ Sales reports fulfill two functions: financial and
managerial. As financial records, they list costs per
unit, discounts or special reductions, and subtotals
and totals. As managerial tools, they help businesses
make both short- and long-range plans.
Progress Reports
▪ Progress reports are intended for people who are not
working alongside you but need to know your
activities. They consist of three parts:
1.Introduction. Indicate why you are writing the report, provide
any necessary project titles and codes with dates, and help
readers recall the job you are doing for them.
2.Body. Provide significant details about costs, materials,
personnel, and times for the major stages of the project.
3.Conclusion. Give a timetable for the completion of duties or
submission of the next progress report.
Employee
Activity/Performance Reports
▪ These reports inform your boss about what you did during a
specific period (weekly, monthly, quarterly).
▪ It is a vital indication of an employee’s performance.
▪ Activity reports play a role in assessing job performance and
determining whether you should be promoted.
Trip/Travel Reports
▪ Travel/trip reports may be field trip reports, site
inspection reports, or home health or social work
visits. Writing the travel/trip report will be easier and
your report will be better if:
1. Before you leave, you obtain contact information, do
background research, gather necessary documents,
bring essential supplies, locate a map/get directions,
organize appointments, and if necessary get
permissions.
2. When you return, you write the report promptly, detail
where you stayed/how long, exclude irrelevant details,
and double check names and figures.
Incident Reports
▪ Incident reports must contain identification details,
the type of incident, the time and location of the
incident, a description of what happened, an
indication of what was done after the incident, an
explanation of what caused the incident, and
recommendations.
▪ Because incident reports may be used as official
legal records:
1.Submit your report promptly and sign or initial it.
2.Be accurate, objective, and complete.
3.Give facts, not opinions.
4.Do not exceed your professional responsibilities.
Proposals
▪ A proposal is a detailed plan of action that a writer
submits to a reader or group of readers for approval:
1. They vary in size and in scope. They can be as short as a sales
letter or as long as hundreds of pages.
2. They are persuasive plans. You cannot write a successful
proposal until you fully understand your audience’s
needs/problems, formulate a careful/detailed plan to solve
these needs/problems, prove beyond doubt that you are able
to solve the audience’s precise problems, and match your
timetable/budget with your reader’s.
3. They are frequently collaborative efforts. Even a short in-house
proposal is often researched and put together by more than one
individual.
Guidelines for Writing a Successful
Proposal
▪ Refer to these guidelines both before and while your formulate your
plan:
1. Approach writing a proposal as a problem-solving activity.
2. Regard your audience as skeptical.
3. Research your proposal topic thoroughly.
4. Scout out what your competitors are doing.
5. Prove that your proposal is workable.
6. Be sure your proposal is financially realistic.
7. Be ethical.
8. Package your proposal attractively.
Internal Proposals
▪ The primary purpose of an internal proposal is to offer a
realistic and constructive plan to help your company
run its business more efficiently and economically.
Common topics of internal proposals include:
1. Purchasing new or more advanced technology.
2. Obtaining document security software and offering training on
it.
3. Recruiting new employees or retraining current ones.
4. Eliminating a dangerous condition or reducing an
environmental risk.
5. Cutting costs.
6. Improving communication within and between departments.
7. Expanding work space or making it more efficient.
Ethically Identifying and
Resolving Readers’ Problems
▪ When you prepare an internal proposal, you need to
be aware of the ethical obligations you have. Here
are some guidelines:
1.Consider the implications of your plan company-wide.
2.Keep in mind what impact your change may have for co-
workers from cultural traditions other than your own.
3.Never submit an internal proposal that offers an idea that you
think will work, but which relies on someone else to supply the
specific details.
Organization of an Internal Proposal

▪ An internal proposal follows a straightforward plan,

from identifying the problem to solving it. Internal
proposals contain four parts:
1. The purpose. Begin your proposal with a brief statement of
purpose.
2. The problem. Prove that a problem exists and document its
importance, avoiding vague generalizations and including
quantifiable details.
3. The solution. Describe the change you propose and tie it
directly with the problem you have just documented.
4. The conclusion. Keep the conclusion short. Reemphasize that
there is a problem, that change is justified, and that action
needs to be taken.
Sales Proposals
▪ A sales proposal is the most common type of
proposal. Its purpose is to sell your company’s
products or services for a set fee. The audience is
typically a skeptical decision-making executive,
who may ask:
1. Does the writer’s firm understand our problem?
2. Can the writer’s firm deliver the services it promises?
3. Can the job be completed on time?
4. Is the budget reasonable and realistic?
5. Will the job be done exactly as proposed?
6. How has the writer demonstrated his or her trustworthiness?
Organization of Sales Proposals
▪ Most sales proposals include the following elements:
1.Introduction. The introduction should prepare readers for
everything that follows. It should include a statement of purpose
and subject of the proposal, as well as background on the
problem(s) you propose to solve.
2.Description of the proposed product or service. This is the heart
of the proposal. Carefully show potential customers that your
product or service is right for them, describe your work in
suitable detail, and stress any special
features/advantages/benefits, etc.
3.Timetable. Indicate when the work will begin, how the work will
be divided into stages, when you will be finished, and whether
any follow-up will be involved.
Organization of Sales Proposals
(continued)
4.Costs. Make your budget accurate, complete, and convincing.
Give customers more than bottom-line costs. Itemize costs for
services, equipment/materials, labor, transportation, travel, and
training.
5.Qualifications of your company. Emphasize your company’s
accomplishments and expertise in providing similar products or
services.
6.Conclusion. This is the “call to action” section of your proposal.
Provide encouragement, offer to answer questions, and
possibly ask the readers to sign to accept your proposal.
Writing Effective Short
Reports and Proposals
Credits to:
Philip C. Kolin
University of Southern Mississippi