Deck 8: Informal Reports

Question 1

After you meet with your boss the following week, you begin to gather data for your report. Which of the following statements is the best guide to help you decide what kind of data to collect and how to do so?

A)Company files and records will likely be unsatisfactory sources, because they do not normally contain verifiable facts.
B)The most effective sources are those that include verifiable facts and information.
C)You will avoid doing surveys or interviews because they are too time-consuming.
D)Your personal observations are not effective or relevant, since you cannot be objective.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

You have been sent an e-mail attachment containing the proceedings and action points of a meeting that took place at TrailPro's semi-annual general meeting last week. What type of report have you just received?

A)minutes
B)information
C)justification
D)recommendation

Answer 2

A

Question 3

You would most likely write a progress report to tell management that a special project is behind schedule.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

According to the textbook, what can you assume as you begin to think about the report your manager has asked you to prepare presenting the company's current inventory and anticipated production for all ski models?

A)It will be presented in writing rather than orally.
B)You don't need to concern yourself with the problem that has prompted your manager's request.
C)Your manager will not expect your report to be clear and polished, since report-writing is a skill that you aren't expected to possess.
D)You can begin to collect information, but until you have more detail, you can't decide on a structural format or an organizational pattern of your report.

Question 5

What type of report would you use for your proposal to management asking to work from a different city?

A)progress
B)feasibility
C)information
D)justification/recommendation

Question 6

A(n) _______________________ writing style is normally used when a report is written for a familiar audience or company insiders.

Question 7

What is the most important advice the textbook offers to help you decide on appropriate headings for your routine monthly production and sales report?

A)Use at least three levels of headings for short reports.
B)Make sure all headings of the same level are balanced and grammatically consistent.
C)Enclose headings in quotation marks so that they stand out on the page.
D)Vary the position and appearance of same-level headings to keep the reader's interest.

Question 8

________________________ reports present data without analysis or recommendations.

Question 9

When should you use the indirect organizational pattern to structure your report?

A)in your routine monthly production and sales report
B)in your report presenting the results of a survey you conducted to gauge customer response to a new ski pole
C)in your report summarizing what you learned at a trade show you recently attended that featured many new ski products
D)in your proposal intended to convince your boss that you could perform your work satisfactorily by telecommuting

Question 10

What type of report will you write when you prepare your routine monthly reports compiling the latest production and sales figures for management?

A)minutes
B)summary
C)information
D)justification/recommendation

Question 11

Which format would be most appropriate for a formal annual report prepared by TrailPro Sports' marketing division manager to be posted on the company's website?

A)letter
B)memo
C)digital
D)prepared form

Question 12

When a report will be sent as an email attachment or uploaded to a company intranet, it will be in ___________________________ format.

Question 13

You need to prepare several different kinds of reports in your position with TrailPro Sports. Which report would you use an informal report-writing style for?

A)a report to your boss telling him some of the interesting new products you saw at a trade show you recently attended, which featured many new ski products
B)an annual report submitted to the board of directors and shareholders of your company
C)a report outlining the production and sales histories of several products and making recommendations about production schedules and quotas
D)a report describing your marketing strategy for a new product that the company will launch next year

Question 14

In a report using ____________________ organization, the recommendations and conclusions are presented first so that readers have a frame of reference for the following discussion and analysis.

Question 15

Which format does the textbook recommend for your routine monthly production and sales report?

A)memo
B)e-mail
C)manuscript
D)template

Question 16

What should you do first when you begin to write the report?

A)define the project
B)begin conducting research
C)analyze the audience
D)gather data

Question 17

When you write your report outlining the production and sales histories of several products and making recommendations about production schedules and quotas, what will make your report more believable?

A)You cite the sources you used when gathering data for your report.
B)You use very strong language in order to get your point across.
C)You base your recommendations on your personal opinions and demonstrate how strongly you feel about the issue.
D)You use only facts and evidence that support the side of the issue you favour.

Question 18

You come up with an idea for a new ski binding that you want to submit to your boss, who feels that the company should be concentrating on marketing existing products, not developing new ones. How should you organize your report proposing modifications to the design of the ski binding?

A)introduction, findings, summary
B)problem, facts, discussion, recommendation
C)problem, recommendation, facts, discussion
D)purpose, summary, work in progress, forecast of future activities

Question 19

To present the results of your survey of customer reaction to the new ski pole design, what kind of report should you write?

A)minutes
B)summary
C)progress
D)recommendation

Question 20

How wil your report for your boss about the trade show you attended differ from your proposal asking to be allowed to work from a different city?

A)The two reports will differ significantly in tone, style, and degree of formality.
B)You will need to use different formats for the two reports.
C)You will need to make different choices about delivering the report by e-mail, online, in person, by mail or by fax.
D)Your conclusions and/or recommendations will appear in a different place in each report.

Question 21

Which of the following would you write as an analytical report?

A)your report summarizing what you learned at a trade show you recently attended that featured many new ski products
B)your proposal intended to convince your boss to consider the new ski bindings you designed
C)the email attachment you received with the proceedings and action points of a meeting that took place at TrailPro's semi-annual general meeting last week
D)your routine monthly production and sales report

Question 22

Although reports may differ in many ways, they share a common purpose: to solve business problems.

Question 23

The textbook says that informal reports can always be clearly identified as belonging to one of six distinct categories.

Question 24

According to the textbook, what is the main purpose of progress reports?

A)They monitor and present data about routine projects.
B)They provide data and information but do not analyze it.
C)They tell management whether non-routine projects are on schedule.
D)They condense the primary ideas, conclusions, and recommendations of longer reports or publications.

Question 25

Informal reports prepared by one organization for another are most commonly delivered in memo format.

Question 26

Which of the following situations might require a progress report?

A)an employee request for on-site child care
B)a report presenting monthly sales figures for all divisions
C)the work of a committee preparing for an open house when a new building is completed
D)a report by a consultant evaluating and presenting findings concerning a potential department merger

Question 27

Logical sources of information for many business reports are company records, personal experience, and electronic resources.

Question 28

Feasibility reports document an idea or action and provide a written record of conversations, directives, and decisions.

Question 29

Which situation might require a feasibility report?

A)an employee request for on-site child-care
B)a report presenting monthly sales figures for all divisions
C)a report by a committee preparing for an open house when a new building is completed
D)a report by a consultant evaluating and presenting findings concerning a potential department merger

Question 30

Minutes of meetings are always formal reports.

Question 31

The textbook says that the first step in writing a report is to analyze your audience.

Question 32

Summary reports provide in-depth analysis of a problem or plan of action.

Question 33

The textbook recommends using a manuscript format for reports because digital formats are too informal for the workplace.

Question 34

Prepared forms or templates are useful for reporting routine activities.

Question 35

Progress reports record information about routine activities.

Question 36

Feasibility reports attempt to evaluate a proposed plan of action to determine how workable or practical it is.

Question 37

Conducting interviews with individuals is usually more economical than sending out questionnaires.

Question 38

Which advice given in the textbook would you follow when you write your report proposing that you keep your job while living in a different city?

A)Discuss the advantages of the plan as well as possible problems and present solutions for these problems.
B)Announce your plan immediately.
C)Present only information with no analysis.
D)Organize your report using the direct pattern.

Question 39

Analytical reports provide information and data as well as analysis, conclusions, and/or recommendations.

Question 40

When analyzing your audience, you should consider any secondary readers who may receive a copy of your report.

Question 41

____________________________ reports determine if a plan is practical.

Question 42

Citing the sources of information is only necessary in formal reports.

Question 43

The ______________________ section of a report will include observations, results, facts, and/or discussion.

Question 44

Discussion of Findings is an example of a ____________________ heading.

Question 45

It is appropriate to use either functional headings or talking headings in a report as long as they are used consistently.

Question 46

In informal reports, headings should be enclosed in quotation marks so that they can be easily recognized.

Question 47

The headings of a report should be constructed using balanced words or phrases.

Question 48

The ____________________ of a meeting record such things as attendees, discussion points, announcements, motions and the outcome of any votes on those motions.

Question 49

__________________________ research will gather information from such sources as books, journals, newspapers, government documents and the Internet.

Question 50

Before you write a ____________________________ report, you will need to read the source material carefully so that you understand it.