Deck 9: Informal Reports

Question 1

When you receive an assignment to write a report, you should begin the report-writing process by

A) analyzing your audience.
B) determining your purpose.
C) beginning your research.
D) looking for someone else to write the report.

Answer 1

B
Explanation:The first step in writing a report is understanding the problem or assignment clearly. This includes coming up with a statement of purpose. You should analyze your audience after you define your purpose. Then, you can begin your research. Looking for someone else to write the report, though tempting, will not help your career.

Question 2

Which of the following reports is an example of an analytical report?

A) A report summarizing the details of a recent seminar you attended
B) A report recommending an antiterrorism security system for mass transit
C) A report outlining the new company procedure for reporting workplace injuries
D) A report showing state budget allocations for education

Answer 2

B
Explanation:An analytical report provides data, analyses, conclusions, and recommendations. A report recommending an antiterrorism system for mass transit is an analytical report. All other examples represent informational reports.

Question 3

Which is the most accurate statement about business report organizational patterns?

A) The primary difference between direct and indirect organizational patterns is the location of the findings.
B) The most important part of a report to most business executives is the analysis of the problem.
C) When using the indirect organizational pattern, the conclusions and recommendation appear at the beginning of the report.
D) The indirect pattern seems more logical to many readers because it mirrors the way we solve problems.

Answer 3

D
Explanation:The indirect organizational pattern seems most rational and logical to many readers because it follows the normal thought process (problem, alternatives (facts), solution), thereby mirroring the way we solve problems.

Question 4

Typical sources for factual information in an informal report include

A) company records, observation, and electronic resources.
B) observation, personal opinion, and print sources.
C) printed materials, the writer's educated guesses, and electronic resources.
D) personal experience, personal observation, and personal opinion.

Question 5

Headings that show the outline of a report are called

A) talking headings.
B) topic headings.
C) functional headings.
D) descriptive headings.

Question 6

Connor has studied the effect of on-site daycare on employee work attendance. He must present his findings to his supervisor, who is opposed to this service. What should he do?

A) Use persuasive strategies and an indirect organizational pattern.
B) Arrange the report using the direct organizational pattern.
C) Omit background data as this might bore his supervisor.
D) Give up; his boss will never go for this idea anyway.

Question 7

What is the most accurate statement about delivering business reports electronically?

A) If a report posted to a Web site contains confidential information, require a password to protect access to the report.
B) When sending a report via e-mail, place the report in the body of your e-mail message.
C) A cover page is not necessary when sending a report via fax.
D) When attaching a report to an e-mail message, leave the body of the e-mail message blank.

Question 8

All reports have one common purpose, which is to

A) persuade your audience to do something.
B) answer questions and solve problems.
C) comply with government regulations.
D) demonstrate your proficiency as a technical communicator.

Question 9

A report from a development firm to a customer explaining the results of a year-long study of potential sites for new stores is most likely to be in which format?

A) Memo format
B) Printed form
C) Letter format
D) Manuscript format

Question 10

Irina wants to make sure that she sounds credible in her business report. What should she do to build her credibility?

A) Discuss only the position that she favors so that her readers don't get confused.
B) Write her personal opinions so that they sound like facts.
C) Tell her readers where her information came from.
D) Irina should do all of these to build credibility.

Question 11

How you format a report depends primarily upon

A) its topic, recommendations, and organizational pattern.
B) your knowledge of the writing process.
C) its length, topic, audience, and purpose.
D) your printer quality and paper type.

Question 12

A report that monitors the headway of a nonroutine or unusual activity is called

A) the minutes of a meeting.
B) an information report.
C) a progress report.
D) a summary report.

Question 13

Which of the following is most likely to be written as an informative report?

A) A report from the Information Technology Department recommending that your company install a wireless network
B) A report that looks at the feasibility of providing tuition reimbursement to all employees
C) A report that compares five different handheld communication devices that your company might purchase
D) A report summarizing information presented at a recent conference for technical writers

Question 14

Which of the following constructions uses the best writing style for an informal report?

A) James, Deloitte, and Wilts, Inc., after extensive review of references and credentials of contractors, has elected to contract with Peck Builders for the new office complex.
B) We're pleased to announce the selection of Peck Builders as general contractor for our new office complex.
C) After conducting an exhaustive search of building design elements and cost-efficiency data, the company has verified the qualifications of Peck Builders.
D) The findings demonstrate the imperative of selecting a fully qualified and bonded contractor for the new building project of James, Deloitte, and Wilts, Inc.; that contractor is Peck Builders.

Question 15

You are writing a short informal report that will stay inside your organization. Which format is most appropriate?

A) Letter format
B) Memo format
C) Manuscript format
D) Printed form

Question 16

A report that attempts to solve problems by presenting data, drawing conclusions, and offering solutions is called a(n)

A) justification/recommendation report.
B) information report.
C) progress report.
D) summary report.

Question 17

Maya must deliver a hiring recommendation to her supervisor, whose office is just down the hall. Which delivery method is most appropriate?

A) By fax
B) By e-mail
C) On a Web page
D) In person

Question 18

The indirect pattern of organization is appropriate for a business report when readers

A) are supportive of the topic.
B) must be persuaded.
C) are familiar with the topic.
D) want to know the results immediately.

Question 19

An informal writing style includes

A) contractions (for example, wouldn't, don't, they're).
B) first-person pronouns (for example, I, we, me, my, us, our).
C) mainly active-voice verbs.
D) all of the above.

Question 20

Vanessa is writing a report that will include headings. What should she do to make sure that her headings are effective?

A) Enclose the headings in quotation marks to make them stand out on the page.
B) Vary same-level headings in terms of physical position and appearance to help the reader maintain interest in the report.
C) Use headings as antecedents for pronouns to make her report more concise.
D) Include at least one heading per report page.

Question 21

Reports prepared in manuscript format for an outside organization should be printed on your company letterhead.

Question 22

Which of the following situations might require a progress report?

A) The work of a committee preparing for an open house when a new wing of a hospital is completed.
B) The reporting of monthly sales figures for all divisions.
C) A study of whether a company should provide on-site child care.
D) A one-page summary of a long article in The Wall Street Journal.

Question 23

Based on their function, business reports typically fall into one of these two categories: instructional or persuasive.

Question 24

Analytic reports should always be written using the indirect pattern.

Question 25

An informative report presents data without analysis and recommendations.

Question 26

Your department needs office equipment for faxing, copying, and printing, and your job is to research the options. Based on your research, you have selected an all-in-one machine that you believe will be cost effective and will perform well. What kind of report would you most likely write to inform the department leader of your findings?

A) Summary report
B) Justification/recommendation report
C) Information report
D) Progress report

Question 27

Printed forms are useful for reporting repetitive data.

Question 28

Your company currently processes its payroll internally but is trying to decide whether to outsource this routine duty to an independent firm that specializes in processing payroll. You are in charge of determining whether your company should proceed with this plan. What kind of report would you most likely write?

A) Feasibility report
B) Progress report
C) Information report
D) Summary report

Question 29

All reports are printed, either on paper or on preprinted forms.

Question 30

You are chairing a task force that is looking for ways to provide better technical support to customers and you want to keep management informed of your activities as you work on the project. What kind of report would you most likely write?

A) Justification/recommendation report
B) Information report
C) Progress report
D) Feasibility report

Question 31

Which of the following is not needed in a feasibility report?

A) The background and problem necessitating the proposal
B) Problems that may result from implementation
C) Costs of implementing the proposal
D) Persuasive techniques

Question 32

The most common type of report in the workplace is the formal report.

Question 33

Business researchers often use such electronic tools as mailing lists, discussion boards, and blogs to conduct research for business reports.

Question 34

Business reports are always presented in writing or orally, but they are not presented digitally.

Question 35

You have organized the findings section of your information report by answering who, what, when, where, why, and how. This pattern is called

A) chronological.
B) journalism style.
C) geographical.
D) alphabetical.

Question 36

You work as a human resources administrator for a large university. Each month you must submit a report to the director of Human Resources in which you summarize the number of applicants, the number of interviews conducted, and the number of employees. What kind of report would you most likely write to do this?

A) Information report
B) Justification/recommendation report
C) Progress report
D) Feasibility report

Question 37

The first step in preparing a report is to sit down and begin writing immediately; this technique allows you to capture your best ideas quickly.

Question 38

Thomas is in charge of taking formal minutes during an Institute of Internal Auditors chapter meeting. Which of the following is the best advice?

A) Thomas should record new business only because old business will appear in previous minutes.
B) Thomas does not have to record the exact wording of motions because that would be too time consuming.
C) Thomas should be certain to record voting results and actions taken.
D) Because he is taking the minutes on behalf of the organization, Thomas doesn't have to include his name and signature as the person recording the minutes.

Question 39

Which of the following is most likely to be written as an information report?

A) A report recommending the installation of retina scanner to improve security.
B) A report telling management about the current status of a long-term project.
C) A government regulatory report to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
D) A report comparing three locations and identifying the best for a new franchise outlet.

Question 40

Your current assignment is to condense a 200-page government policy report on oil drilling in Alaska into a shorter report for Sierra Club members to read. What kind of report would you most likely write?

A) Information report
B) Summary report
C) Justification/recommendation report
D) Progress report

Question 41

Although citing sources in a formal report is essential, you do not need to cite sources in an informal report.

Question 42

The primary purpose of an executive summary is to concentrate on what management needs to know from a longer report.

Question 43

Business ___________ are systematic attempts to answer questions and solve problems.

Question 44

The audience, purpose, and setting of a message usually determine the use of a formal or informal writing style, but only a formal writing style will enhance the authority and credibility of a report.

Question 45

A distinct type of information report is the _________ report. In this type of report, business travelers identify the event they attended or the company they visited, summarize three to five main points objectively and, if requested, itemize their expenses on a separate sheet.

Question 46

Headings are advantageous only to the reader of the report, not to the writer.

Question 47

Informal business reports generally fall into one of six categories. However, in many instances the boundaries of the categories overlap and distinctions are not always clear-cut.

Question 48

When your reader may oppose your recommendation, you should begin the report by announcing the recommendation directly.

Question 49

Discussion of Findings is an example of a functional heading.

Question 50

Use Empowered Team Decision-Making Without Losing Control is an example of a ___________________ heading.

Question 51

In a report using the __________ organizational pattern, the problem, discussion, and findings are presented before the conclusions and recommendations.

Question 52

Use ___________ format for short (usually eight or fewer pages) informal reports addressed outside an organization.

Question 53

Functional headings should be used instead of talking headings in a report when the report discusses a sensitive or controversial topic.

Question 54

Formal meeting minutes provide a summary record of old business, new business, announcements, and reports, as well as the precise wording of motions.

Question 55

Feasibility reports answer such questions as Will this plan or proposal work?

Question 56

Feasibility reports are typically written for internal audiences.

Question 57

Summary reports are typical in academic settings but are rarely used in business settings.

Question 58

Progress reports are written for internal readers only.

Question 59

Informal minutes tend to be longer and less well organized than formal minutes, making the informal minutes more difficult to read.

Question 60

Information reports may be personalized or standardized.

Question 61

A ____________ condenses the primary ideas, conclusions, and recommendations of a longer report or publication.

Question 62

When a company must decide whether to proceed with a plan of action, it may require a __________ report.

Question 63

___________ and recommendation reports attempt to solve problems by evaluating options and offering recommendations.

Question 64

The purpose of A(n)__________ report is used to tell management whether a nonroutine project is on schedule.

Question 65

___________ record the proceedings of a meeting.