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REPORT WRITING

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Why Reports Fail to Communicate Effectively. Prerequisites for Writing a Report ... Why Reports Fail to Communicate Effectively. TURN-ONS. TURN-OFFS. 6/20/09 ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: REPORT WRITING


1
REPORT WRITING
  • Cozetta Lee-Woolfolk
  • Operations Research Analyst
  • WI Research

2
TOPICS
  • Why Reports Fail to Communicate Effectively
  • Prerequisites for Writing a Report
  • Writing the Report
  • Use of Graphs

3
Why Reports Fail to Communicate Effectively
  • TURN-ONS
  • TURN-OFFS

4
Why Reports Fail to CommunicateEmphasis
  • Not Decision Oriented
  • Emphasize means (techniques) rather than the end
    (business decision)
  • Not appropriate for the background/
    interests/needs of the reader(s)

5
Why Reports Fail to CommunicateContent
  • Information Not Data
  • Interpret Dont Describe
  • Tell a Story Not a Book
  • Honest Not Deceptive
  • KISS
  • Timely

6
Why Reports Fail to CommunicatePresentation
Problems
  • Long Winded
  • Redundant
  • Verbose/Wordy
  • Tired and Unimaginative
  • Indecisive/Noncommittal
  • Typographical Errors
  • Ineffective Charts/Graphics

7
When Do You Start Writing the Report?
  • The Moment the Project Takes Life!!

8
Prerequisites
9
Background
  • Historical information
  • Specific business issues that gave rise to the
    study
  • Previous research
  • Requestor of research / Decision Maker
  • Major Concerns

10
Background Example
  • Anecdotal information exists within the IRS
    community that EITC taxpayers are amending their
    original Form 1040 returns to claim EITC or
    increase the amount of EITC claimed originally,
    but denied.
  • Prior research studies of amended returns
    claiming EITC indicates the following
  • Based on this information the Director of
    Reporting Compliance, requested that Research
    conduct a study on amended EITC claims to analyze
    the noncompliance among these taxpayers and prove
    or disprove the anecdotal information.
  • This project allows the Service to better
    understand taxpayers behavior when filing EITC
    amended claims. Information from this study will
    allow the customer to make recommendations on
    educating and assisting taxpayers in filing
    correct original returns, thus achieving IRS
    mission to help taxpayers understand and meet
    their tax responsibilities.

11
Purpose
  • Should refer to specific decision elements
  • Should state or imply a future decision

12
Purpose Example
  • Analysis of amended claims that will lead to a
    decision on future strategies to address the
    problem of taxpayers circumventing the original
    processing procedures.

13
Objectives
  • Highlight the questions that will be answered in
    the study.
  • Provide a structured framework for organizing the
    report.

14
Objectives Should Be
Specific Important Limited to a few clearly
stated questions so the reader can sail through
the report
15
Objective Example
  • The main objective is to support or refute the
    contention that taxpayers amend their original
    Form 1040 returns to claim EITC, increase the
    amount of EITC already claimed after it has been
    denied on the original return, or to claim
    additional EITC that had been partially
    disallowed.
  • Hypothesis
  • Taxpayers are amending their tax returns to
  • circumvent automated processing checks done
  • when original returns are processed.

16
Objective Example
  • Determine the population of taxpayers that amend
    their original returns to claim EITC or increase
    the amount of EITC.
  • Determine the percentage of these taxpayers that
    were previously denied EITC or did not claim EITC
    on their original returns.
  • Determine the percentage of taxpayers that amend
    their original returns to claim EITC for TY 2001.
  • Determine the percentage of all taxpayers that
    amend their original returns for TY 2001.
  • Is there a difference between the sub-groups
    identified above?
  • Profile the EITC claims population for TY 1999,
    2000, and 2001.
  • Profile the examination results and return
    preparer information on the examined EITC claims.
  • Are the characteristics of (6) different from the
    characteristics of (7)?

17
SEE Information in Data
  • SIMPLIFY
  • EXAMINE
  • EXPLAIN

18
Simplify
  • Minimize distracting details
  • Eliminate redundancies
  • Use summary statistics
  • Highlight key information

19
Checklist for Simplifying Data
  • Reduce the number of digits
  • Use self-exploratory labels
  • Use averages/top box scores to focus on key
    issues
  • Keep figures to be compared together
  • Use columns to show figures that vary little
  • Reorder columns/rows to reflect average size
  • Highlight exceptional values
  • Eliminate redundant information
  • Minimize non-essential, nice-to-know information
  • Use numbers/units directly comparable within a
    table

20
Examine
  • Separate need to know from nice to
    know
  • Sort results to show visible patterns

21
How to separate need to know from nice to
know
  • Start with a clear plan
  • Only include information that directly relates to
    the objectives

22
Explain
  • Focus on what the analysis revealed rather than
    what it is
  • Support conclusions with specific results
  • Use the so what test
  • Provide what if analysis
  • Make explanations user friendly
  • Check for logical and technical errors

23
Explain
  • The mean perception rating for tax examiners on
    the attribute of hard working was significantly
    higher (alpha of .05) than the mean rating for
    revenue agents.
  • Tax examiners are viewed as harder workers than
    revenue agents.

24
Explain
  • Income and age are excellent predictors of
    compliance.
  • The R2 value, using compliance behavior as
    criterion and income and age as predictors was
    .84.

25
Explain
  • The increase in EITC awareness following the
    television advertising campaign was statistically
    significant at the 90 level.
  • Evidence showed that the TV ads increased
    taxpayer awareness of EITC.

26
First Draft
  • Who is the reader
  • What is expected from the report
  • Which format does the primary reader prefer?
  • Writing style
  • Ideal length

27
Formal Report
  • Executive Summary
  • Background/Purpose/Objectives
  • Conclusions
  • Recommendations
  • Detailed Report
  • Title Page
  • Table of Contents
  • Introduction
  • Conclusions/Recommendations/Suggestions
  • Appendix
  • Methodology, Limitations, Technical Details
  • References, Glossary, Bio of Researchers

28
TITLE
  • Succinct
  • Objective Oriented
  • Descriptive of the Scope
  • Key Words for later Reference

29
PARAGRAPHS
  • Topic Sentence
  • 4 Cs
  • (Clear-Concise-Correct-Complete)
  • Avoid Detail on Detail
  • Put Numbers in Table
  • Dont Change Tense
  • Logical Flow

30
PARAGRAPH TRANSITIONS
  • Results
  • hence, therefore, consequently, as a result
  • Examples
  • for example, as an illustration, for instance,
    specifically
  • Additions
  • moreover, furthermore, also, too, besides
  • Avoid
  • however, but, although

31
SENTENCE CONSTRUCTION
  • Interpretive vs. Descriptive
  • Avoid Tired Language
  • Active vs. Passive
  • Avoid Numbers (as much as possible)
  • Vary Sentence Length
  • Average Length (15 - 20 words)
  • Use Punctuations/Underlining Sparingly

32
WORDS / PHRASES
  • Short Simple vs. Multi-syllable
  • Verb vs. Non-Verb
  • Forceful/Concrete vs. General/Abstract
  • Active vs. Passive
  • Clearly define Abbreviations/Tech Terms
  • Avoid
  • Buzz Words
  • Slang Words

33
SIMPLIFY the CONVOLUTED
  • Afford an opportunity
  • After the conclusion of
  • Along the lines of
  • As a result of
  • At the present time
  • At this point in time
  • By means of
  • Due to the fact that
  • Allow
  • After
  • Like
  • Because
  • Now
  • Now
  • By
  • Since/Due to

34
SIMPLIFY the CONVOLUTED
  • For the purpose of
  • In accordance with
  • In connection with
  • In order to
  • In the event of
  • In the first place
  • In the majority of instances
  • For
  • By
  • With
  • To
  • If
  • First
  • Usually

35
SIMPLIFY the CONVOLUTED
  • In the matter of
  • In view of the fact that
  • Involve the necessity of
  • Is of the opinion that
  • Nothwithstanding the fact that
  • Provided that
  • Subsequent to
  • About
  • Since
  • Require
  • Believes
  • Although
  • If
  • After

36
SIMPLIFY the CONVOLUTED
  • Within the realm of possibility
  • With regard
  • With the exception of
  • Possibly
  • About
  • Except

37
SIMPLE vs. MULTI-SYLLABLE
  • Accomplish
  • Acquiesce
  • Admonition
  • Aggregate
  • Anticipate
  • Approximately
  • Apparent
  • Arduous
  • Do
  • Agree
  • Warning
  • Total
  • Expect
  • About
  • Clear
  • Hard

38
SIMPLE vs. MULTI-SYLLABLE
  • Augment
  • Characterize
  • Configuration
  • Cognizant
  • Expeditious
  • Facilitate
  • Modification
  • Subsequently
  • Add
  • Describe
  • Form
  • Aware
  • Quick
  • Help
  • Change
  • Later

39
SIMPLE vs. MULTI-SYLLABLE
  • Substantiate
  • Supersede
  • Unmistakable
  • Voluminous
  • Positioning
  • Segmentation
  • Interrogate
  • Sponsorship
  • Prove
  • Replace
  • Plain
  • Bulky
  • Unique/hard to simplify
  • Too many words to replace
  • More precise than ask
  • More familiar than short word

40
BUZZ WORD CREATOR
  • Integrated Management Options
  • Total Organizational Flexibility
  • Systemized Monitored Capability
  • Parallel Reciprocal Mobility
  • Functional Digital Programming
  • Responsive Logistical Concept
  • Optional Transitional Time Phase
  • Synchronized Incremental Projection
  • Compatible Third-Generation Hardware
  • Balanced Policy Contingency

41
RECOMMENDATIONS
  • Force the report to be end rather than means
    oriented
  • Poor recommendations can overshadow an otherwise
    effective report
  • Be cognizant of limitations of the study
  • Read between the lines
  • Dont compromise professional integrity to please
    decision makers

42
FINISHING TOUCHES
  • Type
  • Dont use too many styles
  • Avoid All Caps
  • Difficult to Read
  • Double Space
  • Dont number 1st page
  • Lower-case Roman Numeral
  • Material before Text
  • Arabic numerals
  • Text
  • Number Placement
  • Bottom Center
  • Paper
  • High Quality
  • Rag Bond
  • 20 Weight
  • White/Off-White
  • 8 ½ x 11
  • Margins
  • Top Sides - 1
  • Bottom - 1 ½
  • Left Right Justify
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