Page 73 - Today’s Business Communication; A How-to Guide for the Modern Professional

62 TODAY’S BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Here, you’ll demonstrate that you’ve done your due diligence, citing
your sources—primary, secondary, or both. Remember: Every time
you make a statement of fact, back it up with a citation. In business
report writing, no one wants or needs your beliefs, dreams, hopes, or
opinions. Readers need verifiable facts.
3. Analyses and Conclusions—This section demonstrates your
capacity to synthesize a large amount of information and provide
clear analysis of that information. Not to be too academic, but the
information represents data and those data points may be qualitative
or quantitative in nature. The best reports often include both types
of data. Further, you will present your conclusions that stem from
the analyzed data.
4. Recommendations—Here you are making recommendations that
are based upon the analysis of the data and the conclusions you
reached after the analysis. You are arguing a position in this section.
You are attempting to persuade—based upon the strength of your
arguments—the reader to do, to think, or to know.
5. Final Summary—This section of your report ties to your Executive
Summary, reiterates your main points, and often includes a call to
action. The savvy business writer thinks of the Final Summary as
completing the report, just like the bow on a birthday present com-
pletes the gift-wrapped package.

Because the vast majority of business reports require you to analyze some
sort of data and make recommendations based upon data, we often refer
to them as analytical reports. However, in Figures 5.2 and 5.3 are a few
reminders about writing effective business reports.

• You do more than merely describe a problem or situation.
• You are not performing a data dump.
• You are not writing about your opinion.
• You are providing readers with an unbiased look at a situation or problem.
• You are drawing informed conclusions.
• You are making logical recommendations based on thorough research, suffi-
cient data, and critical thinking.
Figure 5.2 Reminders for effective business reports