Description Compare and contrast the differences in children moms. The purpose of analytical problem-solving reports is to provide decision makers with data to solve a very specific business problem or need for action. Some problems are recurring and call for a steady flow of information; other problems might be unique and call for information on a one-time basis, focusing on helping decision-makers figure out a course of action to take (Rentz). All reports should be true, factual and helpful. Usually a decision-maker will ask him or herself, “Do I have everything I need to make an informed and quality decision?” Any reports for decisions or actions should be designed around answering this question. Additionally analytical reports should make a recommended solution, based on the data provided in the report. Business reports should be: true, factual concise, brief built to help others make decisions free from unnecessary or extra information simple; they should address one question (i.e., well-scoped) The writer of any report is encouraged to think like an executive: What do I need to know right away? How quickly do I need to make a decision? At the heart of good research is the proper use and interpretation of data. THE GENERAL RESEARCH PROCESS IS AS FOLLOWS: Determine a problem and define a question to answer. Find general background about your problem/question. Develop a research strategy to address any data, information or knowledge gaps. These gaps may be referred to as “sub-questions.” Conduct research. Collect, read, evaluate and write what you have learned. Cite the information you have found so that others will be able to follow your research trail. Although the direct order is usually best for an assigned problem-solving report it would be best if your readers arrive at the conclusion and recommendation after a logical review of your analysis; therefore, you will organize your report in the indirect order. Presenting the supporting data before the recommendation prepares any resistant readers to accept your solution to the report problem/opportunity. Planning Phase: Recognize and define the problem and purpose. In your completed report, the problem and purpose statements will be an essential component of the report's introduction/background and executive summary; they will orient your readers and let them know where your report is headed. The problem statement provides a clear description of the situation that is to be solved by the research. Problem statements are generally written as declarative statements. The purpose statement is the goal of the study and includes the objectives you want to accomplish. Write this statement as an infinitive phrase. Student Sample Example: The topic of your report requires you to compare the effectiveness of three different types of online advertising and recommend one for Cotijas Taco Shop. The question you might ask to determine the problem statement might read "Which of the top three types of online advertising methods would be the most effective for Cotijas Taco Shop?." Your purpose statement may be written like this: "The purpose of this report is to explore different methods of online advertising to determine which one is most suitable (and most effective) for Cotijas Taco Shop." Find general background about your problem/question. The research methods you use to collect the necessary information can be secondary, primary, or both (Module 4.0-Research). Develop a research strategy to address any data, information, or knowledge gaps. These gaps may be referred to as sub-questions or sub-factors. Conduct research. Primary research is usually defined as research you collect yourself-new information you gather firsthand through the use of experiments, surveys, interviews, and other methods of direct observation (130). Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab Links to an external site.describes the typical primary research in more detail. Secondary research is gathering information from other people’s primary research. Common forms are books, journals, newspaper articles, media reports, and other polished accounts of data. Most will use secondary sources for their business reports; the value-added is to gather, curate, and present the material in a new, updated and helpful manner. It is far less costly, more efficient, and requires less time to gather data from already built sources. Collect, read, evaluate, organize, analyze and write what you have learned. Analyzing your readers is an excellent planning technique. Make a list of pertinent facts. Brainstorming (generating possible solutions) will allow you to determine the factors/sub-topics you need to investigate. Create an outline of these factors/sub-topics to help you remain focused on the problem and purpose. Cite the information you have found so that others will be able to follow your research trail. A crucial part of ethical, honest research writing is documenting and referencing the secondary research sources fairly and accurately to avoid plagiarism (Module 4.0 184-188). For this report, you will use MLA Style documentation of sources. Refer to the Research Report links to the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) and the video tutorial for generating in-text citations and a Works Cited page using Microsoft Word. Writing Phase: Perform an Audience Analysis. Determine how to organize your report based on your audience analysis. The order of the sections in analytical reports varies by likely reaction of the reader. Remember, if your audience is expected to react neutrally or positively to your message, then your conclusion or recommendation should be offered near the beginning of the report. If the audience is expected to react negatively to your message, then the conclusion or recommendation is offered towards the end of the report (273). Prepare an Outline. Writing the formal report is a much easier task once you have created a detailed outline in the planning process. This outline is what helps the writing move along, as you already know exactly what is to be provided where and when. With a formal report, it is extremely rare to see the casual phrasing that might be found in a short message or informal report. Formal reports rarely use personal pronouns, contractions, or passive verb structures. However, this does not mean the language should be stilted or use excessively long words. You’ll continue to use the same clarity of wording as in all business communications (274). Avoid perfectionism when drafting. Don't try to make your first draft perfect as it makes drafting frustrating and slow and may make you forget important pieces. Just keep going. Don't let minor problems with wording and grammar distract you from your main goal when turning your planning into a draft. Just get the ideas down on paper or into your computer. Save detailed examination and evaluation of your report for the revision stage. Set aside time for drafting, preferably at your most productive time of day...write in chunks, start with a favorite part, talk aloud to clarify your thoughts, TAKE BREAKS! Revising Phase: Go back over your draft carefully-again and again. Do you say what you mean? Could someone misunderstand or take offense? Challenge yourself to look for better alternatives of structuring your sentences. Make sure the organization is logical and as effective as possible. Focus in this stage is on your style. Use the writing strategies learned in Chapter 4 to ensure you are communicating clearly, completely, efficiently, and engagingly. Format headings appropriately. Ensure sources are documented appropriately. Writing mechanics and grammar elements are the focus of this stage. Use your word processing program to check for spelling errors, typography, punctuation, and grammar. Get feedback from others-preferably someone proficient with writing mechanics and grammar elements, and who does not know anything about your topic to ensure objective feedback. The most effective way to ensure a professional document is to have a team of individuals independently read the document, marking changes, corrections, and questions as they go. This team then meets as a group with one individual charged with collecting all corrections. This person ensures continuity across the entire document. If such a formal process cannot be completed, then you should work to ensure there are at least two reviewers who review work they themselves did not write.
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