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• e-mails

• memos

• forms

• letters

• reports

Informational reports can take many forms:

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The writing process for informational reports includes six steps:

• Analyze your audience.• Analyze your purpose.• Research the subject and compile your

information.• Choose an appropriate format.• Draft the report.• Revise, edit, and proofread the report.

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• How might your readers react to your informational report?

• Will your readers be comfortable with your choice of document?

• Do you need to adjust your writing style?

Consider three questions in writing reports for multicultural readers:

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• directives

• field reports

• progress and status reports

• incident reports

• meeting minutes

You likely will have to write five types of informational reports:

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Use this strategy in writing field reports:

• Describe inspections, maintenance, and site studies.

• Explain the problem(s), methods, results, and conclusions.

• Deemphasize methods.• Include recommendations if needed.

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• What is the purpose of the report?

• What are the main points covered in the report?

• What were the problems leading to the decision to perform the procedure?

• What methods were used?

• What were the results?

• What do the results mean?

Answer these seven questions in a field report:

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Understand the difference between a progress and status report:

• A progress report describes an ongoing project.• A status report or activity report describes the

entire range of operations of a department or division.

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Report your progress honestly when responding to three common problems:

• The deliverable won’t be what you thought it would be.• You won’t meet your schedule.• You won’t meet the budget.

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Two organizational patterns are typical in progress and status reports:

Time Pattern Task Pattern

Discussion Discussion

A. Past Work A. Task 1

B. Future Work 1. Past Work

2. Future Work

B. Task 2

1. Past Work

2. Future Work

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Project an appropriate tone in a progress or status report

• If the news is good, convey your optimism but avoid overstatement.

• Don’t panic if the preliminary results are not as promising as you had planned or if the project is behind schedule.

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Use this strategy in writing incident reports:

• Briefly summarize the accident.• Present background information.• Present your main conclusion about what

caused the accident.• Explain the root cause of the accident.• If appropriate, state your recommendations.

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Use this strategy in writing meeting minutes:

• Record the logistical details of the meeting.• Record the purpose of the meeting.• Record the action taken at the meeting.• Be objective; do not interpret events.• Do not record emotional exchanges between

participants.