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Lesson 2:3

WEEK SIX   Outlines and Progress Reports

Objectives:

  • Study techniques for writing formal report outlines and progress reports
  • Study techniques for reflection and self-editing

Readings:

2:3 Assignments:

PLEASE SEE Due dates on our Course Schedule

  •  Formal Report Outline posted on your team forum [p. 189 – 190]  before midnight [late assignments will loose 0.5 points per day]
  •  An email memo to Instructor with a Progress Report on your Formal Report with word files attached, or url links to, surveys, and/or interview questions – posted on your team forum, before midnight [late assignments will lose 0.5 points per day]
  •  Unit Two Reflections Blog – posted on your Blog before midnight. Be sure to attach a doc file with your revised Report Proposal at the end of your reflections, and a hyperlink to your Peer Review for the proposal. [late assignments will lose 0.5 points per day]

Instructions for Assignments:

 Formal Report Outline

Please refer to the example of a Formal Report Outline on page 189-90.

As you can see this is not a long document, however in order to produce this outline you will have to accomplish a number of tasks which you will be outlining in your next assignment: Your progress report. Follow the instructions and guidelines in your readings for this lesson and create an outline for your report. Post your outline on your writing team forum.

An email memo to your Instructor detailing your progress on your Formal Report 

Your memo should address these concerns:

1) detail the

  • audience for your report: this is your first and foremost consideration: Do not simply state an administrative body,  you need to do the research and find the name of the person most appropriate.  Please review the sections of our text that talk about identifying your reader and review page 494.
  • purpose of your report: Be specific; what problem is your investigation going to try to solve? Review page 494.
  • significance of your report: Why is this investigation, and resulting recommendations, of importance to your reader? Stay positive.
  • research plan: Lay out a bullet list of your research plan in order of each task. For example
    • identify the problem with examples….
    • identify primary data sources [i.e.: survey respondents, interviewees, experts, observations] with examples ….
    • compose surveys or interview questions; be sure to include an ethical introduction to your surveys/interviews. See the Instructor’s Blog
    • conduct surveys and interviews with a detailed schedule
    • secondary research plans
    • You get the idea; make a complete list of tasks in front of you providing some details for each task.
  • writing schedule: Study future due dates and peer review dates and create a schedule for each task that includes dates and some brief description of how you will prepare.

Answer these questions with details. Note, details does not mean a lengthy memo, but rather precise language with as few verbs as possible.

  • Have you identified and analyzed the needs of your reader [s]?
  • Have you identified a current real-life problem in a local organization to which you are connected and from which you will be able to gather relevant data and evidence?
  • Will the problem lend itself to objective, practical, and cost-effective analysis and solution?
  • Have you designed a report focused on systems, procedures, and practices rather than on personalities and clashes of character?
  • Stay away from personal or sensitive issues; no personal questions: no personal information; no questions that could possible identify the participant. 
  • Have you planned for, or designed, graphics or visuals of some sort?
  • Have you planned for, or designed, surveys or interviews?

Step by Step
1) write a progress report in the form of a memo; follow the more detailed instructions on our course page, and use the text book to help you design your progress report as a memorandum
2) post the memo on the team forum with a url to surveys and attached interview questions.

NOTE, please do not proceed with the surveys or interviews until I have reviewed your forms. Thank you.

 Reflections

Reflect on the process of creating a LinkedIn profile. How do you feel about creating a professional social media network? Reflect on the process of brainstorming and preparing your report proposal and outline; how do you feel about your progress with the report? Do you have questions about how your investigation is going to become a Formal Report — or, put more simply, with how this is all going to come together? Reflect on your peer review for your partner’s proposal; what did you learn? And finally, reflect on the peer review process: what have you learned about your writing and reading by reviewing your team’s writing forum. Have you been surprised by what you have read in your colleague’s work?  How do you think peer reviewing has impacted your view of your writing?

Be sure to attach a doc file with your revised Report Proposal at the end of your reflections.

Also add a hyperlink to the Peer Review  you received for the proposal. Thank-you.

Please post any questions you might have about this assignment on our Group Face Book page, thank you.