Suggested Responses to Additional Exercises and Cases for Chapter 12: Writing Informational Reports
Suggested Response to “Differentiating Status Reports and Progress Reports”
Responses will vary depending on which file students choose to analyze. The essential difference between a status report and a progress report is that a status report is an update on the entire range of operations of a department or division of an organization, and a progress report is usually more tightly focused on a single issue or project. A progress report communicates to a supervisor or sponsor the current status of an ongoing project, whereas a status report may have a larger and more diverse audience and may comment on several topics or projects.
Suggested Response to “Writing a Directive”
Although responses will vary, successful responses will begin with a polite explanatory note and then explain the reasons for staggered lunch hours.
Suggested Response to “Evaluating a Directive”
This directive is flawed in several ways. It has an imprecise subject heading. It does not begin with a purpose statement, so the reader doesn’t know what the writer wants him to know or do. The writer does not make clear exactly what she wants her reader to do or how he is supposed to go about doing it. Finally, the tone is awful: curt and condescending.
Suggested Response to “Revising a Set of Meeting Minutes”
This set of minutes does not provide the appropriate logistical details about who attended the meeting, who didn’t, who presided, and so forth. In addition, it does not provide an accurate record of what occurred: where is the transcript of the resolution about parking fees that was passed? Finally, the minutes do not reflect positively on the participants. The exchange about the musical acts should not be recorded for posterity. Instead, the minutes should state clearly what action, if any, was taken on the subject.
Suggested Response to “Justifying a Directive”
Below are brief comments on the audience and the techniques OSHA writers use for explaining and justifying one of their directives on Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlestick Prevention:
Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act: This is the transcript of the law passed in 2000. This document, which would be of most interest to state government officials and attorneys in the health-
Suggested Response to “Mandatory Computers at Your School?”
This case asks students to research and prepare one or perhaps two documents. In researching mandatory-
Many schools with a mandatory-
computer policy require a laptop computer with minimum hardware and software specifications. Many schools require students to purchase their own laptops. However, many offer special discounts through various computer vendors.
The first document students must prepare is a short progress report to communicate the status of their project. Students can choose between two organizational patterns for their reports:
The time pattern describes the work completed during the reporting period and then sketches in the work that remains.
The task pattern describes, in order, what has been accomplished on each task.
A progress report, for example, might include the following:
a summary briefly explaining the purpose of the project and answering the question “How is the project going, and will it be completed on schedule and under budget?”
an introduction, concluding with a brief summary of the project’s status
a section presenting the results of their research to date and explaining any problems with or changes in the project
a graphic showing progress toward completing each of the project’s tasks
a conclusion offering a summary and an interpretation of the status of the project
a polite offer to provide additional information
Finally, you might ask students to prepare a formal report presenting their findings to Ms. Albrecht. The report should advocate a certain course of action and should contain the elements of a typical report:
introduction
methods
results
conclusions
recommendations
Suggested Response to “Ethics of Progress Reports”
In their memos, students should clearly explain the mistake and recommend whatever action they think would be in the best interests of the company: researching the third company using alternative means or adding it to their itinerary. The main reason to do so is that it is the right thing to do: the supervisor needs to make an informed decision on how to proceed, and he deserves the benefit of the technician’s recommendation. Being truthful will probably not have negative repercussions within the company; everyone makes mistakes.
Suggested Response to “Revising an Injury Report Form”
1. Sample memo:
TO: Joan Jacqua, Clubs and Activities Coordinator
FROM: [your name]
DATE: August 4, 2016
SUBJECT: Injury Report Audience and Purpose
This memo describes the purpose of an injury report form and then identifies the audiences for the form and their needs.
Purpose of the Injury Report
The purpose of an injury report is to explain what happened, why it happened, and what actions were taken in response to the injury. Injury reports provide written documentation of events leading up to and immediately after an injury. Because injury reports are frequently the first of many medical records written about patients, they represent an important first look at a patient’s injuries. In cases of minor injuries, injury reports are often the only written record of the event.
Audiences for the Injury Report
The primary audience for injury reports includes medical personnel, the injured student’s parents (or legal guardians), and the school’s principal. These people have the following needs:
to treat obvious and hidden injuries
to understand what happened
to determine if school personnel were negligent
to find ways to prevent such injuries from happening again
The secondary audience for injury reports includes legal professionals, insurance adjusters, coaches and advisers, and other school personnel. These people have various needs such as understanding the sequence of events leading to the injury and subsequent care, identifying all people involved, learning what safeguards were in place at the time of the event, estimating the severity of injuries, and learning how to prevent similar events in the future.
Action Item
Let me know if you have questions. I am available to revise the injury report form if you decide to change it. I can best be reached by email at your_name@mail.com.
2. Sample redesigned form and memo:
TO: Joan Jacqua, Clubs and Activities Coordinator
FROM: [your name]
DATE: August 10, 2016
SUBJECT: Injury Report Revision
This memo describes my revision of the injury report form. First, I justify my design choices, and then I recommend who should review this form. Finally, I ask for your feedback on my design. Attached is the revised injury report form.
Injury Report Revision
When revising the injury report form, I tried to create opportunities for a coach or adviser to document as much as possible about an incident. Below, I list and justify each of my major revisions:
Expanded instructions. I added to the directions details on who should complete the form and how long the adviser has to complete the form.
Specified first and last names. I listed first and last names to remind the user to include both.
Numbered data. I numbered each item on the form to help the user work though the form and fill in all required information.
Expanded Section II: Details of Injury. I added seven prompts to help the user “give a full account of the injury” and list those present (witnesses).
Combined Sections III and IV. I combined these sections because they both focus on the adviser.
Recommendation for Review
I recommend the following review procedure:
coaches and advisers
clubs and activities coordinator
principal
Acorn Valley Academy legal counsel
I suggest you ask the coaches and advisers for some feedback on this draft of the injury report. They are the ones who will have to use the form and they might have some good ideas to make the form more effective. After any revisions are made based on the suggestions of the coaches and advisers, I suggest that you review it one last time before sending it to the principal. After the principal is satisfied with the new form, it must go to the school’s legal counsel for final review and approval.
Action Item
If you would like me to make additional changes to the form, please let me know. I can best be reached by email at your_name@mail.com.
3. Sample memo with recommendation:
TO: Joan Jacqua, Clubs and Activities Coordinator
FROM: [your name]
DATE: August 15, 2016
SUBJECT: Recommendation for Clubs and Activities Night
This memo presents my recommendation on whether to discuss the injury report at the student-
Recommendation To Discuss Injury Report
I recommend you devote 10–15 minutes of the evening to discussing the ways that Acorn Valley coaches and advisers make safety their top priority. As part of this discussion, you can discuss the procedure that coaches and advisers will follow if an injury or an emergency occurs. You can introduce the injury report as part of this discussion. Talking about safety procedures for 15 minutes during the orientation will help to reinforce Acorn Valley’s commitment to safety and help reassure parents that the school has plans in place if an injury occurs.
Points To Discuss
When discussing the injury report form, I recommend you cover the following points:
criteria for deciding which injuries to report
data recorded on the injury report
procedures for distributing injury reports to medical personnel (if necessary), parents, coaches or advisers, and school officials
plan to protect the confidentiality of people involved
Offer To Help
If you would like help on Clubs and Activities Night, please let me know. If you like, I can discuss the form with students and parents. I can best be reached by email at your_name@mail.com.