Discuss the key elements of a direct format report and how those elements are designed to meet audience expectation

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answer: When audiences read reports, they expect to find key elements of the report to be located in specific places, depending on the report format. These elements include identifying information, a preview, detailed discussion, and (optionally) additional documentation.
• Identifying information. Business reports clearly identify the author, the date, and the topic or title. Some reports also indicate the intended audience.
• Preview. Almost all business reports use a direct organization, beginning with one or more preview elements that provide readers with a quick understanding of the purpose, structure, content, and main ideas of the report. In reports written as emails, letters, or memos, the first paragraph provides the preview. Longer formal reports include a combination of preview elements, including a table of contents, an introduction, and either an abstract or an executive summary. Informational reports may begin with an abstract—one or two paragraphs that summarize the purpose and main points. By contrast, analytical reports often begin with executive summary: a separate, stand-alone mini-report that completely summarizes the report's main ideas and recommendations. An executive summary is designed for decision makers who may not have time to read the detailed discussion.
• Detailed discussion. Following the introduction, the body of the report provides the detailed discussion. The discussion is typically divided into sections that are signaled by headings. The best headings are not generic (like "Methodology") but are content-focused and specific to that report—for example, "Risks and Benefits of Using Groupon as a Marketing Tool."
• Supporting information. At the end of the report, you have the opportunity to add extra documentation to support your main points. In letter and memo reports, additional documentation takes the form of an attachment or enclosure—a supplemental document that is included with the letter or memo. Attachments might provide details that not all readers would need and that would clutter the report if included. In more formal reports and in report decks, this additional information is included in an appendix or in multiple appendices. Research reports that include information from secondary sources also include a reference list or bibliography.