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Informal Reports

by Clarice P. Brantley and Michele Goulet Miller

Informal reports communicate within an organization about routine or short-term situations. Informal reports follow the Communication-by-Objectives approach and incorporate the six Cs of effective messages: Courtesy, Clarity, Conciseness, Concreteness, Correctness, and Completeness.

Since the writer and the receiver often know each other, informal reports are written
in personal language; and the reports may be formatted as memorandums, letters, and standardized forms.

When you write or revise an informal report, observe the Checklist for Preparing an Informal Report. CLICK HERE to obtain the Checklist for Preparing an Informal Report.

To obtain a sample informal report that needs revising, CLICK HERE. Compare students' solutions with the Checklist for Preparing an Informal Report. Evaluate content based on the use of effective message qualities and on the logical, concise organization of information.

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Communication Tidbits and Hotlinks is a regular feature by Clarice P. Brantley and Michele Goulet Miller, authors of Effective Communication for Colleges and The Basics: English.

For additional applications and more hotlinks, visit http://brantley.swcollege.com (9th edition) or http://brantley.swlearning.com (10th edition).