ENGL 230: Writing for Business & Technology
Report/Proposal Assignment
Course Outcomes
Analyze situations, audiences, and desired goals to determine the written format appropriate to the purpose of the message.
Produce clear and concise computer-generated letters, memos, reports, and proposals.
Create written communications that promote positive interpersonal, intercultural, organizational, and/or international relations.
Develop graphics that create visual and verbal meaning and interest.
Identify a problem in your current job or a previous job, or at school, such as inadequate equipment, inefficient procedures, poor customer service, poor product quality, or personnel problems. Select a problem with several alternative solutions or courses of action. Retaining the present status could be one alternative. Assume your boss agrees with your criticism and has asked you to prepare a report. Write an analytical recommendation report suggesting one or more ways to solve the problem.
Part I of the assignment will be your work plan, and it is due by Monday, December 4th. A work plan includes:
Statement of the problem
Statement of the purpose, including scope, significance, and limitations
Research strategy, including a description of potential sources and methods of collecting data
Tentative outline that factors the problem into manageable chunks
Part II of the assignment will be the actual report, and it is due by Monday, December 18th. It must include:
Written in memo format (see p. 384 for sample)
An introduction that gives the purpose and overview of report organization
A brief discussion of the background of the problem
Consistent, concise headings throughout the report
Documentation of all data sources using MLA style (including Works Cited page)
Discussion of alternatives, with least effective alternative first, and more effective alternative last
AT least one relevant graphical representation of data
Summary of findings and specific recommendation in closing
See the grading rubric on the back for more information, and please ask if you have any questions.
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A 9 – 10 pts |
B 8 – 8.9 pts |
C 7 – 7.9 pts |
F 6-6.9 pts |
Total |
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Report is properly formatted in memo style with no formatting errors |
Report is properly formatted in memo style with 1-3 formatting errors |
Report is properly formatted in memo style with more than 4 formatting errors |
Report is not formatted in memo style |
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Work plan is turned in on time, and includes statement of the problem, statement of purpose, research strategy, and tentative outline |
Work plan is not turned in on time, or includes statement of the problem, statement of purpose, research strategy, and tentative outline (3 out of 4) |
Work plan includes statement of the problem, statement of purpose, research strategy, and tentative outline (2 out of 4) |
Work plan includes statement of the problem, statement of purpose, research strategy, and tentative outline (1 out of 4) |
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Introduction clearly and concisely gives purpose and overview of report organization |
Introduction gives purpose and overview of report organization |
Introduction gives purpose or overview of report organization |
Introduction does not give purpose or overview of report organization |
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Report contains brief discussion of background of the problem appropriate to the audience |
Report contains brief discussion of background of the problem |
Report contains discussion of background of the problem |
Report does not contain discussion of background of the problem |
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Consistent, concise headings used throughout report |
Consistent OR concise headings used throughout report |
Headings used throughout report |
No headings used in report |
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Thorough discussion of alternatives in proper order |
Discussion of alternatives in proper order |
Discussion of alternatives included |
No discussion of alternatives |
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At least one relevant graphical representation of data |
At least one graphical representation of data |
Data is represented, but not graphically |
No representation of data |
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Summary of findings and specific recommendations in closing |
Summary of findings and recommendations in closing |
Summary of findings and specific recommendations included, but not in closing |
No summary of findings and specific recommendations |
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Documentation of data sources, including parenthetical citations and Works Cited page |
Documentation of data sources, including parenthetical citations and Works Cited page (2-5 errors) |
Documentation of data sources, including parenthetical citations and Works Cited page (6 or more errors) |
No documentation of data sources |
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No major spelling or grammatical errors |
Few (1-2) major spelling or grammatical errors |
Major spelling or grammatical errors that distract from message |
Many major spelling or grammatical errors, making message unclear or incomprehensible |
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Total |
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