Business Report Assignment (core assessment) guidelines
Core Assessment – Problem-Solution Business Report with Research
The final assignment in this course will bring together all the business communication skills you have learned throughout the term. Your final writing project for this course is a 9-10 page formal business report in which you will:
specify a real organization you have worked in/with
identify a real problem or situation within that organization that needs addressing
conduct research to help you analyze the problem and weigh possible solutions
describe the problem and recommend a course of action in a formal report that
targets a specific decision-making audience within the organization
How do I choose an organization?
You get to choose your problem and organizational context you wish to write in, but the important thing is that you choose an organization you actually are familiar with as a participant, as this tends to make better reports. You dont want to choose a random company like Nike if you have never worked for them, as you will not be able to really identify an actual problem within the company, or be able to suggest solutions that would actually work in that particular organization. You also wouldnt have any ideas about how to persuade your audience, as you likely would not know who your report would be directed to or what their needs, expectations, beliefs, or values are.
You can choose organizations you currently work for or have worked for in the past, but you might also consider other organizations that you are involved with, for example, non-profit or religious organizations, military branches, student groups, parent groups, clubs, or hobbyist organizations. Sometimes students have not had jobs before that is ok, as you have certainly been part of some organization in your lifetime; in fact, you are part of an organization right now by participating in this class! Park University does count as an organization you are part of and can propose solutions to.
What makes a good problem?
This is an important question to really think about as not every problem makes for a good report. One thing to consider is whether a formal report would even be appropriate or necessary to solve the problem you have identified. Some problems are fairly easily solved, have obvious solutions, or do not require research to find a solution. You want to choose problem that is
Researchable
Not yes/no or too obviously solved
A real problem that affects actual people or that affects the organizations productivity, effectiveness, morale, or profitability
Can you give me some examples?
Yes! Here are some real examples of reports other Park students have written:
Example 1:
Bailey recently got a new job in a preschool as a classroom teacher. When filling out her paperwork, she was asked to sign a Gossip Policy in which she was asked to agree that she could be terminated immediately without severance if she gossiped at work. The policy was fairly vague about what gossip actually is, and Bailey has doubts about the legality or effectiveness of this policy, so she decides to conduct research on gossip policies, gossip in the workplace, and effective strategies for preventing unproductive gossip in the workplace.
During her research, she discovers through industry magazines for human resources personnel that gossip policies are a new trend in HR and have spread like wildfire throughout many companies in the last few years. She also finds out from news sources that these policies have already have been challenged in court and might be considered by the National Labor Relations Board to be a constitutional violation of the 1st amendment. By using the library databases, she finds lots of scholarly research on gossip in the workplace, including articles that suggest that gossip policies could be discriminatory (since published research shows that women are more likely to be perceived as gossiping). She discovers some organizational communication research that shows that there is both positive and negative workplace gossip, and she also finds sources that address how to discourage workplace toxicity.
Bailey uses the information she gathered from her diverse sources to write a formal report to the director of her pre-school in which she shows how the current policy is problematic from both a legal and morale perspective, and she suggests a more effective method of discouraging negative workplace gossip.
Example 2:
Ben is an international student at Park University who struggled during his first year to adapt to an American context and educational system. Although Park University offers some resources for international students to help them adjust and be successful, Ben wonders if other schools have more effective orientation programs for international students. Ben reviews the websites for international student programs at other colleges and universities, and he also discovers that there is a wealth of academic research on international students and innovative programs for helping international students succeed. Ben uses this research to propose a new orientation program for international students to the Director of Parks Office of International Education.
Some shorter examples:
Julie works for a local retail store with several branches in the area. Several of the branches have been robbed in recent weeks. She researches how retail stores like hers can discourage robberies, and she discovers that there are a number of tactics that have been shown by research to reduce theft and robbery. She writes a report to her district manager suggesting changes to store layout, inventory management, installation of cameras and mirrors, discounts and perks for law enforcement, and use of greeters at the door.
Jim is a former Marine and is interested in helping veterans with PTSD and sleep disorders. He does research on effective sleep therapy tactics used with veterans, such as sleep journals, and suggests a special program to a director at Veterans Affairs as a supplement to their already existing programs for veterans with PTSD.
Eddie works in a food-service industry characterized by toxic workplace relationships including both verbal (and even sometimes physical) confrontations between employees. He researches conflict resolution and management training programs to suggest a new training program to his district manager to improve employee relationships, improve management intervention, and to promote productive conflict solutions in his workplace.
How will this project be completed?
To prepare for completion of the final draft of the report, you will:
Discuss organizations, problems, and audiences in Unit 1
Propose a topic and audience and do some preliminary research in Unit 4,
Prepare a first draft in Unit 6,
Receive peer and instructor feedback in Unit 7
Submit the final revised report in Unit 8
This is a term-long assignment, so you should be working on it a little bit each unit, even if the assignments or discussions during a particular unit may address other assignments. Feel free to bounce ideas off your instructor or fellow students in the discussion areas related to the assignment or ask questions about your project in the instructors office area of the course.
What are the requirements for the assignment?
We will use the medium level of formality for the report, which you can find in a table on pg. 521. For our purposes, we will also add a bibliography page to cite your sources.
That means that your report must have each of these parts, correctly formatted according to the guidelines found on the sample report beginning on page 522.
Cover Page
Table of Contents
Executive summary
Introduction
Body (with headings/subheadings as you choose)
Conclusion and Recommendations
Bibliography
Visuals
Your report must use at least one visual you composed yourself, though you may also use other images so long as you cite the image source under the image. We will talk in more detail about visuals in Unit 6, but keep in mind that visuals could include photographs, diagram, charts, graphs, tables, etc.
To make data visualizations, you can use data from your research which you can then turn into a graph or chart. Both Word and Excel can make simple visualizations, and there are a range of free data visualization and image manipulation programs available. For example, say a research article gives you some statistics in the form of percentages. You could turn those numbers into a pie chart. Make sure to cite your data source under the images you compose (differentiate between image source and data source, please, so your instructor can tell the difference between images you have borrowed and cited from elsewhere, and images you made yourself).
A good report will:
Follow the guidelines and format on report writing
Use effective organization and document design
Use sources effectively to construct and support your position
Use effective and grammatically correct business style
Use you-attitude and positive emphasis
Use at least one visual you composed yourself, effectively
Be revised and edited, with the assistance of your peers and instructor
Cite sources appropriately in the text and in the reference page using a citation style appropriate to your field of study (MLA or APA style; other styles as permitted by your instructor).
Points
250
Rubric
Core Assessment
Core Assessment
Criteria Ratings Pts
Use of Report Format
25.0 ptsEFFECTIVE: Report format is followed almost perfectly.
20.0 ptsADEQUATE: Report format is followed with a few minor errors.
15.0 ptsMARGINAL: Report format is sometimes used correctly, though there are also some errors in use.
10.0 ptsINADEQUATE: There are substantial errors in using report format.
5.0 ptsPOOR: While a few things are correctly done, most of the report fails to use report formatting guidelines.
0.0 ptsNO EVIDENCE: There is no evidence that report format was followed in any way or the writer did not submit a report.
25.0 pts
Organization and document design
25.0 ptsEFFECTIVE: The organizational and document design choices are especially effective for the target audience and even enhance the reports message
20.0 ptsADEQUATE: The organizational and document design choices are adequate for the target audience and adequately convey the reports message.
15.0 ptsMARGINAL: The organizational and document design choices are sometimes effective for the target audience but may not fully or clearly convey the reports message.
10.0 ptsINADEQUATE: The organizational and document design choices are mostly ineffective for the target audience and do not fully or clearly convey the reports message.
5.0 ptsPOOR: There is little evidence of an organizational strategy or use of document design principles.
0.0 ptsNO EVIDENCE: The writer did not submit a report
25.0 pts
Introduction
25.0 ptsEFFECTIVE: The introduction effectively conveys the purpose and scope of the report and includes all the information a reader needs to understand the following report
20.0 ptsADEQUATE: The introduction adequately conveys the purpose and scope of the report and provides most of the the information a reader needs to understand the following report.
15.0 ptsMARGINAL: The introduction somewhat conveys the purpose and scope of the report, through it might be somewhat vague or missing information necessary for the audience, or it may give information that is unnecessary in an introduction.
10.0 ptsINADEQUATE: The introduction inadequately conveys the purpose and scope of the report because it is vague or missing information necessary for the audience, or it gives unnecessary information.
5.0 ptsPOOR: The introduction fails to convey the purpose and scope of the report and fails to give information the audience needs to understand the rest of the report.
0.0 ptsNO EVIDENCE: There is no introduction or the student did not submit a report
25.0 pts
Executive Summary
25.0 ptsEFFECTIVE: The summary begins with a specific statement of the main point of the report and provides a brief but specific overview of the reports findings. The recommendations match those in the report
20.0 ptsADEQUATE: The summary gives a general overview of the reports findings. The recommendations match those in the report
15.0 ptsMARGINAL: The summary attempts to give an overview of the reports findings, but may be somewhat vague, unclear, or confusing in some places. The recommendations match those in the report
10.0 ptsINADEQUATE: The summary is vague, unclear, or confusing overall. The recommendations may not match those in the report
5.0 ptsPOOR: The summary fails to give an overview of the reports findings. The recommendations may not match those in the report or may be absent
0.0 ptsNO EVIDENCE: Report does not include an executive summary or student did not submit a report
25.0 pts
Conclusion and Recommendations
25.0 ptsEFFECTIVE: Conclusion sums up the report and effectively encourages the reader to take action. Recommendations are specific and clear, and are logical extensions of points made in the report itself.
20.0 ptsADEQUATE: Conclusion sums up the report adequately and encourages the reader to take action. Recommendations are mostly clear and are related to the points made in the report.
15.0 ptsMARGINAL: Conclusion attempts to sum up the report, but may be somewhat general or vague. Some of the recommendations are vague or poorly laid out, and some may not be logical extensions of the points made in the report.
10.0 ptsINADEQUATE: Conclusion is vague or general and does not encourage the target audience to take action. Many of the recommendations are vague or unclear, or may not be related to the argument represented in the report.
5.0 ptsPOOR: Conclusion fails to sum up the report (it may bring up a new argument or be otherwise off-topic). The recommendations are non-existent, vague, unclear, or not at all related to logical points made in the report. Target audience would have trouble taking any action.
0.0 ptsNO EVIDENCE: Report does not include a conclusion or student did not submit a report
25.0 pts
Development of Arguments in Body
25.0 ptsEFFECTIVE: The body section is especially effective in constructing arguments and logical support through data, examples, or other types of evidence. The arguments presented are not only logically sound, but also sophisticated.
20.0 ptsADEQUATE: The body section is adequate in constructing arguments and logical support through data, examples, or other types of evidence. The arguments presented are generally logically sound.
15.0 ptsMARGINAL: The body section shows some attempts to develop material, though some sections could have used more evidence, examples, or data to support the arguments. The arguments presented are somewhat convincing though there may be some lapses in logical argumentation.
10.0 ptsINADEQUATE: The body section is inadequately developed as it needs more evidentiary support. The arguments may be simplistic or illogical in places.
5.0 ptsPOOR: The body section is very thin, and has very little material or logical reasoning.
0.0 ptsNO EVIDENCE: There is no body section or the student did not submit a report
25.0 pts
Use and integration of sources
25.0 ptsEFFECTIVE: Sources are effectively used to build the report and are integrated smoothly into the text.
20.0 ptsADEQUATE: Sources are adequately used to build the report and are largely integrated into the text.
15.0 ptsMARGINAL: Sources could be more effectively used to build the report and integration into the text could be smoother.
10.0 ptsINADEQUATE: Sources are ineffectively used to build the reports arguments and may not be fully adequate for building the arguments and recommendations in the report. Sources are not well-integrated into the writers own prose.
5.0 ptsPOOR: Sources are very poorly used, or are inadequate for building the argument and recommendations in the report. Sources are not integrated at all into the writers own prose.
0.0 ptsNO EVIDENCE: The report uses no sources or the student did not submit a report
25.0 pts
Citation of sources
25.0 ptsEFFECTIVE: Sources are cited both in the report and in the references page consistently and correctly in an acceptable format (APA, MLA or other formats allowed by instructor)
20.0 ptsADEQUATE: Sources are cited both in the report and in the references page in an acceptable format (APA, MLA or other formats allowed by instructor), but with a few small errors or inconsistencies in citation use
15.0 ptsMARGINAL: There is an attempt to cite sources in an acceptable format (APA, MLA or other formats allowed by instructor), but there are some errors or inconsistencies in citation use
10.0 ptsINADEQUATE: There is an attempt to cite sources in an acceptable format (APA, MLA or other formats allowed by instructor), but there are many errors or inconsistencies in citation use
5.0 ptsPOOR: There appears to be some attempt to cite sources, but the format being used is not recognizable or acceptable. The citation is mostly incorrect or inconsistent.
0.0 ptsNO EVIDENCE: No citations are used in an acceptable format, or student did not submit a report (If there is source material in the essay with no citation, this may constitute plagiarism and may result in a failing grade for the assignment at the discretion of the instructor.)
25.0 pts
Use of visuals
25.0 ptsEFFECTIVE: The report contains at least one especially effective visual composed by the writer. Visuals enhance the message of the report and are well-integrated into the text.
20.0 ptsADEQUATE: The report contains at least one adequate visual composed by the writer. Visuals generally contribute meaning to the text and are somewhat integrated into the report.
15.0 ptsMARGINAL: The report contains at least one visual composed by the writer though the visual is somewhat ineffective. Visuals may not always contribute meaning to the text or may not be integrated well into the report.
10.0 ptsINADEQUATE: The report contains no visuals composed by the writer. Other visuals may not always contribute meaningfully to the text or may not be integrated well into the report.
3.0 ptsPOOR: The report contains no visuals composed by the writer. Other visuals are confusing, irrelevant, or poorly integrated into the report.
0.0 ptsNO EVIDENCE: No visuals are used or student did not submit a report
25.0 pts
Grammar, style, tone and mechanics
25.0 ptsEFFECTIVE: The report is largely error-free and uses effective business style and tone appropriate to the audience. Positive emphasis and you attitude are effectively used throughout the report.
20.0 ptsADEQUATE: The report may have a few errors in grammar or some minor lapses in style or tone, but is generally readable and appropriate to the target audience. Positive emphasis and you attitude are used somewhat throughout the report.
15.0 ptsMARGINAL: The report has some distracting errors or a few lapses in tone or style that might detract somewhat form the writers credibility with the audience. There are some places where positive emphasis and you-attitude could have been improved.
10.0 ptsINADEQUATE: The report has many distracting errors or lapses in tone and style that would detract from the writers credibility with the audience. There are many places where positive emphasis and you-attitude could have been improved.
5.0 ptsPOOR: The report has numerous serious and distracting errors; style and tone are inappropriate to the audience. There is very little evidence of you-attitude or positive emphasis
0.0 ptsNO EVIDENCE: Student did not submit a report
25.0 pts
Total Points: 250.0
