Report Functions, Strategies, and Formats

Your Task: For the following reports, (a) name the report's primary function (informational or analytical), (b) recommend the direct or indirect strategy of development, and (c) select a report format (memo or e-mail, letter, or manuscript).

• A proposal from a group of citizens to the federal government asking to designate several tracts of public lands as wilderness under the 1964 Wilderness Act.
• A report submitted by a sales rep to her manager describing her attendance at a consumer electronics trade show, including interviews with industry insiders and attendees.
• A yardstick report in the leisure industry put together by consultants who compare the potential of a future theme park at three different sites.
• A report prepared by an outside consultant reviewing proposed components of a virtual state library and recommending the launch of its initial components.
• A progress report from an intern at NASA's Employee and Organizational Excellence Branch to her mentor and the management.
• A report from a national shipping company telling state authorities how it has improved its safety program so that its trucks now comply with state regulations. The report describes but doesn't interpret the program.
• A feasibility report from an administrative assistant to his boss exploring the savings from buying aftermarket ink-jet cartridges as opposed to the original refills recommended by the manufacturer.