You are asked to write a report on a topic for which little or no information is available. You decide to conduct interviews with several experts or veterans in the field.

1. What should you do to maintain a professional impression during the interviews?

Avoid taking notes but listen carefully.

Call and confirm arrangements before the interview.

Locate an expert.

Ana is writing a report for her company on interaction and communication between employees and customers. She decides to observe the company’s telemarketers as they sell a new line of tires. She is hoping to acquire qualitative examples that will enrich the data she has already gathered. She sits and watches the telemarketers for an hour and then leaves.

2. What could she have done to make her observations more complete and accurate?

She could have instructed the telemarketers on how to respond to calls.

She could have taken notes on events, actions, and settings.

She could have listened carefully but avoided taking notes.

3. The body of a formal report

a. should be phrased as a command

b. evolves from the findings and conclusion

c. shows evidence that justifies your conclusions

4. The conclusion to a report should:

a. allow readers to draw their own conclusions

b. explain what findings mean in terms of solving the original problem

c. include a works cited section