5.

PLANNING
INVESTIGATION

PURPOSE
PROBLEM

SCOPES
OVERVIEW/
BACKGROUND

DATA COLLECTION

A) PURPOSE STATEMENT
Define the objective and content of
the report
INFORMATION
Inform, Describe
AL

ANALYTICAL

Determine,
evaluate, analyse,
compare, assess,
examine, identify

PERSUASIVE

Propose, suggest,
recommend

CAN BE WRITTEN IN 3 WAYS:

INFINITIVE PHRASE
The purpose of the report is to
evaluate the new attendance system
at the Human Resource Department of
HighTower Company.

CAN BE WRITTEN IN 3 WAYS:

DECLARATIVE
The management team wants to find
out whether the new attendance system
is effective or not in improving the rate
of absenteeism among the employees in
Human Resource Department at
HighTower Company.

QUESTION FORM
Does the new attendance system help
HighTower Company in improving their
employees rate of absenteeism?

PURPOSE STATEMENT FOR

DIFFERENT REPORTS
INFORMATIONAL
The purpose of the report is to inform
the CEO of MOMO Ent about the
increase of rate of absenteeism
among the employees in the Human
Resource Department.
Who do you inform to? What is it
about?

PURPOSE STATEMENT FOR

DIFFERENT REPORTS

ANALYTICAL (FEASIBILITY)
The purpose of the report is to
conduct a feasibility study on the new
attendance system in the Human
Resource Department of MOMO Ent.
The purpose of the report is to analyse
the possibility of implementing the
new attendance system in the Human
Resource Department of MOMO Ent.

PURPOSE STATEMENT FOR

DIFFERENT REPORTS
ANALYTICAL (EVALUATION)
The purpose of the report is to
evaluate the effectiveness of the new
attendance system in overcoming the
absenteeism problem among the
employees in the Human Resource
Department of MOMO Ent.

PURPOSE STATEMENT FOR

DIFFERENT REPORTS
PERSUASIVE
The purpose of the report is to
suggest to the CEO of MOMO Ent to
implement the new attendance
system in the Human Resource
Department in order to overcome the
absenteeism problem among
employees.
Who do you suggest to? What is your
suggestion?

B) PROBLEM STATEMENT
Should be short clear and brief
Clear problem will help you to decide what
information is needed to complete the
report.
Eg: It is common to hear the residents of
Dato Kumbar to complain on being late to
work because of the public bus are not
always available. The residents have to wait
for 30 to 45 minutes for a bus. The residents
are unsatisfied with the public bus company
that unable to meet the needs of the
passengers.

 The writer should:

Conduct informal investigation
through informal research
talk to the public
study company records
read relevant materials
Get problem clearly in mind
Analyse the information available
will give an idea of the problem

HOW TO WRITE A PROBLEM STATEMENT

What is the goals/aims of the

business?
What is the obstacles that prevent the
goal from being achieved?
(Connect question 1 and 2 using a
term such as "but," "however,"
"Unfortunately," or "in spite of";
What are the consequences?

HOW TO WRITE A PROBLEM STATEMENT

EXAMPLES
Hawa Hijabista was established in 1994
to be the main supplier of shawls and
hijab for the Muslims. However, in 2000
there are few other competitors started
their business with attractive pattern,
fashion and price. Since then, Hawa
Hijabista has been facing with a not
very promising financial status as it
experience lack of sales and
customers.

C) SCOPES
1. DETERMINING
SCOPE/COVERAGE/AREA OF
INVESTIGATION
Scope tells what is and is not part of
the report
It tells specific areas to be evaluated
to fulfill the purpose of the report
Eg: This report evaluates.because.
The reader will know what will be
evaluated.
You need to identify the specific

2. INVESTIGATION OUTLINE
Making an outline=dividing the
information into separate sections
There is no fixed number of sections
Outline need to be done systematically.
3. GENERAL GUIDELINE FOR
OUTLINING
You can divide the parts of reports into
sub-parts then sub sub-parts

EXAMPLE
1.0 MAINTENANCE
1.1 Cost
1.1.1 Electricity
1.2.1 Device/ Machine
1.2 Personnel
1.2.1 Workers job
scope
1.2.2 Salary

TIME
PERIOD

data is divided according to the

chronology
Eg: In 1990 formation of
company
In 1992 the emergence of the
company with another
company

PLACE

Data is divided according to the

place it was collected from
Eg: Sales of the products in
Perlis, Kedah..etc

INFORMATION CAN BE
DIVIDED INTO:

QUANTIT
Y

Data is divided according to

quantitative value
Eg: < 100 >101

FACTORS

Data is divided according to

the factors where it is derived
from
Eg: The factors for the lack of
sales advertisement,
promotion, price

INFORMATION CAN BE
DIVIDED INTO:

4. SYSTEM OF OUTLINE
SYMBOLS
A) ALPHA-NUMERIC (CONVENTIONAL
SYSTEM)
I. QUESTIONNAIRE
A. Personal Information
1. Education Background
a.Secondary school
B) DECIMAL (NUMERICAL) SYSTEM
1.0 QUESTIONNAIRE
1.1 Education background
1.1.1 Secondary school

5. INSTRUCTING PRELIMINARY
OUTLINE.
It is done after the factors to be
examined have been determined.
Preliminary only lists all the factors and
sub-factors and it is the basis for table
of content for the report.
6. OUTLINING INFORMATIONAL
REPORT
This report is structured according to
sub-topics of the main topic.
Eg: Progress report on evaluation on
lack of sales of Cap Ayam
Company. (main topic)

7. OUTLINING ANALYTICAL REPORT

Analytical report is structured
according to hypothesis that has been
made
Hypothesis= an idea/explanation of
something that is based on a few
knows facts but has not been proved
to be true yet.

Eg: Effectiveness of using smart card

for students attendance
a) Number of card reader machines in a
class
b) Number of students in a class

8. DETERMINING THE HYPOTHESIS

It refers to analytical report on problem
To solve problem we need to make some
hypothesis on the causes, possible
results and solutions
Then later each hypothesis needs to be
proven
Eg: Problem- drop in result for
Marketing course
Factor- The causes of sleeping in the
class boring, uninteresting topic,
lecturers attitude
Details What cause the students to
feel bored? What cause the topic to be

9. OUTLINING PERSUASIVE REPORT

The objective is to make the reader
say yes. How to write?
Proposed solution- suggestions on
how to solve the problem
Implementation Plan how to do the
work, methods, people involve..etc
Statement of qualification- convinces
that your company is qualified to do
the work-experience, experts etc