RequirementsFor our first formal assignment, you will be writing a report about a real business local to the Buffalo area (some examples are The Lexington Co-op, Anna Grace, Lloyd Tacos, and Buffalo

 Requirements

For our first formal assignment, you will be writing a report about a real business local to the Buffalo area (some examples are The Lexington Co-op, Anna Grace, Lloyd Tacos, and Buffalo Spree Publishing). The report must be at least 1,000 words and include the use of reliable research (see Chapter 12 on pages 368-403 and Chapter 13 on pages 404-443 of Business Communication for help). Unlike the brochure, this report is not intended to make the business “look good.” Rather, the purpose here is to provide management and/or investors with useful and well-researched information about the business so that they can make informed decisions going forward. Therefore, the information you provide should be well-balanced and your recommendations should logically follow from the information stated earlier in the report. 

We will be having a mandatory peer review session in class on Tuesday 9/18. You are required to bring a hard copy of a draft of your report to class on the day of peer review. 

Suggestions

I suggest that you choose to write to a local business with which you are familiar or one that provides a service in which you are interested. If you are at a loss for what business to write about, check out this useful list: https://www.buffalofirst.org/directory.

Assessment

Your report will be assessed according to the following criteria:

-- Ability to meet the minimum requirements of the assignment

-- Readability (this has to do with word choice, syntax, use of engaging examples, and so forth)

-- Use of research and reliability of sources

-- Appropriateness of tone and awareness of the rhetorical situation

-- Formatting

-- Lack of errors in spelling and punctuation

Recommended Process

-- Brainstorm possible businesses and topics to report on

-- Research the business, clientele, and surrounding area

-- Visit the library and get help finding primary and secondary sources from a subject librarian

-- Create a word map or outline

-- Draft the report

-- Make sure sources are reliable and properly cited using either MLA or APA citation and formatting guidelines (See OWL at Purdue for guidelines)

-- Check formatting

-- Revise prose

-- Edit for clarity and correctness

-- See instructor, peers, or a consultant at the CEW for further assistancer further assistance