1: Title page
2: Outline
3: Communication matters in utilization.
One of the most frustrating aspects of assessment work is when you see work go unused; it is important to us
that this information is utilized.
The ways in which we communicate assessment findings can play a critical part in determining whether or not
the information is used.
Bad communication:
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confuses and/or bores the audience
doesn’t help the audience to understand what they should do with the new information
leaves the audience feeling no more informed
Good communication:
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Conveys findings to the audience
Explains why the findings matter
Inspires the audience with a call to action
Resource: American Evaluation Association 2013 Conference presentation 560: Crafting Powerful Reports and Presentations:
Strategies for Improving Communication in Evaluation by Kelci M. Price
4: You may need to create multiple reports.
Be intentional about who will be receiving the information. How would they best understand the message? A
report written intentionally will be more likely to be read and understood.
Rebecca’s NSSE Reporting:
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Report 1—written, long, comprehensive
Report 2—oral, PowerPoint—3 slides (~8 minutes)
Report 3—oral, PowerPoint—27 slides (~1 hr)
Report 4—oral, PowerPoint—24 slides (~1 hr)
Report 5—written newsletter—3 columns
Report 6—written newsletter—2 pages
Report 7—written—focused on special analysis
Report 8—written—focused on special analysis
Report . . . Likely on short versions of 7 & 8
Resource: April 2011 presentation, Effective Reporting: Telling the Data Driven Story by Rebecca Sanderson
5: The Cone of Experience
People generally remember:
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10% of what we read
20% of what we hear
30% of what we see
50% of what we see and hear
70% of what we discuss with others
80% of what we experience personally
95% of what we teach someone else
Resource: Dale, 1969 as reported in Bers & Seybert, (1999) Effective Reporting, p. 12
6: Get intimate with your data
If you don’t have a firm understanding of your data, it will be difficult to report on. This goes beyond analysis,
to making meaning of the data within the context of the organization.
What story does your data tell?
7: You’ve conducted the analysis, now what?
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Are there any other angles from which to view the data?
o Crosstabs
o Drill-downs
Does this data answer the question that was initially posed?
o If not…
 Would multiple methods help get at the answer?
 What would you do differently next time?
 Are there any “lessons learned” to take away from this?
o If so…
 What does this information mean to you?
 What does this information mean to the program or department?
 Is this information that might be useful to anyone outside of the department or
program?
Does this data provide any useful information beyond the original question?
o Unintended discoveries
o Spawns further assessment or research questions
8: Audience Analysis
“A great report is often in the eye of the beholder” -Sanderson, 2011
Who needs to understand this information? For what purpose?
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Departmental colleagues – informative, utilization, planning, historical record
SALT – informative, decision making
Vice Provost, Provost, President (all very different reports) – informative, decision making, funding
Students – informative, participation, community, impact on campus, retention
Parents – informative, retention, public relations
Community members – informative, decision making, industry connections, public relations
National organizations – informative, funding (grants), reporting requirements
Your mom – “what do you do anyways?”
Understanding the audience and what level and type of information would be of use to them will help you
make a report that is easer for your audience to navigate and understand.
Like having empathy; a close interaction with and understanding of how Stakeholders want to receive
information.
Resource: American Evaluation Association Webinar
9: Format
Consider what format will…
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Be preferred by the audience
Best convey your message
If there is a pre-determined format, follow it!
If you determine your own format, there are so many to choose from; all could be at various levels of detail.
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Traditional scientific report on process and findings
Executive summary
Specialized reports for areas of importance of interest, special analyses
Presentation
Many delivery mechanisms to consider:
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Hard copy (reports, posters, fliers)
E-mail
Newsletter
Website
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Social Media
Presentation delivered
Webinar
Blog
10: Put it all together
Approaching each report, you must understand the message, the audience and the medium.
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Message: What do you want the audience (your stakeholders) to remember after they have reviewed
the report? Why?
Audience: Who do you want to read, review, consider, or act on your findings? Why?
Medium: What factors will best/most succinctly/most efficiently carry the message (e.g., words, pages,
typeface, headings, color, graphics, photos, live action, newsletters, powerpoint presentations)? Why
does it matter?
Resource: American Evaluation Association Webinar
Decide how to depict data and information.
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Type depends a lot on the data
Can do narratives, tables, figures (charts), combinations
Resource: April 2011 presentation, Effective Reporting: Telling the Data Driven Story by Rebecca Sanderson
11: “Can you subtract the obvious and add the meaningful?” -John Maeda
Clear & Simple
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Clear language is used
Follows format, if provided
Detailed enough for reader to understand what was done, what was discovered and what is next
Defines terms that reader may not know
Writes out all acronyms and abbreviations: AAC, UCSEE, SARE, EM, CTL, ASC, SAAC, etc.
Uses headings
Serves as the basis for other kinds of reports (PowerPoint, newsletters, etc.)
Clearly closes the assessment loop
12: Turn data into information
13: Produce the report
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Determine binding, cover style, paper, etc.
Prepare visual aids, handouts, etc. if doing an oral report
Electronic reports best converted to PDF format
Resource: April 2011 presentation, Effective Reporting: Telling the Data Driven Story by Rebecca Sanderson
14 Writing myths… BUSTED
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Writing must be perfect the first time-It is a process that begins with a rough draft that gets improved
upon.
Writing must be inspired and spontaneous-Good writing is the product of good thinking, conversation,
consultation, outlining, note taking–it is a process.
Writing proceeds quickly-Typically the result of slow, extended, developmental process over a period
of days or weeks.
Writing is inherently difficult-It is a skill that can be learned and developed with practice.
Resource: April 2011 presentation, Effective Reporting: Telling the Data Driven Story by Rebecca Sanderson
15: Strength in reporting
Endurance: Will this report provide stakeholders with information that will be of value to them beyond the
date of presentation?
Leverage: Will this report provide knowledge and information relevant to multiple stakeholder groups (if
appropriate)?
Essential: Does this work provide stakeholders with essential information without which they would have
insufficient evidence to make important decisions?
Power Standards, taken from K-12 education
These things are especially important when reporting to influential groups of stakeholders.
16: Deliver
Many delivery mechanisms to consider:
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Hard copy (reports, posters, fliers)
E-mail
Newsletter
Website
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Social Media
Presentation delivered
Webinar
Blog
17: Go make a difference
Do what Student Affairs professionals do best, go make a difference on this campus by implement
programmatic improvements.