Bullet Points v. Narrative Writing

[Terrel L. Shields]

are you saying you think all reports should be written in self-contained format

I do not advocate pointless verbiage. And like ASFMRA instructor, John Widdoss said, "I don't know what a self-contained report is or where it ends." But... I read the first below easier than the last.

Example #1:

The first level of the home has a foyer, kitchen, dining room, living room, family room, library, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a laundry area.

Example #2:

The first level of the home has the following rooms:

• Foyer
• Kitchen
• Dining Room
• Living Room
• Family Room
• Library
• Three Bedrooms
• Two Bathrooms
• Laundry Area
  

It's like windows. I want to see the DETAILS when in Explorer... Icons mean little to me - I am distracted by the icon.

Secondly, lists create "white space". I don't like white space. I see too many 100 page reports that could be condensed to 40. Save the trees. I used to read graduate thesis' for research and perhaps got used to pages of text like I read a book. Can you imagine reading a Tom Clancy novel with bullet lists?

My photos and maps go to the rear in an addendum. I see a lot of reports where the photo and location map is in the front...which is stylistically fine, but what does a typical non-fiction book do? Table of Contents, Foreward and Introduction, body of writing, afterward, glossary and/or index, and addendum. The old books with photos were bound in the middle with the photos there because that was easier to bind slick photo kaolinite paper with coarser text paper.

 

[David Mescon]

While it's been several decades since I taught English composition and technical writing at a junior college, a State college, and a private university, I must confess that I'm stumped by this one.

Not sure where you got the antithesis and rebuttal stuff.

That said, I approach an appraisal as if it were an argument and persuasion essay. The 'thesis' is "the property is worth $x because...." The balance of my 'essay' is the data and reasoning that supports the thesis.

My reports are a combo of narrative, bullet points, and charts/tables--whatever it takes to convince the reader that my thesis is correct. I try to be as concise and precise as possible while being reader friendly. Rule #1 in any writing is to "remember your audience." Heck, even USPAP addresses that issue with the emphasis on the intended user of the report. All reports are not the same relative to content and depth--that depends on the intended user/reader.

Persuasive, or argumentative essays do contain the elements I noted - look it up. There is disagreement about some of the other elements, but, at least conceptually, such essays, by definition, will always contain each of those three elements.

PP - please don't take it personally - when it comes to writing ability, I'm one of your staunchest supporters.

 

[Pittsburgh Pete]

Argument and persuasion essays often address the contradictory argument (I'm assuming that's what you meant by 'antithesis') and attempt to refute it (I'm assuming that's what you meant by 'rebuttal'). Once one eliminates the "argument" from the format, one is left with "persuasion." I try to make my reports as persuasive as possible--although any contradictory data is not ignored if it screams to be addressed.

As to Terrell's hating "white space," I hate pages and pages of paragraphs that I have to wade through to find the pertinent info. Summarized data in bullet points facilitates understanding--brevity is the soul of wit! Too many people write as if they are selling reports by the pound, including extraneous info that contributes little. We had a local appraiser who started his "Area" description with the French & Indian war--pages and pages of worthless description that added little to the bottom line of the report.

I now know that if I ever write a report for Terrell to take it easy on the bullet points and focus on narration only. Until then I'll stick with the well-placed bullet points that convey info efficiently, and that my clients appreciate. REMEMBER YOUR AUDIENCE!

 

[David Mescon]

REMEMBER YOUR AUDIENCE!

I would do well to heed your sage advice.

 

[Mile High Trout]

Important points though.

Some expressions of writing are better in certain form than others.

Appraising provides unique writing opportunities, because of the relationships caused by appraisal methodology alongside fact and reporting, are all tied into purpose and scope. The use of structural elements can be logically guided by the purpose of the report. One need not bulletpoint observational facts such as room counts or such, as that may bring unnecessary emphasis to a rudimentary observation. But bulletpointing topic points of potential discontent or areas in need of clarification would certainly help with reader digestion, for both the read it all, and the skim to the points type of readers.

The reconciliation is practically the thesis condensed and the addenda are really the outline and body, all tied up, and tied in with cross references to form.

Addenda points:
Bullet point entries
X
X
X

Comment on X(1) - written paragraph
Comment on X(2) - written paragraph
Comment on X(3) - written paragraph

 

[Joyce Potts]

The secrets to effective written communication (any communication, actually) are the following:

• Clear
• Concise
• Complete
• Correct
• Saves the reader's time
• Builds goodwill

Towards this goal, bullet points work quite well.

Kindly knock off your posts that I agree with.

 

[RSW]

Another secret of good communication:

• say what you are going to say
• say it
• say what you said

'Nuff said.

That's how I was taught to write a speach and term paper.

 

[Ken B]

Argument and persuasion essays often address the contradictory argument (I'm assuming that's what you meant by 'antithesis') and attempt to refute it (I'm assuming that's what you meant by 'rebuttal'). Once one eliminates the "argument" from the format, one is left with "persuasion." I try to make my reports as persuasive as possible--although any contradictory data is not ignored if it screams to be addressed.

As to Terrell's hating "white space," I hate pages and pages of paragraphs that I have to wade through to find the pertinent info. Summarized data in bullet points facilitates understanding--brevity is the soul of wit! Too many people write as if they are selling reports by the pound, including extraneous info that contributes little. We had a local appraiser who started his "Area" description with the French & Indian war--pages and pages of worthless description that added little to the bottom line of the report.

I now know that if I ever write a report for Terrell to take it easy on the bullet points and focus on narration only. Until then I'll stick with the well-placed bullet points that convey info efficiently, and that my clients appreciate. REMEMBER YOUR AUDIENCE!

I suppose that beats the appraisal I read which reported that the city was incorporated in 19XX and the first city hall was a small red brick building with five offices.

:new_Eyecrazy:

The subject was a run down mobile home park. That appraiser got a 5 figure fee for 3 pages of data and analysis. The report was almost 200 pages long. His resume consisted of 13 pages. The report was crappola. I was more perturbed by the garbage I had to wade through than the lack of valuation analysis that went into the report. I am sure that, if asked to support his opinion on the stand, his answer would be "I have been appraising for 60 years and its $XXXXX because I say so."

 

[Tim The Enchanter]

My keyboard doesn't have a bullet key.

I try to do short crisp sentences, parsed into neat paragraphs, each with a mental bite sized thought. No long run on sentences and paragraphs that go in and on and on and on for a whole page, until you foam at the mouth and fall over backwards. :new_all_coholic:

Sometimes a list is useful, but I see no need for bullets or threats of violence. :icon_lol:

 

[residentialguy]

Sometimes I feel like shooting the computor...would that be considered a bullet point?