Bullet Points v. Narrative Writing

[J Grant]

Would depend on the client, the information being narrated, and personal style.

If you force yourself to write very differently than what comes naturally, the results will be odd. Then again, reports are to benefit the reader, not the writer. Think of the reader, user of the appraisal...what will make the information more clear, easier to understand, and at the same time convey the scope of the information?

There might be sections where bullet points do this better, other sections where concise sentences convey the information better, and other sections of the narrative where lengthy description or explanation is needed.

 

[DMZwerg]

Would depend on the client, the information being narrated, and personal style.

If you force yourself to write very differently than what comes naturally, the results will be odd. Then again, reports are to benefit the reader, not the writer. Think of the reader, user of the appraisal...what will make the information more clear, easier to understand, and at the same time convey the scope of the information?

There might be sections where bullet points do this better, other sections where concise sentences convey the information better, and other sections of the narrative where lengthy description or explanation is needed.

I am agreeing entirely with J Grant.
I know, check outside to make certain birds haven't stopped in flight
and are hanging in midair. :laugh:

But seriously, she covered what I was going to try to say and much more eloquently. The bottom line is that, to most people, bullet points help sum things up in a very organized structure. They may be best utilized on an introductory or summary page of a multi-page narrative or to make certain things point blank clear when dealing with the blind, deaf and dumb.

 

[stefan olafson]

Working on a large number of reviews I tend towards the narrative format, I think it has to do quite a lot on how I was trained back in the stone age (1970's). Currently I am having difficulty with on appraiser who writes the bare minimum, no or virtually no narrative and no bullet points. In this case I'd take either to allow me, the reader, to understand how the opinion of value was arrived at, other than smoke and mirrors...

 

[David Mescon]

Generally speaking, I would agree with Terrel.

 

[Michael S]

A typical narrative report which runs to about 100-200 pages with addenda will have three or four sections with bullet points. I try to avoid having more than two or three paragraphs without some sort of break indicating a differection section or subsection. For instance the improvements analysis is broken down into about 10-15 subsections with a bold title for each one, i.e. parking, exterior walls, roof, fire protection, etc. In a summary report this might all be in a table with a brief description. I suppose it could all go in a series of paragraphs but I think it's better to break things up into meaningful chunks so the reader can more quickly identify the information.

 

[Mile High Trout]

An appraisal report is merely an essay in non-traditional form.

Without an outline, how can the reader scroll through to what they need from the reporting?

Each individual bulletpoint should be followed by a complete explanation paragraph.

Most people would rather just turn in the outline though. They were never any good at essays either, I'd bet.

 

[David Mescon]

An appraisal report is merely an essay in non-traditional form.

Without an outline, how can the reader scroll through to what they need from the reporting?

Each individual bulletpoint should be followed by a complete explanation paragraph.

Most people would rather just turn in the outline though. They were never any good at essays either, I'd bet.

Not really. An essay has a thesis, an antithesis and a rebuttal - appraisals don't.

 

[Mile High Trout]

Appraiser: Taken off guard - realizes truth of statement.

"Foiled again by superior literal intellectualism!"

"I'll get you one day Mescon!" (Fade away voice in distance.)

_

Scene End: Fade to black

_________________________

As true as that is, only your A students would know that anyways.

'Winging it' will produce the intended results, given the typical audience.

 

[Pittsburgh Pete]

Not really. An essay has a thesis, an antithesis and a rebuttal - appraisals don't.

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.

 

[David Mescon]

Appraiser: Taken off guard - realizes truth of statement.

"Foiled again by superior literal intellectualism!"

"I'll get you one day Mescon!" (Fade away voice in distance.)

_

Scene End: Fade to black

_________________________

As true as that is, only your A students would know that anyways.

'Winging it' will produce the intended results, given the typical audience.

You got me! I'll just slowly mosey along...