Short research report

· Define and explain your topic.

· Describe the organizational problem.

· Show why easier or less expensive solutions will not solve the problem.

· Present your solution impersonally.

· Show that the disadvantages of your solution are outweighed by advantages.

· Summarize the action you need.

· Ask for the action you want.

Introduction:

· Use the Direct Pattern

· Tell your audience why you are writing

· Define your subject

· Show the seriousness of the problem/issue

· Give a brief overview of what caused the problem

Problem:

· Give specifics of the problem

· Tell who/what is responsible in an unbiased way

· Tell who/what is negatively impacted by this problem

· Use statistics to show why the problem has worsened

· Use a fairly formal style, without contractions or slang

· Avoid the word you

· Include in the report all the definitions and documents needed to understand the recommendation

Solution:

· Provide solutions: policy changes, education, training, assessment, etc.

· Show how benefits outweigh costs

· Overcome counterarguments, the opposition

· Elimination of alternatives

· How difficult this is depends on how hard it would be to implement the action, how much opposition there will be to the recommendation, and how willing the organization is to accept recommendations from subordinates.

· Use source support (cite sources within text using MLA format)

Conclusion:

· Future looking-does not summarize what has already been said

· Show how the solution after implemented has a positive effect

· May show growth as an organization, team, individual motivation, profits, customer base, etc.