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How to write an Executive Summary

The summary should include the major details of your report, but it's important not to bore the reader with minutiae. Save the analysis, charts, numbers, and glowing reviews for the report itself. This is the time to grab your reader's attention and let the person know what it is you do and why he or she should read the rest of your business plan or proposal.

· An executive summary is NOT a descriptive list of the contents page.

· The purpose of an executive summary is to provide readers with an overview of the main insights gathered within the report, including relevant findings and conclusions.

· It should sum up the ‘essence’ of the entire report.

· It should be approximately one page in length, +/- one paragraph

· Most people write the executive summary once the entire report has been completed.

· Include in short, concise paragraph form

· The purpose of the report and brief background

· The key issues or main points, findings and conclusions (state what they were, not that they can be found in the report)

A typical structure:

· be written in language appropriate for the target audience

· consist of short, concise paragraphs

· begin with a summary

· be written in the same order as the main report

· only include material present in the main report

· make recommendations

· provide a justification

· have a conclusion

· be readable separately from the main report

· sometimes summarize more than one document

It is usually from 2-3 paragraphs but no more than one page. It is also written last after the whole report is complete. It usually contains a brief statement of the problem or proposal covered in the major document(s), background information, concise analysis and main conclusions. 

Please note the Executive Summary, Appendices and References are not included in word count.