Report

Report Package: Report Assignment

Due: Sunday, Sept. 20, by 11:59 p.m.

Format and Length Requirements: Include a memo (or letter) of transmittal, title page, table of contents, list of illustrations (if applicable), executive summary, body of the report, and references. Use APA documentation style for in-text citations and the references page(s).

Use Times New Roman font face and 12 point font size. Use 1 inch margins and single space. Headings should be included in the body of the report.

3,000 words

In the Report Assignment, you’ll carry out the plan that you established in the Proposal Assignment. The purpose of the Report Assignment is to demonstrate your ability to prepare a formal researched report to a specific, professional audience, to conduct and evaluate research and incorporate it effectively, and to document the sources you use accurately.

Essentially, your goal in the report will be to explore the problem (background, context, etc.) and the solutions for the decision-maker(s) you’ve identified, offering a recommendation(s) for action.

The final version of the report will include front matter, the body of the report, and back matter.

Front Matter

Prior to the body of the report, you will need to include a memo or letter of transmittal, a title page, a table of contents, a list of illustrations (if you include illustrations), and an executive summary.  

Body of the Report

The body of the report should use a conventional structure and incorporate meaningful headings that reveal the structure of the report to the readers. (“Body” is not a meaningful heading.) While you should include sections for Introduction and Conclusions, the other sections that make up the body of the report will depend upon the specific focus of your work. Your outline in the Proposal may be useful, but you will most likely need to modify that outline as you complete research.  

A discussion of your methods (or search strategies) and a discussion of the problem/opportunity should be included in the report; such items can appear in the introduction or in the body of the report, depending on how much development is needed. 

A recommendation or recommendations for the next step your audience should take will most likely end the report.

Required Research : Research should be used throughout the discussion. Include at least 5 scholarly sources in the report and ensure that all other sources are authoritative in nature.

Interviews can be used as sources, but transcripts of the interviews must be provided as an appendix to the report (which will not count as part of the word requirement mentioned above).

The research should be incorporated into the text gracefully, meaning, in part, that summary should be preferred to direct quotation.  Summary and paraphrase require citation in text. 

Graphics or Visual Aids: I do encourage you to use visual aids in the report if illustrations or graphics would be useful in helping your readers understand the topic, your analysis, your conclusions, or your recommendations. Graphics are not required.  When used, they must add to the content and persuasiveness of the report.