Recommendation Reports

1. ENGL312 Professor Howell Recommendation Reports

2. Contents • What is a Recommendation Report? • Writing Tips • Sections of a Recommendation Report • Front Matter • Body • Design Tips • Back Matter • Proofreading Tips

3. What is a Recommendation Report? • Analyze a problem, identify all feasible solutions, and then recommend the best solution(s) • Present (primary and secondary) data, and show how that data supports your solution(s)

4. Tips for Writing a Formal ReportFrom 21st-Century Business Writing • Things to avoid: • Redundant expressions • Long-winded expressions • Passive Voice • Out-dated expressions • Un-speakable Prose • Commas and Complex Sentences • Overly-apologetic or overly-aggressive language

5. Tips for Writing a Formal ReportFrom 21st-Century Business Writing • Things to do well • Write naturally and sincerely Using overly-formal language is wordy and uncomfortable • Instead of “I have pleasure in informing you…” • Say “I am pleased to tell you…” • Be courteous and considerate Show empathy without sounding old-fashioned • Understand and respect the recipient’s point of view • Reply promptly to all messages • Use appropriate tone Tone reflects your professional character, so avoid offence • Instead of “This problem would not have happened if you had connected the wires properly.” • Say “The problem may be resolved by connecting the wires as shown in the handbook.”

6. Tips for Writing a Formal ReportFrom 21st-Century Business Writing • Things to do well • Use simple words and short sentences Your audience has a lot to read, so get to the point • Instead of “commence” or “endeavor” • Say “start” or “try” • Instead of “at the present moment in time” • Say “now” • Use modern language Old language may sound courteous, but it’s often confusing • Instead of “Enclosed herewith” or “Please find attached” • Say “I enclose” or “I am attaching” • Use active voice not passive voice Passive voice delays information, adds unnecessary words, and makes sentences less-lively • Instead of “pedestrians were observed by our team” • Say “Our team observed pedestrians”

7. Tips for Writing a Formal ReportFrom 21st-Century Business Writing • Things to do well • Avoid using nouns in place of verbs Like the passive voice, excessive nominalizations make writing dull • Instead of “The accountant has no expectation that…” • Say “The accountant does not expect that…” • Use positive language Positive language improves your ethos • Instead of “UD’s bureaucracy made it very difficult to gather info…” • Say “UD’s administrative structure presented unique challenges for gathering information…” • Be consistent Consistency shows high standards and organized work environment • Instead of “Our team observed 5 pedestrians, one bicyclist, and 3 skateboarders use the pedestrian bridge between one and 5pm.” • Say “Our team observed 5 pedestrians, 1 bicyclist, and 3 skateboarders use the pedestrian bridge between 1p.m. and 5p.m..”

8. Sections of a Recommendation Report • Front Matter • Reference material • Precedes the introduction and body of the text • Body • The text of the formal recommendation report • Divided into sections with headings and subheadings • Back Matter • Additional reference material • Bibliography or works cited

9. Sections of a Recommendation Report • Front Matter • Letter/Memo of Transmittal • Cover • Title Page • Abstract/Executive Summary • Table of Contents • List of Illustrations, Tables and/or Figures • List of Abbreviations

10. Front Matter: Transmittal Letter • Explains the purpose and content of the report • Precedes the title page • Acknowledges those who helped with the Report (if any) • Discuss any challenges or opportunities encountered because of the report • Highlights areas of the report that are noteworthy or significant

12. Front Matter: Cover • Designed to protect the contents of the report • Contains the following text • Abbreviated Title • Company Logo • Submission Date

13. Front Matter: Title Page • Contains the following text: • Full Title • Author(s) • Intended Recipients • Submission Date • Title page should have a lot of white space • Text is usually center-aligned and no larger than 20 point font

15. Front Matter: Abstract/Executive Summary • Introduces the problem/topic to the reader • Purpose • Methodology • Scope • Results • Recommendation(s) • Conclusion(s) • Allows readers to decide whether they need to read the entire report • Provides the reader with just enough information to make an informed decision • Brief (250-500 words)

17. Front Matter: Table of Contents • List of the Headings and Sub-headings with respective page numbers • Acts as a Finding Aid • Directs readers to relevant sections of the report • Outlines the organization of the report

18. Contents text should match section headings in body of the report

19. Front Matter: List of Illustrations/Tables • Illustrations with respective page numbers • Title of Illustration • Source • Date • This section may include any number of lists, including but not limited to lists of • Illustrations • Tables • Figures • Images • Maps

20. Figures numbered with corresponding titles and pages

21. Front Matter: List of Abbreviations • Abbreviations should follow a standard format (i.e., use pre-existing abbreviations before introducing your own) • Organized alphabetically • Will help your readers understand jargon used throughout the report • Allows the author(s) to avoid repetitive and long-winded jargon

22. Acronyms and Abbreviations make technical reports easier to read For the first mention, use the full name followed by the abbreviation in parentheses.

23. Sections of a Recommendation Report • Body • Introduction • Methodology and Limitations • Results • Recommendation(s) • Conclusion(s)

24. Body: Introduction • Discuss the subject and purpose of the report, which should include a vivid description of the problem and its significance • Outline for the reader the organization and scope of the following report • While an introduction may make reference to the recommendation(s) and conclusion(s) of the report, it should not describe then in onerous detail • Strategies • Persuasion: highlight the consequences of leaving the problem un-addressed • What are the benefits?

26. Body: Methodology and Limitations • Methodology: How did you conduct your research? • Explain in detail how you conducted primary research (what did you do? and how did you do it?) • Summarize important secondary research and how any results contributed to your study • Give enough info that your readers could replicate your approach. • Limitations: What does your data fail to show/address? • Discuss the limitations of your research • Provide a brief justification of your research (why is your approach sound?)

27. What did you measure? How did you measure it? Why? Provide proof that your methodology was designed to obtain this data.

28. A specific limitation How did you compensate? How does this limitation impact the study?

29. Body: Results • Explain the data from your research • Report major findings/results from each research method, including all primary and secondary research • Use visuals (tables, figures, maps) to display your most significant findings • Must be objective: • Do not interpret the data or make any recommendations • Your readers need to be able to differentiate between the raw data and how that data is interpreted • This section will (most likely) constitute the longest portion of this document

31. Combined use of body text and visual aids shows more information using fewer words; should be organized so as to convey a seamless reading experience.

32. Body: Recommendation(s) • Interpret your data • State your overall recommendation(s) as supported by your major research findings/results • The recommendation(s) should constitute any action(s) to be taken by the recipients of the report • Place a strong emphasis on the overall benefits of implementing the recommendation(s)

33. What’s the big picture? What are the consequences of inaction? Summarize the recommendations Provide detailed descriptions of your recommendations

34. Body: Conclusion(s) • Briefly summarize the purpose, results, and recommendations of the study • Go on to address and further areas of study or challenges to be addressed before the recommendations can be implemented. • All conclusions should be drawn from data discussed in the report (i.e., do not draw conclusions from data not discussed in the report) • Does not include • Tables, Figures, or Illustrations • References or Appendices • Any new information

35. Principles of Designfrom Technical Communication Today • Balance • Alignment • Grouping • Consistency • Contrast

36. Principles of Designfrom Technical Communication Today • Balance • Weight on Page and Screen: “…some items on a page or screen attract readers’ eyes more than others—these features have more weight” (483). • Graphics and Illustrations have more weight than text • Colored items weight more than black-and-white items • Items on the right side of the page weigh more than items on the left • Items on the top of the page weigh more than items on the bottom • Big items weigh more than small items • Items with borders around them weigh more than those without borders

38. Principles of Designfrom Technical Communication Today • Alignment • Alignment as a Reading Aid: “Alignment takes advantage of readers’ natural tendency to search out visual relationships among items on a page. If a picture…is aligned with a block of text on a page, readers will naturally assume that they go together” (492). • “In technical documents, items are usually aligned on the left side…you should use centering only for titles, because it causes alignment problems in the text” (493).

39. Different levels of text should be signaled by changes in alignment. Notice that the bullet points are aligned uniformly across the page.

40. Principles of Designfrom Technical Communication Today • Grouping • Units of information: “The principle of grouping means that items on a page that are near each other will be seen as one unit. Grouping allows you to break up the information on a page by dividing the text into scannable blocks” (494). • Use headings to break up the document. • Headings should follow consistent patterns of phrasing/wording

41. Heading 1 Heading 2 Heading 3 Use Consistent Headings Heading 4 Heading 5

42. Principles of Designfrom Technical Communication Today • Consistency • “Consistency is important because it creates a sense of order in a document while limiting the amount of clutter. A consistent page design will help your readers access information quickly, because each page is similar and predictable” (500). • Headings should be predictable • Pages should follow the same grid • Lists should use consistent bulleting or numbering schemes • Page numbers should appear in the same place each page • Try to avoid using more than two typefaces • Serif fonts are more formal, best for body text • Sans Serif fonts are more informal, best for headings, footers, captions, and titles.

43. Consistency is everywhere! Notice that UD’s Strategic Plan uses consistent… Primary Headings Pull Quotes Tertiary Headings Block Quotes Footers and Page Numbers

44. Principles of Designfrom Technical Communication Today • Contrast • Dynamic Documents: “Contrast makes items look distinct and different, adding energy and sharpening boundaries among the features on the page or screen” (505). • Add shading or background color • Highlight text using CAPS, small caps, boldface, italics, underlining, or Color!

46. Sections of a Recommendation Report • Back Matter • Appendix/Appendices • Glossary • Bibliography/Reference List • Index

47. Back Matter: Appendix/Appendices • Additional materials that are useful but not essential to understanding the body of the report • Detailed results of surveys/polls/questionnaires • Transcripts of interviews • Any planning documents drawn up for the report • Notes taken during any observations/experiments/tests

48. Explain why the extra material is relevant to the report Provide information that is too detailed for the body of the report

49. Back Matter: Glossary • Alphabetical listing of key terms in the report. Each entry should include: • A definition given in a complete sentence • Appropriate citation for that definition • May include a reference to the term from the body text

50. Entries bolded: do not bullet point glossary terms