Project 3: Recommendation Report
Introduction:
Reports can come in many forms, from a two-page progress report memo letting your manager know of your progress on a larger project, to a 150-page report examining the causes of a problem in your company and making recommendations for solving that problem. In your professional life, you might have to write an expense report that catalogs your expenditures during a business trip or a feasibility report that presents your assessment as to whether your business should go forward with a proposed action (anything from buying a new microwave to opening a new storefront). Reports are often based on primary research you conduct yourself and on secondary research done by others. This research could include descriptions, results, surveys, market analysis, feasibility reporting, product research, and other sources. The data needed will depend on the type of report and the ultimate goal of the report’s audience. Reports typically perform three functions: inform, analyze, or recommend. Recommendation reports, specifically, compile information and analyze it in order to make a recommendation as to a course of action.
The Assignment:
For this project, you will write a recommendation report. One way to think of a recommendation report is that it identifies a problem and proposes a solution to that problem. It determines the neeeds of the audience, identifies criteria on which possible solutions will be compared, compares multiple solutions, and ultimately forwards one solution as the best option. The culmination of the recommendation report is the recommendation of a specific solution and a description of how to implement it. Since it will be difficult to find research on an imaginary situation, you must choose a real or possible problem or opportunity for you to focus on. You must select a real, knowable audience. Be sure that your topic/problem is of appropriate scope--you will be expected to write at least 5 single spaced "content" pages in addition to front and back matter.
Topic Selection Guidelines
- You must select a real, knowable problem. You must be able to document the existence of the problem.
- You must select a real, knowable audience. This audience must care about the problem (or be persuaded to care) and must have the power to implement a solution.
- You must know the audience's criteria for a solution (or likely criteria). You must use at least 3 criteria. For qualitative criteria, you must develop a system of measurement.
- You must compare at least 3 possible solutions. These solutions must be comperable to one another.
You must be able to research the solutions.
- 3 criteria / 3 solutions is minimum
Guidelines:
? Your report should contain the following sections (at minimum):
- Letter of Transmittal
- Cover/Title Page
- Executive Summary
- Report Body
- Introduction (purpose, scope, preview)
- Methods (provide criteria, describe research and analysis methods)
- Results (research)
- Conclusions (interpretation/articulation of research and/or summary of research)
- Recommendations (make recommendation(s), discuss implementation)
- conclusions and recommendations may be combined into one section
- Bibliography, in proper MLA or APA format
? You must use/cite at least 6 sources. These sources must be cited parenthetically in the text of the report and documented correctly in the Bibliography
? You must format the body if your paper according to the conventions (rules) of professional documents. This means your paper should be single spaced, in block paragraphs (space between paragraphs, no indentation), in 12 point Times New Roman font, and use headings, bullets, font sizes, and font styles (bold, etc.) as appropriate. Remember, professional documents should be usable and readable, so the use of headings and subheadings is particularly encouraged. Please use the tenants of good document design and the design and use of visuals.
Criteria for Assessment:
Project 3 will be assessed on the following:
- Adherence to all guidelines listed on this Project Outline
- Adherence to information discussed in class (even if you were absent)
- Inclusion of required and appropriate sections
- Demonstration of the tenants of good professional writing, including clarity and conciseness, emphasis on reader benefits and positive you attitude, and readability/usability
- Professionalism, including grammatical, mechanical, and stylistic correctness
- Inclusion of a proper MLA or APA in-text citations and documentation
- Evidence of good planning and writing, which means it
- Includes a clear purpose
- Is written toward a particular audience, with their needs in mind
- Adheres to the conventions (rules) of its genre
- Is organized logically
- Utilizes good professional style, including the use of headings as needed
Guidelines for project submission (including the submission of additional documents) and due dates will be discussed in class and posted on the Course Schedule.
Tentative Assessment Rubric >> link