Your final report will be a recommendation report and will offer recommendations to solve a real problem. You identified a problem (or possibly an opportunity that is not being taken advantage of) in your proposal assignment. Your final assignment is to write a 6 – 8 page recommendation report (not including the table of contents etc.) providing information on what you have learned in your research and giving your conclusions and recommendations to your boss, so that he/she can make decisions based on the information you are providing.
Describe the problem Identify and carefully explain each part/component of the problem so that the audience fully understands the overall problem (or opportunity) and its underlying causes. If your audience accepts your explanation/analysis of the problem, it will be much more willing to consider your recommendations.
Provide evidence
This recommendation report includes secondary research, draws conclusions based on your research, and offers logical recommendations to solve the problem. Your report will follow the format listed below. Be sure to describe, explain and support with evidence your recommendations so that your audience can see how each component of the problem will be solved by your recommendations. Throughout the report, establish your credibility with appropriate evidence.
Target your arguments and evidence to the audience Direct your report to a specific, real audience and assume you work for the company, are a member of the organization, or are an outside consultant. While you will not be required to actually present your report to your audience, you want a product that you would be able to use if you wanted to. Do NOT pick a topic for a large multinational or a topic that would be very costly. You will lose marks if you do not pick an audience who would listen to you and consider your recommendations. See comments on this in the Assignment #2 description.
Follow the requirements of the report
Your report should contain a minimum of three visuals and be 3000 – 4000 words long. This minimum does not include the title page, letter or memo of transmittal, table of contents, executive summary or references page. Use in-text citations following APA documentation style. Document and “frame” all paraphrased and quoted materials using signal phrases as appropriate. Make sure you put direct quotations in quotation marks. Cite at least six sources in your report and list them in a references page. Your research must include at least four scholarly or professional peer-reviewed sources e.g. books or journal articles.
Assignment criteria and format
• 3000 – 4000 words • Three visuals • Six credible sources (at least four must be sources from academic peer reviewed or professional publications) • Letter or memo format
Title page – Includes the title of the report; the name, title, and organization of the individual receiving the report; the writer’s name, title, and organization; and date submitted
Letter or memo of transmittal – Gives a broad overview of the research, highlights the findings and recommendations, and may acknowledge help from others
Table of contents – Is easy-to-read; includes proper primary and secondary headings that match the headings in the report
Executive summary – Includes the purpose, research methods, conclusions, and parallel recommendations
Introduction – Includes background information to explain the problem or need; previews the structure of the report
Body of report
• presents the findings of the research using an appropriate organizational plan with logical and parallel headings; • uses proper APA documentation with appropriate and accurate paraphrasing and summarizing; • cites six credible and respected sources with at least four of these from scholarly peerreviewed journals and/or professional publications; • includes at least three visuals (at least two different types e.g. table, bar chart, line chart, picture etc.)
Conclusions – Form logical conclusions based on the research; tells what the findings mean
Recommendations – Applies the conclusions to the original problem or need of the specific organization to develop useful, logical recommendations; uses parallelism
References Page – Uses the proper APA format; all references cited in the text must be on this page and all references cited on this page must be cited in the text.