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Recommendation reports address four kinds of questions:

• What should we do about Problem X?• Should we do Function X?• Should we use Technology A or Technology B

to do Function X?• We currently use Method A to do Function X.

Should we be using Method B?

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Feasibility reportsanswer three kinds of questions:

• questions of possibility• questions of economic wisdom• questions of perception

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• Identify the problem or opportunity.

• Establish criteria for responding to the problem or opportunity.

• Determine the options.

• Study each option according to the criteria.

• Draw conclusions about each option.

• Formulate recommendations based on the conclusions.

Use a problem-solving methodwhen preparing a recommendation report:

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Use logic boxes to plot a series of options:

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Use a matrix tocompare and contrast options:

(1) Score = Weight x Rating

 Criteria and Weight

 

Options

Ricoh Xerox Sharp

Criterion Weight Rating Score(1) Rating Score(1) Rating Score(1)

Pages/min. 1 9 9 6 6 3 3

Duplex 3 1 3 3 9 10 30

Color 4 10 40 1 4 10 40

Total Score     52   19   73

Explain your decision matrix:

• Explain why you chose each criterion—or didn’t choose a criterion readers might have expected.

• Explain why you assigned a particular weight to each criterion.

• Explain why you assigned a particular rating to each option.

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You can present yourconclusions in one of three ways:

• Rank all the options.• Classify all the options in two categories:

acceptable and unacceptable.• Present a compound conclusion.

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Most recommendation reportshave three major sections:

• the body of the report• the front matter• the back matter

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A typical recommendation reporthas five body elements:

• introduction• methods• results• conclusions• recommendations

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An introduction typicallyanswers nine questions:

• What is the subject of the report?

• What is the purpose of the report?

• What is the background of the report?

• What are your sources of information?

• What is the scope of the report?

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An introduction typicallyanswers nine questions (cont.):

• What are the most significant findings?

• What are your recommendations?

• What is the organization of the report?

• What key terms are you using in the report?

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Address the following four questionswhen writing the body of your report:

• Methods. What did you do?• Results. What did you see?• Conclusions. What does it mean?• Recommendations. What should we do?

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Consider these four factorswhen writing your recommendations:

• content• tone• form• location

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A typical recommendation reportcontains seven elements in the front matter:

• letter of transmittal• cover• title page• abstract• table of contents• list of illustrations• executive summary

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Understand the difference betweena descriptive and an informative abstract:

• A descriptive abstract describes the kinds of information contained in the report.

• An informative abstract presents the major findings.

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Follow these five guidelineswhen writing an executive summary:

• Use specific evidence in describing the background.

• Be specific in describing the research.• Describe the methods briefly.• Describe the findings according to your

readers’ needs.• Ask an outside reader to review your draft.

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A typical recommendation reportincludes three elements in the back matter:

• glossary and list of symbols• references• appendixes