Recommendation reports are texts that advise audiences about the best ways to solve a problem. Recommendation reports are a type of formal
report that is widely used across disciplines and professions. Subject Matter Experts aim to make recommendations based on the best available theory, research and practice.
Different disciplines and professions have different research methods for assessing
knowledge claims and defining knowledge. Thus, there is no one perfect way to write a recommendation report. As always, when composing—especially when you’re planning your report—it’s strategic to focus on your audience, rhetorical analysis, and rhetorical reasoning. At center,
keep the focus on what you want your audience to feel, think, and do. While writers, speakers, and knowledge workers . . . may choose a variety of ways to organize their reports, below are some fairly traditional sections to formal recommendations reports: - Letter of transmittal
- Cover
- Title page
- Executive Summary (may also be called Abstract)
- In 200 words or less summarize the gist of your Recommendation Report. Have about one or two sentences for each major section of the report.
- Introduction to the problem
- Potential solutions
to the problem
- Empirical Research Methods used to investigate the problem
- Results*
- Recommendations
- Table of Contents
- List of Illustrations
Report BodyNote: your specific rhetorical context will determine what headings you use in your Recommendation Report. That said, the following sections are fairly typical for this genre, and they are required, as appropriate, for this assignment.
Section
| Answers the question
| Notes
| Purpose
| What is the purpose of this piece of communication?
| Succinctly explain the purpose of this document, not the purpose of the project.
| Organizational Summary
| What content is included in the memo? Key Terms.
| Provide a brief overview of the report’s main sections for readers who may only read the summary. Are there any key terms or concepts that the audience may need defined?
| Introduction
| What problem(s) does the report address? What is the context?
| Be interesting. Introduce the problem definition. (You may use boilerplate from the Client Proposal and Progress Report) Provide all of the background and rationale for pursuing this study. [Here you may repeat some language from both the letter of transmittal and the Executive Summary.] Engage in
Rhetorical Reasoning: Provide the background information your reader needs to understand the problem, stakeholders, and potential solutions Appeal, if appropriate, to the benefits for the audience
| Research Methods* If your team used empirical methods, your report needs a Results section.
| 1. What textual research or empirical research was done? How? Why?
| Here your aim is to define the research methods you employed. Use task orientation: Describe the exact tasks you performed and the rationale for each task. What roles were assigned: Project Manager, Analysis & User Research, Interface Analysis, Deliverables Specialist? Include a Gantt Chart to identify the work actually conducted as opposed to what was originally planned. Demonstrate to the reader that you followed the plan outlined in the research proposal. If
you made deviations, identify why.
| Results (for empirical contributions to knowledge)
| What did you find out from your research?
| The Results section is the writing space reserved for reporting discoveries. This space is reserved for investigators who are employing empirical methods. If you did not use empirical methods, you do not need this section. Note: A Results section is not equivalent to a review of literature section.
| Scope or Limitations of the Study (optional)
| What are the shortcomings of this study? Did anything go wrong?
| Optional section. Include if you encountered any problems that might limit your recommendations
| Conclusions (for empirical contributions to knowledge)
| What do your results mean?
| Your research won’t “speak for itself” to the client. You have to tell the client what your results mean. Draw conclusions and implications based on what you have learned. Explain the relationships between pieces of data/information. Describe trends. If there are anomalies, explain what seems wrong or different from what was expected.
| Recommendations
| What recommendations can you offer based on your conclusions?
| Tells the reader what steps, measures, actions they should take in light of the conclusions you have reached. Substantiate the value of your recommendations by grounding them in textual research and empirical research. Explain
how the recommendations might be implemented. Explores how implementing the proposed recommendations benefits the audience.
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Report back matterCollect material for the appendices as you go. The report back matter will include: - Bibliography, which is sometimes referred to as Works Cited or References (Use a citation format appropriate for your field (APA, MLA, Chicago, IEEE, etc.)
- Appendices, if necessary (e.g., letters of support, financial projections)
Employ
a professional writing style throughout, including: - Page layout: Appropriate to audience, purpose, and context. 8.5 x 11 with 1-inch margins is a fail-safe default.
- Typography: Choose business-friendly fonts appropriate to your audience, purpose, and context; Arial for headers and Times New Roman for body text is a safe,
neutral default.
- Headings and subheadings: Use a numbered heading and subheading system, formatted using the Styles function on your word processor.
- Bulleted and numbered lists: Use lists that are formatted correctly using the list buttons on your word processor with a blank line before the first bullet and after the last bullet
- Graphics and figures: Support data findings and arguments with appropriate visuals – charts,
tables, graphics; Include numbered titles and captions
- Page numbering: use lower-case Roman numerals for pages before the table of contents, Arabic numerals; no page number on the TOC.
Additional Resources- Final Reports by Angela Eward-Mangione and
Katherine McGee
- Professional Writing Style
- Recommendation Reports
What is the recommendations section of a report?
Report recommendations. Recommendations are often included with a report's conclusion, although they serve different purposes. Whereas a conclusion offers you the opportunity to summarize or review your report's main ideas, recommendations suggest actions to be taken in response to the findings of a report.
What is the purpose of a recommendation section in a report?
A recommendation report is written to propose or recommend the options available to solve a problem or fill a need. The goal of the report is to compare options, recommend one option, and support that recommendation. While cost is always a consideration, there are other considerations as well.
How do you add recommendations to a report?
Put recommendations in a numbered or bulleted list format. If action is imperative, list them in order of priority so that decision makers know which items need attention first. If recommendations are of equal importance, list them in the same order that they occurred in the body of the report.
What are the parts of recommendation?
Components of a Recommendation Letter. A paragraph or sentence that explains how you know this person and the duration of your relationship with them.. An evaluation of the person and their skills/accomplishments. ... . A summary that explains why you would recommend this person and to what degree you would recommend them..
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