1. Cover page
- A professional, finished appearance
- Binders imprinted with name and logo
- A cut-out window or applied with an adhesive label
Cover page in MLA:
http://www.writinghelp-central.com/mla-sample1.html
Cover page in APA:
http://www.writinghelp-central.com/apa-sample1.html
2. Title page
- Begin with a name of the report
- Presented to whom or submitted to whom and the name, title and organization of the individual receiving the report
- Prepared by whom and author’s name(any necessary identification
- Date
Title page in APA: http://psychology.about.com/od/apastyle/ig/APA-Format-Examples/title-page.htm
Title page in MLA:
http://www.unk.edu/academics/ecampus.aspx?id=6682
3. Letter or memo of transmittal
- Announces the topic of the report and tells how it was authorized
- Briefly describes the project
- Highlights the report’s findings, conclusions, and recommendations
- Closes with appreciation for the assignment, instruction for the readers
4. Table of contents
- Show the headings in a report and their page numbers
- Do it after you completed the report.
- Short report--- include all headings
Long report---only first and second level headings
Tables and figures in APA:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/19/
Tables and figures in MLA：
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/14/
5. List of figures
- Same page as the table of contents
- Page number
Tables and figures in APA:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/19/
Tables and figures in MLA：
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/14/
6. Executive summary
- Do it when you finish the other parts of the formal report
- Key points
Important points including the purpose of report, the problem addressed, and the findings, conclusions, and recommendations - Look for strategic words and sentences
Pay attention to first and last sentences of paragraphs, which often contain summary statements. - Prepare an outline with headings
Include headings for the purpose, findings, and conclusions/recommendations. - Fill in your outline
You can cut and paste important parts of the text or create new sentences. - Begin with the purpose
Begin with a sentence like” The purpose of this report is to….” - Follow the report order
- Eliminate nonessential details
Include only main points - Control the length
10 percent of the original document
Additionnal information on how to make the difference between a good executive summary and a bad one:
http://unilearning.uow.edu.au/report/4bi1.html
7. Introduction
- Background
Describe events leading up to the problem or need.
Many report writers make the mistake of giving too much background. Include only the information needed to put the report in perspective. If explaining the reasons for the report, a total history is rarely needed. Focus on those conditions that have influenced the purpose and design of the report. If you do have to include a lot of material, you should probably have a separate section on background. - Problem or purpose
Explain the report topic and specify the problem or need that motivated the report. - Significance
Tell why the topic is important. You may wish to quote experts or cite newspapers, journals, books, and other secondary sources to establish the importance of the topic. - Scope
Here you define the topic precisely and reveal any assumptions you have made affecting the direction or boundaries of your investigation. If there are constraints or difficulties that limit the study in some way, say what they are. By doing so, you will help forestall criticisms that you didn’t cover the area properly. - Method
If your findings are based on a questionnaire or survey of some sort, outline the steps you took. Reports with a heavy scientific emphasis often include an explanation of the technical processes used in the investigation. The process of information-gathering is especially relevant when the data is “soft”—that is, open to dispute. Again, if the explanation is lengthy, consider putting it as a separate section.
8. Body(findings and discussion)
- Discuss, analyze, interpret, and evaluate the research findings or solution to the initial problem
- Show the evidence that justify your conclusions
- Contain clear headings that explain each major section.
- Headings may be functional or talking.
In choosing the best arrangement for findings, remember that the most effective order is the one that most easily leads the reader to the conclusions or recommendations. As with informal reports, you can arrange findings by category or topic, by geographic or chronological order, or by order of importance.
How many subsections should a report have? It’s a matter of judgment. Don’t have so many that the section is more like a long shopping list than a discussion. On the other hand, don’t have so few that there’s a thicket of information in each one.
9. Conclusions and/or Recommendation
- Tell what the findings mean
- Long report—summary of findings
- Evolve from the findings and conclusions
- No new information
- Require an appropriate introductory sentence
- Number them and phrase each as a command
- If there are several recommendations or conclusions, separate them in a list or in subsections.
10. Appendix
Tables, technical information, and other complicated or detailed supporting evidence are often put in appendices so that the reader can quickly cover essential information in the report itself.
11. Work cited, references, or bibliography
- The two most common methods of documentation are:
1. The American Psychological Association (APA) style
2. The Modern Language Association of America (MLA) style
Bibliography in MLA:
http://www.library.mun.ca/guides/howto/mla.php
Bibliography in APA:
http://www.wikihow.com/Write-an-APA-Style-Bibliography
Optional components for long formal reports :
http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:mqY7RB7lE3IJ:ulh.ans.hive.no/LONG-FORMAL-REPORTS.doc+business+formal+report+format&cd=74&hl=fr&ct=clnk&gl=ca
Further Reading:
Fictional report with commentaries
http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/modeldocs/pdf/formal_report.pdf
Diagram of the components
