18 Writing Recommendation Reports

Printed Page 468-469

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Understanding the Role of Recommendation Reports

Using a Problem-Solving Model for Preparing Recommendation Reports

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

• ETHICS NOTE: Presenting Honest Recommendations

Writing Recommendation Reports

WRITING THE BODY OF THE REPORT

• GUIDELINES: Writing Recommendations

WRITING THE FRONT MATTER

• TECH TIP: How To Format Headers, Footers, and Page Numbers

• TECH TIP: How To Create a Table of Contents

• GUIDELINES: Writing an Executive Summary

WRITING THE BACK MATTER

• DOCUMENT ANALYSIS ACTIVITY: Analyzing an Executive Summary

• DOCUMENT ANALYSIS ACTIVITY: Influenza 2010–2011: ACIP Vaccination Recommendations and image

Sample Recommendation Report

WRITER’S CHECKLIST

EXERCISES

CASE 18: Analyzing Decision Matrices and image

Chapter 17 discussed informational reports: those in which the writer’s main purpose is to present information. This chapter discusses recommendation reports. A recommendation report also presents information but goes one step further by offering suggestions about what the readers ought to do next.

Here are examples of the kinds of questions a recommendation report might address:

  • What should we do about Problem X? What should we do about the increased cost of copper, which we use in manufacturing our line of electronic components?
  • Should we do Function X? Although we cannot afford to pay tuition for all college courses our employees wish to take, can we reimburse them for classes directly related to their work?
  • Should we use Technology A or Technology B to do Function X? Should we continue to supply our employees with laptops, or should we switch to tablets?
  • We currently use Method A to do Function X. Should we be using Method B? We sort our bar-coded mail by hand; should we buy an automatic sorter?

Each of these questions can lead to a wide variety of recommendations, ranging from “do nothing” to “study this some more” to “take the following actions immediately.”