The Recommendation Report is the longest and most complex document in the course. To meet the expectations of the project, your group needs to do the following:

• Choose a website to analyze that meets the requirements outlined on the Recommendation Report Overview page.
• Conduct secondary research to find information on website design and usability in books, articles, and webpages. Resources that discuss writing for online sites will also be useful.
• Plan and conduct primary research on your chosen website, testing every page consistently and accurately for readability and accessibility.
• Write a formal recommendation report that meets the criteria explained in the next section.

Recommendation Report Criteria

Length

10–15 single-spaced pages, including images, appendices, and appropriate formatting. There is not a minimum or maximum page length, but be sure to include all of the required information and sections.

Criteria

Our group’s recommendation report . . .

• Is a document in report format created in a word processor.
• Focuses on a website that meets the criteria on the requirements outlined on the Recommendation Report Overview page.
• Includes five to six items in the front matter of the report, which meet these criteria:
  • It includes the following items, in this order:
    • letter of transmittal
    • title page with a specific title
    • abstract
    • detailed table of contents
    • list of figures and tables
    • executive summary
  • The letter of transmittal meets the following characteristics:
    • The transmittal message is either in letter format or in memo format.
      • If it is in letter format, it includes a return address and date, an inside address, a salutation that greets a specific person, and a signature block.
      • If it is in memo format, it includes the document title “Memo” and all memo headers (To:, From: Subject: and Date). If it is in memo format, it uses a clear and specific subject line, and it does not include elements of other kinds of correspondence (such as an opening greeting like “Dear” or closing block like “Yours truly” and a signature).
    • The content of the message focuses on the big picture so that the reader has all the basic information needed to determine whether to read the full report.
  • The title page includes a specific title, information on whom the report has been prepared for and on who has prepared the report. The report title clearly indicates the subject and scope of our group’s report.
  • The abstract summarizes the Recommendation Report, in approximately 200 words or less. It addresses readers who are familiar with the technical subject involved in the report.
  • The table of contents includes all section headings and subheadings from the front matter, body, and back matter. It includes page numbers for each item.
  • A list of figures and tables is included if there are more than three figures and/or tables included in the report. It includes the specific name of each figure and table and the page that each appears on.
  • The executive summary summarizes the background, findings, implications, and recommendations of our report for management, giving readers the details they will need to implement the report’s recommendations.
• Includes a well-developed report body, which meets these criteria:
  • It includes the following five sections, in this order:
    • introduction
    • methods
    • results
    • conclusions
    • recommendations
  • The introduction provides an overview of the report that follows. It contains context, background, and a forecast of the conclusions and recommendations.
  • The methods section explains how the group conducted our research. It explains exactly what we did to gather the information in the report. The methods section does not discuss what we found out.
  • The results section describes what we found when we conducted research.
  • The conclusions section tells readers what our research data means. It discusses the implications of our findings and explains how our interpretation influences how to proceed. It makes clear connections to the research findings to support our conclusions.
  • The recommendations section tells readers what they should do. This section discusses the options that our research and conclusions suggest and explain how the readers should proceed as a result.
• Includes back matter sections, which meet these criteria:
  • It includes the following items, in this order:
    • references/documentation
    • appendices, including items such as raw data that was gathered, survey questions and any other relevant materials
  • The references or documentation includes citations for all sources used in the report, using a consistent bibliographic format.
  • The appendices each begin on a new page and include a specific title in addition to the appendix label. The labels use alphabet letters (e.g., Appendix A, Appendix B). If there is only one appendix, the alphabet letter is not included.
• Uses professional design and formatting that does the following:
  • Makes a good first impression as a polished, professional document.
  • Includes page numbers.
  • Uses headings and other text features to make information easy for readers to find and read.
  • Uses well-integrated and well-designed visuals to clarify the information.
• Is an original project, written by your group, not copied or rephrased from another source. If your group copies another source, I will mark your report Incomplete.