The Recommendation Report is the culmination of all the projects completed in the course. To meet the expectations of the project you will need to do the following:
- Choose a local website to analyze, following the instructions on the Recommendation Report Website Requirements page and using the Recommendation Report Website Examples for reference.
- 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, following clear instructions to test every page consistently and accuately..
- Write a formal recommendation report that meets the criteria explained in the next section.
Recommendation Report Criteria
Length
With examples, graphics, and appropriate formatting, your report will likely be15–18 single-spaced pages. There is not a minimum or maximum page length, but be sure to include all of the required information.
Criteria
My recommendation report . . .
Check the Textbook
Use this information from Technical Communication to shape your document:
- Focus on Process: Recommendation Reports, on page 487.
- A Problem-Solving Model for Recommendation Reports, Figure 18.1, on page 488.
- Ethics Note: Presenting Honest Recommendations, on page 491.
- Elements of a Typical Report, Table 18.1, on page 492.
- Guidelines: Writing Recommendations, on page 494.
- Tech Tip: Why to Make a Long Report Navigable and How to Make a Long Report Navigable, on page 498.
- Guidelines: Writing an Executive Summary, on page 500.
- Writer’s Checklist, on page 528–529.
- Sample Report, Figure 18.8, on pages 504–527.
- Is a document in report format created in a word processor.
- Focuses on a website that meets the criteria on the Recommendation Report Website Requirements page.
- Addresses ethical issues related to the analysis and recommendation for the website.
- Includes the following sections, in this order, in the report:
- Front matter
- letter of transmittal (p. 495)
- title page with a specific title (p. 495)
- abstract (pp. 495–496)
- detailed table of contents (p. 496–497)
- list of illustrations (p. 497–499)—Optional, include if relevant
- executive summary (p. 499–500)
- Body
- introduction (p. 493)
- methods (p. 493)
- results (p. 493–494)
- conclusions (p. 494)
- recommendations (p. 494)
- Back matter
- references/documentation (p. 502–503)
- appendices, including the instructions for primary research, and any other relevant materials (p. 503)
- Uses professional design and formatting that does the following:
- Makes information easy for readers to find and read.
- Emphasizes important information.
- Makes a good first impression as a polished, professional document.
- Uses well-integrated and well-designed visuals to clarify the information.
- Is an original project, written by you, not copied or rephrased from another source. If you copy or rephrase from another source, your work will be rejected.