Page 31 - Mini-Module 11

The Summary

This, you will note, comes at the beginning, although it is the last thing you
write! Some people call it the executive summary. About 200 words or less
should be sufficient to explain succinctly the purpose of the report, what
you discovered, the conclusions you reached and the key
recommendations. A well‐written summary can whet the appetite and
encourage the reader to look at more of the report.
If you have been asked to make recommendations, you should use this
opportunity to emphasise them. That way, they are going to be mentioned
three times in the report in varying forms, and that should reinforce the
message.
Devote some time and effort to writing your summary. As people who both
write and receive reports (notice we did not say 'read'), we feel it is
probably the most important part. If it is skillfully written, makes sense and
outlines some persuasive recommendations, we are more likely to be
influenced to treat the rest of the report seriously.

Summary

● Devote time to writing your summary.
● Write it in less than one page.
● Include the purpose, main findings, conclusions and
recommendations.

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