Recommendation Reports

By Jennifer BowieFor Business Writing

What are Recommendation Reports?

Recommendation Reports:– Answer the question “What should we

choose”– Compare two or more choices– Present and interpret data– Draw conclusions– Make recommendations

What are the parts? Part 1

• Introduction/Overview: brief section (a paragraph or so) providing:– immediate orientation and overview of

the report– the background (short summary) – main point and purpose of report – summary of the findings and

recommendations

What are the parts? Parts 2 & 3

• Background: provides details about what lead to the report

• Requirements and Criteria: – Presents and discusses the

requirements of criteria you will use to evaluate your choices

– Discusses the relative importance of each criterion

What are the parts? Parts 4 & 5

• Discussion of the Options:– Presents the choices you will be evaluating – Explains how you choose these choices– Provides brief descriptions of the choices

• Comparison and Evaluation:– Begins with an explanation of your methods of inquiry– Evaluates the choices by applying the criteria, you

may choose to do this criteria by criteria or choice by choice (the former is recommended)

– Concludes each evaluation section with either• a summary of the evaluations (if doing a choice by

choice comparison) • a statement of the best choice (if if doing a criterion by

criterion comparison)

What are the parts? Parts 6 & 7

• Conclusions: Unlike other conclusion sections, this one will probably not be short– Summarizes and restates conclusions so far, starting

with the individual conclusions for each evaluation– Settles any conflicts by presenting secondary

conclusions, which balance out conflicting individual conclusions

– Presents and defends a final conclusion• Recommendations:

– Echoes the most important conclusions leading to the recommendation

– States the final recommendations – Includes the benefits of the recommendations and

any drawbacks

The End!