Executive Summary – No formal report is complete without an executive summary. The executive summary is a standalone section in a formal report that provides a capsule version of the report and is free of technical jargon. In some cases, a copy of an executive summary is circulated and filed separately from the formal report. Guidelines for the executive summary that you are to submit are as follows:
Format: No more than one page of text – double spaced, 12 point font, 1 inch margins. Use a paragraph format, but do not include individual headings and do not include lists. The best summaries create unity with a series of relatively short paragraphs that flow well together.
Preferably one, but no more than two pages of data, tables, figures (graphs), or photos, properly labeled with a Table or Figure number and properly referenced in the text. (While data, tables, figures, and photos are not typically included in an executive summary, including this information allows fo
r verification of your conclusions by the project instructor.)
Writing Style: Avoid technical jargon, but be technically sound. Include only that level of technical language that decision makers understand. The audience for this report is a business manager or executive, who is your client, not an engineer.
Content: Include only the following information:
1. A statement of the project goal – what did the client ask of you?
2. A brief scope of work – cite the overall tasks only, but do not include details of the method and procedure. This section is a brief narrative of what was done, but not the details of how it was done.
3. Summaries of key details and conclusions from the project work
4. The conclusions / findings and any recommendations. Were you able to meet the project goal? Were their difficulties and significant outcomes that the client should be aware of?
Ask yourself – “What would my readers really need to know if
they had only a minute or two to read?”