Writing the Executive Summary for Research Reports SBS220 Business Writing 2018 L. Czirjak * What is an Executive Summary?Your job!!!One of the most important reports you will write in the “real world”Written for key executives who don’t have time to read the full report/listen to the full presentation Condensed version of the report“Greatest hits” or highlightsWritten after the report is completedLength is anywhere from one paragraph to two pages Depends on the breadth of the reportMay be your only chance for impact What is an Executive Summary? Elements Included in the Executive SummaryWhy summary is written What aspects of an issue/problem/ situation were consideredWhat the outcome is What should be done Tone for Business ReportsRule of thumb: keep it formal Audience expectation of a reportComplex or controversial informationMay be sent outside or to other parts of the organization Exceptions? Less formal tone?If you know your audience wellResults will likely meet with approvalAudience requirementIf you are not sure, err on the side of formal Executive Summary Structure Objective of the report Methodology to gather info Major results Conclusions Recommendations for action Objective of the ReportWhat is the purpose of the report?What was the client trying to understand?What problems are trying to be addressed? 2. MethodologyHow was any research conducted? Primary? Secondary?Other sources - where did the data come from? Time periods included?What topics were covered? 3. Major ResultsEmphasis on the word “major”Remember: it’s the “greatest hits”Do not write about all of the details in the research/only the most important Use phrases like: Most importantlyMost significantly 4. ConclusionsWhat are the conclusions?Should be fact based and unbiased No opinion/no judgements 5. Recommendations What actions should be taken based upon the results and conclusionsUse action verbs EXAMPLE Executive Summary This is a RESEARCH BASED EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (Not exactly what you are doing for homework but will still be helpful) Spring 2017 CLIENT: Roche Bros. TIPS FOR YOU Tips on Writing an Executive Summary STEP 1: Create an outline For every major point you want to make, create several support points that are backed up by hard data/statistics. Support Point #1 Evidence/details/#’s (in order of priority) Evidence/details/#’s Support Point #2 Evidence/details/#’s Evidence/details/#’s Support Point #3 (if needed) Evidence/details/#’s Evidence/details/#’s EXAMPLE ONLY Your ideas may need more/less evidence than I show here. All this goes in your RESULTS section. Tips on Writing your Executive Summary STEP 1: Create an outline Include only the most important points STEP 2: Write using outline as your guide STEP 3: Tie “Conclusions” to the objectives of the summary STEP 4: Write “Recommendations” that h.

1. Writing the
Executive Summary
for Research Reports
SBS220 Business Writing
2018
L. Czirjak
*
What is an Executive Summary?Your job!!!One of the most
important reports you will write in the “real world”Written for
key executives who don’t have time to read the full report/listen
to the full presentation
Condensed version of the report“Greatest hits” or
highlightsWritten after the report is completedLength is
anywhere from one paragraph to two pages Depends on the
breadth of the reportMay be your only chance for impact
What is an Executive Summary?

2. Elements Included in the Executive SummaryWhy summary is
written What aspects of an issue/problem/ situation were
consideredWhat the outcome is What should be done
Tone for Business ReportsRule of thumb: keep it formal
Audience expectation of a reportComplex or controversial
informationMay be sent outside or to other parts of the
organization
Exceptions? Less formal tone?If you know your audience
wellResults will likely meet with approvalAudience
requirementIf you are not sure, err on the side of formal
Executive Summary Structure
Objective of the report
Methodology to gather info
Major results
Conclusions
Recommendations for action
Objective of the ReportWhat is the purpose of the report?What
was the client trying to understand?What problems are trying to
be addressed?

3. 2. MethodologyHow was any research conducted?
Primary? Secondary?Other sources - where did the data
come from? Time periods included?What topics were covered?
3. Major ResultsEmphasis on the word “major”Remember: it’s
the “greatest hits”Do not write about all of the details in the
research/only the most important Use phrases like: Most
importantlyMost significantly
4. ConclusionsWhat are the conclusions?Should be fact based
and unbiased
5. Recommendations What actions should be taken based upon
the results and conclusionsUse action verbs
EXAMPLE
Executive Summary
This is a
RESEARCH BASED
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
(Not exactly what you are doing for homework but will still be
helpful)

4. Spring 2017 CLIENT:
Roche Bros.
TIPS FOR YOU
Tips on Writing an
Executive Summary
STEP 1: Create an outline
For every major point you want to make, create several
support points that are backed up by hard data/statistics.
Support Point #1
Evidence/details/#’s (in order of priority)
Evidence/details/#’s
Support Point #2
Evidence/details/#’s
Evidence/details/#’s
Support Point #3 (if needed)

5. Evidence/details/#’s
Evidence/details/#’s
EXAMPLE ONLY
Your ideas may need more/less evidence than I show here.
All this goes in your
RESULTS section.
Tips on Writing your
Executive Summary
STEP 1: Create an outline
STEP 2: Write using outline as your guide
STEP 3: Tie “Conclusions” to the
objectives of the summary
STEP 4: Write “Recommendations”
that help address issues you
identified in “Major Results”
Tips on Writing your
Executive Summary
In the past/in an essay, you would have written your Major
Points in your Thesis Statement and then drilled down; each
Major Point would have had numerous support points with
evidence and examples throughout the body of your essay.
NOW…you are reversing your order…

6. You now start with your support points, each backed up by
examples/data, and they build to your CONCLUSION, which
are all your Major Points. (Do not include data in the
Conclusion).
Tips on Writing your
Executive Summary
Recommendations Section: Make them action orientedStart
with a verb if possible (but be consistent)Try using bullets if
you have more than one reco If a detailed explanation is
required, then maybe don’t use bulletsIf only one reco, don’t
use a bullet Recommend major action, not details
Traditional Outline versus Executive Summary
Traditional Outline
Major Point #1
Support Point #1
Evidence/details/#’s
Evidence/details/#
Support Point #2
Evidence/details/#’s
Evidence/details/#
Support Point #3
Evidence/details/#’s
Evidence/details/#
Major Point #2
and so on

7. *
Your Executive Summary
Based on the ABC Company and the pottery
info you already have from your
charts & graphs assignment,
write a full executive summary.
Limit = 1 page.
MUST follow format provided.
DUE 6/28 next class: Outline ONLY
ee outline sample earlier in this PPT
(not full sentences/typed/APA format with title page, etc.)
This prelim outline will be graded on:

8. content, presentation, grammar, vocabulary, & visible effort.
HINT: If you were asked to make a chart/graph,
Questions?
*
*
Executive Summary
Grading Rubric
COMMENTS/SUGGESTIONS
ORGANIZATION
Was the final summary in the correct format for an Executive
Summary? (based on PPT example and class discussion): APA
format, cover sheet, headers as appropriate, title, etc.
Delete ½ point
(or more)
GRAMMAR & STYLE
Were there any grammatical problems? Are the major points
clear enough?
Delete ½ point

9. (or more)
CONTENT Does the content correctly address the assignment?
Objective:
0 ½ 1
Methodology:
0 ½ 1
Results:
· Evidence based
· High level info that point to major results?
0 ½ 1
Conclusions:
· Accurate inferences based on the chosen results
0 ½ 1
Recommendations:
· Action oriented?
· Tangible/specific?
· Related to results and conclusions?
· No new info?
0 ½ 1
/50 = ______________%