I need first draft on Wednesday and the final report on Sunday.

Formal

Information Research Report

Topic: The use of cameras and other equipment for police accountability

· The first draft which includes executive summary.

What is an Executive Summary?

An executive summary previews the main points of an in-depth report. It is written for nontechnical people who don’t have time to read the actual report. The executive summary contains enough information for a reader to become familiar with what is discussed in the full report without having to read the whole report.

Key Parts of an Executive Summary: Components that need to be in an executive summary include:

· Purpose and scope of the report

· Research or methods used to develop content

· Conclusions reached, based on the analysis of the topic (recommendations too, if the report has them)

Steps in Writing an Executive Summary

· Write the summary AFTER you have completed the report.

· List the main points in the same order as they appear in the actual report

· Write simple declarative sentences for each main point (What’s a declarative sentence? Practice your skill at using Google)

· Add supporting sentences as needed

· Review summary to ensure it clearly conveys the main points of the report

Guidelines for the final report

FORMAL RESEARCH REPORT STYLE GUIDE

This guide is for business reports using a standard formal research report format in the structure of the document, and both in-text and reference-page citations using APA style format. Informal reports may or may not include all the prefatory pages or may include prefatory information on the first body pages rather than separate pages. The content and intent of a specific assignment may dictate some variations from this standard guide specified by the instructor. Please use the points in this guide as a check list.

Document 1. White 8.5 x 11-inch paper 2. Word processed and printed on one side only 3. Bound by paperclip, staple, coils, cerlox, or plastic spines as specified by the instructor 4. One-inch margins all sides

Prefatory Pages

5. Cover (optional), informal reports often have colorful or visually rich cover pages

6. Title Fly (optional page) contains only the title and possibly the subtitle a. centered both horizontally and vertically on the page b. 18 point type size c. sans serif font (such as Arial, Calibri, Franklin, Helvetica, Gill Sans, or Verdana) d. pick only one and use that font for all titles and subtitles throughout the document

7. Title Page has 4 blocks of type centered horizontally and evenly spaced vertically on the page a. Title block in 18 point sans serif type b. Author block in 14 point serif type c. Designated audience block in 14 point serif type d. Date block in 14 point serif type

8. Letter of Transmittal (or optional transmittal memo in an informal report): a. first numbered page in lower-case Roman numerals (title pages count but no page numbers appear on them) b. from the report author to the report recipient c. block format: flush left/ragged right, no indents d. 12 point serif font (such as Cambria, Times New Roman, Garamond, Baskerville, Bookman, or Century Schoolbook) e. again pick only one serif font to use for the text throughout the document f. single spaced and signed on the hard copy

9. Table of Contents includes all subsequent headings and subheadings

a. TABLE OF CONTENTS title should be centered 14 point sans serif b. report headers and footers begin on this page c. list of headings separated by period leader from the column of page numbers d. 12 point size serif font e. indenting and/or capitalization can indicate subordinate headings f. table is optional in an informal report less than 6 pages long

10. List of Figures includes the figure number and title of any tables, illustrations, and graphs a. with period leader and occurrence page numbers b. may be placed on the same page as the table of contents if there is room c. must match the style and tab settings of the table of contents d. list is optional in an informal report less than 6 pages long

11. Executive Summary contains a short summary of all significant points in the report a. title 14 point sans serif b. summary text 12 point serif c. includes purpose of report, findings, and conclusions d. a single page double or single spaced at the discretion of instructor e. restricted to 200 words (optional) at discretion of instructor f. the final page numbered in lower-case Roman numerals g. informal report option: a single paragraph before the introduction heading

Report Body

12.Headers and footers a. 10- or 9-point size sans serif font (same as titles and headers) b. includes report title and author’s name (optional section #) c. page numbers beginning with 1 in Arabic numerals

13. Appropriate section breaks with headings and subheadings a. major headings centered, all-capitalized, 14-point sans serif font b. may include introduction, findings, conclusions, recommendations headings c. subheadings upper-and-lower-case 14-point sans serif aligned left d. every paragraph does not need a heading

14. Short single-themed paragraphs: a. 12-point serif font (same as letter of transmittal & executive summary text) b. double spaced for marking purposes (real-world business reports would single space) c. 8 point extra spacing between paragraphs).

15. All figures (graphic, photo, statistical graph, table, or chart) a. must be labeled with a figure number above the figure b. must be titled (if it doesn’t come with a title, give it one) c. must have the APA source information underneath d. must have an introduction in the text prior to the occurrence of the figure

APA Documentation

16. Every paragraph containing summarized or paraphrased research must have at least one correctly formatted APA in-text citation a. (Author, year) author’s last name only, before the period or other punctuation b. if there is no known author, use the first two non-article words from the title of the work.

17. Every quotation must have a correctly formatted APA in-text citation including page number a. (Author, year, p. #) before the period or other punctuation b. Single-page online documents need a paragraph number (Author, year, par. #) before the period or other punctuation (you have to count them)

18. At least one in-text citation for each source listed on the reference page a. The last name of the author(s), must exactly match the alphabetical listing by author’s last name on the reference page b. The first two words of the title (not counting an article), must exactly match the alphabetical listing by work title on the reference page.

19. Any edit or alteration of quotes must be indicated in APA style a. by ellipses . . . for deleted words (space period space period space period space) b. or [square brackets] for substituted or inserted words.

20. For in-text citation building see Cites &

Sources

(Haig, MacMillan, & Raikes, 2010, p. 21).

Reference Page

21. New page (optional for informal reports)

22. REFERENCES title should be centered 14-point sans serif

23. References should be serif (like the report text) 12-point type single spaced.

24. A correctly formatted Reference Page must be in alphabetical order a. by first author’s last name b. or the first non-article word in the title of the work (not by A or The)

25. All citations must be formatted with hanging indents, so the key words stick out

26. 8-point line spacing may be added between references (optional)

27. APA syntax answers who, when, what, and where a. Author(s) by last name, and initial. (date, year first). Title of article. Book or periodical title. Volume # (issue #) page #. City: Publisher b. the name of the work comes first if there is no known author c. date is always second, if the date is not known use (n.d.). d. electronic source: Author(s) by last name, and initial. (date). Title of article. Periodical title. Volume # (issue #) page #. Retrieved when from what URL or Doi e. the URL is always last; an unidentified URL is not a citation

28. For reference citation building see Cites & Sources (Haig, MacMillan, & Raikes, 2010, p. 41).

Appendix

29. Appendix (optional) for large, full-page tables and diagrams, or other supplementary and background documents related to the report a. References to any appendices must be made in the text of the report b. All appendix items must be labeled, titled, and referenced like figures 30. Headers, footers, and page numbering continue to the end of the appendices

Report Writing is Back to Front

1. The first step in formulating a report is the research. a. Your research may include secondary sources such as annual reports, statistical reports, newspapers, magazine articles, textbooks, other related books, electronic books, film and audio clips, electronic journals, professional journals, industry journals, trade journals, web sites, or other electronic information. b. Primary research includes surveys and interviews. c. Information taken from the World Wide Web must be verifiable and from an authoritative source. Be particular about which Web sites you visit d. Please note that dictionaries and encyclopedias, including Wikipedia, are tertiary sources and may be used as background only, but do not constitute scholarly research. e. Personal forums and blogs are generally not considered to be authoritative sources. f. Be sure to record the web site address and the date you visited the site as you document your information using APA style reference-page citations.

2. The second step is the report writing, which must include short in-text APA citations that link directly to the fuller reference-page citations. 3. The prefatory pages are the last things written but the first in the final assembly of a report.

Appearance

· No printed report will be submitted, only an electronic MS Word document (no other file formats will be accepted)

· Use Letter size paper

· Use 12-point Arial or Times New Roman for the body (regular text)

· Use 14-point Arial, Times New Roman, or Verdana for headings

· Double space this document starting with the Executive Summary. This paper will end up being approximately 8-10 pages long including front and back matter.

· Set Top, Bottom, Left, and Right margins at 1”.

· Do not indent or justify paragraphs anywhere.

· Avoid using any MS Word report templates, as they are unacceptable for this assignment.

· Include a footer with the page numbers in the center. Use Roman numerals until the Executive Summary and Arabic digits for the body and Reference page. Section breaks will need to be inserted for these page numbers to work. There is no number on the title page but it does count as page one.

· Include a header following the sample in formatting. This header starts on the Table of Contents.

· Follow the sample for the Title Page formatting.

· Attach a Letter of Transmittal, Table of Contents, and Executive Summary in that order. (See sample report following the Formal Report

Style

Guide)

· Have an introduction section stating the purpose/defining the subject/providing sufficient background information/outlining methodology and sources used. (Refer to sample report)

· Have a report body exhibiting sufficient content (usually between 1,500 – 1,700 words) related to context as stated in the introduction/appropriate section and headings/a correctly labeled and sourced visual/other visual aid support e.g. charts and tables. (Refer to sample report)

· Include a summary reflecting the report’s main idea and exhibits a clear link between information/insights presented in the body, and the purpose stated in the introduction.

· NOTE: This is an information report, so no personal opinions are reflected. (Refer to sample report in the Formal Report Style Guide)

Style

· Use objective (third-person) style throughout the report (No “I” or “you”).

Sources

· In order to maintain credibility, it is important to obtain information from a variety of sources. Use information from a minimum of five different sources, including at least three library database sources. Sources must be current (no older than 2017) and could include books, magazines, internet sites, company literature, and conversations or correspondence with people from a business.

· Ensure the web sites used are either Canadian or American sites. Acceptable web sites include .edu, .org, .gov, .ca etc. Limit the use of site domains such as .com, .net, or .biz because these are commercial sites and information can be biased. It is best to balance these .com sites with sites from other locations. Pamphlets and corporate sites are to be used at a minimum. Do not use Wikipedia.

· Demonstrate the use of APA documentation style within the paper including direct quotes, summarizations, paraphrases, ellipses and brackets. Failing to do so results in possible plagiarism. NOTE: Research papers handed in without documentation (in-text citations and or References page) will receive a zero.

· Include at least one in-text citation per source to refer readers to the source of borrowed information, ideas, or data taken. List the detailed sources at the end of the report on a page entitled “References”. Failing to do so results in possible plagiarism.

· Upload a copy to of your report done in MS Word