Formal Report Assignment
The purpose of this assignment is to give you practice in preparing a formal report — the kind you will encounter in the business world and in technical fields — for a real-world audience.
Scenario
Your group has prepared and presented its formal proposal to a decision-maker, and this person/group has approved the proposal. Your group's job is now to write a report to that same decision-maker. Use the topic you wrote about in your Formal Proposal Assignment, research the topic, and either
- analyze the feasibility of the proposed project or
- recommend a specific course of action.
Deliverables (2)
1) Report (Group Deliverable)
You will submit, as a group, a report consisting of a 6–10 page (not counting the front or back matter) single-spaced document, using block paragraph format. It will include the following major sections:
- Letter of transmittal
- Title page
- Executive summary
- Table of contents
- Table of figures (if applicable)
- Introduction
- Problem description / definition
- Technical information (if applicable)
- Criteria
- Options (if applicable)
- Comparison (for recommendation reports)
- Evaluation (for feasiblity reports)
- Conclusion
- Final Recommendation
- References
- Appendix/-ices (if applicable)
2) Reflective Memo (Individual Deliverable)
You will also submit, as an individual, a 500–700 word reflective memo in which you address all of the following issues:
- the identity and specific characteristics of your decision-maker;
- the rhetorical choices you made when putting together your report;
- ethical issues that you encountered;
- which of the course goals (see the "Home" page on the course website) you encountered in completing this assignment; and
- what specific tasks you worked on in your group project and your honest opinion of your coworkers' efforts. "Everyone worked really hard and did a great job" is not acceptable.
Explain your answers.
Submission Requirements
Your group will turn in two versions of the Formal Report, and you will turn in, as an individual, two copies of your reflective memo: a hard copy in person and an electronic version via email. The electronic version is not a substitute for the hard copy version.
Hard Copy
Bring one hard copy of the Formal Report and one copy of each group member's reflective memo to class. Paper-clip the memos together and place them inside the report's front cover. If necessary, paper-clip the memos to the report.
Please do not submit your proposals in three-ring binders or plastic report binders. Three-ring binders are bulky and hard to transport. Plastic folders annoy me, so I throw them away and lower your grade. Use spiral or comb binding.
Electronic Version
On the day the assignment is due, one group member will send me an email containing the Formal Report, saved as an MS Word-format file attachment. Each group member will send me, individually, an email containing their reflective memo.
Use this file naming convention, including the spaces around the dashes:
GroupMembers'LastNames - SectionNumber - Formal Report
YourLastName - SectionNumber - Formal Report Memo
for example:
Butler, Iommi, Osbourne, Ward - 901 - Formal Report
Iommi - 901 - Formal Report Memo
Use these subject lines, including the spaces around the dashes:
TCOM 2010-SectionNumber - Formal Report (for the report itself)
TCOM 2010-SectionNumber - Formal Report Memo (for your individual memo)
Grading Note
A significant portion of your grade on this assignment will be based on your group's peer evaluations.
Hint: Make sure you complete the tasks your group assigns you, and do so in a timely manner.