Executive Summary and Research Essay Outline Assignment

This assignment has four parts. A new page must be started for each part. All parts must

be submitted electronically as a single document.

I. Cover page

The cover page should include the student’s name, assignment title, and course

name. An appropriate design can be added to the cover page.

II. Executive Summary

An executive summary is an important part of the presentation of a report or

project. Compared to the actual report, the EC is analytical, examining the

decisions for developing the report. The EC should contain the following

information:

• The definition, objective, and scope of the project

• A brief summary of the project; the key points or issues (can use bullet points if

appropriate)

• A description of the methodology used to determine the decision, solution or

recommendation

• A brief justification for the decision, solution or recommendation

The actual decision, solution or recommendation made

• The executive summary should be

• brief, no more than two single spaced pages

• able to stand on its own (complete enough to communicate the important features of the

project by itself

• placed at the beginning of the report

The decision or recommendation should be definite (not “here’s the information, you

decide what to do or how to interpret the meaning”)

III. Outline of Essay

Following the Executive Summary, please develop an outline of your research essay. This

outline should show the flow and development of your research paper as if you were

actually going to write the essay. Please make sure that you have a one to two sentence

thesis statement as the introduction. The body of your outline should show the scope and

depth of your research using one of the outlining forms discussed in your book. This can be

developed with full sentences or phrases/words depending on the situation. Remember, the

essay and the EC should stand on its own. How you creatively convey the information is

part of your decision process. Please show in which paragraph you would place your

quotes, summaries or paraphrases from your research to support your topic. Incorporate

the quotes under the main idea that your quote supports. At the end of the quote or

paraphrase, please include a parenthetical notation.

IV. Work Cited page

(Not all your annotated Bibliography citations might make it into your essay.

The work cited page is only the quotes, summaries, or paraphrase you used in

the report. Remember that you should not rely on a single source or type of

research. Make sure your research is diversified and the sources have authority

to address the topic. Be sure to have at least one primary source such as an

interview or personal experience and one secondary source such as a periodical

or book.)