Formal Report Assignment Instructions
*Important: You may not turn in a Formal Report that has previously been submitted to another class, for example, a beginning composition class or any other class. If the report matches any other paper in Turnitin.com, whether or not the paper is yours, then you will receive a zero on your Formal Report.
This report must be submitted in Microsoft Word to the appropriate dropbox in Ecampus, where it will be automatically run through Turnitin.com.
The following information must appear typed on the front cover page of your report, even if there is also a graphic on the cover. The “cover” is not the same thing as the title page, and you will get points deducted if one or the other is missing:
Title of Report
by (Student’s Name)
Technical Writing, Section No. (find out your section #, it will be on your course schedule)
Semester (Spring/Fall/Summer) & Year
Basically remember that the “cover” page should have the above information on it, whether or not you also include a graphic. Also, technically, the cover page is not numbered, but since you are submitting this report online, it is okay if you number it as page 1.
Follow the format below when putting together your formal report: (see example Formal Reports in Ecampus)
FRONT MATTER–12 point type (no larger, no smaller, except for headings)
(Technically and traditionally, the front matter is numbered with lower case Roman numerals, but it is difficult to explain how to transition from Roman numerals to regular Arabic numerals in the middle of a report when students are using so many different versions of Word, so you may simply number your pages with regular numerals from beginning to end.)
The following items of front matter all go on separate pages:
● Title Page–The title page is NOT the same thing as the cover of the report; both are required.
● Letter of Transmittal—(Use correct letter format.)
● Informative Abstract–The abstract should be at least one well-developed paragraph long and single spaced.
● Table of Contents–Be sure that your headings match those used in the text of your report.
● List of Illustrations, Figures, Tables or Graphics–The List of Illustrations is optional, that is, you don’t have to include it, but you may. See Graphics Assignment Instructions for more specific details on graphics requirements.
II. Body of Reports–12 point type (no larger, no smaller, except for headings—no bigger than 16 pt. type for headings)
Minimum: 12 double-spaced pages, 20 maximum; counting starts with the executive summary (I WILL count your pages). 5 points off per missing page.
*With the front matter, bibliography, and end matter you should have at least 20 pages total.
1. Executive Summary–The summary (at least one, well-developed paragraph) is OPTIONAL.
2. Glossary–This is also OPTIONAL, and only one page of a glossary will count in the total number of required pages. Your glossary must list at least 5 terms if you want it counted as a page of text (out of the 12 required). You may want to indicate in the text the words you define in the glossary, perhaps with asterisks* or italics or boldfacing. *Do not include in your glossary words that really don’t need defining, like “computer” or “loan.”
3. Introduction–Have at least one, well-developed paragraph for your introduction.
4. Discussion or Body of Report–Double-space reports, and include headings to divide
sections. Include graphics in your report, handbook or manual–see Graphics Assignment following
these formal report instructions.
III. DOCUMENTATION
Since this project is partly a research paper, you are required to use and document sources (see type and number below), even if you are compiling an employee handbook or manual. Use either MLA or APA documentation style. Do not use any style other than MLA or APA. If you “number” your sources on the bibliography or references page, you are not using MLA or APA. I don’t consider what you might have used in another class; this is the requirement for this class, and points will be deducted if you don’t use MLA or APA.
1. Bibliography—A page which lists alphabetically by author’s last name (or title if no author) all the sources used in compiling your report; most of you know that already.
*The most important thing to remember about your bibliography is that it must be alphabetized; this helps the reader find a source quickly. You don’t want the reader to have to search all through your bibliography to find a source. Also, websites must have titles so you can alphabetize them (if they don’t have authors). Don’t try to alphabetize with a URL. *Very Important: Whatever your source, what you put in the in-text citation (in parentheses) MUST be how that source is alphabetized on your bibliography.
Specific source requirements are as follows:
You are required to have *consulted for and/or cited in your Formal Report at least 5 sources, including the following types:
@ least two periodical articles (periodical = scholarly journal, magazine, or newspaper–not online websites that claim to be e-magazines or such, not PDF reports—you can use PDFs, but you also need to have the two periodical articles as described above; the point is to learn to access the library databases)
*A website like a government page is NOT a periodical. You may use all the websites you want, but if you don’t have the two books and two periodical articles, you will get points deducted.
@ least two books
Your technical writing textbook (or any technical writing textbook) doesn’t count in this requirement.
You may use e-books, that is, books that can be accessed online.
*Consulted means you have viewed the source and have it listed on your bibliography, but you have not cited—paraphrased, summarized, or quoted directly—that source in your report; if you do paraphrase the source (put it in your own words), or summarize from it or quote it, you must cite it. As a minimum requirement you must cite something from both a periodical article (periodical as described above) and a book in the text of your report (not graphics but main text), and of course, you must cite all information taken from outside sources. You will be penalized for not citing sources for information in your report that clearly do not reflect “common knowledge” (common knowledge does not have to be cited).
In addition to the requirements listed above, you may (it’s optional) also use interviews as sources. An example bibliographical citation for an interview is as follows (name, title or credentials, interview, date):
Bush, George. U. S. President. Interview. 3 Dec. 2005.
Within the text you would cite the source this way: (Bush).
2. Within the text—Be sure to document all information taken from outside sources using superscript notations that refer to a page titled “Notes,” or use footnotes, or document sources with parenthetical documentation, for example as in MLA style:
This rare species has been known to reside in Louisiana, as well as in Texas (Dees 61).
No matter what subject you have chosen, you MUST document information in the text, and by text I do not mean graphics; I mean written material, sentences and paragraphs.
Again, these research requirements are minimal, so there is no excuse for not meeting them. IMPORTANT: It does not matter if you think your topic does not need sources; this assignment is a “research” paper, and research is required—both a bibliography AND sources cited in the paper.
A word about quotes—Make sure that your quotations have attributive tags (see below).
Correct Example of how to use an attributive tag
Somers stated that “[t]his rare species has been known to reside in Louisiana, as well as in Texas” (Dees 61).
*The attributive tag is “Somers stated that.”
Incorrect Example (no attributive tag)
“This rare species has been known to reside in Louisiana, as well as in Texas” (Dees 61).
When you don’t put attributive tags with your quotes, they seem out of context, and it can also be difficult to determine who is stating the quoted material.
IV. END MATTER
Include the following items as end matter:
Appendix A: Copy of the GRADED proposal for this assignment. NOTICE that I am requiring here the “Proposal” assignment (NOT the Progress Report + Rough Draft). Also notice that I am requiring the graded copy—the one with my red grading marks on it—not a clean copy of it and not a corrected copy. I require the graded proposal in order to quickly confirm that you have not changed topics. Points will be deducted if you don’t attach the graded proposal with my grading marks on it as Appendix A.
2. Other Appendices as needed—OPTIONAL
Appendices must be labeled by placing an extra page in front of each appendix item which introduces it with the words “Appendix A” or “Appendix A: Proposal,” etc. or with “Appendix A” typed at the top of the first page of the appendix itself. List appendices in the Table of Contents, or refer to appendices somewhere in the body of the report, so your reader knows they exist.
**This assignment also requires graphics—see Graphics Instructions for that information.
After I grade the formal report, I will email you a copy of the grade form explaining how points were deducted. If you follow all of these assignment instructions + your report is generally well written, you should make a good grade on it.
Save your work regularly. I highly suggest you email yourself copies of your formal report draft as you work on it because computer crashes or printer problems will not be accepted as an excuse for turning in the formal report late; late work accumulates 10 points off per day late (that includes weekends), as the syllabus states. No matter what problem you may have, you should call or email me to discuss it.
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