Objectives:

1. To develop a formal report that effectively presents the problem situation/opportunity, research findings, and conclusions of your investigation to your target audience.

2. To apply what has been discussed during the course about creating effective technical documents, including style, organization, design, and content, to developing a report that is tailored to your audience.

Grading Criteria

• Meets specified length requirements.

• Contains the elements specified for the analytical report.

• Directed to audience specified in audience analysis/profile memo.

• Is paginated correctly.

• Presents a well-developed title page.

• Includes a cordial, well-developed letter of transmittal.

• Includes an informative executive summary describing the key points of the report.

• If appendices are included, they are clearly labeled and are referenced in the body of the report.

• Tailored to the audience.

• Contains a thesis, or purpose statement.

• Presents information from the required number of sources, cites this information in the text using in-text citations, and presents the sources in citations in a References section at the end of the report.

• Cites information following APA guidelines.

• Presents a clear, convincing, and developed description of the problem and solution.

• Supports ideas with credible information from research.

• Describes and interprets findings.

• Presents the conclusions drawn from the findings.

• Defines technical terms and phrases as needed.

• Introduces and integrates into the text any graphics used and cites any graphics from other sources.

• Presents graphics that are not simply decorative but that support the content of the report.

• Chunks information appropriately.

• Is consistent in its design.

• Uses meaningful headings as needed.

• Is logically organized with an introduction, body, and conclusion.

• Is coherent.

• Uses varied, effective sentence structure.

• Contains no sentence structure problems.

• Employs clear, concise, formal language appropriate for the readers.

• Contains no grammatical or spelling errors. What to do: Write a formal analytical report about the topic of your project. In the report, you:

• describe a topic that you think is a problem situation or an opportunity needing attention

• describe, analyze, and evaluate your research findings

• draw conclusions and provide recommendations for improvement

This report is the culmination of the class project. Here are the required components for the report:

• Letter of Transmittal

• Title Page

• Table of Contents

• Executive Summary

• Body of Report (Note: Develop a meaningful heading structure for your audience in the report. Do not use a generic heading of "Body" in your report.)

• References

Note: Make sure to direct your report to the audience of the topic and not to your instructor. Your report must

• Include at least one graphic in the text.

• Include a minimum of five sources including Internet resources.

• Identify sources within the text of your document and in a reference list at the end. For all citations, use the American Psychological Association (APA) style guidelines. A minimum of two of these sources should be from UMUC's library databases and/or EJournals, or from credible government sources. Your other sources can include on-line or Internet sources, interviews, emails, books, articles from periodicals, brochures, and so on. Use the APA style guidelines for your citations.

Requirements : The minimum length is 2,000 words for the body of the report (not including the title page, letter of transmittal, table of contents, executive summary, references, and any appendices).

Format: Submit the analytical report in a text format, a MS Word format, PDF or RTF format.

Submission: Submit file in your individual assignment folder.

Assignment Due: DRAFT due June 25, 2016 before 11:59pm; FINAL due July 2, 2016 before 11:59pm.

Useful Resources on Analytical Reports:

-The Academic Language Learning and Success Program at Charles Darwin University has an excellent guide to writing analytical reports. Click here to access it. Other Helpful Guides on Report Writing:

-Victoria University of Wellington has a thorough outline and review of the components of this type of business report. Click here to access it.

-Queen Margaret University has an excellent guide for this type of report. Click here to access it.

-Murdoch University has an outstanding guide on writing this type of report. Click here to access it.

-Colorado State University presents excellent tips in organizing the report. Click here to access its site.

-Monash University has a sample case study report that you might find helpful. Click here to access it.

Examples of Analytical Reports:

-For an example of an analytical report on a problem at a college campus, click here.

-For an example of on analytical report a transportation problem, click here.

-For an example of analytical report on a topic related to economics, click here.

-For an example of an analytical report on a technical topic, click here.

Topics to Help You Come Up with Ideas on this Assignment:

Some possible workplace research topics are the following. These are just examples to help you get started. Please do not feel that you have to select one of these topics. The following topics are specific to UMUC:

• methods for helping UMUC instructors become acclimated to LEO

• methods for helping UMUC students become acclimated to LEO

• methods for improving online instruction at UMUC

• the feasibility of UMUC's offering Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)

• the feasibility of UMUC's offering credit to students who complete a MOOC The following topics have been borrowed from Lannon, J.M, Gurak, L. J, and Daemon, D. (2011). Instructor's resource manual to accompany

Technical Communication, 12th ed. Boston: Longman:

• the long-term effects of a vegetarian diet

• comparison of two or more brands of equipment

• the adequacy of veterans' benefits

• the influence of a stadium or civic center in your city or community

• the best computer to buy for a specific need

• the best type of computer (desktop, laptop, Chromebook, tablet) for a specific need

• the best location for a new business

• the effects of budget cuts in public education in your area

• the effects of legalized gambling in your state

• the causes of low morale in your workplace

• Methods of improving productivity in your workplace

• analysis of benefits from organic farming practices

• methods of dealing with discarded computers and other types of electronic waste

• the pros and cons of taking writing classes online

• the pros and cons of taking classes online in ____ (fill in the blank with a field of study of your choice)

• the adequacy of police protection in your town or city The following topics are ideas that have been used in previous classes:

• going to a wireless network

• going to a paperless office

• switching from Windows to Linux (or other similar switch)

• installing/upgrading company firewall

• establishing a drug policy

• establishing an employee leave donation program

• establishing an equipment donation program for used computers, etc.

• establishing a company recycling program (paper, etc.)

• education/retraining for your employees

• establishing a program for millennial workers (e.g., training on certain aspects of etiquette, on understanding other generations, etc.)

• designing a training program for workplace safety issues

• redesigning employee performance evaluations

• developing a work-at-home (telecommuting) policy

• developing a flex-time policy

• establishing on-site day care or providing other child care benefits

• providing gym membership or creating an on-site workout facility

• creating or revising a charitable contribution policy

• creating or improving a tuition assistance program

• accommodations needed for employee/s with specific health issues (for example, migraines)

• establishing a Habitat for Humanity (or other group) chapter at your organization

Some students have chosen topics outside of their workplaces, such as the following:

• betting additional lighting in the neighborhood

• changing traffic patterns around your child's school

• installing a tot lot in your neighborhood

• constructing a crying baby room at your place of worship

• offering ESL courses at your church

• increasing participation in a military Family Support Group