6.6: Formal Report—Conclusion, Recommendations, References, and Appendices
Learning Objectives
- Examine the remaining report sections: conclusion, recommendation, reference list, appendices
What Are the Remaining Report Sections?
Conclusions and Recommendations
The conclusions and recommendations section conveys the key results from the analysis in the discussion section. Up to this point, readers have carefully reviewed the data in the report; they are now logically prepared to read the report’s conclusions and recommendations.
According to OACETT (2021), “Conclusions are reasoned judgment and fact, not opinion. Conclusions consider all of the variables and relate cause and effect. Conclusions analyze, evaluate, and make comparisons and contrasts” (p. 7) and “Recommendation(s) (if applicable) suggest a course of action and are provided when there are additional areas for study, or if the reason for the Technology Report was to determine the best action going forward” (p. 7).
You may present the conclusions and recommendations in a numbered or bulleted list to enhance readability.
Reference Page
All formal reports should include a reference page; this page documents the sources cited within the report. The recipient(s) of the report can also refer to this page to locate sources for further research.
Documenting your information sources is all about establishing, maintaining, and protecting your credibility in the profession. You must cite (“document”) borrowed information regardless of the shape or form in which you present it. Whether you directly quote it, paraphrase it, or summarize it—it’s still borrowed information. Whether it comes from a book, article, a diagram, a table, a web page, a product brochure, an expert whom you interview in person—it’s still borrowed information.
Documentation systems vary according to professionals and fields. In ENGL 250, we follow APA. Refer to a credible APA guide for support.
Appendices
Appendices are those extra sections in a report that follow the conclusion. According to OACETT (2021), “Appendices can include detailed calculations, tables, drawings, specifications, and technical literature” (p. 7).
Anything that does not comfortably fit in the main part of the report but cannot be left out of the report altogether should go into the appendices. They are commonly used for large tables of data, big chunks of sample code, background that is too basic or too advanced for the body of the report, or large illustrations that just do not fit in the body of the report. Anything that you feel is too large for the main part of the report or that you think would be distracting and interrupt the flow of the report is a good candidate for an appendix.
References & Attributions
References
Blicq, R., & Moretto, L. (2012). Technically write. (8th Canadian Ed.). Pearson Canada.
OACETT. (2021). Technology report guidelines. https://www.oacett.org/getmedia/9f9623ac-73ab-4f99-acca-0d78dee161ab/TR_GUIDELINES_Final.pdf.aspx
Attributions
Content is adapted from Technical Writing by Allison Gross, Annemarie Hamlin, Billy Merck, Chris Rubio, Jodi Naas, Megan Savage, and Michele DeSilva, which is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
