Feasibility Report—Sample Assignment

Choose any scientific or technical subject that lends itself to a feasibility report. In selecting your topic, ask yourself these questions: 1. In what general technical area do my interests lie?

2. How much do I already know about my subject?
3. How much will I have to learn about this subject to do this report? 4. What well-defined problems related to this subject lend themselves to a feasibility report? 5. Is there enough readily available information on this subject? 6. Do I have enough time to do this project?

Your report must be neatly typed and bound (use a binding that lies flat when opened). Plan to use appropriate illustrative material such as charts, graphs, drawings, photos, and tables. This report must be a substantial effort on a worthwhile project. The appendixes, the actual body of the report, should run ten double-spaced typed pages; the other sections should be as long as necessary to fulfill their respective purposes. Include the following elements in the feasibility report: Letter of transmittal

Title page
Descriptive abstract (placed on the title page)
Table of contents
List of illustrations
Introduction
Factual summary
Conclusions
Recommendations
Appendixes (discussion that supports the conclusions and recommendations) References

Recommendation Report—Sample Assignment 2

With this project, you learn to use the structure and format of a recommendation report, interviewing and reading as research techniques, and you learn to develop conclusions and recommendations from data.

Topics. The topic for the recommendation research is your choice, but consider the following ideas: Your campus—student retention, funding athletics, placement services, college publications, minority recruitment, utilities management, civic service, student government, student activities, campus conservation. Your major—employment prospects, feasibility of graduate school, need for a new course or program, effectiveness of a course, internship opportunities, facility needs. Your community—science museum, Earth Day, city market, continuing education, civic club, service project. Your workplace—employee grievances, public relations, computers and management, quality control, conservation efforts, telecommuting options, day care facilities.

Guidelines. For this project, ensure the following:
Your topic must concern some problem, project, or goal at your college or workplace or in your major or community. You need at least three information sources, including one interviewee (who must hold a managerial, technical, or instructional position and be an expert on your topic). Your background materials—journals, newspapers, reports, books—must be current, relevant, and reliable.

Interviewing. Contact your interviewee, describe your project, and request an appointment for an interview. Prepare for the interview by forming precise questions but not simplistic yes-no questions. Ask probing questions that get you the information you need and allow the interviewee to open up and volunteer information. Ask questions and listen; use a tape recorder if the interviewee does not object. Thank the interviewee for taking time for you, and offer to send a copy of your completed report.

Writing. Once you have gathered the necessary information, develop it into a recommendation report using the format shown in Chapter 8. Develop conclusions and recommendations that logically flow from the information you have gathered. This report must be typed or word processed and include at least one graphic (graph, drawing, diagram, map, or table).

Recommendation Report—Sample Assignment 3

After you’ve studied the textbook section on recommendation reports, write a recommendation report in which you compare two or more products, services, or programs intended to solve a problem, and then recommend one (or none).

Use these guidelines for the recommendation report:
Find two or more products, technologies, or programs to compare and make recommendations on. Identify a real or realistic audience that has specific requirements. Include an introduction that follows the guidelines set forth in the textbook. Discuss the situation or problem, criteria for selection, and other such background as necessary. Describe the options, if necessary. Include a discussion section in which you compare the choices using the point-by-point approach. In each comparative section, state the conclusion for that section (for example, which product is best in terms of reliability). Use a memo or business letter format, depending on the situation you have defined. (Optionally, you can use the cover letter or memo with a separate, attached “formal” report.) Be sure to define any terms that might be unfamiliar to readers of this report. (See the chapter on description and definition.)

Include a conclusions section in which you summarize all of the key conclusions from the comparison sections and a recommendation section in which you make your recommendation. Gather information from printed or published sources for this report as well as unpublished sources such as interviews with experts. Use the documentation system presented in the textbook to indicate the sources of your borrowed information. Use headings, lists, and graphics as necessary in this report. Attach a brief note describing the audience of your recommendation report. Indicate the skill or knowledge level of your audience, and other details that affect how you develop this report. As with all writing assignments in this course, use the standards of good writing style, grammar, punctuation, usage, and spelling. This assignment should be a minimum of three pages, double-spaced.

Note: As with all writing assignments in this course, keep a safe copy of this one in case something happens to the one you hand in.