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How to Write a Business Report: A Step By Step Guide with Examples

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With so much experience under your belt, you already know a lot about business reporting.

So, we don’t want to waste your time pointing out the obvious because we know what you need.

Secrets. Tricks. Best practices.sales rep drilldown business report

The answer to how to write a mind-blowing business report that you don’t need to spend hours and days writing.

A business report that will immediately allow you to identify your strengths and weaknesses.

A report that’ll help you learn more about your business and do more accurate forecasting and planning for the future.

We believe we have just that right here.

With this comprehensive guide, you’ll create effective sales, analytical, and informative business reports (and business dashboards ) that will help you improve your strategies, achieve your goals, and grow your business.

So, let’s dive in.

What Is a Business Report?

Importance of creating business reports, types of business reports, what should be included in a business report, how to write a business report: an 11-step guide.

• Business Report Examples

Although there’s a variety of business reports that differ in many aspects, in short, a business report definition would be the following:

A business report is an informative document that contains important data such as facts, analyses, research findings, and statistics about a business with the goal to make this information accessible to people within a company.

Their main purpose is to facilitate the decision-making process related to the future of the business, as well as to maintain effective communication between people who create the reports and those they report to.

A good business report is concise and well-organized, looks professional, and displays the relevant data you can act on. The point is to reflect upon what you’ve achieved so far (typically, over the past month, quarter or year) and to use the data to create a new strategy or adjust the current one to reach even more business goals.

Business reports should be objective and based on the data. When stating the facts, people rely on numbers rather than giving descriptions. For instance, instead of saying “our conversion rate skyrocketed”, you would display the exact percentages that back up that claim.

Business reporting matters for several reasons, among which the most important ones are:

Recognizing Opportunities to Grow

Detecting issues and solving them quickly, evaluating a potential partner, having a paper trail, keeping things transparent for the stakeholders, setting new company goals.

In fact, over half of the companies that contributed to Databox’s state of business reporting research confirmed that regular monitoring and reporting brought them significant concrete benefits.

If you never look back at what you’ve achieved, you can’t figure out what you’ve done well and what you can leverage in the future for even better results.

When you analyze a specific aspect of your business over a specific time period and present the data you gathered in a report, you can detect an opportunity to grow more easily because you have all the information in one place and organized neatly.

Is it time to introduce new products or services? Is there a way to enhance your marketing strategy? Prepare a report. Can you optimize your finances? Write a financial business report . Whatever decision you need to make, it’s easier when you base it on a report.

Reports are essential for crisis management because they can introduce a sense of calmness into your team. Putting everything on paper makes it easier to encompass all the relevant information and when you know all the facts, you can make a more accurate and effective decision about what to do next.

Writing business reports regularly will also help you identify potential issues or risks and act timely to prevent damage and stop it from escalating. That’s why monthly reporting is better than doing it only once a year.

Having an insight into your finances , operations and other business aspects more regularly allows you to have better control over them and mitigate potential risks more effectively.

Different types of business reports may be accessible to the general public. And if they’re not, specific situations may require a company to send them over to the person requesting them. That may happen if you’re considering a partnership with another company. Before making the final decision, you should learn about their financial health as every partnership poses a certain risk for your finances and/or reputation. Will this decision be profitable?

Having an insight into a company’s business report helps you establish vital business relationships. And it goes the other way around – any potential partner can request that you pull a business report for them to see, so writing business reports can help you prove you’re a suitable business partner.

In business, and especially in large companies, it’s easy to misplace information when it’s communicated verbally. Having a written report about any aspect of your business doesn’t only prevent you from losing important data, but it also helps you keep records so you can return to them at any given moment and use them in the future.

That’s why it’s always good to have a paper trail of anything important you want to share with colleagues, managers, clients, or investors. Nowadays, of course, it doesn’t have to literally be a paper trail, since we keep the data in electronic form.

Writing business reports helps you keep things transparent for the stakeholders, which is the foundation of efficient communication between these two sides.

You typically need to report to different people – sometimes they’re your managers, sometimes they’re a client. But your company’s stakeholders will also require an insight into the performance of your business, and relying on reports will help you maintain favorable business relationships. A business report shows you clearly how your company is performing and there isn’t room for manipulation.

Once you set business goals and the KPIs that help you track your progress towards them, you should remember they’re not set in stone. From time to time, you’ll need to revisit your goals and critical metrics and determine whether they’re still relevant.

When you write a business report and go through it with your team members or managers, you have a chance to do just that and determine if you’re efficient in reaching your goals. Sometimes, new insights will come up while writing these reports and help you identify new objectives that may have emerged.

Depending on your goals and needs, you’ll be writing different types of business reports. Here are five basic types of business reports .

Informational Report

Analytical report, research report, explanatory report, progress report.

Informational reports provide you with strictly objective data without getting into the details, such as explaining why something happened or what the result may be – just pure facts.

An example of this type of business report is a statement where you describe a department within your company: the report contains the list of people working in this department, what their titles are, and what they’re responsible for.

Another example related to a company’s website could look like this Google Analytics website traffic engagement report . As we explained above, this report shows objective data without getting too much into the details, so in this case, just the most important website engagement metrics such as average session duration, bounce rate, sessions, sessions by channel, and so on. Overall, you can use this report to monitor your website traffic, see which keywords are most successful, or how many returning users you have, but without further, in-depth analysis.

Analytical reports help you understand the data you’ve collected and plan for the future based on these insights. You can’t make business decisions based on facts only, so analytical reports are crucial for the decision-making process.

This type of business report is commonly used for sales forecasting. For instance, if you write a report where you identify a drop or an increase in sales, you’ll want to find out why it happened. This HubSpot’s sales analytics report is a good example of what metrics should be included in such a report, like average revenue per new client or average time to close the deal. You can find more web analytics dashboard examples here.

From these business reports, you can find out if you will reach your goals by implementing your current strategy or if you need to make adjustments.

Research is critical when you’re about to introduce a change to your business. Whether it’s a new strategy or a new partner, you need an extensive report to have an overview of all important details. These reports usually analyze new target markets and competition, and contain a lot of statistical data.

While not the same, here is an example of an ecommerce dashboard that could help track each part of a campaign in detail, no matter whether you are launching a new product, testing a new strategy, and similar. Similar to a research report, it contains key data on your audience (target market), shows your top-selling products, conversion rate and more. If you are an online store owner who is using paid ads, you can rely on this report to monitor key online sales stats in line with Facebook Ads and Google Analytics. See more ecommerce dashboards here.

As you might guess from its name, you write the explanatory report when it’s necessary for you to explain a specific situation or a project you’ve done to your team members. It’s important to write this report in a way that everyone will be able to understand.

Explanatory reports include elements like research results, reasons and goals of the research, facts, methodology, and more. While not exactly an explanatory report, this example of a HubSpot marketing drilldown report is the closest thing to it, as it helps marketers drill into an individual landing page performance, and identify how good their best landing pages are at converting, or which ones have the best performance.

A progress report is actually an update for your manager or client – it informs them about where you stand at the moment and how things are going. It’s like a checkpoint on your way towards your goal.

These reports may be the least demanding to write since you don’t need to do comprehensive research before submitting them. You just need to sum up your progress up to the point when the report was requested. This business report may include your current results, the strategy you’re implementing, the obstacles you’ve come across, etc. If this is a marketing progress report you can use marketing report templates to provide a more comprehensive overview.

In many companies, progress reports are done on a weekly or even daily basis. Here is an example of a daily sales report from Databox. HubSpot users can rely on this sales rep drilldown business report to see how individual each sales rep is performing and measure performance against goals. Browse through all our KPI dashboards here.

What does a great business report look like? If you’re not sure what sections your report should have, you’ll learn what to include in the following lines.

Business Report Formatting

Different types of reports require different lengths and structures, so your business report format may depend on what elements your report needs to have. For example, progress reports are typically pretty simple, while analytical or explanatory reports are a different story.

However, most reports will start with a title and a table of contents, so the person reading the report knows what to expect. Then, add a summary and move on to the introduction. After you’ve written the body and the conclusion, don’t forget to include suggestions based on your findings that will help your team create an actionable plan as you move forward.

After that, list the references you used while creating the report, and attach any additional documents or images that can help the person reading the report understand it better.

This outline may vary depending on what kind of report you’re writing. Short business reports may not need a table of contents, and informative reports won’t contain any analyses. Also, less formal reports don’t need to follow a strict structure in every situation.

Business Report Contents

When it comes to the contents of your report, keep in mind the person who’s going to read it and try to balance between including all the relevant information, but not overwhelming the reader with too many details.

• The introduction to the report should state the reason why you’re writing it, and what its main goal is. Also, mention what methodology and reporting software you’ve used, if applicable.
• The body of the report is where you’ll expose all your key findings, explain your methodology, share the important data and statistics, and present your results and conclusion.
• The conclusion , similarly to the summary you’ll add at the beginning of the report, briefly singles out the most important points and findings of the report.

If you decide to include more sections like recommendations, this is where you’ll suggest the next steps your team or the company may want to take to improve the results or take advantage of them if they’re favorable.

PRO TIP: Are You Tracking the Right Metrics for Your SaaS Company?

As a SaaS business leader, there’s no shortage of metrics you could be monitoring, but the real question is, which metrics should you be paying most attention to? To monitor the health of your SaaS business, you want to identify any obstacles to growth and determine which elements of your growth strategy require improvements. To do that, you can track the following key metrics in a convenient dashboard with data from Profitwell:

• Recurring Revenue. See the portion of your company’s revenue that is expected to grow month-over-month.
• MRR overview. View the different contributions to and losses from MRR from different kinds of customer engagements.
• Customer overview . View the total number of clients your company has at any given point in time and the gains and losses from different customer transactions.
• Growth Overview . Summarize all of the different kinds of customer transactions and their impact on revenue growth.
• Churn overview. Measure the number and percentage of customers or subscribers you lost during a given time period.

If you want to track these in ProfitWell, you can do it easily by building a plug-and-play dashboard that takes your customer data from ProfitWell and automatically visualizes the right metrics to allow you to monitor your SaaS revenue performance at a glance.

You can easily set it up in just a few clicks – no coding required.

To set up the dashboard, follow these 3 simple steps:

Step 1: Get the template 

Step 2: Connect your Profitwell account with Databox. 

Step 3: Watch your dashboard populate in seconds.

Note : Other than text, make sure you include images, graphs, charts, and tables. These elements will make your report more readable and illustrate your points.

Whether you’re writing a specific type of business report for the first time or you simply want to improve the quality of your reports, make sure you follow this comprehensive guide to writing an effective business report.

• Do Your Research
• Create an Outline
• Determine Formatting Guidelines
• Think of an Engaging Title
• Write the Introduction
• Divide the Body of the Report into Sections
• Choose Illustrations
• Conclude Effectively
• Gather Additional Documentation
• Add a Summary
• Proofread Your Work

Step 1: Do Your Research

A well-planned report is a job half done. That means you need to do research before you start writing: you need to know who you’re writing for and how much they know about the topic of your report. You need to explore the best business dashboard software and templates you can use for your report.

Also, if you believe you will need additional resources and documents to add in the appendix, you should do it during this phase of report writing.

Step 2: Create an Outline

Once you’ve gathered the resources, it’s time to plan the report. Before you start writing, create an outline that will help you stick to the right structure. A business report is complex writing in which you can get lost very easily if you don’t have a clear plan.

Moreover, the report shouldn’t be complicated to read, so sticking to a plan will allow you to keep it concise and clear, without straying from the topic.

Step 3: Determine Formatting Guidelines

Most companies have their in-house formatting that every official document has to follow. If you’re not sure if such rules exist in your company, it’s time you checked with your managers.

If there arent’ any guidelines regarding formatting, make sure you set your own rules to make the report look professional. Choose a simple and readable format and make sure it supports all the symbols you may need to use in the report. Set up proper headings, spacing, and all the other elements you may need in Word or Google Docs.

Pro tip: Google Docs may be easier to share with people who are supposed to read your business report.

Step 4: Think of an Engaging Title

Even if you’re writing a formal business report, the title should be clear and engaging. Reports are typically considered dull as they’re a part of official business documentation, but there’s no reason why you can’t make them interesting to read. Your title should suit the report topic and be in different font size so the reader can recognize it’s a title. Underneath the title, you should add the name of the author of the report.

Step 5: Write the Introduction

A good introductory paragraph for a business report should explain to the reader why you’ve written the report. Use the introduction to provide a bit of background on the report’s topic and mention the past results if there’s been a significant improvement since your last report.

Step 6: Divide the Body of the Report into Sections

As this will be the most comprehensive part of your report, make sure you separate the data into logical sections. Your report is supposed to tell a story about your business, and these sections (such as methodology, hypothesis, survey, findings, and more) will help the data look well-organized and easy to read.

Step 7: Choose Illustrations

Of course, each of these sections should be followed with charts, graphs, tables, or other illustrations that help you make a point. Survey results are typically best displayed in pie charts and graphs, and these enable the reader to visualize the data better. From the formatting point of view, breaking the long text sections with illustrations makes the report more readable.

Pro tip: Using centralized dashboard solutions like Databox can bring your reporting game to the next level. Sign up for a forever-free trial now to see how you can use Databox to track and visualize performance easier than ever before .

Step 8: Conclude Effectively

Finish your report with a to-the-point conclusion that will highlight all the main data from the report. Make sure it’s not too long, as it’s supposed to be a summary of the body of the report. In case you don’t want to add a specific section for recommendations, this is where you can include them, along with your assessments.

Step 9: Gather Additional Documentation

If you’ve determined what additional documents, images, surveys, or other attachments you may need for your report, now is the time to collect them. Request access to those you may not be able to get on time, so you have everything you need by the deadline. Copy the documents you can use in the original form, and scan the documents you need in electronic format.

Step 10: Add a Summary

The summary is usually at the top of the report, but it’s actually something you should write after your report is completed. Only then will you know exactly what your most relevant information and findings are, so you can include them in this brief paragraph that summarizes your report’s main points.

The summary should tell the reader about the objective of the report, the methodology used, and even mention some of the key findings and conclusions.

Step 11: Proofread Your Work

It may seem like common sense, but this final step of the process is often overlooked. Proofreading your work is how you make sure your report will look professional because errors can ruin the overall impression the reader will form about your work, no matter how great the report is.

Look for any spelling or grammatical mistakes you can fix, and if you’re not sure about specific expressions or terminology, use Google to double-check it. Make sure your writing is to-the-point and clear, especially if you’re writing for people who may not know the industry so well. Also, double-check the facts and numbers you’ve included in the report before you send it out or start your reporting meeting.

Business Report Examples (with Ready-to-Use Templates)

Here, we’re sharing a few business reporting examples that you can copy, along with ready-to-use and free-to-download templates. If you don’t know where to start and what to include in different types of business reports, these business report examples are a great way to get started or at least get some inspiration to create yours.

Activity Report Example

Annual report example, project status report example, financial report example, sales report example, marketing report example.

Note : Each of the business report templates shared below can be customized to fit your individual needs with our DIY Dashboard Designer . No coding or design skills are necessary.

For reporting on sales activity, HubSpot users can rely this streamlined sales activity report that includes key sales metrics, such as calls, meetings, or emails logged by owner. This way, you can easily track the number of calls, meetings, and emails for each sales rep and identify potential leaks in your sales funnel. Check all our sales team activity dashboards here. Or if you are looking for dashboards that track general sales performance, browse through all Databox sales dashboards here.

If you’re preparing for annual reporting, you will benefit from choosing this HubSpot annual performance report . It contains all the relevant metrics, such as email and landing page performance, new contacts, top blog posts by page views, and more. See all our performance dashboard templates here.

Project status reports can be very similar to progress reports. If you’re in need of one of those, here’s an example of a Project overview dashboard from Harvest that shows that can help you create simple, but well-organized report based on metrics that matter: hours tracked, billable hours, billable amount split by team members., and more. Check out more project management dashboard templates we offer here.

Are you creating a financial report? You will find this QuickBooks + HubSpot integration a great choice for a financial performance dashboard that makes creating a report simple. This dashboard focuses on the essential financial report

ting metrics and answers all your revenue-related questions. See all Databox financial dashboards here.

If you’re tracking your sales team’s monthly performance, this sales report template will help you prepare an outstanding report. Check out all the vital productivity KPIs, track your progress towards your goals, and understand well how your current sales pipeline is performing. See all sales performance dashboards we have available here.

Marketing reports can be easily prepared by using this monthly marketing report template . With HubSpot’s reporting, you can determine where your website traffic is coming from, how your landing pages and specific blog posts are performing, and how successful your email campaigns are. Browse all Databox marketing dashboards or marketing report examples here.

Create a Professional Business Report in No Time with Databox

Does creating a business report still sound like a daunting task? It doesn’t have to be with Databox.

In times when we’re all trying to save our time and energy for things that matter rather than scattering valuable resources on tedious, repetitive tasks, it’s critical to optimize your business process. And we want to help you do just that.

Using a business reporting dashboard enables you to track data from all the different tools you’re using – but in one place. With Databox, you can monitor and report on performance in a single dashboard that is optimized for all your favorite devices and you can create streamlined and beautiful dashboards even if you are not that tech-savvy. (no coding or design skills are required).

Automating business reporting has never been easier. And with Databox, you can do exactly that in just a few clicks. Sign up now and get your first 3 business dashboards for free.

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Stefana Zarić is a freelance writer & content marketer. Other than writing for SaaS and fintech clients, she educates future writers who want to build a career in marketing. When not working, Stefana loves to read books, play with her kid, travel, and dance.

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Business Communication  - How to Write a Powerful Business Report

Business communication  -, how to write a powerful business report, business communication how to write a powerful business report.

Business Communication: How to Write a Powerful Business Report

Lesson 8: how to write a powerful business report.

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How to write a powerful business report

When a company needs to make an informed decision, it can create a business report to guide its leaders. Business reports use facts and research to study data, analyze performance, and provide recommendations on a company's future.

Watch the video below to learn how to write and format a business report.

The basics of a business report

Business reports are always formal , objective , and heavily researched . Every fact must be clear and verifiable, regardless of whether the report focuses on a single situation or examines the overall performance of an entire company.

Because objectivity is crucial in a business report, avoid subjective descriptions that tell the reader how to feel. For instance, if sales were down last quarter, don’t say “Sales were terrible last quarter,” but rather let the sales data speak for itself. There should also be no personal pronouns, such as “I think we should invest more capital.” A business report should remain impersonal and framed from the company’s perspective.

The structure of a business report

Although the size of a report can range from one page to 100, structure is always important because it allows readers to navigate the document easily. While this structure can vary due to report length or company standards, we’ve listed a common, reliable structure below:

• Front matter : List your name, job title, contact information, and the date of submission. You can also create a title for the report.
• Background : State the background of the topic you’ll be addressing, along with the purpose of the report itself.
• Key findings : Provide facts , data , and key findings that are relevant to the purpose stated in the background. Be clear and specific, especially because the entire report depends on the information in this section.
• Conclusion : Summarize and interpret the key findings, identify issues found within the data, and answer questions raised by the purpose.
• Recommendations : Recommend solutions to any problems mentioned in the conclusion, and summarize how these solutions would work. Although you’re providing your own opinion in this section, avoid using personal pronouns and keep everything framed through the company’s perspective.
• References : List the sources for all the data you've cited throughout the report. This allows people to see where you got your information and investigate these same sources.

Some companies may also require an executive summary after the front matter section, which is a complete summary that includes the report’s background, key findings, and recommendations. This section lets people learn the highlights quickly without having to read the entire document. The size of an executive summary can range from a paragraph to multiple pages, depending on the length of the report.

As mentioned in Business Writing Essentials , revision is key to producing an effective document. Review your writing to keep it focused and free of proofreading errors, and ensure your factual information is correct and presented objectively. We also recommend you get feedback from a colleague before submitting your work because they can spot errors you missed or find new opportunities for analysis or discussion.

Once you’ve revised your content, think about the report’s appearance . Consider turning your front matter section into a cover page to add some visual polish. You can also create a table of contents if the report is lengthy. If you’re printing it out, use quality paper and a folder or binder to hold the report together. To diversify the presentation of your data, try using bulleted lists, graphics, and charts.

Example of a business report

To demonstrate the principles of this lesson, we’ve created a brief business report for you to review.

Let's start by looking at the first page of this two-page report.

The layout of the front matter is simple and effective, while the background sets the stage in a quick, specific manner. The key findings provide the main takeaways that warrant further investigation, along with a chart to add emphasis and visual variety.

Now let's look at the following page.

The conclusion features a little of the writer's opinion on the key findings, although the writing is still centered around the company's perspective. The recommendations are clear and supported by the data, while the references are thorough.

While business reports may seem intimidating, you have the ability to create a thorough, informative document through practice and careful research. Collect the facts and present them in an organized, objective manner, and you’ll help your business make informed decisions.

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Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

12.5 Recommendation Reports

Recommendation reports provide carefully studied opinions and recommendations. This type of report starts from a stated need, a selection of choices, or both and then recommends one, some, or none. For example, a company might be looking at grammar-checking software and want a recommendation on which product is the best. As the report writer on this project, you could study the market for this type of application and recommend one particular product, a couple of products (differing perhaps in their strengths and their weaknesses), or none (maybe none of them are any good). The recommendation report answers the question “Which option should we choose?” (or in some cases “Which are the best options?) by recommending Product A, or maybe both Products A and B, or none of the products.

Organizational Plans for Recommendation Reports

Recommendation reports are generally organized in one of two ways (see Figure 12.1):

• Traditional plan: You start with background and requirements, then move to comparisons, and end with conclusions and recommendations.
• Executive plan : This one moves the conclusions and recommendations to the front of the report and pitches the full discussion of background, requirements, and the comparisons into appendices. That way, the “busy executive” can see the most important information right away, and turn to the detailed discussion only if there are questions.

Typical Contents of Recommendation Reports

The structural principle fundamental to this type of report is this: you provide not only your recommendation, choice, or judgment, but also the data and the conclusions leading up to it. That way, readers can check your findings, your logic, and your conclusions and come up with a completely different view. But, more likely, they will be convinced by all your careful research and documentation. The report can be organized using the Whole to Whole approach from Activity 12.5 or the Point by Point approach shown in Activity 12.6. Both approaches will be discussed in more detail in the next section.

Activity 12.5 | Recommendation Report- Whole to Whole Approach- Reproduced with permission from T. Akar (2019)

Introduction

In the introduction, indicate the purpose of the report: discuss the problem, need, or opportunity that has brought about the report. In addition, briefly explain the data collection method.

Significance of Situation

Explain how this problem or situation affects your organization and the importance of finding a solution. Do research to build a strong argument around the impact of the problem.

Requirements and Criteria

A critical part of recommendation reports is the discussion of the requirements you’ll use to reach the final decision or recommendation. For example, if you’re trying to recommend a tablet computer for use by employees, your requirements are likely to involve size, cost, hard-disk storage, display quality, durability, and battery function.

The requirements section should also discuss how important the individual requirements are in relation to each other. Picture the typical situation where no one option is best in all categories of comparison. One option is cheaper; another has more functions; one has better ease-of-use ratings; another is known to be more durable. Set up your requirements so that they dictate a “winner” from a situation where there is no obvious winner.

Discussion of the Options

In certain kinds of recommendation reports, you’ll need to explain how you narrowed the field of choices down to the ones you focus on in your report. Often, this follows right after the discussion of the requirements. Your basic requirements may well narrow the field down for you. But there may be other considerations that disqualify other options—explain these as well.

Additionally, you may need to provide brief descriptions of the options themselves. Don’t get this mixed up with the comparison that comes up in the next section. In this description section, you provide a general discussion of the options so that readers will know something about them. The discussion at this stage is not comparative. It’s just a general orientation to the options. In the tablets example, you might want to give some brief, general specifications on each model about to be compared.

Comparison Approaches

One of the most important parts of a recommendation report is the comparison of the options. Remember that you include this section so that readers can check your thinking and come up with different conclusions if they desire. This can be handled with a comparative point by point option or a comparative whole to whole option depending on the situation. Figure 12.2 compares both approaches.

When do you use the point by point approach? The point-by-point approach is effective when the alternatives can be broken down into categories. If you are comparing tablets, you’d have a section that compared them on cost, another section that compared them on battery function, and so on. You wouldn’t have a section that discussed everything about option A, another that discussed everything about option B, and so on. That would not be effective at all, because the comparisons must still be made somewhere—probably by the reader.  With the point-by-point approach, each of these comparative sections should end with a conclusion that states which option is the best choice in that particular point of comparison. Of course, it won’t always be easy to state a clear winner—you may have to qualify the conclusions in various ways, providing multiple conclusions for different conditions.

When do you use the whole to whole approach? The whole to whole approach is useful when the comparisons don’t break down logically into points or categories. The options being compared might have different advantages and disadvantages that are not comparable. In this situation, it is best to describe each option in detail, including the advantages, limitations and costs (is applicable). In the conclusion, you’d include comparison and analysis of the different options.

Summary table

After the individual comparisons, include a summary table that summarizes the conclusions from the comparison section, if appropriate. Some readers are prone to pay attention to details in a table rather than in paragraphs.

Conclusions

The conclusions section of a recommendation report is in part a summary or restatement of the conclusions you have already reached in the comparison sections. In this section, you restate the individual conclusions, for example, which model had the best price, which had the best battery function, and so on. This section must untangle all the conflicting conclusions and somehow reach the final conclusion, which is the one that states which is the best choice. For example, if one tablet is the least expensive but has poor battery function, but another is the most expensive and has good battery function, which do you choose, and why? The conclusion would state the answer to this dilemma.

Recommendation 

The final section of a recommendation report states the recommendation. You’d think that that ought to be obvious by now. Ordinarily it is, but remember that some readers may skip right to the recommendation section and bypass all your hard work! Also, there will be some cases where there may be a best choice, but you wouldn’t want to recommend it. Early in their history, laptop computers were heavy and unreliable. There may have been one model that was better than the rest, but even it was not worth having. The recommendation section should echo the most important conclusions leading to the recommendation and then state the recommendation emphatically as demonstrated in Activity 12.6.

Activity 12.6 | Recommendation Report- Point by Point Approach

Checklist for Recommendation Reports

As you reread and revise your recommendation report, keep in mind the following:

• Write a good introduction in which you indicate the situation and the audience and provide an overview of the contents.
• Discuss the background on the problem or opportunity—what brought about the need for the report.
• State requirements—those factors that influence the decision or the choice of options. (And remember to state how important the requirements are in relation to each other.)
• Organize the comparison of the options using the point by point approach or whole to whole approach.
• Include a summary table, if possible, in which you summarize all the key data in table form.
• Include a conclusions section where you restate all the key conclusions from the comparison section.
• Include a recommendation section where you make the recommendation. Briefly mention the key factors influencing the recommendation.
• Include your references section so that the reader can refer to your sources.
• Proofread and revise for grammar, mechanics and style

Fundamentals of Business Communication Revised (2022) Copyright © 2022 by Venecia Williams & Nia Sonja is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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• Writing Tips

How to Structure a Business Report

• 5-minute read
• 14th March 2019

The content of a business report will depend on what you are writing about. Even the writing style may depend on who you are writing for (although clear, concise and formal is usually best). However, there is a general structure that most business reports follow. In this post, then, we’ll look at how to structure a business report for maximum clarity and professionalism.

1. Title Page

Every business report should feature a title page . The title itself should clearly set out what the report is about. Typically, you should also include your name and the date of the report.

Most business reports begin with a summary of its key points. Try to include:

• A brief description of what the report is about
• How the report was completed (e.g., data collection methods)
• The main findings from the research
• Key conclusions and recommendations

A paragraph or two should suffice for this in shorter business reports. However, for longer or more complex reports, you may want to include a full executive summary .

3. Table of Contents

Short business reports may not need a table of contents, especially if they include a summary. But longer reports should set out the title of each section and the structure of the report. Make sure the headings here match those used in the main text. You may also want to number the sections.

4. Introduction

The introduction is the first part of the report proper. Use it to set out the brief you received when you were asked to compile the report. This will frame the rest of the report by providing:

• Background information (e.g., business history or market information)
• The purpose of the report (i.e., what you set out to achieve)
• Its scope (i.e., what the report will cover and what it will ignore)

These are known as the “terms of reference” for the business report.

5. Methods and Findings

If you are conducting original research, include a section about your methods. This may be as simple as setting out the sources you are using and why you chose them. But it could also include how you have collected and analyzed the data used to draw your conclusions.

After this, you will need to explain your findings. This section will present the results of your research clearly and concisely, making sure to cover all the main points set out in the brief.

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One tip here is to break the findings down into subsections, using headings to guide the reader through your data. Using charts and illustrations , meanwhile, can help get information across visually, but make sure to label them clearly so the reader knows how they relate to the text.

6. Conclusions and Recommendations

The last main section of your report will cover conclusions and recommendations. The conclusion section should summarize what you have learned from the report. If you have been asked to do so, you should also recommend potential courses of action based on your conclusions.

If you are not sure what to suggest here, think back to the objectives set out in your brief.

7. References

If you have used any third-party sources while writing your report, list them in a bibliography after the main report. This could include other business documents, academic articles, or even news reports. The key is to show what you have based your findings and conclusions upon.

8. Appendices (If Applicable)

Finally, you may have gathered extra documentation during your research, such as interview transcripts, marketing material, or financial data. Including this in the main report would make it too long and unfocused, but you can add it to an appendix (or multiple appendices) at the end of the document. It will then be available should your reader need it.

Summary: How to Structure a Business Report

If you are writing a business report, aim to structure it as follows:

• Title Page – Include a clear, informative title, your name, and the date.
• Summary – A brief summary of what the report is about, the data collection methods used, the findings of the report, and any recommendations you want to make.
• Table of Contents – For longer reports, include a table of contents.
• Introduction –Set out the brief you were given for the report.
• Methods and Findings – A description of any methods of data collection and analysis used while composing the report, as well as your findings.
• Conclusions and Recommendations – Any conclusions reached while writing the report, plus recommendations for what to do next (if required).
• References – Sources used in your report listed in a bibliography.
• Appendices – If you have supporting material (e.g., interview transcripts, raw data), add it to an appendix at the end of the document.

Don’t forget, too, that a business report should be clear, concise, and formal. And if you would like help making sure that your business writing is easy to read and error free, just let us know .

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Blog >> How to Write a Recommendation Report + Recommendation Report Template!

How to Write a Recommendation Report + Recommendation Report Template!

Making decisions requires the vigilant evaluation of options.   A recommendation report proposes multiple potential solutions to a problem and concludes by recommending the best one. Compared to  white papers , recommendation reports are more overtly persuasive, since they make a final recommendation that is informed by research and evidence. Read our advice all the way to end to download our free recommendation report template. Or better yet, if you’re ready to level-up your professional writing game, definitely check out our expert-crafted  recommendation report template pack —an exclusive item in our   Templates for Busy Professionals™  series.

Watch our video about the reasons why you should write a recommendation report plus get a sneak-peak into our templates. If you’re ready to propel your professional potential, be sure to check out our online, on-demand writing course,   Wordsmith: A Grammar & Writing Course for Busy Professionals . Now let’s jump into recommendation reports…

What sections are typically included in a recommendation report?

Executive summary.

Begin with an “executive summary” that briefly introduces and summarizes your purpose for writing this report. This section establishes reader expectations for what is to follow. Make sure to state clearly here your reasons for writing this report, and what is contained within the report.

Problem Statement

All recommendation reports address a real and important problem. The Problem Statement is perhaps the most important part of the report because it articulates this problem clearly, providing a strong sense of need for the options you will explore in the rest of the report. The Problem Statement is where you justify the purpose of this report.

To justify the options you recommend, you must first understand the specific needs of the business, organization, or stakeholders you are writing for (i.e. What does the organization need? Why? What is the background of this problem? Who are the major stakeholders? What has been tried in the past? Why didn’t it work?). Your Problem Statement will serve as your introduction to the options discussed in this report.

Description of Options

This is the heart of a recommendation report. In this section, you describe a set number of possible ideas (typically 3) for solving the problem cited at the beginning of your report. Your ideas should be creative and well-planned.  Each option (which should be described in 1-2 paragraphs) should include the following information:

• a cohesive, comprehensive overview of this option/idea;
• information about how this option answers the need cited at the beginning of your report;
• specific details about how this idea could be implemented; and
• justifications as to why this option will work.

Evaluation Criteria & Evaluations of Each Option

After describing the three options, you should outline criteria for evaluating those options. The criteria should be based on the information outlined in your Statement of Need. After listing and justifying evaluation criteria, you should evaluate each option based on its ability to answer your criteria.

Final Recommendation

After describing and evaluating your options, you will recommend the one you think is best and provide a discussion of the reasons why you recommend it. In other words, defend your recommendation thoroughly in this section.

The conclusion to a recommendation report should re-emphasize the final recommendation and offer suggestions about how the audience/reader could move toward implementation.

Works Cited

Recommendation reports sometimes require in-depth research that can range from conducting interviews and surveys to reading peer-reviewed journal articles or other related documents. You should cite this information so that future readers can find the articles and resources you used. The citation style you use should be based on the industry you’re writing for; the chemical industry will expect ACS Style, medical professionals will expect AMA, humanities audiences will expect MLA, social sciences will expect APA, and so on.

Point of View: Should I Use Third Person or First Person?

Like most business reports, this should be written professionally. This usually means avoiding too much personal narrative, and instead relying on third person. For example (third person): “This report overviews three options for community partnership with Feed My Starving Children.” However, it is perfectly fine to use the collective first person sparingly throughout the report, especially to indicate something practical that you did. For example (collective first person): “ We  designed this campaign with a special emphasis on bold color in order to draw the viewer’s attention to the innocence of childhood imagination, and in order to contrast that with the hopelessness of hunger.” OR “In this report,  we  overview three options…” Notice that these three examples are not opinionated (as one might fear when using first person). Instead, they merely acknowledge that  a real, living, breathing human wrote this report and developed these options.  For this reason, first person is great when it’s used for these rhetorical purposes.

Get Our Recommendation Report Templates!

If you’re ready to start building a professional-quality recommendation report, be sure to get our   Recommendation Report Template Pack —a robust set of highly designed report templates with expert writing advice built right in. If you’ve ever found yourself needing to argue for a specific course of action in your organization, a recommendation report will help you analyze a problem, product, population, or process and make clear recommendations about the best path forward.

Recommended Readings

Here are some of our favorite resources on recommendation reports:

• Dr. T. Miles’ Recommendation Report
• NASA Education Recommendation Report 

Learn more about our online business writing courses.

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Writing a recommendation report usually involves describing a situation, evaluating possible alternatives and proposing a solution to a problem. The final report should include clear, precise and evidence-based fndings and recommendations. Whether you’re writing a project, performance or risk assessment, clearly stating the facts makes it easier for others to reach a decision based on your research.

Selecting a Format

A comprehensive recommendation report typically includes a table of contents, executive summary, data acquisition methodology, options and conclusions. You can download a business recommendation template or create your own document or presentation format. Additionally, you can provide attachments with details or include links to websites with relevant information. Select a format that is best suited to the type of report you are writing.

Describing the Situation

The goal of the recommendation report is to outline helpful recommendations that can fulfill a need or resolve a vexing problem, according to the University of Arkansas . When writing a recommendation report, start by clearly stating what you’re evaluating. This sets the tone. For example, if you need to create a report on absenteeism at your company, start by listing statistics about the problem. Then add commentary about its impact. For example, absenteeism might lead to decreased productivity, missed deadlines and lowered customer satisfaction.

Conducting Research

In your recommendation, you need to define the methodology used to collect data. For example, you might create an online survey, conduct focus groups, complete interviews or read literature on the subject. This activity helps you find out what other people think about the topic and what actions they may be taking based on their own experiences. For example, you might discover that employees at your company may miss work repeatedly due to caregiver obligations, poor health or transportation problems. Analyze the situation thoroughly before drawing any conclusions. For instance, you can use analysis techniques such as drawing a fishbone diagram to determine the root cause of the problem.

Qualifying Alternatives

After you lay out the problem, you may go on to suggest viable solutions, as explained by professor T. Miles at West Virginia University. In writing research recommendations, recall what factors should be considered For example, when writing a recommendation report about employee development needs, list options for developing professional skills, such as effective communication, negotiation and decision making. Your recommendation report may also include details about past interventions and results.

Summarizing Findings

Summarize your findings from your research using concise charts, lists and diagrams. This makes it easier for your superiors to interpret your recommendation and draw their own conclusions. For example, you may find that employees fail to recognize the impact of their absenteeism. Promoting awareness can increase attendance and maintain appropriate coverage.

Your recommendations should have specific, measurable and achievable actions defined. They should also be realistic and time constrained. A recommendation might suggest design, distribution and display by the end of the month of posters in the workplace that highlight incentives and punishments, for instance.

• West Virginia University: Recommendation Report
• Microsoft Office Templates: Business Report (Elegant)
• University of Arkansas: Recommendation Report

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Strategic Business Recommendations: How to Write and Present Them Effectively

Writing and presenting strategic business recommendations can be a challenging task. To ensure success, it is important to follow a structured process and present your recommendations clearly and persuasively. This article provides valuable tips and strategies to help you write and present your recommendations effectively and achieve your desired outcomes.

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Effective strategic business recommendations can make or break a company’s success. Whether it’s proposing a new product or service, outlining a marketing strategy, or presenting operational improvements, the way in which these recommendations are presented can be the difference between approval and rejection. In today’s fast-paced business world, it is crucial to be able to communicate ideas clearly and effectively. This article will provide guidance on how to write and present strategic business recommendations to communicate your vision better, inspire confidence in your ideas, and ultimately achieve your goals.

Table of Contents

1. understanding the importance of strategic business recommendations, 2. identifying the key components of effective recommendations, 3. conducting in-depth research to support your recommendations, 4. analyzing data and statistics to validate your recommendations, 5. assessing current market trends and competitors, 6. developing a clear and concise action plan, 7. crafting a convincing executive summary to present to stakeholders, 8. presenting your recommendations with confidence and clarity, 9. tailoring your presentation to your target audience, 10. incorporating visuals and supporting materials to enhance your presentation, 11. addressing potential objections and criticisms from stakeholders, 12. evaluating the success of your recommendations and adjusting as necessary, our readers ask, final thoughts.

In today’s fast-paced business world, making the right strategic decisions can mean the difference between success and failure. That’s why having a team of experts to guide you through this process is so important. Business recommendations, based on thorough research and analysis, can be the key to making smart, informed decisions that will help your company thrive.

Strategic business recommendations can help you evaluate various options, assess the potential risks and benefits, and determine the best course of action for your organization. Whether you are considering new product lines, expanding into new markets, or reorganizing your company, having access to expert business recommendations is critical. These recommendations can provide you with the insights and advice you need to confidently move forward, knowing that you are making the best choices for your business. So, if you’re serious about success, make sure you prioritize the importance of strategic business recommendations in all of your decision-making processes.

To ensure that your recommendation stands out and convinces its recipients, it is crucial to identify the key components that make recommendations effective. Here are some of the components that you need to focus on:

– Background Information: Before you dive into the recommendation itself, make sure that you provide context that explains why the recommendation is needed. This helps create a framework for understanding and sets the tone for your proposal. – Specificity: Avoid being vague or generic. Instead, be specific about what your recommendation entails, why it is necessary, and what steps need to be taken. Use concrete examples and data to add credibility to your proposal. – Actionable: The recommendation also needs to be actionable. Ensure that you provide clear instructions on how implementation can be carried out, along with timelines, resource requirements, and responsibilities. – Benefits: Conveying the benefits of the recommendation is also essential. Explaining how the proposal will affect business outcomes, costs, customer satisfaction, or employee morale – whatever the case may be – will help underscore its value.

Another essential component of effective recommendations is understanding your audience and tailoring your proposal to their needs. Whether you are making recommendations to your boss, team members, customers, or partners, make sure that you use language that they can understand and resonates with their pain points. Plan your style and approach based on your audience to ensure the highest chance of acceptance. By taking all these components into account, your recommendations will be sure to garner a positive response and create actual results.

When it comes to making recommendations, conducting in-depth research is critical to making informed decisions. Research helps to uncover the underlying issues, identify potential solutions and validate assumptions. It also provides a basis for creating robust and actionable recommendations that can lead to meaningful change.

To conduct thorough research, it’s essential to start with a clear understanding of the problem or opportunity at hand. A well-defined problem statement can help guide your research by outlining the key issues and questions you need to explore. This helps to focus your efforts and resources, ensuring that you’re gathering the correct information to support your recommendations. Additionally, it’s essential to use a variety of sources when conducting research, including primary and secondary sources. This approach helps to ensure that you’re getting a broad and diverse range of perspectives that can inform your recommendations.

When it comes to making recommendations for your business or organization, it’s essential to back up your ideas with solid data and statistics. Analyzing this information can help you validate your suggestions and convince stakeholders of the best course of action. Here are some tips for effectively analyzing data and statistics:

1. Define your objectives – Before you start analyzing any data, be clear on your objectives. What are you hoping to achieve? What questions are you hoping to answer? This will help you focus your efforts and ensure that you’re gathering the correct information.

2. Use multiple sources – It’s essential to use a variety of sources when analyzing data and statistics. This can include surveys, customer feedback, sales reports, and industry research. By gathering information from multiple sources, you can get a complete picture of the situation and make more informed recommendations.

To succeed in today’s business world, it’s crucial to keep a close eye on the current market trends and the competition. It’s essential to stay ahead of the game, and this means continually assessing the landscape to stay on top of any developments that could have an impact on the business.

One way to stay on top of the competition is by conducting a SWOT analysis. This involves evaluating the organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. By identifying these factors, the business can begin to formulate strategies to strengthen its position in the market. It’s also essential to stay on top of current trends and understand how they are affecting the organization and the industry as a whole. This could involve tracking consumer behavior, analyzing competitors’ actions, and keeping up-to-date with industry news. By keeping a finger on the pulse, the business can adapt quickly to changes and ensure it stays ahead of the competition.

After identifying the goals and objectives, the next step is to develop a clear and concise action plan. A proper action plan will allow the team to visualize and prioritize the steps needed to achieve the goals. Moreover, it will help track the team’s progress, and ensure that they remain focused on their targets.

To develop a clear and concise action plan, the first thing to do is to break down the goals into smaller, more achievable steps. Set timelines and assign responsibilities for each step, and make sure that they are attainable. It is also important to allocate resources, such as personnel and budget, to ensure the plan remains feasible. Furthermore, it is crucial to communicate the plan effectively to all the team members to ensure buy-in and participation. Overall, a well-designed and communicated action plan will guide the team toward achieving their objectives.

It is essential for achieving the set goals and objectives. An adequately designed action plan will allow for better progress tracking, focus the team on their targets, and ensure allocating the necessary resources. By breaking down the goals into smaller, attainable steps, assigning timelines and responsibilities, communicating effectively, and allocating resources, a team can achieve its objectives within the desired timeframe.

When it comes to presenting your business plan to stakeholders, your executive summary will play a crucial role. It’s essentially the elevator pitch of your entire proposal and should be crafted to be persuasive and engaging from its opening sentence. Here are some tips to make your summary stand out:

– Use clear and concise language: Avoid jargon or technical terms that could be confusing for non-experts. Use short sentences and avoid unnecessary explanations or details. – Start with a hook: Your first sentence should grab the attention of your audience and set the tone for the rest of the summary. Consider using a surprising fact, a thought-provoking question, or a powerful statement. – Highlight your key points: Your summary should cover the most critical aspects of your business plan, such as your target market, your unique value proposition, and your financial projections. Use bullet points or bold text to make your main ideas stand out. – Focus on benefits: Instead of just listing features, emphasize the benefits that your business will bring to your stakeholders. Show how your product or service will solve their problems or fulfill their needs. – Be realistic: While you want to make your plan sound exciting, avoid overpromising or exaggerating your claims. Make sure data and research back your projections.

Remember that your executive summary is your chance to make a strong first impression on your stakeholders. Ensure it’s well-written, persuasive, and tailored to your audience’s interests and needs.

When presenting your recommendations, it’s important to exude confidence and clarity. By doing so, you will not only capture your audience’s attention but also instill a sense of trust and conviction in them. Here are some tips for :

Firstly, know your material inside out. Make sure you have a thorough understanding of the subject matter before you make any assumptions or recommendations. Research thoroughly, review all available data, and draw conclusions based on facts rather than speculations. Secondly, use visual aids such as graphs, charts, and diagrams to support your recommendations. These can help illustrate complex ideas and make the presentation more interactive and engaging. Thirdly, use precise and concise language. Speak clearly and use simple, easy-to-understand terms. Avoid complicated jargon and acronyms that may confuse your audience.

In addition, it’s crucial to remain open to feedback and questions from your audience. Encourage them to ask questions and offer their own suggestions. Also, clarify any misunderstandings or gaps in knowledge they may have, and respond with facts, examples, and supportive evidence. Remember, being confident doesn’t mean being rigid or dogmatic. Be open-minded and willing to adapt and adjust your recommendations based on the feedback and input you receive.

Last but not least, practice, practice, practice! The more you practice your presentation, the more comfortable and confident you will feel. Consider rehearsing in front of a mirror, recording yourself, or delivering a dry run for a small group of colleagues. This will help you hone your delivery and fine-tune your message for maximum impact. Finally, make sure you present yourself professionally. Dress appropriately, maintain good eye contact, and use confident body language.

Knowing your target audience is an essential part of tailoring a successful presentation. Understanding the demographics, interests, and needs of your audience will allow you to tailor your message appropriately. This can include using appropriate language and tone, selecting the right images and multimedia, and emphasizing key points that resonate with your audience.

When it’s essential to consider their level of knowledge and experience, you may need to adjust your content accordingly, either by simplifying complex concepts or by adding more detailed information for those with a deeper understanding. Additionally, it’s essential to consider the unique challenges and experiences that your audience may be facing, and how your presentation can help address those issues. By taking the time to tailor your presentation to your audience, you will position yourself as a knowledgeable and thoughtful presenter, increasing your chances of making a lasting impression.

A picture truly is worth a thousand words. Incorporating visuals and supporting materials into your presentation can significantly enhance the overall impact of your message. Effective use of visuals can help your audience understand complex ideas better and retain more information. They make your presentation more engaging, compelling, and memorable.

When using visuals, be sure to choose high-quality images and diagrams that are relevant to your topic. Avoid using low-quality or pixelated images as they can detract from the overall professionalism of your presentation. Consider using graphs and charts to present data or statistics visually. This helps your audience understand the trends and patterns more easily. Keep in mind that less is more. Instead of cluttering your slides with too many visuals, aim to use them sparingly to emphasize your points effectively. With the right balance of visuals and supporting materials, you can make your presentation more dynamic and persuasive.

When implementing any project or initiative, it is vital to anticipate and address any potential objections and criticisms from stakeholders. These objections can range from practical concerns about the project’s feasibility to ethical concerns about its impact on the community. It is essential to take these objections seriously and address them thoughtfully and transparently.

One approach to addressing objections is to engage in open and honest communication with stakeholders. This can involve holding community meetings or focus groups to gather feedback and concerns. It is important to be receptive to feedback and take it seriously, even if it may be critical. Additionally, offering explanations and clarifications about the project can help avoid misunderstandings and address concerns about feasibility. Finally, acknowledging and addressing ethical concerns can demonstrate a commitment to social responsibility and help build trust with stakeholders. By taking these steps, a project can minimize potential objections and build stakeholder support.

Once you have implemented your recommendations, it’s essential to evaluate their success and adjust as necessary. This step is crucial in ensuring that your efforts are aligned with the overall goal of the project. The success of your recommendations can be measured in various ways, including:

– Increased revenue or profit margins – Improved customer satisfaction – Higher traffic or engagement on your website or social media platforms – Better employee retention rates

To evaluate success, it’s crucial to establish clear metrics and KPIs beforehand. This will make it easier to track progress and determine whether your recommendations are working. Don’t be afraid to make adjustments if your initial approach isn’t delivering the desired results. It’s okay to pivot and try something new as long as it’s aligned with the overall goal. Remember, success is not a one-time event but an ongoing process that requires constant monitoring and tweaking.

Q: Why is writing and presenting strategic business recommendations effectively important?

A: Writing and presenting strategic business recommendations effectively is critical because it helps organizations make informed decisions that can improve their performance and bottom line. Effective recommendations provide insights, solutions, and action plans for resolving business challenges and achieving strategic objectives, which can create value and a competitive advantage for the company.

Q: What are the critical components of a strategic business recommendation?

A: The critical components of a strategic business recommendation include a clear statement of the problem or opportunity, a review of relevant data and analysis, identification of possible solutions and their pros and cons, a recommended course of action, and an implementation plan with timelines and measures of success. Effective recommendations should also consider potential risks and contingencies, stakeholder perspectives, and ethical considerations.

Q: How can you ensure that your recommendation is persuasive?

A: To ensure that your recommendation is persuasive, it is crucial to present it logically and compellingly. This involves building a solid business case with data, facts, and evidence that support your argument, as well as addressing potential objections and counterarguments. It is also essential to tailor your message to your audience’s needs, preferences, and expectations, and to use persuasive language and visuals that enhance your message and engage your audience emotionally.

Q: What are some common mistakes to avoid when writing and presenting strategic business recommendations?

A: Some common mistakes to avoid when writing and presenting strategic business recommendations include: omitting relevant information or analysis; presenting incomplete or inaccurate data; making unsupported or overgeneralized claims; failing to consider stakeholders’ interests and concerns; being overly complicated or jargon-filled; and lacking clarity and coherence in your presentation. It is also essential to avoid being too pushy or defensive in your arguments, as this can undermine your credibility and effectiveness.

Q: How can you improve your skills in writing and presenting strategic business recommendations?

A: You can improve your skills in writing and presenting strategic business recommendations by practicing and seeking feedback from colleagues or mentors. You can also attend training programs, workshops, or conferences focusing on strategic thinking, communication, and presentation skills. Reading books, articles, and case studies on strategic management, marketing, and leadership can provide helpful insights and inspiration. Finally, staying informed about industry trends, market conditions, and competitive threats can help you develop a strategic mindset and identify new opportunities to add value to your organization.

The ability to write and present strategic business recommendations effectively is an essential skill for any business professional. By following the tips outlined above, you can enhance the clarity, persuasiveness, and impact of your recommendations, and increase your chances of success. Remember to tailor your recommendations to your audience, back them up with data and research, and use clear and concise language to drive your message home. With practice and determination, you can become a master at crafting and delivering recommendations that create value and drive business growth. Use these insights wisely, and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a trusted advisor and respected leader in your organization.

Business Journalist

A seasoned business journalist with over 10 years of experience covering startups and entrepreneurship. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for telling the stories of innovative business leaders, this writer’s articles provide valuable insights and analysis for readers looking to stay ahead of the curve in the world of business.

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• Table of Contents

AI, Ethics & Human Agency

Collaboration, information literacy, writing process.

• Recommendation Reports
• © 2023 by Joseph M. Moxley - University of South Florida , Julie Staggers - Washington State University

Recommendation reports are texts that advise audiences about the best ways to solve a problem. Recommendation reports are a type of formal report that is widely used across disciplines and professions. Subject Matter Experts aim to make recommendations based on the best available theory, research and practice.

Different disciplines and professions have different research methods for assessing knowledge claims and defining knowledge . Thus, there is no one perfect way to write a recommendation report.

As always, when composing—especially when you’re planning your report—it’s strategic to focus on your audience, rhetorical analysis, and rhetorical reasoning. At center, keep the focus on what you want your audience to feel, think, and do.

While writers, speakers, and knowledge workers . . . may choose a variety of ways to organize their reports, below are some fairly traditional sections to formal recommendations reports:

• Letter of transmittal
• Problem Definition
• Potential solutions to the problem
• Empirical Research Methods used to investigate the problem
• Recommendations
• List of Illustrations

Report Body

Note: your specific rhetorical context will determine what headings you use in your Recommendation Report. That said, the following sections are fairly typical for this genre, and they are required, as appropriate, for this assignment.

Report back matter

Collect material for the appendices as you go. The report back matter will include:

• Bibliography, which is sometimes referred to as Works Cited or References (Use a citation format appropriate for your field (APA, MLA, Chicago, IEEE, etc.)
• Appendices, if necessary (e.g., letters of support, financial projections)

Formatting and design

Employ a professional writing style throughout, including:

• Page layout: Appropriate to audience, purpose, and context. 8.5 x 11 with 1-inch margins is a fail-safe default.
• Typography: Choose business-friendly fonts appropriate to your audience, purpose, and context; Arial for headers and Times New Roman for body text is a safe, neutral default.
• Headings and subheadings: Use a numbered heading and subheading system, formatted using the Styles function on your word processor.
• Bulleted and numbered lists: Use lists that are formatted correctly using the list buttons on your word processor with a blank line before the first bullet and after the last bullet
• Graphics and figures: Support data findings and arguments with appropriate visuals – charts, tables, graphics;  Include numbered titles and captions
• Page numbering: use lower-case Roman numerals for pages before the table of contents, Arabic numerals; no page number on the TOC.

Additional Resources

• Final Reports by Angela Eward-Mangione   and Katherine McGee
• Professional Writing Style

Brevity - Say More with Less

Clarity (in Speech and Writing)

Coherence - How to Achieve Coherence in Writing

Flow - How to Create Flow in Writing

Inclusivity - Inclusive Language

The Elements of Style - The DNA of Powerful Writing

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Top 5 Recommendation Report Templates with Samples and Examples

Sapna Singh

Remember when Air Jordans debuted? Michael Jordan preferred the now famous red and black Air Jordan 1s, despite NBA’s ‘All-White’ shoe policy. Every time he wore those shoes on the court, he had to pay $5,000. But, Nike experienced phenomenal value creation as a result of this recommendation.

At a press conference on June 16, 2021, Portuguese football player Cristiano Ronaldo put aside two bottles of carbonated beverages in favor of water, costing Coca-Cola $4 billion.

Recommendations are a powerful sales and marketing tool. Recommendation reports , also known as feasibility reports , have become the norm in product development, IT, retail, and community development areas to advise stakeholders on the best solutions to solve a problem. Companies implement suggestions based on information gathered during the research process to make the best decisions.

Check out our guide to feasibility analysis  to make sure your projects are effectively implemented.

This blog provides you essential information to examine an issue, product, population, or process to figure out the best course of action. We, at SlideTeam, have put together a list of the Top 5 Recommendation Report Templates  to assist you in growing your clientele and expanding your business. These templates will act as catalysts for the creation of a strong recommendation report.

Evaluate all available options with SlideTeam’s top-notch PPT Templates!

Template 1: Audit Report Summary with Key Findings and Recommendations PPT

An impressive feasibility report can improve clarity and business impact. Use this PPT Template to communicate the audit’s objectives, scope, and findings. Research, surveys, and case studies help make it an informative and persuasive document, allowing the audit team to make comments that go beyond individual issues. This slide includes a three-stage process for presenting findings that can be presented for management review.

Download Now!

Template 2: Weekly Accomplishment Report with Key Recommendations Template

Wouldn’t you want to document the specifics of your project process? Use this PowerPoint Template to give an overview of the task you complete in any given week. This document is perfect for evaluation criteria and assessments. Present it during interviews to compile and synthesize information and track accomplishments. Employ this PowerPoint Presentation to self-assess and increase your performance appraisal ratings.

Template 3: QA Recommendations Register Report with Status PPT

Provide a consolidated report on the project's testing to date. Use this pre-made PPT Template to showcase the current state of software quality management. This feasibility report can be used to provide Quality Assurance (QA) recommendations to senior management, clients, etc., outlining the specifics of the testing carried out for the project. Important factors like Finding, Recommendation, Owner, Target Date, and Status are included to showcase the application's overall quality level. This will make it easier to develop corrective measures.

Template 4: Recommendations for Determining Salary Structure PPT

Offering competitive remuneration can help foster employee engagement and good performance. Use this PPT Template to establish the scope and objectives of your compensation policy. This informative document depicts the compensation and bonuses offered to employees based on their performances. This has six stages: The compensation structure, the performance appraisal system, the special compensation programmers, the bonuses and incentives, the work-from-home policy, and the retention program. This will enable you to find a balance between offering staff attractive hikes and implementing a reasonable salary policy.

Template 5: One-Page Diagnostic Assessment and Recommendation Report PPT

Use this PPT Template to provide a diagnostic assessment of a client’s needs based on behavior patterns, skills, abilities, resources, vulnerabilities, and safety requirements. This will aid in research and creation of case studies of students’ strengths, skills, capabilities, and knowledge. This feasibility report can be used as a record to discuss student issues and propose appropriate solutions. This PowerPoint Presentation will assist you in creating a snapshot of learning gaps in order to review the plan’s efficiency, effectiveness, relevance, and sustainability. This template is especially useful for educators.

Template 6: One-Page Definition for Risk Assurance and Recommendation Criteria PDF

Use this PPT Template to communicate the risks and hazards that could hurt your company. This will support your research, case studies, and survey work as you create criteria for determining what level of risk is acceptable. This one-pager will assist in reviewing available health and safety information, such as Safety Data Sheets (SDS), manufacturer literature, information from respected organizations, testing results, workplace inspection reports, records of workplace accidents, and so on, to establish a good understanding of the internal risk control systems.

Template 7: Recommendations Related to the Annual Program Evaluation Report PPT

Use this PowerPoint Template to evaluate the effectiveness of a program on an annual basis. It can be used as an evaluation criterion to focus on required components, with an emphasis on program strengths and ‘self-identified’ areas of improvement. This presentation is useful for recognizing deficiencies and recommending an improvement action plan, with follow-ups. This slide is ideal for a program coordinator or education committee.

Template 8: Conclusions and Recommendations Related to Project Presentation PPT

Want to highlight your solution’s main ideas? Use this PPT Template to provide a brief summary of a project's main findings. With the right illustrations and visuals, this slide can be used as a persuasive document. It will assist you in capturing the attention of your focus groups for easy comprehension of facts and figures.

The multiple possible resolutions.

Recommendation Reports are essential for business. They suggest actions to be taken in response to the report’s findings and justify the proposal, as well as the project’s goals and objectives, to ensure effective decision making. Use SlideTeam's PowerPoint Templates to present a realistic solution to workplace problems.

PS: Check out some more recommendation PowerPoint slides  armed with effective ways to reach growth milestones and catapult your business!

FAQs ON RECOMMENDATION REPORTS

Why is a recommendation important in report writing.

Recommendations are significant for the following reasons:

• These provide a succinct and well-organized description of the steps to complete a project.
• These have been compiled after a thorough studied and contain factual data from dependable sources.
• Recommendations provide sound and evidence-based conclusions.
• Many people read a report's suggestions and conclusion before reading the report to get a frame of reference.

What are the components of a recommendation report?

The components of a recommendation report are:

• The introduction explains the issue or circumstance and lists the things that will be compared.
• Background includes necessary information for readers to understand the report, such as description of the company, the background, and context of the issue being addressed, any technical background information, etc.
• Criteria for Evaluation
• Options include possible solutions as well as a brief description of each. This will aid in presenting category-by-category comparisons to provide the best solution.
• The Conclusion  and Recommendation on which the solution is selected considering the criteria provided in the report.

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How to Write a Formal Business Report (Template and Examples)

Formal business reports are official documents that guide and inform stakeholders. These reports are valuable tools when solving company problems or making decisions. 

You should be clear and include all relevant information to make your report useful in decision-making and problem-solving. 

Here are five steps for writing a formal business report:

• Define the purpose and intended audience
• Gather and analyze data
• Create an outline
• Draft the business report
• Revise and format your report

Keep reading to get valuable details under every step and learn to segment your report.

But first, let’s delve deep into formal business reports, the different types, and what differentiates them. We’ll also discuss the elements of a business report and cover valuable tips to perfect your writing skills.

Let’s get started!

Understanding formal business reports

Business reports provide an analysis of the current performance of a business and offer recommended actions to improve operations. A formal business report should include detailed data, analysis, conclusions, and recommendations.

What is a formal and informal business report?

A formal business report is a detailed and organized document that provides information about a specific topic, like research findings, market trends, or a financial situation. It usually includes conclusions based on data collected during the research process. 

Formal business reports can present complicated topics in an easy-to-understand format, allowing company executives to make informed decisions. A formal report typically includes an introduction, a body of information, and a conclusion. It should consist of accurate data and reliable sources and be written formally with proper grammar and spelling.

An informal business report does not follow traditional, formal reports’ formal structure and layout. Instead, it is written in an easy-to-understand language and typically includes summaries of key points, along with recommendations or suggestions for further action. 

Unlike formal reports, informal business reports do not need to be approved by higher management and can be sent directly to the intended recipient. Businesses often use informal reports to quickly provide updates or summaries of projects, data, or other important information. They are also commonly used when sharing ideas, solutions, or findings that don’t necessarily require a formal response from the receiver. 

While informal reports may need more depth and detail than formal reports, they can still communicate important information concisely and clearly. 

Types of formal business reports

Formal business reports include different types that may be used to present data, analyze performance, or make recommendations. Examples of formal business reports include annual, research, feasibility, and marketing research reports. 

Feasibility Reports

A feasibility report is an analytical document that outlines whether an activity or project has the potential to be successful. It includes cost estimates, expected outcomes, and other factors affecting the project’s success.

Business Plans 

A business plan is a formal outline of a company’s objectives and strategies for achieving them. It is used to obtain financing, attract investors, and set goals for the company. 

Business plans typically include sections on market analysis, organizational structure, competitive analysis, product or service description, financial projections, marketing strategies, and tactics.

Progress Reports

A progress report is a document that details the current status of a project or activity. It outlines the progress made, challenges encountered, and a timeline for when the project should be completed.

Financial Reports

Financial reports provide information about the company’s financial performance over some time. They include income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements.

A proposal is a document that outlines how an organization, company, or individual intends to complete a project. It usually includes information such as the purpose of the project, expected outcomes, methods, and associated costs. For example, businesses may use proposals to solicit funding from investors or government agencies.

Market Research Reports

A market research report is a document that provides information about customer needs and competitor activities to develop strategies for the organization. They typically include data on consumer preferences, product demand, market trends, and other relevant factors.

Risk Reports

A risk report is a document that details the potential risks associated with a specific activity or investment. It outlines possible losses and considers how they could affect an organization’s operations. Risk reports may also include measures the organization can take to mitigate losses and recommendations for further actions.

Technical Reports

Technical reports are documents that explain the results of a technical project or investigation in detail. They are used to document the findings of a project and provide a record that can be used as reference material. 

Technical reports typically include sections on research methods, results, conclusions, recommendations, and implementation plans. 

What are the key differences between writing a business report and writing an academic report?

Business reports inform a decision or provide direction in the form of recommendations. They may include factual data and analysis but are often practical and focus on the actionable steps needed to achieve a goal. 

Academic reports take a more analytical approach, emphasizing research and thought-provoking discussions that examine different points of view. 

Sources used

When writing business reports, only use real-world sources such as government reports. But when writing academic reports, you may cite theoretical works . 

Conciseness

When writing business reports, use concise points with stakeholders in mind . As for academic reports, you may use technical terms and lengthy explanations to support a point. 

Academic reports are often longer and more detailed than business reports and may also include recommendations but with a focus on developing new strategies or ideas.

When writing a business report, adhere to the following structure: cover page, table of contents, list of figures, executive summary, introduction, body, conclusion, and recommendations. 

But when writing an academic report, follow the structure: introduction, literature review, methods, results, discussion, and conclusion.

The purpose of both types of reports is to provide information that is useful and relevant to the target audience. So keep the audience in mind when writing a report; what information do they need to know? How will it help them make decisions or understand a concept better? 

Elements of a formal business report

An excellent formal business report organizes information into these sections: 

• Table of contents
• List of Figures
• Executive summary
• Introduction
• Recommendation

1. Title page

The title page indicates the company name (and logo), the author’s and readers’ names and positions, and the date.

2. Table of contents

The table of contents lists the sections of a report with their page number and helps jump to a specific title. 

3. List of Figures

The list mentions every chart or diagram included in the report and its page number for easy navigation. 

4. Executive summary

The executive summary briefly overviews the report’s key points, findings, and conclusions. It helps readers to understand the report’s data without reading the entire document. Therefore, this section should be the last to write since the facts in the report will form the executive summary. 

5. Introduction

The introduction outlines the research objectives and methods used to generate data for analysis. It sets the stage for what follows. Unlike the executive summary, it does not mention any conclusion or recommendation. 

The body contains an in-depth review of the research results and their implications. It may include an analysis of trends, correlations, pictorial evidence, and other data supporting the report’s conclusions.  

7. Conclusion 

The conclusion summarizes the data discussed in the body . It is a brief sentence that takes around three to six sentences. 

8. Recommendation

The recommendation suggests an action based on the facts presented in the report. It outlines steps or policy changes necessary to solve a problem.

9. Appendix

The appendix contains information that supports your report but would be distracting if you included it in the body. This information may consist of raw data, charts, transcripts, and surveys used for analysis or any additional resources used in the research process. You may also include acronyms used in the report.

10. References/Bibliography

This section consists of all references you used in your report. Citations protect you from plagiarism and give credit to your sources. You can write citations in APA, MLA, and Chicago styles , depending on the style of your formal report. 

11. Glossary

The glossary is where you define all technical terms used in the report. Use an asterisk next to words you will describe in the glossary to indicate that the reader should check the glossary for a definition. 

How to write a formal business report step-by-step

When writing a formal business report, start by defining the purpose of the report and the intended audience. You then gather data and analyze it before writing the report. Finally, write the report and revise it accordingly.

1. Define the purpose and intended audience

Why are you writing the report? Consider what information you need to include and who will read the report. This will help you structure your document correctly and provide relevant information. 

Defining your target audience will help you tailor the language used and choose relevant information to include in the report.

2. Gather and analyze the data

Collect all data relevant to achieving the goal of your report. This should include quantitative and qualitative data, such as customer satisfaction surveys, case studies, performance metrics, or feedback from stakeholders.

Once you have collected all of your data, analyze it and identify any trends or patterns that may be useful in writing the report. You can use various tools and techniques like statistical analysis , gap analysis , or cause-and-effect diagrams .

3. Create an outline

An outline will help you organize your research data, stay on topic, and avoid including unrelated information under a particular title. Besides having a section of each formal business report element above, outline your key points, headings, and subheadings. 

Use self-explanatory headings, for example, “ Impact of expanding market share. ”

3. Draft the report

Organize the data you collected during research into the draft report. Start by introducing the topic, providing background information, and the report’s objectives. Then include each of the main points you want to discuss, supported by evidence from the research data.

Have the relevant elements mentioned above and write adequate information under each section. The draft does not have to be perfect; you just need to organize the data roughly. 

4. Revise and format your report

After completing your draft, proofread and edit it to remove irrelevant data or add forgotten information. Make sure everything looks good, including the formatting. It also helps to share the business report with someone who can review it and propose necessary changes. Once everything is settled, share the report with your intended audience.

Tips for writing a formal business report

When writing a formal report, use data and evidence to support your argument, add visuals, use consistent fonts and headings, and highlight important information. You should also use clear language that is easy to understand, considering the audience’s background knowledge.

1. Only use credible sources

Credible sources strengthen your report because they are factual, unbiased, and reliable. To identify a credible source, look out for the following markers. 

• The source’s author should be an expert in their field.
• The information in the source should be up-to-date. 
• The source should include evidence. The author should not have their opinions or speculations.
• A credible source is peer-reviewed by other experts in the field. 

2. Use diagrams in formal business reports

Use diagrams like graphs and charts to illustrate relationships between ideas. They are more engaging, easier to understand, and they capture your audience’s attention. 

Mind that you don’t clutter your diagrams with too much information. Excess detail will confuse your readers. 

Achieve simplicity by:

• Removing backgrounds that cause distractions.
• Removing or lightening gridlines. Gridlines clutter diagrams. 
• Reduce the number of colors you use. Only use color on crucial data in the diagram. 
• Instead of adding every tiny detail, use symbols and have a key. The key explains what each symbol, figure, or line represents. 

3. Use a consistent format

A consistent format makes it easy to follow your report. Keep the format headings and subheadings uniform throughout your report. And make your page margins and font styles consistent. 

4. Use bold fonts to highlight  

Bold fonts stand out against regular text to draw focus on essential data and make it easier to skim through the report. Use bolding sparingly; otherwise, the effect of highlighting will not work.

Formal business report template

A formal business report template will save both time and energy by providing a framework that simplifies the process of assembling data into a comprehensive document.  

Check out this collection of editable business report templates to find one that works for you.

Final Thoughts: Formal Business Report

Formal business reports are essential tools for any business. An excellent report drives company decisions and recommends solutions to company problems. Writing one may be challenging, but this guide gives you a clear pathway to ease the process. 

Remember to use visual aids and credible sources to fortify your report. Organize data into the above sections, and use the discussed tips to write your business report like a pro!

You may also like:

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Recommendation Report

Report generator.

From the word itself “recommendation”, it is a statement that suggests what would be good or what is suitable for something. You have to make a lot of persuasion to convince your readers that is the best thing that you should do. It may help you improve a system, develop something new or change the previous idea into something better that would your organization grow. Have you heard about recommendation reports? If not, this is you chance to get to know about it. Just like any other business report or school report , recommendation report also follows a certain format. In this article, you will be able to know about recommendation reports and how are you going to create one.

11+ Recommendation Report Examples

1. recommendation report template.

• Google Docs
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Size: 32 KB

2. Recommendation Report Example

3. Consulting Recommendation Report

4. Sample Recommendation Report

Size: 74 KB

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Size: 635 KB

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Size: 56 KB

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Size: 58 KB

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Size: 340 KB

11. Staff Recommendation Report

Size: 65 KB

12. Recommendation Report Sample

What is a Recommendation Report?

A recommendation report is written specifically for the purpose of having to propose or recommend something to fill a need. Its primary goal is to recommend an option and support that recommendation. Other than recommending an option, it is also designed to look for possible solutions to problems.

For example:

In technology, problems are often resolved with a technical upgrade. For instance, you put dual airbags in cars because people too often don’t use seat belts, and airbags prevent further injury even when seat belts are used. The problem here, which motivates people to improve a process, is that people continue to sustain severe injuries despite the availability of seat belts and dual airbags. Taking this one step further, some car companies (like Volvo) are not installing side airbags, in addition to the two in front, to protect people against side impacts, which often do not activate the two front airbags.

Steps in Writing a Recommendation Report

When you are writing a recommendation report, you have to describe and evaluate the situation and propose a solution to a problem. Stating facts would be easier for you to be able to reach for a decision. You may take a look at some recommendation templates as your guide.

1. Describe the Situation

You have to start by describing what you are evaluating.

2. Conduct a Research

It is always recommended to conduct a research for you to define what kind of methodology are you going to use when collecting the data. You may conduct online surveys, literature reading or conduct a one-on-one interview with your respondents. This will help you get ideas from others for you recommendation report.

3. Suggest an Idea

You may suggest about how to improve and develop skills, how to have an effective communication and how to have a good decision making skill. You may also consider putting details from the past results.

4. Summarize your Findings

To have an easier interpretation of your recommendation, you may use visual graphic organizers such as charts, table, diagrams, etc. You have to make everything realistic.

Factors to Consider When Writing Your Recommendation Report

First, you have to consider your target audience. They are the ones who will highly influence the contents written in your recommendation report. Second is your headings and subheadings. They will help the audience to better understand your reports with the facts that you have discussed. You should also have a strong content to make your report more effective. Ensure that you maintain a logical flow over the information. Most of all, you have to make your report as clear and as informative as possible. Make your recommendation report neat and effective.

How are you going to conclude your recommendation report?

Summarize your findings and acknowledge the recommendations discussed in your report.

How long should a recommendation report be?

Your recommendation report will depend on how long your data will be.

How do you state recommendations in a report?

Be clear with what you intend to recommend. As much as possible, provide an explanation about it.

Recommendation reports help you in providing ways on how to improve a particular procedure or method. You just have to follow the steps: describe the situation, conduct a research, suggest an idea and summarize your findings. Through this, you will be able to replace a better recommendation that is more suitable than the previous one.

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Home » Research Recommendations – Examples and Writing Guide

Research Recommendations – Examples and Writing Guide

Table of Contents

Research Recommendations

Definition:

Research recommendations refer to suggestions or advice given to someone who is looking to conduct research on a specific topic or area. These recommendations may include suggestions for research methods, data collection techniques, sources of information, and other factors that can help to ensure that the research is conducted in a rigorous and effective manner. Research recommendations may be provided by experts in the field, such as professors, researchers, or consultants, and are intended to help guide the researcher towards the most appropriate and effective approach to their research project.

Parts of Research Recommendations

Research recommendations can vary depending on the specific project or area of research, but typically they will include some or all of the following parts:

• Research question or objective : This is the overarching goal or purpose of the research project.
• Research methods : This includes the specific techniques and strategies that will be used to collect and analyze data. The methods will depend on the research question and the type of data being collected.
• Data collection: This refers to the process of gathering information or data that will be used to answer the research question. This can involve a range of different methods, including surveys, interviews, observations, or experiments.
• Data analysis : This involves the process of examining and interpreting the data that has been collected. This can involve statistical analysis, qualitative analysis, or a combination of both.
• Results and conclusions: This section summarizes the findings of the research and presents any conclusions or recommendations based on those findings.
• Limitations and future research: This section discusses any limitations of the study and suggests areas for future research that could build on the findings of the current project.

How to Write Research Recommendations

Writing research recommendations involves providing specific suggestions or advice to a researcher on how to conduct their study. Here are some steps to consider when writing research recommendations:

• Understand the research question: Before writing research recommendations, it is important to have a clear understanding of the research question and the objectives of the study. This will help to ensure that the recommendations are relevant and appropriate.
• Consider the research methods: Consider the most appropriate research methods that could be used to collect and analyze data that will address the research question. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the different methods and how they might apply to the specific research question.
• Provide specific recommendations: Provide specific and actionable recommendations that the researcher can implement in their study. This can include recommendations related to sample size, data collection techniques, research instruments, data analysis methods, or other relevant factors.
• Justify recommendations : Justify why each recommendation is being made and how it will help to address the research question or objective. It is important to provide a clear rationale for each recommendation to help the researcher understand why it is important.
• Consider limitations and ethical considerations : Consider any limitations or potential ethical considerations that may arise in conducting the research. Provide recommendations for addressing these issues or mitigating their impact.
• Summarize recommendations: Provide a summary of the recommendations at the end of the report or document, highlighting the most important points and emphasizing how the recommendations will contribute to the overall success of the research project.

Example of Research Recommendations

Example of Research Recommendations sample for students:

• Further investigate the effects of X on Y by conducting a larger-scale randomized controlled trial with a diverse population.
• Explore the relationship between A and B by conducting qualitative interviews with individuals who have experience with both.
• Investigate the long-term effects of intervention C by conducting a follow-up study with participants one year after completion.
• Examine the effectiveness of intervention D in a real-world setting by conducting a field study in a naturalistic environment.
• Compare and contrast the results of this study with those of previous research on the same topic to identify any discrepancies or inconsistencies in the findings.
• Expand upon the limitations of this study by addressing potential confounding variables and conducting further analyses to control for them.
• Investigate the relationship between E and F by conducting a meta-analysis of existing literature on the topic.
• Explore the potential moderating effects of variable G on the relationship between H and I by conducting subgroup analyses.
• Identify potential areas for future research based on the gaps in current literature and the findings of this study.
• Conduct a replication study to validate the results of this study and further establish the generalizability of the findings.

Applications of Research Recommendations

Research recommendations are important as they provide guidance on how to improve or solve a problem. The applications of research recommendations are numerous and can be used in various fields. Some of the applications of research recommendations include:

• Policy-making: Research recommendations can be used to develop policies that address specific issues. For example, recommendations from research on climate change can be used to develop policies that reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainability.
• Program development: Research recommendations can guide the development of programs that address specific issues. For example, recommendations from research on education can be used to develop programs that improve student achievement.
• Product development : Research recommendations can guide the development of products that meet specific needs. For example, recommendations from research on consumer behavior can be used to develop products that appeal to consumers.
• Marketing strategies: Research recommendations can be used to develop effective marketing strategies. For example, recommendations from research on target audiences can be used to develop marketing strategies that effectively reach specific demographic groups.
• Medical practice : Research recommendations can guide medical practitioners in providing the best possible care to patients. For example, recommendations from research on treatments for specific conditions can be used to improve patient outcomes.
• Scientific research: Research recommendations can guide future research in a specific field. For example, recommendations from research on a specific disease can be used to guide future research on treatments and cures for that disease.

Purpose of Research Recommendations

The purpose of research recommendations is to provide guidance on how to improve or solve a problem based on the findings of research. Research recommendations are typically made at the end of a research study and are based on the conclusions drawn from the research data. The purpose of research recommendations is to provide actionable advice to individuals or organizations that can help them make informed decisions, develop effective strategies, or implement changes that address the issues identified in the research.

The main purpose of research recommendations is to facilitate the transfer of knowledge from researchers to practitioners, policymakers, or other stakeholders who can benefit from the research findings. Recommendations can help bridge the gap between research and practice by providing specific actions that can be taken based on the research results. By providing clear and actionable recommendations, researchers can help ensure that their findings are put into practice, leading to improvements in various fields, such as healthcare, education, business, and public policy.

Characteristics of Research Recommendations

Research recommendations are a key component of research studies and are intended to provide practical guidance on how to apply research findings to real-world problems. The following are some of the key characteristics of research recommendations:

• Actionable : Research recommendations should be specific and actionable, providing clear guidance on what actions should be taken to address the problem identified in the research.
• Evidence-based: Research recommendations should be based on the findings of the research study, supported by the data collected and analyzed.
• Contextual: Research recommendations should be tailored to the specific context in which they will be implemented, taking into account the unique circumstances and constraints of the situation.
• Feasible : Research recommendations should be realistic and feasible, taking into account the available resources, time constraints, and other factors that may impact their implementation.
• Prioritized: Research recommendations should be prioritized based on their potential impact and feasibility, with the most important recommendations given the highest priority.
• Communicated effectively: Research recommendations should be communicated clearly and effectively, using language that is understandable to the target audience.
• Evaluated : Research recommendations should be evaluated to determine their effectiveness in addressing the problem identified in the research, and to identify opportunities for improvement.

Advantages of Research Recommendations

Research recommendations have several advantages, including:

• Providing practical guidance: Research recommendations provide practical guidance on how to apply research findings to real-world problems, helping to bridge the gap between research and practice.
• Improving decision-making: Research recommendations help decision-makers make informed decisions based on the findings of research, leading to better outcomes and improved performance.
• Enhancing accountability : Research recommendations can help enhance accountability by providing clear guidance on what actions should be taken, and by providing a basis for evaluating progress and outcomes.
• Informing policy development : Research recommendations can inform the development of policies that are evidence-based and tailored to the specific needs of a given situation.
• Enhancing knowledge transfer: Research recommendations help facilitate the transfer of knowledge from researchers to practitioners, policymakers, or other stakeholders who can benefit from the research findings.
• Encouraging further research : Research recommendations can help identify gaps in knowledge and areas for further research, encouraging continued exploration and discovery.
• Promoting innovation: Research recommendations can help identify innovative solutions to complex problems, leading to new ideas and approaches.

Limitations of Research Recommendations

While research recommendations have several advantages, there are also some limitations to consider. These limitations include:

• Context-specific: Research recommendations may be context-specific and may not be applicable in all situations. Recommendations developed in one context may not be suitable for another context, requiring adaptation or modification.
• I mplementation challenges: Implementation of research recommendations may face challenges, such as lack of resources, resistance to change, or lack of buy-in from stakeholders.
• Limited scope: Research recommendations may be limited in scope, focusing only on a specific issue or aspect of a problem, while other important factors may be overlooked.
• Uncertainty : Research recommendations may be uncertain, particularly when the research findings are inconclusive or when the recommendations are based on limited data.
• Bias : Research recommendations may be influenced by researcher bias or conflicts of interest, leading to recommendations that are not in the best interests of stakeholders.
• Timing : Research recommendations may be time-sensitive, requiring timely action to be effective. Delayed action may result in missed opportunities or reduced effectiveness.
• Lack of evaluation: Research recommendations may not be evaluated to determine their effectiveness or impact, making it difficult to assess whether they are successful or not.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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Senators urge $32 billion in emergency spending on AI after finishing yearlong review

Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai speaks at a Google I/O event in Mountain View, Calif., Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

FILE - OpenAI’s ChatGPT app is displayed on an iPhone in New York, May 18, 2023. The rate of businesses in the U.S. using AI is still relatively small but growing rapidly, with firms in information technology and professional services, and in locations like Colorado and the District of Columbia, leading the way, according to a new paper from U.S. Census Bureau researchers. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella speaks during a conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Thursday, May 2, 2024. Microsoft will invest $2.2 billion over the next four years in Malaysia’s new cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure as well as partnering with the government to establish a national AI center, Nadella said Thursday. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

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WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan group of four senators led by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is recommending that Congress spend at least $32 billion over the next three years to develop artificial intelligence and place safeguards around it, writing in a report released Wednesday that the U.S. needs to “harness the opportunities and address the risks” of the quickly developing technology.

The group of two Democrats and two Republicans said in an interview Tuesday that while they sometimes disagreed on the best paths forward, they felt it was imperative to find consensus with the technology taking off and other countries like China investing heavily in its development. They settled on a raft of broad policy recommendations that were included in their 33-page report.

While any legislation related to AI will be difficult to pass, especially in an election year and in a divided Congress, the senators said that regulation and incentives for innovation are urgently needed.

“It’s complicated, it’s difficult, but we can’t afford to put our head in the sand,” said Schumer, D-N.Y., who convened the group last year after AI chatbot ChatGPT entered the marketplace and showed that it could in many ways mimic human behavior.

The group recommends in the report that Congress draft emergency spending legislation to boost U.S. investments in artificial intelligence, including new research and development and new testing standards to try to understand the potential harms of the technology. The group also recommended new requirements for transparency as artificial intelligence products are rolled out and that studies be conducted into the potential impact of AI on jobs and the U.S. workforce .

Republican Sen. Mike Rounds, a member of the group, said the money would be well spent not only to compete with other countries who are racing into the AI space but also to improve Americans’ quality of life — supporting technology that could help cure some cancers or chronic illnesses, he said, or improvements in weapons systems could help the country avoid a war.

“This is a time in which the dollars we put into this particular investment will pay dividends for the taxpayers of this country long term,” he said.

The group came together a year ago after Schumer made the issue a priority — an unusual posture for a majority leader — and brought in Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, Republican Sen. Todd Young of Indiana and Rounds of South Dakota.

As the four senators began meeting with tech executives and experts, Schumer said in a speech over the summer that the rapid growth of artificial intelligence tools was a “moment of revolution” and that the government must act quickly to regulate companies that are developing it.

Young said the development of ChatGPT, along with other similar models, made them realize that “we’re going to have to figure out collectively as an institution” how to deal with the technology.

“In the same breath that people marveled at the possibilities of just that one generative AI platform, they began to hypothesize about future risks that might be associated with future developments of artificial intelligence,” Young said.

While passing legislation will be tough, the group’s recommendations lay out the first comprehensive road map on an issue that is complex and has little precedent for consideration in Congress. The group spent almost a year compiling the list of policy suggestions after talking privately and publicly to a range of technology companies and other stakeholders, including in eight forums to which the entire Senate was invited.

The first forum in September included X owner and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates and Google CEO Sundar Pichai.

Schumer said after the private meeting that he had asked everyone in the room — including almost two dozen tech executives, advocates and skeptics — whether government should have a role in the oversight of artificial intelligence, and “every single person raised their hand.”

Still, there are diverse views in the tech industry about the future of AI. Musk has voiced dire concerns evoking popular science fiction about the possibility of humanity losing control to advanced AI systems if the right safeguards are not in place. Others are more concerned about the details of how proposed regulations could affect their business, from possible government oversight over the most capable AI systems to tracking of highly sought-after AI computer chips for national security.

The four senators are pitching their recommendations to Senate committees, which are then tasked with reviewing them and trying to figure out what is possible. The Senate Rules Committee is already moving forward with legislation, on Wednesday approving three bills that would ban deceptive AI content used to influence federal elections, require AI disclaimers on political ads and create voluntary guidelines for state election offices that oversee candidates.

Schumer, who controls the Senate’s schedule, said those election bills were among the chamber’s “highest priorities” this year. He also said he planned to sit down with House Speaker Mike Johnson, who has expressed interest in looking at AI policy but has not said how he would do that.

Still, winning enough votes on the legislation may be not be easy. The bills that would ban deceptive AI election content and require AI disclaimers on political ads were approved by the Rules panel on party line votes, with no GOP support. Republicans argued that the legislation would usurp states that are already acting on the issue and potentially violate political candidates’ rights to free speech.

Senate Rules Committee Chairwoman Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota, said that the rapid development of AI is a “hair on fire” moment for elections. And while states may be passing similar bills, she said the country is “unguarded on the federal level.”

Some experts warn that the U.S. is behind many other countries on the issue, including the EU which took the lead in March when they gave final approval to a sweeping new law governing artificial intelligence in the 27-nation bloc. Europe’s AI Act sets tighter rules for the AI products and services deemed to pose the highest risks, such as in medicine, critical infrastructure or policing. But it also includes provisions regulating the new class of generative AI systems like ChatGPT that have rapidly advanced in recent years.

“It’s time for Congress to act,” said Alexandra Reeve Givens, CEO of the Center for Democracy & Technology. “It’s not enough to focus on investment and innovation. We need guardrails to ensure the responsible development of AI.”

Others said the senators’ road map wasn’t tough enough on tech companies. Some groups calling for tighter AI safeguards and civil rights protections said it showed too much deference to industry priorities.

Alix Dunn is a senior adviser at AI Now, a policy research center that pushes for more accountability around AI technology. She criticized the closed door sessions with tech CEOs. “I don’t see how it got us even an inch closer to meaningful government action on AI,” she said.

The senators emphasized balance between innovation and safeguards, and also the urgency of action.

“We have the lead at this moment in time on this issue, and it will define the relationship between the United States and our allies and other competing powers in the world for a long time to come,” Heinrich said.

O’Brien reported from Providence, R.I. Associated Press writer Dan Merica in Washington contributed to this report.