How to write an executive summary for a research paper

Of southern zing your social sciences research zing your social sciences research paper: executive purpose of this guide is to provide advice on how to develop and organize a research paper in the social of research flaws to ndent and dependent ry of research terms. Choosing a research ing a topic ning a topic ing the timeliness of a topic idea. An oral g with g someone else's to manage group of structured group project survival g a book le book review ing collected g a field informed g a policy g a research executive summary is a thorough overview of a research report or other type of document that synthesizes key points for its readers, saving them time and preparing them to understand the study's overall content. It is a separate, stand-alone document of sufficient detail and clarity to ensure that the reader can completely understand the contents of the main research study. An executive summary can be anywhere from 1-10 pages long depending on the length of the report, or it can be the summary of more than one document [e. Of a good executive gh an executive summary is similar to an abstract in that they both summarize the contents of a research study, there are several key differences. With research abstracts, the author's recommendations are rarely included, or if they are, they are implicit rather than explicit. Recommendations are generally not stated in academic abstracts because scholars operate in a discursive environment, where debates, discussions, and dialogs are meant to precede the implementation of any new research findings. The conceptual nature of much academic writing also means that recommendations arising from the findings are widespread and not easily or usefully ive summaries are used mainly when a research study has been developed for an organizational partner, funding entity, or other external group that participated in the research. In such cases, the research report and executive summary are often written for policy makers outside of academe, while abstracts are written for the academic community. Professors, therefore, assign the writing of executive summaries so students can practice sythesizing and writing about the contents of comprehensive research studies for external stakeholder preparing to write, keep in mind that:An executive summary is not an executive summary is not an executive summary is not a executive summary is not a random collection of ensen, jay.

Writing an executive summary for a research paper

Writing an executive the entire may go without saying, but it is critically important that you read your entire research study thoroughly from start to finish before beginning to write the executive summary. Remember this is not a brief abstract of 300 words or less but, essentially, a mini-paper of your paper, with a focus on e the major points within the original which parts of the document are the most important to those who will read it. These points must be included within the executive summary in order to provide a thorough and complete explanation of what the document is trying to te the main y examine each section of the original document and discern the main differences in each. After you have a firm understanding about what each section offers in respect to the other sections, write a few sentences for each section describing the main ideas. Although the format may vary, the main sections of an executive summary likely will include the following:The opening statement, brief background information,The purpose of research study,Method of data gathering and analysis,Overview of findings, and,A description of each recommendation, accompanied by a justification. Note that the recommendations are sometimes quoted verbatim from the research e the the information gathered to combine them into an executive summary that is no longer than 10% of the original document. The purpose is to provide a brief explanation of the entire document with a focus on the recommendations that have emerged from your research. If necessary, selectively incorporate bullet points for emphasis and -read the executive you've completed your executive summary, let it sit for a while before coming back to re-read it. Check to make sure that the summary will make sense as a separate document from the full research study. By taking some time before re-reading it, you allow yourself to see the summary with unbiased . Common mistakes to of the executive a general rule, the correct length of an executive summary is that it meets the criteria of no more pages than 10% of the number of pages in the original document, with an upper limit of no more than ten pages.

This requirement keeps the document short enough to be read by your audience, but long enough to allow it to be a complete, stand-alone the exception of specific recommendations made in the study, do not simply cut and paste whole sections of the original document into the executive summary. Avoid taking up space with excessive subtitles and lists, unless they are absolutely necessary for the reader to have a complete understanding of the original er the gh unlikely to be required by your professor, there is the possibility that more than one executive summary will have to be written for a given document [e. This may only necessitate the rewriting of the conclusion, but it could require rewriting the entire summary in order to fit the needs of the reader. If necessary, be sure to consider the types of audiences who may benefit from your study and make adjustments of the biggest mistakes you can make is related to the clarity of your executive summary. Always note that your audience [or audiences] are likely seeing your research study for the first time. The best way to avoid a disorganized or cluttered executive summary is to write it after the study is completed. Always follow the same strategies for proofreading that you would for any research strong and positive ’t weaken your executive summary with passive, imprecise language. The executive summary is a stand-alone document intended to convince the reader to make a decision concerning whether to implement the recommendations you make. Although you should resist the tempation to pad your summary with pleas or biased statements, do pay particular attention to ensuring that a sense of urgency is created in the implications, recommendations, and conclusions presented in the executive summary. University of southern current students learning resources writing center writing resources executive ive summaries learn about executive summaries and how to write its name suggests, an executive summary summarizes, or reviews the main points of, a longer document or report for a reader that does not have time to read the entire report. An effective executive summary analyzes and summarizes the most important points in the paper or report, and will often make a recommendation based on the analysis.

Executive summaries are “stand alone” documents that are almost always read independently of the reports they may submit an executive summary as part of an assignment, and your instructor will likely read the summary and the paper or report. It’s helpful, however, to keep in mind that executive summaries should inform and influence people who will only be reading the executive summary. Most of the time, you will be summarizing a paper or report that you wrote, but there may be times when you will write an executive summary of another author’s report or article. Often your instructor will specify the length of your executive summary, but 10% of the document that you are summarizing is a good rule of thumb. For example, a ten-page paper or report would require a one-page executive preparing to write an executive summary, ask yourself the following questions:Who will read your executive summary? Sometimes your executive summary may have an “intended” audience: your professor might require you to write it for a ceo, department head, or supervisor, for example. On other assignments, your audience won’t have a specific identity, but always keep in mind that the reader of an executive summary needs to know all of the important information in the main document without reading the actual document. Even if you know that your instructor will be reading everything that you submit, write the executive summary as a “stand alone” is the main document’s main topic, theme, or idea? Once you’re able to say what the main idea is, it will be easier to write is the “purpose” of the main document? Most reports and papers have a reason, or a goal (beyond just fulfilling an assignment). The kinds of documents that require executive summaries usually contain sections, or subtopics that support the main topic.

In this case, you would need to analyze the data or research and recommend an are the benefits or consequences of this course of action? Although you will want to emphasize the positive, be sure to mention any do state university: writing executive rnia state university, northridge: executive summaries complete the sity of maryland university college: executive sity of wollongong: good and poor examples of executive discount for federal employees and their spouses and eligible dependents will be applied to out-of-state tuition and specialty graduate programs. Apa style and resources are also current students learning resources writing center writing resources executive ive summaries learn about executive summaries and how to write its name suggests, an executive summary summarizes, or reviews the main points of, a longer document or report for a reader that does not have time to read the entire report. Apa style and resources are also and poor examples of executive is a good example from an accounting & finance report provides an analysis and evaluation of the current ctive profitability, liquidity and financial stability r equipment ltd. 1997) writing in commerce: a guide to assist ts with assignment writing, (revised edition), centre for the teaching and learning, the university of is a good example of an executive summary from a marketing commissioned to examine why volume of choice chocolate has dropped over the past two its peak in 1998 and to recommend ways of increasing the research draws attention fact that in 1998, the market choice chocolate was 37%. Slim choice be available in health food shops as well as ional chocolate retail ent of problem/ language appropriate to report findings m solution endations is a poor example of an executive summary from a marketing time a business or consumer purchases products or display forms of buyer behaviour that are influenced by s. Even mcdonalds, a leader in always predict consumer ound to es what information the report but fails to provide a summary of the results gained, and recommendations made. These are the functions of an y and are absent in this information in this executive vague rather than summarising what the report ts and questions directed to unilearning@sity of the rly research and related g executive rly research and related resources: writing executive is a one-stop portal to assist researchers/postgraduate students in the research process. You will find information on the whole research process, publishing and other related ive/confidential aduate research at -ed (rims) research ch institutions (africa). Tips/g tips/g executive cts - common nts in ting your ing your on definitions and rly communication/ review and gies/tips for scholarly ch outputs, 2015 (dept. Orcid,Rating of data & ch data policies and best practices/ectual property legislation relating to intellectual property cialisation and technology ive summaries and and poor examples of executive ines for writing an executive to write executive sing your executive report abstract and executive for writing executive g an executive report for a research g an executive summary (griffith univ).