The second layer of report is the executive summary.
As the name suggests,
the executive summary is a summary of the entire report.
It is different from an abstract
because the executive summary needs to be a standalone document.
It is for your boss's boss or higher.
As such, an executive should only have to
read the executive summary to make informed decisions
regarding the findings of the report.
For the majority of the time,
an executive summary should only be a page long.
There are times an executive summary might be longer,
but that will only occur for extremely long reports or investigations.
Even though the executive summary is the second layer
of a report, it should be written last.
It is not possible to accurately summarize
everything within a report
until the report is finished.
Otherwise, any changes to the report
would require re-writing the executive summary.
Writing it last saves time, effort,
and helps prevent errors.
Here is a way of envisioning an executive summary.
Directly and clearly state the purpose of the report.
This should be the very first sentence.
Explain the procedures used to fulfill the purpose.
Keep this fairly short;
one to two sentences should be enough.
Logically present the results.
This should be the majority of the summary.
Here, it is important to order the information
in a way that leads the reader through the project.
It is not enough to provide numerical data
and assume the reader can or will
infer the connections or implications of the data.
Directly and clearly state the conclusions.
This should be at the very end of the summary,
and it is best as a single sentence.
Each component needs to be precise and direct.
A reader should be able to fully understand
the motivation of the project,
the major aspects of the project.
and the results of the project
from only reading the executive summary.
They need the key facts, particularly the results and conclusions,
clearly stated and logically arranged.
A poorly written executive summary can cost companies
millions of dollars and dozens of jobs.
Next is an example executive summary.
Please be aware that this example is from a specific course
at Purdue University.
Therefore, some of the terminology is geared directly at those students.
[See text above-right.]
This example closely follows the four points of envisioning an executive summary.
It directly and clearly states the purpose of the report in the first sentence.
A reader would not need any further information
to understand the general idea and point of the report.
It explains the procedures used to fulfill the purpose:
surveyed customers, studied novel bicycle patents,
researched the current bicycle accessory market,
and tested the top competitive products.
It explains the results in a logical manner,
highlighting differences that are important
for understanding the results, benchmarks,
price ranges, and estimated sales.
It directly and clearly states the conclusion
in the last two sentences.
There is no doubt of the recommendation: Continue the project.
Executive summaries are complex and multi-layered.
To fully understand how they work,
understanding how each of the four points is fulfilled
requires closer examination.
The next vidcast will divide this sample into sections
and examine them one at a time.
If you have any questions, please talk to your TA.
This has been 'Layering Reports: The Executive Summary'
by Zachary Koppelmann, in cooperation with the Purdue Online Writing Lab
and prepared for the Mechanical Engineering Writing Enhancement Program.