9.8 Executive Summary

Part of disseminating research is being able to clearly and concisely discuss your research. This so-called “elevator speech” is especially important for conveying the purpose and importance of your research to people who may not be familiar with your field of study. This may be used in the industry to convey key findings of a longer report, allowing customers the ability to get the most important information from that report without having to read the whole report — almost like the “Cliffs Notes” version of a report.

As part of your final research project, you will be required to submit an Executive Summary of your overall findings. This executive summary should be written in the style of the written brief, which you’ve been practicing throughout the term. Please refer to the “Writing a Brief” portion of the lesson material for a refresher.

The Executive Summary should be:

• Be no longer than two pages (300-500 words,) not including any ancillary graphs, maps, and figures.
• Follow the basic rules for written briefs provided in the “Writing a Brief” section of lesson 3, including putting your bottom line up front.
  • Your overall findings should be clear and concisely stated in the first sentence.
  • Important supporting evidence and information should follow (but be concise).