Report Preparation Guidelines

It's the author's sole responsibility to convey the desired information to the reader. The reader should not be expected to hunt for tables, equations, or most importantly, results and conclusions. If you do not accomplish this, you have failed.

1. QUALITY not quantity is important (including presentation quality). Leave white space, and carefully consider the overall appearance of the report.
2. Reports should NOT be first person narratives (e.g. I did this, then I did that, but it didn't work, so I asked....). The report should be prepared as if it is to be presented to a client who has hired you for design and analysis. Your payment (grade) is a function of the final product.
3. Projects must include (minimally):
   • title page with all appropriate information
   • table of contents, with pagination identified
   • Executive Summary (1-2 page summary of project objectives and results)
   • Sections which are clearly labeled, thoughtfully written, and well organized. All tables and figures must be properly referenced in the text, or placed in an identified appendix
   • a summary and conclusions section
4. When referencing output or results, use tables and figures. If you have estimated several alternate models, create a SUMMARY table that facilitates model comparison. Include all statistics (t-scores, coefficients, etc).
5. Tables and figures must stand alone. This means a copy of the table or figure must be understandable without referring to the associated text.
6. Only output that is discussed in the text should be included in the text. When referring to specific results in a table or figure, try to include it on the same page. Do not directly reference material in an appendix.
7. Place all bulk output in a labeled appendix. Use oly 8.5 by 11 paper. Minimize the use of appendices.
8. Each task is a chapter in a term project that encompasses the entire course; your organization style should reflect this.