Executive Summary

This document concisely summarizes the entire report. In no more than one page, you will indicate:

1. the problem considered,
2. research conducted,
3. alternatives/solutions explored and evaluated,
4. criteria or methods used for evaluation of your own work,
5. and end by offering/previewing your final recommendations or courses of action that this report supports.

Executive summaries are designed primarily for readers who lack the time or motivation to read the entire report, or for rapid re-reading as the reports are used for decision making during meetings; therefore, many readers will only read the executive summary or at least decide whether to read the rest of the report based on the summary’s content and quality.

Example

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The department of landscape architecture at Penn State University does not currently provide training in Autocad. Although there are other programs that are more suitable for three-dimensional digital design modeling, Autocad proficiency is a skill required for most internships and entry-level positions in landscape architecture. Instruction in Autocad could give students in the department the necessary skills to compete with applicants from other schools that offer Autocad courses. Several options are available to allow landscape architecture students to receive instruction in Autocad:

• An Autocad course included in the curriculum of the Department of Landscape Architecture as a required course
• An Autocad course offered as an elective within the department
• Autocad offered as an elective credit course in cooperation with another department at Penn State
• Autocad courses offered as non-credit courses/workshops through the department
• Non-credit Autocad courses or workshops offered as non-credit courses for students in other majors as well as landscape architecture students
• Autocad instructions provided through a self-guided tutorial CD produced by the department and made available to the students
• Do not teach Autocad and focus on more advanced three-dimensional modeling programs

Each option was researched through discussions and formal interviews with faculty and students of the department of landscape architecture. Professors from other departments that currently provide Autocad instruction were also contacted. The proposals were evaluated based on the following four criteria:

• Greatest chance of implementation
• Greatest benefit to students
• Sensitivity to views within faculty of the department
• Cost effectiveness

This report concludes that offering Autocad instruction as a workshop or series of workshops within the department is the best solution to the problem at the present time.