The report may be on technological innovation relevant to the students' major area of study which describes the history, current and future use(s) and the importance of a technological innovation. Alternatively, in conjunction with the students' subject teacher they may report on a procedure or issue relevant to their area of study.The students submit the final report. The final draft should include at least four additional references and be 1000 words in length. The paper should show response to the feedback and improvement from the preliminary report. There is an allowance of +/- 10% on word length.

 

Topic:

 

Which developments within business have the most potential for the future?  Give justifications and reasons for your choice.  Explain how the developments may be applied in the UAE and/or other countries.

REPORTS

 

Formatting

 

 

Business reports are prepared on plain white paper, without irrelevant illustrations or borders.  For non-text matter such as illustrations or photos, these should be relevant to the topic of the report, and referred to within the report.

 

There are two types of reports - bound and unbound.  An unbound report is stapled together at the top left hand corner.  A bound report is bound on the left side or at the top using special binding material, such as a coil.  Because the binding takes up space on the pages, a bound report will have different margin settings than an unbound report.

 

UNBOUND TOP BOUND LEFT BOUND

Top margin page 1 5 cm or 2” 6.5 cm or 2.5” 5 cm or 2”

Top margin all other pages 2.5 cm or 1” 3.8 cm or 1.5” 2.5 cm or 1”

Bottom margin 2.5 cm or 1” 2.5 cm or 1” 2.5 cm or 1”

Left margin 2.5 cm or 1” 2.5 cm or 1” 3.8 cm or 1.5”

Right margin 2.5 cm or 1” 2.5 cm or 1” 2.5 cm or 1”

 

For example, an unbound report will have margins set at 1” or 2.54 cm top, bottom, left and right.  The first page of a report will always have a top margin of 2” or 5 cm.  A left bound report will have a left margin of 1½” or 3.8 cm.  The larger margin is required for the binding.  A top bound report needs extra at the top margin for the binding, so its top margin will be 1½” or 3.8 cm except for the first page, which will be 2½” or 6.25 cm.

 

Reports use 1.5 spacing.  Paragraphs should be full block as this is more efficient to prepare.  Paragraphs have one blank line between them.

 

Page numbers start on the second page with the number centered at the top of the page or at the top right side of the page.  Page numbers can also be placed at the bottom center, and if you use this method, put a page number on the first page of the report.

 

The standard parts of a report are:

 

Title page*

Table of Contents*

Abstract (or Summary)*

Introduction

Body

Conclusion

Bibliography

 

*These are not required for a report that is less than three pages.

 

  Title page* • Title of Report

• Name of writer and organization

• Date

• Who the report is for

Table of Contents* • Sections and page numbers

Abstract (or Summary)* • Summarizes the main points of report

Introduction • Objective of report

• Background information required by reader

• Method of investigation

• Brief description of report contents

Body • Facts resulting from Investigation

Conclusion • Summarizes findings

Bibliography • Sources used to prepare report

 

*These are not required for a report that is less than three pages.

A report may also have recommendations (which suggests further action) and an appendix (which contains additional information or details).

 

All reports have a main title, which is centered.  One blank line follows the main title.  A subtitle (if there is one) is centered and follows the main title.  Two blank lines follow the subtitle.

 

The main heading is at the left margin, in all caps and bold.  There is one blank line before the main heading.

 

All sub-headings are at the left margin and in bold.  There is one blank line before the sub-heading.  One blank line is between each paragraph.

 

A report can be continuous or it can have each new heading start on a new page.  Either method is acceptable; however, a continuous report will use fewer pages.

 

There must be no widows or orphans; therefore, you cannot separate a three-line paragraph.

 

In-text citations or footnotes may be used.  One style of reference is the MLA style.  You may use this style or another style; whichever style is used, be consistent.

PREPARING  A  BIBLIOGRAPHY  USING  THE  MLA  STYLE

 

There are three main sections for your list of works – the author, title, and publication information.  Each section is followed by a period and two spaces.  The bibliography should be in alphabetical order, with a hanging indent.

 

A book by a single author:

 

Author’s Name (Last Name, First Name (initial)).  Name of Book.  Place: Company, Year.

 

 

Example:

Frye, Northrop.  Anatomy of Criticisms:  Four Essays.  Princeton:  Princeton UP, 1957.

 

A book by two or three authors:

 

Author’s Name (Last Name, First Name (Initial.), First Name (Initial.) Last Name.  Name of Book.  Place: Company, Year.  Example:

 

Blocker, Clyde E., Robert H. Plummer, and Richard C. Richardson, Jr.  The Two-Year College:  A Social Synthesis.  Englewood Cliffs:  Prentice, 1965.

 

If a book has four or more authors, key in the first author’s name, followed by “et al” (which means “and others”).

 

An Article in a Periodical

 

Author’s Name (Last, First, Initial.).  “Name of Article.”  Name of Periodical Series, Volume (Year):  page #’s.  Example:

 

Spear, Karen.  “Building Cognitive Skills in Basic Writers.” Teaching English in the Two-Year College 9, (1983):  91-98.

 

Internet Sites

 

Author’s Last Name, First Name.  “Title of Work.”  Title of Complete Work.  Internet address (date of message or visit).  Example:

 

Burka, Lauren P.  “A Hypertext History of Multi-User Dimension.”  MUD History.  http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/lpb/mudhistory.html (5 Dec 1994).

 

 

PREPARING FOOTNOTES OR IN-TEXT CITATIONS

 

Author’s last name, Year: page number (if applicable).

 

NOTE:  Taken from:  Achtert, Walter S. and Joseph Gibaldi.  The MLA Style Manual.  New York:  The Modern Language Association of America, 1985.