Business Case Study
Recommendations for Reporting Analytical Work
Always start with an Introduction of the business problem that you will be addressing in your report.
· End this Introduction with a brief summary of the topics you’ll be covering in your report.
Always discuss information
before showing a Table or Figure.
· Always reference a Table or Figure in the text, for example: “see Table 1.”
· The Table/Figure should follow as soon as possible on the page (e.g., at the next paragraph break)
Do
not just reiterate the data in the Table or Figure.
·
Do provide explanation, meaning, and/or summary of key points shown in the Table/Figure.
· For example, stating comparisons such as “A is 32% larger than B” or “this trend has consistently increased over the past 12 months.”
Keep Tables/Figure as concise as possible — not too much data to clutter your main point.
· Quarter of a page is a good size, half a page maximum, or use the Appendix as last resort for very large Tables/Figures.
· Avoid breaking Tables/Figure across 2 pages.
· Keep fonts legible, typically in the same style and size as your paragraph text.
Always end with a Conclusion that:
· Briefly summarizes your work,
· Highlights again your key findings and
· Ends with your overall recommendation and/or necessary actions as “next steps.”
Hint
As with all writing and speaking, know your audience! For a business analysis, this will probably be your supervisor within your company/organization.
Recommendations for a Formal Business Report
This assignment is considered a complete Business Case Study. Therefore, your report should be written as a formal business report of your analysis.
· To be professional, always write in the formal third person. Example of good nouns: The team determined… This project will…This analysis finds…
· As this is a real-time analysis, write in the present tense to describe your findings and recommended actions for your company.
· APA format is required, including a title page and reference page.
·
Do not cite internal information as provided in the Case Study.
· Use Headings and Sub-headings as appropriate.
· Exception:
Do not include an Abstract or Table of Contents for this short report.
