POLICY PAPER WRITING
MODULE # 9
...
WRITING THE
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Executive summaries are much like other summaries in that
their main goal is to provide a condensed version of a longer report's content.
The key difference, however, is that executive summaries are written for
someone who most likely DOES NOT have time to read the original. The
dramatic increase in the sheer amount of information available on most topics
has spawned a corresponding growth in the size and number of reports.
Unfortunately, there has not been a similar expansion in the amount of time
available to executives or policy makers to read these increasingly lengthy
reports. The solution to this problem is the executive summary.
An executive summary may be called an abstract when it
accompanies a scholarly document, although there are differences. The
definition of an abstract is helpful: An abstract is a shortened form of a work
that retains the general sense and unity of the original. Generally, this
definition could be applied to an executive summary with one major difference. An
abstract is basically a miniature version of the original...it looks like the
original. An executive summary goes beyond this: it seeks to let the reader in
on what the real significance of the report is – what is the reader expected to
respond to? The reader is a decision maker who will have the responsibility
of deciding on some issue(s) related to the report. The executive summary must
be written with this need in mind.
The executive summary is usually no longer than 10% of the
original document. It can be anywhere from 1-10 pages long, depending on the
report's length. They are a self-contained, stand-alone document. Although this
may not always be the case - for this assignment executive summaries make
recommendations. Accuracy is essential because decisions will be made based on
your summary by people who have not read the original.
Functions of an Executive Summary
·
Gives readers the essential contents of your document in 1-10
pages.
·
Previews the main points of your document enabling readers to
build a mental framework for organizing and understanding the detailed
information in your document.
·
Helps readers determine the key results and recommendations
reported in your document.
Processes for Writing an Executive Summary
Executive summaries are typically written for longer reports.
They should not be written until after your research is finished. Before
writing your summary, try to:
·
Scan your research to determine what the content, structure
and length of the report would be.
·
Highlight key points; determine purpose/central theme of the
report.
·
Review your research and determine what the key ideas or
concepts are.
·
Group ideas in a logical fashion and prepare a point form
outline of the summary.
·
Edit the outline to eliminate secondary or minor points; use
your judgement to keeping the summary concise.
·
Determine whether subtitles, bullets, selective bolding or
some other type of organizational structure will add to the clarity of your
summary.
·
Write the summary in your own words, using a professional
style.
·
Read it aloud or even tape record yourself reading your
summary.
Elements of an Executive Summary
Following is a list of elements that may be included in an
Executive Summary. The elements that you include in your Executive Summary and
the amount of space that you give to each element will depend on the purpose
and nature of your document. Therefore, you should choose the elements that
make sense for your document and omit the ones that don't.
1. Purpose
and scope of document
2. Methods
3. Results
4. Conclusion
5. Recommendations
6. Other
supportive information
Questions to Ask Yourself as You Write
1.
What is your research about?
2. Why is it important?
3. What is included in the research?
4. What is included in each section?
Concise Statement of your Findings
As a cover sheet to a document, an executive summary need not
go into ANY mention of how you conducted your analysis and/or what you're
basing your conclusion(s) on. Instead, begin with a concise statement of the
conclusion(s) you reached after conducting your analysis and/or research in the
paper that would normally be attached. How you word the conclusion will differ
depending on your audience and what they care most about. The wording must
change given an audience's needs.
Writing Recommendations
After beginning with a summary statement of your findings, the executive
summary should go on to provide a specific recommendation for action geared toward
your audience. Finally, an executive summary provides an analysis and/or
justification for the proposed action in terms the audience will consider
important. In many cases, this might involve an economic or ethical, but
actions can be justified many ways, depending on the concerns of the audience
and the topic of the research.
Include justification for the recommendation by referring to
information summarized. A recommendationís justification is usually based on a
reference to material already provided in the summary. In other cases, the
justification for the recommendation might be complicated enough to justify a
summary of causes for the justification. In this case, the recommendation
paragraph usually begins with a summary of how the writer reached the
conclusion that leads to the justification.
For Writing Policy Recommendations
Key Elements of an Socia Policy Sltatement
·
A call to action (the policy)
·
A justification for the policy
·
Those to whom the policy should apply
·
Those responsible for implementing the policy
·
How the policy should be implemented and evaluated
·
Include guiding principles if necessary