Supplementing Your Reports:

by Jennifer L. BowieInformation from Lannon 16 &

Kolin 16

At Look at Front and End Matter

Purpose of Supplements

• Makes a long document more accessible

• Accommodates readers with various issues

• Allows readers to refer to or skip/avoid, according to needs

Types of Supplements

These are listed in the correct order you should have them in

• Front Matter (if numbered use lower-case roman numerals):– Cover (optional)– Title page– Letter of Transmittal– Table of Contents– List of Tables and List of Figures – Abstract (not needed for this class)

• End Matter (use Arabic numbers):– Glossary (not needed for this class)– Appendixes (as needed)– Works Cited or Bibliography

Letter of Transmittal• Tailored to a particular audience (the audience of the report)• Gives a brief and personal overview of entire project • Acknowledges those who helped• Refers to sections of interest to reader(s)• Discusses the limitations and problems• Discusses the need and approaches for follow up• Describes personal/off-record observations• Suggests special uses for the info• Urges immediate action• May be attached to report or handed in with report,

numbered separately from report (if longer than 1 page)<Sample: http://www.rhetcomp.gsu.edu/~jbowie/Samples/transmittal.doc>

Cover

• Simple front of report• Is like a book cover in that is has

very limited information (often just report tile and author’s names) but looks very professional (may be on heavier paper, have color, and so on)

• No number and not counted in numbering

Title Page

• Announces report’s purpose and subject• Replaces cover for shorter reports• Lists report tile, author’s names, name

of person(s) or organization to whom the report is address, and date of submission– Title should be clear, accurate,

comprehensive and specific

• No page number on page, but counted as first page in numbering

Table of Contents• Lists front matter with lower-case roman numerals and

end matter with Arabic• Includes all headings of the levels chosen to be included

(say all level 1 and level 2 headings, but no level 3)• Includes no headings not listed in the report (although the

report may have additional levels of subheadings)• Phrases headings exactly as the appear in the report

(make sure heading levels are parallel)• Lists headings at various levels in varying type sizes and

indentions (each level has it’s own visual identity)• Uses leader lines (……) to connect headings to page

numbers• Has page nubmer(s)

List of Tables and List of Figures• Follows TOC in the report

– Same page if less than 4-5 figures– New page if more than 4-5 figures

• Applies the TOC formatting with leader lines

• Lists tables and figures in order as they appear

• Has page number(s)

Informative Abstract

• Stands alone in terms of meaning• Written for a general audience• Adds no new information• Presents information in this sequence:

1. Identifies issue or need that lead to the report2. Offers major findings from the report body3. Includes a condensed conclusion and

recommendations (if any)

• Has page nubmer(s)

End of Front &Beginning of End

Here goes your report

The report is the beginning of the Arabic numbering

and each page is numbered

Report!

Glossary

• Makes definitions of key terms available to laypeople – Must have 5+ terms, if not use working definitions

in the report

• Defines all unfamiliar terms• Defines all terms with special meanings• Lists terms in alphabetical order, highlights

each term and use a colon• Defines only terms needing explanation (when

in doubt over defining is safer than under)• Numbered

Appendixes

• Catch-all for important items that are hard to integrate into the report such as maps, complex formulas, sample interviews, transcripts, photos…

• Includes only relevant material (used sparingly)• Uses a separate appendix for each item• Titles each appendix clearly• Limits appendixes to a few pages• Mentions appendix in the introduction and refers

reader to it in the report where relevant (includes a distillation of essential facts from the appendix)

• Numbered

Works Cited or Bibliography

• Uses MLA, APA, CBE, or other approved format

• Lists outside references in alphabetical order

• Numbered

The End