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Last Update: 22 March 2010

Category: RSOB Style Guide Supplement

RSOB Style Guide Supplement Number: 1.0

Version Number: 2.1

Title: Abstracts and Executive Summaries

Scope Note: Abstracts and Executive Summaries Clarification
of definitions, elements, purposes, and writing
requirements for RSOB graduate-level work. This
Supplement is compliant with the second and third
printings of the Sixth Edition of APA.

Procedural Note: An RSOB Style Guide Supplement contains
faculty-endorsed content with respect to style guide
issues.



















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Background

Fundamentally, an Abstract and an Executive Summary are examples of summaries. They are
often but not always associated with a larger document, whose important ideas and content
they summarize. When they are associated with a larger document, they may exist as documents
themselves (e.g., in a database or on a web site), or as sections in the larger document itself
usually in the front matter of the larger document. Sometimes, an Abstract or an Executive
Summary are not linked with a larger document, but instead summarize the important ideas and
activities associated with a project, process, problem or some other event.

Beginning in the Winter 2009-2010 academic quarter, the Publication Manual of the American
Psychological Association, Sixth Edition (2009) is the required style guide for use by all
graduate management students in the Rader School of Business in association with their written
assignments, including academic papers and research reports. The Publication Manual of the
American Psychological Association is commonly referred to as the APA style guide, or
simply, APA. As always, individual faculty members enjoy the right to direct their students to
use other style guides in any given assignment, but faculty are strongly urged to require use of
APA in order to maintain consistency throughout the curriculum.

Section 2.04 of the APA style guide (2009) features guidance on the use of Abstracts in
academic papers and research reports. An Abstract is a required element in all academic papers
and research reports. Section 2.04 provides details on how to write an acceptable Abstract, and
what to include in the Abstract. RSOB Style Guide Supplement 1.0, Version 2.1 (this document)
offers additional clarifying commentary on the writing and use of Abstracts.

The APA style guide does not provide guidance on the use of Executive Summaries in academic
papers and research reports. Accordingly, the RSOB Style Guide Supplement 1.0, Version 2.1
offers additional clarifying commentary on the writing and use of Executive Summaries.

The first printing of APA 6 was issued in July 2009. A second printing which corrected a
number of errors was issued in August 2009 and in October 2009. A third printing was issued
in December 2009. This Style Guide Supplement is compliant with these printings.








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Table 1 summarizes the required elements of an academic paper, together with their pagination
and other requirements, as stipulated by the Sixth Edition of the APA style guide.

Table 1

Required Elements in an Academic Paper

ELEMENT or COMPONENT PAGINATION REQUIREMENT COMMENT

Title Page


1

Page number should appear in
upper-right corner. Include running
head, title, author name and
affiliation, and author note. See
Sections 2.01, 2.02, and 2.03 of APA.

Abstract


2

Page number should appear in
upper-right corner. Include running
head. Label the Abstract. See
Section 2.04 of APA.

Body of the Manuscript (i.e., Main
Text of the Report)


Begins on page 3.

Page numbers in Body should
appear in upper-right corner of
pages. Include running head on
each page. Label beginning of Body
with title of report. Basic
organization of the paper includes
Introduction, Methods, Results, and
Discussion. See Sections 2.05, 2.06,
2.07, 2.08, 2.09, and 2.10 of APA.

References


Continue sequential page
numbering from Body of report.

Page numbers should appear in
upper-right corner. Include running
head. Label the References section.
See Section 2.11 and Chapters 6 and
7 of APA.

Footnotes

Continue sequential page
numbering from Body of report.
Page numbers should appear in
upper-right corner. Include running
head. Label the Footnotes section.
See Section 2.12 of APA.

Appendix


Continue sequential page
numbering from References section.

Optional. Include only if necessary.
See Section 2.13 of APA. Page
numbers should appear in upper-
right corner. Include running head.
More than one appendix is
permissible. Appendices should be
designated with capital letters (e.g.,
Appendix A, Appendix B), and
should be titled (e.g., Appendix A:
Survey Results).
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The Abstract

Definition

The Abstract is a formal (i.e., third-person), objective, and unique representation or surrogate
of an academic paper. The APA style guide states that an Abstract should be a comprehensive
summary of the contents of an academic paper. As such, although it shall always be associated
with an academic paper in RSOB graduate work, the Abstract is a stand-alone, independent,
coherent, and unified narrative that serves as an element or component of a formal academic
paper. The Abstract must not incorporate large amounts of verbatim material from the main text.
The Abstract summarizes and highlights the major points of the academic paper.

An Abstract is a required element in all academic papers in all RSOB graduate programs.

Purpose

The primary purpose of an Abstract is to provide enough information about an academic paper to
a reader so that the reader can decide whether or not to consult the entire academic paper.

Audience

The intended audience of the Abstract includes readers who are interested or knowledgeable
about the topic. As such, specialized terms and jargon may be employed without definitions.
However, acronyms should be defined. A writer of an Abstract should assume that most readers
will not be known personally by the writer.

Scope and Accuracy

The Abstract shall not feature information that is not in its associated formal academic paper.

Components

The Abstract shall consist of the following parts in the following order:

The Abstract shall feature a statement about the purpose of the academic paper or
research report. In clarifying the purpose, the writer should state the research topic and
any research questions, if such questions are part of the papers purposes.

The Abstract shall feature a statement about the methods employed in the paper or
report to achieve its purpose. For most formal academic papers in RSOB graduate
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courses, the primary method employed to carry out the purpose is a review of relevant
literature. Occasionally, students employ other methods as well, such as interviews and
surveys. In this case, participants in the study should be briefly described.

The Abstract shall feature a statement about the main results obtained in the formal
academic paper or report.

The Abstract shall feature a statement about the main conclusions in the formal
academic paper or report that were derived from the results. The conclusions may
include an analysis of data collected as part of an investigation in association with the
paper or report.

The Abstract shall feature a statement about the main recommendations that are
discussed in the formal academic paper or report. On occasion, some Abstracts may
feature a blending of the conclusions and recommendations. A writer may discuss
possible implications of the work that is described in the paper or report, including future
areas of investigation.

Immediately following the Abstract and on the same page as the Abstract a list of
keywords should appear.


Writing Requirements

The Abstract for a formal academic paper should be written after the formal paper or report is
completed.

The length of the Abstract shall be no less than 150 words and no longer than 250 words. The
Abstract shall exist as a single paragraph, without indentation. As such, the Abstract should not
feature internal headings.

The heading Abstract (without quotation marks) should appear in uppercase and lowercase
letters, centered, at the top of the page. The heading should not be bolded, italicized, or
underlined.

The Abstract page should feature a running head that consists either of the title of the paper or
report in all uppercase lettering or an abbreviated version of the title of the paper or report in all
uppercase lettering. Whether or not the full title is used in the heading, or an abbreviated
version, depends on the length of the heading: the heading shall consist of no more than 50
characters, including punctuation and spaces.
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The Abstract shall be rendered in 12-pt. Times New Roman double-spaced font.

The Abstract shall feature one-inch margins.

The Abstract should not feature documentation (i.e., footnotes or in-text citations).

The Abstract should not feature visual items (i.e., figures and tables).

The Abstract should not feature bullet points or lists.

The Abstract shall feature the present tense (a review of the literature is employed in this
paper, the purpose of this paper is, this paper proposes, this paper suggests, data
reveal), unless the past tense is required (the author designed and administered a survey).


Placement of the Abstract

The Abstract shall be placed on page 2, immediately following the title page, in a formal
academic paper or report.


Example of an Abstract

An example may help to clarify the function of an Abstract

A student wishes to write a paper on the performance testing that his or her company uses during
the hiring of new personnel. Specifically, the company uses the Caliper and the Wonderlic
Personnel Test (WPT). The student wishes to investigate the validity and the reliability of these
tests with respect to companies deciding whether or not to hire an individual. The student
obtains a number of relevant journal articles in order to investigate the tests. This research
subsequently demonstrates that the Caliper is not reliable, but that the Wonderlic is considered to
be a useful tool to measure intelligence. The student also discovers in the literature that many
companies have developed a variety of additional highly reliable methods for hiring the right
individuals. The student writes a paper entitled, The Usefulness of Performance Testing in the
Hiring Process. An example follows of an Abstract associated with the paper.





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USEFULNESS OF PERFORMANCE TESTING IN HIRING 2


Abstract


The purpose of the paper is to investigate the validity and the reliability of
performance tests in the hiring decision. The method employed to carry out the
purpose is a review of relevant literature. The results of the research include the
finding that the Caliper is not reliable, but that the Wonderlic is considered useful.
Another significant result is that many companies have developed a variety of
additional highly reliable methods for hiring the right individuals. The conclusions
that can be derived from these results include the idea that in the hiring decision,
companies should use only reliable performance tests, as well as the important
notion that performance tests should not be heavily weighted, and should not be
relied upon exclusively. Finally, an important recommendation might be that
companies would be well-served by adopting more innovative hiring methods.

Keywords: performance tests, hiring, Caliper, Wonderlic
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The Executive Summary

Definition

When it is associated with an academic paper or some other larger document, an Executive
Summary serves as a comprehensive restatement of the document, with a focus on results and
recommendations. When it is not associated with a larger document, an Executive Summary
may serve as a comprehensive but concise statement concerning the important ideas, activities,
results, and recommendations associated with a project, process, problem, or some other event.

The Executive Summary exists as an optional element in all formal academic papers and reports
in all RSOB graduate programs.

For all RSOB graduate programs, the Executive Summary can also serve as a stand-alone written
deliverable in a course that either does or does not feature a formal academic paper assignment.
Students should be prepared to provide supporting documentation, notes, research, and other
materials for stand-alone Executive Summary assignments.

Purpose

The main purposes of an Executive Summary include the following:

An Executive Summary concisely emphasizes recommendations and results with respect
to specific issues or problems.

An Executive Summary seeks to concisely persuade a reader to follow a specific
recommendation (or recommendations) or a specific action (or actions).

When it is associated with a larger document, an Executive Summary concisely describes
or summarizes for a specific audience in an adequate, informed, and persuasive manner
the main recommendations in the larger document, together with the reasons for
following those recommendations.

When it is linked with a deliverable or project in an academic course, an Executive
Summary seeks to adequately but concisely inform and to persuade a specific audience
concerning a recommendation or set of recommendations that are associated with the
main issues or problems that are treated in the deliverable or project.



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Audience

Before writing the Executive Summary, a writer should identify the audience that the summary
targets. In an RSOB graduate course, a specific target audience may be identified by an
instructor. Audiences could include:

A specific reader who serves as an executive in an organization;

A specific reader who is required to or is in a position to make a decision about the
recommendations that are described in the summary;

A specific reader who is a client and who must make a commitment concerning the
recommendations that are described in the summary;

A specific group of readers a Board of Directors, for example who are called upon
to act concerning the recommendations in the Executive Summary.

An important point to consider is that the audience of an Executive Summary is generally known
to the writer.

Scope and Accuracy

The Executive Summary shall not feature information that is not in its associated academic
paper, report, deliverable, or project.

Components

A typical Executive Summary consists of the following components or parts:

An Introduction should present and adequately describe the main issue or problem that
is addressed in the formal paper, project, or other deliverable associated with the
summary. The scope and importance of the issue or problem should be adequately
explained. An explanation may be multi-faceted. If a specific reader or audience needs
to understand the importance of the issue, problem or central point for unique or special
reasons, those reasons should be addressed as well. If appropriate, the Introduction
should function to gain the attention of the intended audience, and may serve as a call to
action

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The major conclusions, recommendations or central point concerning the main issue or
problem should be clearly presented. A single and preferred recommendation should be
highlighted, if possible, or if appropriate.

Supporting points, facts, findings, conclusions, answers, options, and supplemental
recommendations may be presented.

Substantiation may be presented. That is, a writer may wish to present the methods and
any other significant details associated with how the major conclusions,
recommendations, or the central point were derived. If appropriate, a writer might briefly
describe an example (or examples), or a case study.

In thinking about the organization of an Executive Summary, it is useful, first, to consider the
organization of a typical academic paper.

The organizational structure of a typical academic paper is a pyramid, as indicated in Figure 1.
























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Figure 1. Pyramid organizational structure of typical academic paper.

As its organizational structure reveals, one of the primary functions of an academic paper is to
demonstrate the self-learning that a student undertakes in the writing of the paper. The structure
clearly conveys how and why a writer reaches specific conclusions, recommendations, results
and answers.

In contrast, the function of much real-world writing (i.e., writing that takes place in the
workplace or outside of an academic forum) is very different. Real-world writing typically is
practical and is intended to get something done in the workplace or in society. Although they
clearly can address similar goals, academic papers approach these goals in a different manner.
As such, academic papers usually are not valued in the workplace: decision makers and busy
employees often do not have the time to read and to contemplate academic papers, nor are they
Topic Statement
What the paper is about it
may include a problem
statement.

Thesis Statement
The central point that a writer wishes
to convey about a topic. The thesis
statement might be a solution to a
problem.
Explain topic significance or significance of problem
Define, explain, develop topic and its significance, or
significance of problem addressed, so that reader
understands context for thesis statement.
Support thesis statement or problem solution
Identify, interpret, analyze, evaluate, and synthesize literature and additional
research with a focus on clarifying and supporting thesis statement or problem
solution.
Conclusion and Recommendations
Synthesize results and findings, present and summarize conclusions, recommendations,
options, answers.
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interested in how and why a writer reaches specific conclusions, recommendations, results and
answers.

Instead, such readers are interested immediately in learning specific action recommendations,
answers, and options.

An effective Executive Summary therefore stresses a different set of elements than those that are
developed in the academic paper. A good Executive Summary, in fact, reverses the
organizational structure of an academic paper. The organizational structure of an Executive
Summary is an inverted pyramid, as demonstrated in Figure 2.






























Figure 2. Inverted pyramid organizational structure of a typical executive summary.
Problem Statement
Introduce and briefly explain the problem(s) or main issue(s) addressed by the
Executive Summary, with an emphasis on why the problem or issue is
important, and why the reader should be aware of the situation.
Major Recommendations or Solutions
If possible, or if appropriate, state a single preferred
recommendation, option, answer, conclusion, or solution for
addressing the main problem(s) or main issue(s). Keep in mind
that sometimes, no single preferred recommendation exists.
Rather, several major recommendations and solutions might exist
and should be described.
Supporting Recommendations
State supporting facts, findings, results, answers,
recommendations if relevant and if important.
Substantiation
Brief background discussion that
describes how major recommendations
were derived. Can include methods,
research, examples, case studies, and
details associated with analysis,
interpretation, and assessment.
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Writing Requirements

If it is associated with an academic paper or report, the Executive Summary should be written
after the paper is completed.

If it is associated with a course deliverable or project, the Executive Summary should be written
after the deliverable or project is completed.

If it is associated with a problem, issue, or nonacademic situation, the Executive Summary
should be written after the recommendations have been formalized.

The length of the Executive Summary should be one to two (1-2) pages.

The Executive Summary should be rendered in 12-pt. Times New Roman double-spaced font.

The heading Executive Summary (without quotation marks) should appear in uppercase and
lowercase letters, centered, at the top of the page. The heading should not be bolded, italicized,
or underlined.

The Executive Summary page(s) should each feature a running head that consists either of the
title of the paper or report in all uppercase lettering or an abbreviated version of the title of the
paper or report in all uppercase lettering. Whether or not the full title is used in the heading, or
an abbreviated version, depends on the length of the heading: the heading shall consist of no
more than 50 characters, including punctuation and spaces.

The Executive Summary shall feature one-inch margins.

The Executive Summary may and probably should consist of more than one paragraph.
Headings may be employed.

The Executive Summary may feature documentation (i.e., references). Referencing should
comply with APA formatting requirements. If an Executive Summary features references, then
the final page of the document should feature a References section, where references are listed in
compliance with APA. See Section 2.11 and Chapters 6 and 7 of APA. If the Executive
Summary is associated with a formal academic paper, and if the summary features references,
those references should be listed in the References section of the paper or report.

The Executive Summary may feature visual items (i.e., figures and tables). Figures and tables
shall be formatted in compliance with the APA style guide. See Chapter 5 (Displaying
Results) of the APA style guide (2009).
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The Executive Summary may feature bullet points or lists.

Placement

If an Executive Summary is included in a formal paper or report, the summary should begin on a
new page that immediately follows the Abstract, and immediately precedes the Body of the
report. See Table 2 for details about the placement of an Executive Summary in an academic
paper.
































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Table 2

Placement of an Abstract and an Executive Summary in a Formal Academic Paper
under the Provisions of Style Guide Supplement Number 1

ELEMENT or COMPONENT PAGINATION REQUIREMENT COMMENT

Title Page


1

Page number should appear in
upper-right corner. Include running
head, title, author name and
affiliation, and author note. See
Sections 2.01, 2.02, and 2.03 of APA.

Abstract


2

Page number should appear in
upper-right corner. Include running
head. Label the Abstract. See
Section 2.04 of APA.

Executive Summary


Begins on page 3. May continue
through page 4.


Optional element. Include if
required by the instructor. Page
number should appear in upper-
right corner. Include running head.
Label the Executive Summary. For
guidelines, use the RSOB Style Guide
Supplement 1.0, Version 2.0.

Body of the Manuscript (i.e., Main
Text of the Report)


Begins on page 4 or on page 5,
depending on length of Executive
Summary.

Page numbers in Body should
appear in upper-right corner of
pages. Include running head on
each page. Label beginning of Body
with title of report. Basic
organization of the paper includes
Introduction, Methods, Results, and
Discussion. See Sections 2.05, 2.06,
2.07, 2.08, 2.09, and 2.10 of APA.

References


Continue sequential page
numbering from Body of report.

Page numbers should appear in
upper-right corner. Include running
head. Label the References section.
See Section 2.11 and Chapters 6 and
7 of APA.

Footnotes

Continue sequential page
numbering from Body of report.
Page numbers should appear in
upper-right corner. Include running
head. Label the Footnotes section.
See Section 2.12 of APA.




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Table 2 (continued)

Placement of an Abstract and an Executive Summary in a Formal Academic Paper
under the Provisions of Style Guide Supplement Number 1


Appendix


Continue sequential page
numbering from References section.


Optional. Include only if necessary.
See Section 2.13 of APA. Page
numbers should appear in upper-
right corner. Include running head.
More than one appendix is
permissible. Appendices should be
designated with capital letters (e.g.,
Appendix A, Appendix B), and
should be titled (e.g., Appendix A:
Survey Results).



























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The Executive Summary Grading Rubric


Assessment
Components
% of
grade
Description of Expectations Assessment
Level
Introduction Introduction gets attention of audience, presents purpose
/problem statement and addresses special conditions reader
should be aware of (if needed).


Content Reflects content of project (paper and/or presentation).
Major facts, findings, conclusions/recommendations are
presented without distortion.


Conclusion Conclusion is clear and compelling.
Specific recommendations are provided with defined short
term/long term implementation plan.


Independence Summary is self contained and can stand independent of project.
Audience who reads only the summary will be adequately
informed.


Detail Details substantiate the conclusions/recommendations.
No additional material, which is not in project, is added.
Length is appropriate for audience (1 -2 pages double spaced).


Presentation Summary is well edited - document is free of spelling and
grammatical errors.
Summary is well written document is organized with
ideas/sections logically linked together.
Headers are effective.
Style and word choice is appropriate for audience.
Visual aids are appropriately provided.


Overall
Effectiveness
Significance of project/paper is clearly communicated.
The expectations of the reader are clearly communicated.


Other


Total


Assessment Levels
Unacceptable/insufficient
Needs improvement
Adequate meets expectations
Exceeds expectations