Examples of Recommendations sections

An example of the recommendations section from an accounting & finance case study report.
Footnote

Recommendations

Improve the average collection
period for accounts receivable.

Do not extend credit to slow payers.

Reduce credit terms.

Improve efforts to collect debts i.e.
hire a debt collection agency.

Offer discounts to early payers.

Recommendations (to do list)

Note: the ‘grammatical parallelism’ of each bulleted item on the recommendations list: the grammatical structure of each recommendation is the same. Each recommendation begins with an imperative verb (instructional word): for example, improve, do not, reduce. The student could also have written reducing, improving, and offering.

Excerpt from Woodward-Kron, R. (1997) Writing in Commerce: a guide to assist Commerce students with assignment writing, (Revised edition), Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, The University of Newcastle.

This is a recommendations section from a marketing report

Recommendations

It is recommended that Choice Chocolate take immediate measures to launch and promote Slim Choice alongside its existing product range. A fresh and healthy image should be used to promote Slim Choice in the media and slim, energetic and young models should be used. A campaign that conveys a sense of health and vitality to the consumer while enjoying Slim Choice is recommended. A suitable slogan would be the slogan “A Slim Choice a day keeps you going all the way”. This should be used in the launch campaign. It is suggested that good date for the launch is 6 April, the 10th Anniversary of the World Congress on Health and Diet. As part of the launch campaign, it is recommended all the reporters be presented with free samples of Slim Choice, along with product endorsement statements by renowned health experts. Corresponding with the launch, it would be appropriate for Slim Choice to be available at all supermarkets, candy stores, health food shops and newsagencies.

Recommendations (a to do list).

In this section, there is no grammatical parallelism in how the recommendations have been presented. This detracts from the communal strength of the recommendations.

Look at the revised version of this recommendations section below.

The same recommendation section has been rewritten. Notice how much clearer and more powerful the recommendations are in this version of the section.

It is recommended:
	that Choice Chocolate take immediate measures to launch and promote Slim Choice alongside its existing product range; that Slim Choice adopt a fresh and healthy image and be promoted in the media using slim, energetic and young models;
	that the models convey a sense of health and vitality to the consumer while enjoying Slim Choice;
	that the slogan “A Slim Choice a day keeps you going all the way” be used in the launch campaign;
	that 6 April, the 10th Anniversary of the World Congress on Health and Diet, be the date for the launch;
	that all the reporters be presented with free samples of Slim Choice, along with product endorsement statements by renowned health experts as part of the launch campaign;
	that Slim Choice be available at all supermarkets, candy stores, health food shops and newsagencies from the date of the launch.

The same recommendations are clearer to the reader and become much more powerful because the grammatical parallelism (the same grammar is used consistently) emphasises the recommendations. Bulleting the points also makes the list of actions clearer.