Assignment 4: Introduction and Headings
This assignment requires you to complete two tasks: write the introduction for your new report and create the headings and subheadings that will guide readers through it. You are to prepare one Word file that contains the following:
• The report title
• The introduction
• The headings for the sections
• The subheadings within each section
Writing the Introduction
To choose content for the introduction, refer to the Checklist for Your Introduction, which you created and saved to a Reflections File earlier in this module. The introduction must contain context (background) and the main message. Other components you could include, depending upon your readers’ needs, are scope, purpose, relevance, summary of findings, methodology, and road map. The introduction should include only the most meaningful components and rarely contains them all.
As a guideline, a report introduction should represent about 5% of the total number of report pages. For example, if you estimate your report will be 10 pages long (minus a Table of Contents and appendices), the introduction should be one page or less (anywhere from two to four paragraphs).
Remember that the role of the introduction is to create interest in your report, lead your readers to your main message, and then state your main message.
Creating the Headings and Subheadings
To create your headings and subheadings, first give your new report a descriptive title. Then refer to your pyramid outline, which you created in Module 3. Write the headings for the sections using key words from the top-level question boxes of your pyramid. The subheadings should come from key words in the boxes below the top-level ones. Write at least two levels of headings beyond the report title. The exercise “Identify report headings” on page 16 of the module provides a helpful diagram for turning a pyramid box into a heading or subheading.
To aid the reader in seeing relationships between headings and subheadings in a section, consider using bullets. For example, section titles (headings) can be accompanied by I., II., and III., etc. or A., B., and C. Subheadings can be represented with bullets such as a., b., and c. or 1., 2., 3, etc.
Once you have written your introduction and created the headings and subheadings for the sections, upload the file to the Assignment 4 section in Moodle.