writing executive summary for research paper

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An executive summary is a thorough overview of a research report or other type of document that synthesizes key points for its readers, saving them time and preparing them to understand the study's overall content. It is a separate, stand-alone document of sufficient detail and clarity to ensure that the reader can completely understand the contents of the main research study. An executive summary can be anywhere from 1-10 pages long depending on the length of the report, or it can be the summary of more than one document [e.g., papers submitted for a group project].

Bailey, Edward, P. The Plain English Approach to Business Writing . (New York: Oxford University Press, 1997), p. 73-80 Todorovic, Zelimir William and Marietta Wolczacka Frye. “Writing Effective Executive Summaries: An Interdisciplinary Examination.” In United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Conference Proceedings . (Decatur, IL: United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, 2009): pp. 662-691.

Importance of a Good Executive Summary

Although an executive summary is similar to an abstract in that they both summarize the contents of a research study, there are several key differences. With research abstracts, the author's recommendations are rarely included, or if they are, they are implicit rather than explicit. Recommendations are generally not stated in academic abstracts because scholars operate in a discursive environment, where debates, discussions, and dialogs are meant to precede the implementation of any new research findings. The conceptual nature of much academic writing also means that recommendations arising from the findings are distributed widely and not easily or usefully encapsulated. Executive summaries are used mainly when a research study has been developed for an organizational partner, funding entity, or other external group that participated in the research . In such cases, the research report and executive summary are often written for policy makers outside of academe, while abstracts are written for the academic community. Professors, therefore, assign the writing of executive summaries so students can practice synthesizing and writing about the contents of comprehensive research studies for external stakeholder groups.

When preparing to write, keep in mind that:

• An executive summary is not an abstract.
• An executive summary is not an introduction.
• An executive summary is not a preface.
• An executive summary is not a random collection of highlights.

Christensen, Jay. Executive Summaries Complete The Report. California State University Northridge; Clayton, John. "Writing an Executive Summary that Means Business." Harvard Management Communication Letter (July 2003): 2-4; Keller, Chuck. "Stay Healthy with a Winning Executive Summary." Technical Communication 41 (1994): 511-517; Murphy, Herta A., Herbert W. Hildebrandt, and Jane P. Thomas. Effective Business Communications . New York: McGraw-Hill, 1997; Vassallo, Philip. "Executive Summaries: Where Less Really is More." ETC.: A Review of General Semantics 60 (Spring 2003): 83-90 .

Structure and Writing Style

Writing an Executive Summary

Read the Entire Document This may go without saying, but it is critically important that you read the entire research study thoroughly from start to finish before you begin to write the executive summary. Take notes as you go along, highlighting important statements of fact, key findings, and recommended courses of action. This will better prepare you for how to organize and summarize the study. Remember this is not a brief abstract of 300 words or less but, essentially, a mini-paper of your paper, with a focus on recommendations.

Isolate the Major Points Within the Original Document Choose which parts of the document are the most important to those who will read it. These points must be included within the executive summary in order to provide a thorough and complete explanation of what the document is trying to convey.

Separate the Main Sections Closely examine each section of the original document and discern the main differences in each. After you have a firm understanding about what each section offers in respect to the other sections, write a few sentences for each section describing the main ideas. Although the format may vary, the main sections of an executive summary likely will include the following:

• An opening statement, with brief background information,
• The purpose of research study,
• Method of data gathering and analysis,
• Overview of findings, and,
• A description of each recommendation, accompanied by a justification. Note that the recommendations are sometimes quoted verbatim from the research study.

Combine the Information Use the information gathered to combine them into an executive summary that is no longer than 10% of the original document. Be concise! The purpose is to provide a brief explanation of the entire document with a focus on the recommendations that have emerged from your research. How you word this will likely differ depending on your audience and what they care about most. If necessary, selectively incorporate bullet points for emphasis and brevity. Re-read your Executive Summary After you've completed your executive summary, let it sit for a while before coming back to re-read it. Check to make sure that the summary will make sense as a separate document from the full research study. By taking some time before re-reading it, you allow yourself to see the summary with fresh, unbiased eyes.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Length of the Executive Summary As a general rule, the correct length of an executive summary is that it meets the criteria of no more pages than 10% of the number of pages in the original document, with an upper limit of no more than ten pages [i.e., ten pages for a 100 page document]. This requirement keeps the document short enough to be read by your audience, but long enough to allow it to be a complete, stand-alone synopsis. Cutting and Pasting With the exception of specific recommendations made in the study, do not simply cut and paste whole sections of the original document into the executive summary. You should paraphrase information from the longer document. Avoid taking up space with excessive subtitles and lists, unless they are absolutely necessary for the reader to have a complete understanding of the original document. Consider the Audience Although unlikely to be required by your professor, there is the possibility that more than one executive summary will have to be written for a given document [e.g., one for policy-makers, one for private industry, one for philanthropists]. This may only necessitate the rewriting of the introduction and conclusion, but it could require rewriting the entire summary in order to fit the needs of the reader. If necessary, be sure to consider the types of audiences who may benefit from your study and make adjustments accordingly. Clarity in Writing One of the biggest mistakes you can make is related to the clarity of your executive summary. Always note that your audience [or audiences] are likely seeing your research study for the first time. The best way to avoid a disorganized or cluttered executive summary is to write it after the study is completed. Always follow the same strategies for proofreading that you would for any research paper. Use Strong and Positive Language Don’t weaken your executive summary with passive, imprecise language. The executive summary is a stand-alone document intended to convince the reader to make a decision concerning whether to implement the recommendations you make. Once convinced, it is assumed that the full document will provide the details needed to implement the recommendations. Although you should resist the temptation to pad your summary with pleas or biased statements, do pay particular attention to ensuring that a sense of urgency is created in the implications, recommendations, and conclusions presented in the executive summary. Be sure to target readers who are likely to implement the recommendations.

Bailey, Edward, P. The Plain English Approach to Business Writing . (New York: Oxford University Press, 1997), p. 73-80; Christensen, Jay. Executive Summaries Complete The Report. California State University Northridge; Executive Summaries. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Clayton, John. "Writing an Executive Summary That Means Business." Harvard Management Communication Letter , 2003; Executive Summary. University Writing Center. Texas A&M University;  Green, Duncan. Writing an Executive Summary.   Oxfam’s Research Guidelines series ; Guidelines for Writing an Executive Summary. Astia.org; Markowitz, Eric. How to Write an Executive Summary. Inc. Magazine, September, 15, 2010; Kawaski, Guy. The Art of the Executive Summary. "How to Change the World" blog; Keller, Chuck. "Stay Healthy with a Winning Executive Summary." Technical Communication 41 (1994): 511-517; The Report Abstract and Executive Summary. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Writing Executive Summaries. Effective Writing Center. University of Maryland; Kolin, Philip. Successful Writing at Work . 10th edition. (Boston, MA: Cengage Learning, 2013), p. 435-437; Moral, Mary. "Writing Recommendations and Executive Summaries." Keeping Good Companies 64 (June 2012): 274-278; Todorovic, Zelimir William and Marietta Wolczacka Frye. “Writing Effective Executive Summaries: An Interdisciplinary Examination.” In United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Conference Proceedings . (Decatur, IL: United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, 2009): pp. 662-691.

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How To Write A High-Impact Executive Summary

By Derek Jansen | January 2018

In this post, I’ll deconstruct the often-misunderstood executive summary and show you how to develop a high-impact executive summary for your assignment, research report or even your dissertation or thesis.

So, what is an executive summary?

An executive summary (sometimes called an abstract ) is quite simply a summary of summaries. In other words, an executive summary provides a concise summary of each of your assignment or report chapters/sections . More specifically, it should communicate the key points/insights/findings/suggestions from the following chapters:

• Introduction
• Recommendations
• Implementation (if applicable)
• Reflection (if applicable)

I’ll discuss which key points from each section need to be addressed a bit later. On a separate note – if you’re writing an executive summary for a dissertation or thesis, all of the concepts described in this post will still apply to you, however, you’ll include an additional paragraph about your methodology, and you’ll likely spend more word count discussing your analysis findings.

The 4 Important Attributes Of An Exec Summary

Before I discuss what goes into the executive summary, let’s quickly look at 4 attributes that make for a strong executive summary:

#1 – It should be able to stand alone.

The executive summary should be able to stand independently as an informative document . In other words, the reader should be able to grasp your broad argument without having to read the full document. Further reading should be purely for attaining more detail. Simply put, the executive summary should be a “Mini-Me” of the assignment.

This independence means that anything you write in the executive summary will need to be re-stated in the body of your assignment. A common mistake that students make is to introduce key points in the executive summary and then not discuss them again in the document – accordingly, the marker must view the main document as missing these key points. Simply put – make sure you discuss key points in both the executive summary and the main body . It will feel repetitive at times – this is normal.

#2 – It should be written for the intelligent layman.

When crafting your executive summary, its useful to keep the intelligent layman front of mind. What I mean by this is that you should write your summary assuming that your reader (i.e. the marker) will be intelligent but won’t be familiar with your topic and/or industry. This means that you should explain any technical concepts, avoid jargon and explain acronyms before using them.

#3 – It should be concise.

Typically, your executive summary should be a one-pager (one and a half pages at worst). To summarise a 3000 – 5000-word document into one page is no easy task, so you’ll need to:

• Present only the most important information (key insights, recommendations, etc).
• Write concisely – i.e. with brevity and completeness.

To the first point, I’ll explain what the “most important” information is for each chapter shortly. To the second point (writing concisely), there are various ways to do this, including:

• Using simple, straightforward language.
• Using the active voice.
• Removing bloaty adverbs and adjectives.
• Reducing prepositional phrases.
• Avoiding noun strings.

Does this sound like gibberish to you? Don’t worry! The Writing Center at the University of Wisconson-Madison provides a practical guide to writing more concisely, which you can download here.

On a related note, you typically would not include headings, citations or bulleted/numbered lists in your executive summary. These visual components tend to use a lot of space, which comes at a premium, as you know.

#4 – It should be written last.

Given that your executive summary is a summary of summaries, it needs to be written last , only once you’ve identified all your key insights, recommendations and so on. This probably sounds obvious, but many students start writing the summary first (potentially because of its position in the document) and then end up re-writing it multiple times, or they don’t rewrite it and consequently end up with an executive summary which is misaligned with the main document.

Simply put, you should leave this section until everything else is completed. Once your core body content is completed, you should read through the entire document again and create a bullet-point list of all the key points . From this list, you should then craft your executive summary . The approach will also help you identify gaps, contradictions and misalignments in your main document.

So, what goes into an executive summary?

Right, let’s get into the meat of it and consider what exactly should go into your executive summary. As I’ve mentioned, you need to present only the absolutely key point points from each of your chapters, but what does this mean exactly?

Each chapter will typically take the form of 1 paragraph (with no headings) in your executive summary. So, 5 chapters means 5 paragraphs. Naturally, some will be longer than others (let this be informed by the mark allocation), but assuming one page contains 500 words, you’re aiming for roughly 100 words per paragraph (assuming a 5-paragraph structure). See why conciseness is key!

Now, let’s look at what the key points are for each chapter in the case of a typical MBA assignment or report. In the case of a dissertation or thesis, the paragraph structure would still mimic the chapter structure – you’d just have more chapters, and therefore, more paragraphs.

Paragraph 1: Introduction

This paragraph should cover the following points:

• A very brief explanation of the business (what does it do, for whom and where?).
• Clear identification and explanation of the problem or opportunity that will be the focus of the assignment/report.
• A clear statement of the purpose of the assignment (i.e. what research questions will you seek to answer?).
• Brief mention of what data sources were utilised (i.e. secondary research) and any fieldwork undertaken (i.e. primary research ).

In other words, your first paragraph should introduce the business, the problem/opportunity to be addressed, why it’s important, and how you approached your analysis. This paragraph should make it clear to the reader what the assignment is all about at a broad level. Here’s a practical example:

This assignment focuses on ABC Ltd, a XXX business based in XXX, which provides XXX to XXX customers. To date, the firm has relied almost exclusively on XXX marketing channel. Consequently, ABC Ltd has little understanding of consumer segments, wants, and needs. This marketing channel is now under regulatory threat due to XXX.  The core challenge, therefore, is that whilst ABC Ltd seeks to grow its market share, it has little understanding of its market characteristics or competitive set, and its sole marketing channel under regulatory threat. Accordingly, the objective of this assignment is XXX. The assignment draws on survey, interview, and industry data.

Paragraph 2: Analysis and findings

In this paragraph, you should discuss the following:

• What exactly did you analyse? For example, you might have analysed the macro context (i.e. PESTLE analysis), followed by the meso (i.e. competitor or industry analysis) and then the micro (i.e. internal organisational analysis).
• What were your key findings in relation to the purpose of the assignment? For example, you may have identified 4 potential causes of a problem and would then state them.

In other words, your second paragraph should concisely explain what you analysed and what your main findings were . An example of this:

Segmentation analysis, consisting of macro, industry and firm-level analyses, revealed a strong segmentation variable in the form of XXX, with distinct needs in each segment. Macro analysis revealed XXX, while industry and firm-level analyses suggested XXX. Subsequently, three potential target segments were established, namely XXX, XXX and XXX.  These were then evaluated using the Directional Policy Matrix, and the results indicated XXX.

From a presentation perspective, you might structure this section as:

• Analysis 1, findings from analysis 1.
• Analysis 2, findings from analysis 2.
• Analysis 3, findings from analysis 3.

Importantly, you should only discuss the findings that are directly linked to the research questions (i.e. the purpose of the assignment) – don’t digress into interesting but less relevant findings. Given that the analysis chapter typically counts for a large proportion of marks, you could viably write 2-3 paragraphs for this. Be guided by the mark allocation.

Lastly, you should ensure that the findings you present here align well with the recommendations you’ll make in the next paragraph. Think about what your recommendations are, and, if necessary, reverse engineer this paragraph to create a strong link and logical flow from analysis to recommendations.

Paragraph 3: Recommendations

With the key findings from your analysis presented in the preceding paragraph, you should now discuss the following:

• What are your key recommendations?
• How do these solve the problems you found in your analysis?
• Were there any further conclusions?

Simply put, this paragraph (or two) should present the main recommendations and justify their use (i.e. explain how they resolve the key issue). As mentioned before, it’s critically important that your recommendations tightly align with (and resolve) the key issues that you identified in the analysis. An example:

Based on the Directional Policy Matrix analysis, it is recommended that the firm target XXX segment, because of XXX. On this basis, a positioning of XXX is proposed, as this aligns with the segment’s key needs. Furthermore, a provisional high-level marketing mix is proposed. The key aspects of the marketing mix include XXX, XXX and XXX, as these align with the firm’s positioning of XXX. By adopting these recommendations, the key issue of XXX will be resolved.

Also, note that (typically) the tone changes from past to present tense when you get to the recommendations section.

Paragraph 4: Implementation

If your assignment brief requires an implementation/project plan-type section, this paragraph will typically include the following points:

• Time requirements (how long will it take?)
• People requirements (what skills are needed and where do you find them?)
• Money requirements (what budget is required?)
• How will the project or change be managed? (i.e. project management plan)
• What risks exist and how will these be managed?

Depending on what level of detail is required by your assignment brief, you may need to present more, less or other details in this section. As always, be guided by the assignment brief.

A practical example:

A high-level implementation plan is proposed, including a stakeholder analysis, project plan and business case. Resource requirements are presented, detailing XXX, XXX and XXX requirements. A risk analysis is presented, revealing key risks including XXX, XXX and XXX. Risk management solutions are proposed, including XXX and XXX.  

Paragraph 5: Reflection

As with the implementation chapter, the need for a reflection chapter/section will vary between assignments and universities. If your assignment has this requirement, it’s typically good to cover the following points:

• What were your key learnings? What were your ah-ha moments?
• What has changed in the real world as a consequence of these learnings? I.e. how has your actual behaviour and approach to “X” changed, if any?
• What are the benefits and/or disadvantages of this change, if any?

This section is very personal, and so each person’s reflections will be different. Don’t take the above points as gospel.

Time to test it out.

Once you’ve written up your executive summary and feel confident that it’s in good shape, it’s time to test it out on an unsuspecting intelligent layman. This is a critically important step, since you, as the writer, are simply too close to the work to judge whether it all makes sense to a first-time reader. In fact, you are the least suitable person on the planet!

So, find someone who is not familiar with your assignment topic (and ideally, not familiar with your industry), and ask them to have a read through your executive summary. Friends and family will usually tell you its great, regardless of the quality, so you need to test them on their understanding. Do this by asking them to give the details back to you in their own words. Poke and prod – can they tell you what the key issues and recommendations were (in their own words!). You’ll quickly spot the gaps this way, and be able to flesh out any weak areas.

  Wrapping up.

In this post, I’ve discussed how to write the all too often undercooked executive summary. I’ve discussed some important attributes of a strong executive summary, as well as the contents that typically go into it. To recap on the key points:

The key attributes of a high-impact executive summary:

• It should be able to stand alone.
• It should be written for the intelligent layman.
• It should be concise.
• It should be written last.

The key contents of a high-impact executive summary:

Each paragraph should cover a chapter from the document. For example, In the case of a typical assignment, it would be something like:

• Summary of the introduction chapter.
• Summary of the analysis chapter.
• Summary of the recommendations and/or conclusions chapter.
• Depending – summary of the implementation and reflection.

Lastly, don’t forget to test out your executive summary on an unsuspecting layman or two. This is probably the most important step of them all!

If you have any questions or suggestions, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch here or leave a comment below.

Thanks so much for your methodical process and explanation of Executive Summary. It is exactly what I was researching for.

Regards Saane

It’s a pleasure!

This was really helpful with how to structure my assignment.

Thank you so much for the step by step process. It’s so helpful for beginners like me.

Great! This post is very informative and gives clear guidance on to write an executive summary. Thanks very much for sharing this information, it’s very helpful.

Thanks for the feedback, Anna. Best of luck with your writing 🙂

Thank you for the great article, really helped explain what was needed.

Great insight and tips . Thanks

Thank you so much for sharing this. It was exactly what I was looking for.

Thank you for your help

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Research executive summary: examples and best practices.

Home » Research Executive Summary: Examples and Best Practices

Executive summary tips are crucial for crafting impactful research reports. These concise overviews serve as the gateway to your findings, capturing the essence of your work in a digestible format. Mastering the art of executive summaries can significantly enhance the reach and influence of your research.

In today's fast-paced world, decision-makers often rely on these summaries to quickly grasp key insights. By honing your skills in creating compelling executive summaries, you can effectively communicate complex ideas and ensure your research resonates with its intended audience. This guide will explore best practices and examples to help you elevate your executive summary writing skills.

Importance of a Well-Crafted Executive Summary

A well-crafted executive summary serves as the gateway to your research findings, offering a concise yet comprehensive overview of your work. This crucial component distills complex information into a digestible format, allowing busy decision-makers to grasp key points quickly. An effective summary highlights the most significant aspects of your research, including objectives, methodologies, and critical outcomes.

To create an impactful executive summary, focus on clarity and brevity. Start by clearly stating the purpose of your research and its relevance to the target audience. Then, outline your main findings and their implications, emphasizing how they address the initial research questions. Conclude with actionable recommendations based on your insights, providing a clear path forward for stakeholders. Remember, a well-written executive summary can make the difference between your research being acted upon or overlooked, so invest time in refining this essential element of your report.

Executive Summary Tips: Key Benefits for Stakeholders

Executive summaries serve as powerful tools for stakeholders, offering concise insights into complex research findings. By distilling key information, these summaries enable decision-makers to grasp essential points quickly and efficiently. One primary benefit is time-saving, allowing busy executives to absorb critical data without sifting through lengthy reports.

Moreover, well-crafted executive summaries facilitate better decision-making by highlighting actionable insights. They provide a clear overview of research objectives, methodologies, and outcomes, empowering stakeholders to make informed choices. Additionally, these summaries foster improved communication among team members, ensuring everyone is aligned on crucial findings and recommendations. By presenting a snapshot of the research, executive summaries help stakeholders prioritize resources and focus on areas that require immediate attention, ultimately driving more effective strategic planning and implementation.

Enhancing Decision-Making with Concise Summaries

Crafting an effective executive summary is crucial for decision-makers who need quick access to key information. A well-structured summary distills complex research into actionable insights, saving time and facilitating informed choices. To create impactful summaries, focus on clarity, conciseness, and relevance.

Start by identifying the main objectives and findings of your research. Highlight critical data points and recommendations, ensuring they align with the intended audience's needs. Use clear, jargon-free language to explain complex concepts, and organize information logically. Include visual aids like charts or graphs to enhance understanding. Remember, the goal is to provide a comprehensive overview that enables swift decision-making without overwhelming the reader with unnecessary details.

Crafting an Effective Research Executive Summary

Crafting an effective research executive summary requires a blend of concision and clarity. This crucial document distills complex findings into digestible insights for decision-makers. To create a compelling summary, start by identifying the key objectives and methodologies of your research. Then, highlight the most significant results and their implications for the business or project at hand.

Best practices for executive summaries include using clear, jargon-free language and organizing information in a logical flow. Consider incorporating visual elements like charts or graphs to illustrate key points quickly. Remember to tailor the content to your audience's needs and knowledge level. By following these executive summary tips, you'll ensure your research findings make a lasting impact and drive informed decision-making within your organization.

Research Executive Summary Tips: Essential Elements

Creating an effective executive summary for research reports is crucial for conveying key findings and recommendations succinctly. To craft a compelling summary, focus on distilling the most important information into a concise format. Begin by clearly stating the research objectives and methodology used. Then, highlight the main findings, emphasizing their significance and implications for the client's business.

Include actionable insights and recommendations, ensuring they are specific and aligned with the client's goals. Use visuals sparingly but effectively to illustrate key points or trends. Keep the language clear and jargon-free, making it accessible to all stakeholders. Remember to tailor the content to your audience, addressing their primary concerns and interests. By following these executive summary tips, you'll create a powerful tool that captures the essence of your research and drives decision-making.

Structuring Your Summary for Maximum Impact

Crafting an effective executive summary requires a strategic approach to structure and content. By following a template-style format, you can ensure your summary covers all essential topics while remaining concise and readable. Start by identifying the key themes from your research or interview guide, such as market trends, customer pain points, or product recommendations.

Next, organize these themes into distinct sections within your summary. For each section, provide a brief overview of the main findings, supported by relevant data or quotes. Use bullet points or short paragraphs to enhance readability. Remember to tailor the content to your audience, focusing on the information most relevant to their needs and decision-making processes. By structuring your executive summary in this way, you'll create a powerful tool that quickly conveys the most critical insights from your research.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

When crafting an executive summary, it's crucial to avoid common pitfalls that can diminish its effectiveness. One frequent mistake is information overload, where authors include too much detail, obscuring the main points. To prevent this, focus on distilling the most critical information and presenting it concisely.

Another pitfall is failing to tailor the summary to the intended audience. Different stakeholders may require different levels of detail or emphasis on specific aspects. To address this, research your audience beforehand and customize the content accordingly. Additionally, avoid using jargon or technical terms without explanation, as this can alienate readers unfamiliar with industry-specific language. Instead, opt for clear, accessible language that conveys your message effectively. By steering clear of these common mistakes and following best practices, you can create an executive summary that captures attention and delivers key insights efficiently.

Executive Summary Tips: Frequent Mistakes to Watch Out For

When crafting an executive summary, it's crucial to avoid common pitfalls that can undermine its effectiveness. One frequent mistake is information overload, where authors include too much detail, obscuring the main points. Remember, brevity is key – aim to distill complex information into concise, impactful statements.

Another error to watch out for is neglecting to tailor the summary to your audience. Different stakeholders have varying interests and levels of expertise, so customize your content accordingly. Additionally, many summaries fall short by failing to provide clear, actionable recommendations. Your executive summary should not only present findings but also offer strategic insights and next steps. By steering clear of these mistakes, you'll create a more compelling and useful executive summary that resonates with your readers.

Best Practices for Clear and Persuasive Summaries

Creating a clear and persuasive executive summary is crucial for effectively communicating research findings. To craft an impactful summary, start by distilling the main points of your research into concise, easy-to-understand statements. Focus on highlighting key insights, methodologies, and outcomes that are most relevant to your audience.

When writing your executive summary, use straightforward language and avoid jargon. Structure your content logically, presenting information in a flow that guides readers through your research journey. Include visual elements like charts or graphs to illustrate complex data points quickly. Remember to tailor your summary to your specific audience, emphasizing aspects that align with their interests and needs. By following these best practices, you'll create an executive summary that captures attention and conveys your research's value effectively.

Conclusion: Mastering Executive Summary Tips for Research

Mastering executive summary tips is crucial for researchers aiming to convey their findings effectively. As we've explored various strategies and best practices, it's clear that a well-crafted executive summary can significantly impact the reception of your research. By distilling complex information into concise, actionable insights, you empower decision-makers and stakeholders to grasp the essence of your work quickly.

Remember, the key to a compelling executive summary lies in its clarity, brevity, and relevance. Focus on highlighting the most critical aspects of your research, including methodology, key findings, and recommendations. As you refine your skills in creating these summaries, you'll find that they not only enhance the accessibility of your research but also increase its potential for real-world application and impact.

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The First Impression: Executive Summary In A Research Paper

Having trouble writing the executive summary for your research paper? Learn how to write it in a research paper with our step-by-step guide.

Do you think a scholar has the time to read all the content of your research paper? They will have infinite papers to check, so they definitely won’t read it thoroughly, so how do they know if it is worth reading or not? Now, you must’ve seen short summaries in front of every research paper; ever wondered what that is? 

Well, that is your first impression of the article and as the saying goes, “first impression is always the best impression”, it is important to make sure that the summary is catchy and perfect to grab the scholar’s attention. 

Those types of summaries are known as Executive Summaries and in this article, we are going to learn in-depth about the executive summary in a research paper, along with tips and guidelines for writing them.

What Is An Executive Summary In A Research Paper?

In a research paper, the executive summary serves as a condensed version of the entire paper. It provides a snapshot of the key elements and findings of the research, allowing readers to quickly grasp the purpose, methodology, and main outcomes without having to read the entire document.

Why Do We Compose An Executive Summary?

We compose an executive summary for several important reasons:

1. Decision-Making Support

Executives, stakeholders, or decision-makers rely on executive summaries to make informed decisions. By presenting key information clearly and concisely, an executive summary helps decision-makers understand the essence of the document and evaluate its significance and potential impact.

2. Accessible To A Wide Audience

Executive summaries are shared with diverse audiences, including those without specialized knowledge. By distilling complex information, executive summaries make the content more accessible to a broader range of readers.

3. Overview Of Research Or Project

An executive summary offers a high-level overview of the research or project, outlining objectives, methodology, and main findings. It provides a snapshot of the work, allowing readers to quickly assess its relevance and determine if they need to explore the full document. Also Read: How to Write a Summary of an Article

The Executive Summary Length And Placement

The length and placement of an executive summary can vary depending on specific requirements and guidelines. However, there are some general considerations to keep in mind:

• Length : Executive summaries are typically kept relatively short, ranging from a few paragraphs to a couple of pages. They aim to provide a concise overview of the main points and findings of the document.
• Placement : In most cases, the executive summary is placed at the beginning of the document, before the main body or introduction . This allows readers to quickly access the key information without having to go through the entire document. However, in some cases, it may be placed at the end, serving as a summary or recap of the main points for those who have already read the document.

It’s important to note that the length and placement of the executive summary can be influenced by specific guidelines or requirements set by the organization or publication. 

Structure Of An Executive Summary For A Research Paper

The structure of an executive summary for a research paper can vary slightly depending on the specific requirements and nature of the research. However, a commonly used structure includes the following key elements:

Introduction

Provide a brief introduction that sets the context for the research. Clearly state the purpose, objectives, and significance of the study.

Research Methodology

Summarize the research methodology used in the study. Briefly explain the data collection methods, sample size, research design , and any statistical analyses employed. This helps establish the credibility and reliability of the research.

Key Findings

Present the most significant findings of the research. Summarize the main results, trends, or patterns that emerged from the data analysis. Focus on the key outcomes that directly address the research objectives.

Conclude the executive summary by summarizing the main points and emphasizing the overall significance of the research. Restate the main findings and their implications in a concise manner. Also read our content about Thesis Conclusion: Making Your Research Paper Outstanding .

Executive Summary For A Research Paper Formatting

When formatting an executive summary for a research paper, it’s important to follow the specific guidelines provided by the target journal or publication. General formatting considerations to keep in mind:

• Title : Include a clear and descriptive title for the executive summary at the top of the page. It should reflect the content and focus of the research paper.
• Length : The length of the executive summary can vary, but it is typically recommended to be concise, ranging from a few paragraphs to a maximum of one or two pages. Adhere to any specified word count or page limit guidelines.
• Formatting Style: Follow the formatting style required by the target journal or publication. This may include font type, font size, line spacing, and margins. Typically, a professional and readable font such as Times New Roman or Arial with a standard font size of 12 points is used.
• Structure and Subheadings: Use clear and informative subheadings to structure the content of the executive summary. This helps guide the reader through the main sections, such as Introduction, Methodology, Key Findings, Implications, Recommendations, and Conclusion .
• Concise Writing: Write in a concise and focused manner, using clear and simple language. Avoid unnecessary technical jargon or complex explanations. Use bullet points or numbered lists to present key findings or recommendations, making them easy to read and comprehend.
• Proofreading and Editing: Before finalizing the executive summary, carefully proofread and edit the content for clarity, coherence, and grammatical correctness. Ensure that the summary is free from errors and presents a professional image.

The Executive Summary Mistakes To Avoid

When crafting an executive summary, it’s important to be mindful of certain mistakes that can diminish its effectiveness. Here are common mistakes to avoid:

Lack Of Clarity

Ensure that the executive summary is clear and concise. Avoid using jargon, complex language, or technical terms that may confuse readers. Aim for straightforward and accessible language that can be understood by a diverse audience.

Excessive Length

Remember that an executive summary is meant to be a condensed version of the main document. Avoid making it too long or including unnecessary details. Keep it concise and focused on the most important information.

Lack of Context

Provide sufficient context to help readers understand the research and its significance. Avoid jumping straight into the findings without setting the stage. Briefly explain the background, objectives, and methodology to provide a clear context for the research.

Inconsistent Tone

Maintain a consistent and professional tone throughout the executive summary. Avoid using overly casual language or an inconsistent writing style that may undermine the credibility of the research.

Missing Contact Information

Include relevant contact information, such as names, email addresses, or phone numbers, so that readers can reach out for further inquiries or discussions. This ensures that interested parties can easily connect with the authors.

Executive Summary Writing Tips And Recommendations

When writing an executive summary, consider the following tips and recommendations to ensure its effectiveness:

• Start Strong : Begin the executive summary with a compelling introduction that grabs the reader’s attention. Clearly state the purpose, importance , and relevance of the research to engage the audience from the start.
• Be Succinct: Keep the executive summary concise and to the point. Focus on the most critical information and avoid unnecessary tangents or excessive details. Use clear and concise language to convey the key points effectively.
• Structure with Headings: Organize the executive summary with headings and subheadings to create a logical flow of information. This helps readers navigate the content and locate specific sections quickly.
• Maintain Consistency: Ensure that the executive summary aligns with the main document in terms of key points, language, and style. Avoid introducing new information or contradictory statements that may confuse the reader.
• Use Visuals Sparingly: Incorporate visuals such as charts, graphs, or diagrams if they significantly enhance the understanding of the research. Ensure they are clear, well-labeled, and easy to interpret.
• Seek Feedback: Consider sharing the executive summary with colleagues, mentors, or experts in the field for feedback and suggestions. Incorporate their insights to improve the clarity and effectiveness of the summary.

In conclusion, the executive summary plays a crucial role in research papers by providing a condensed yet comprehensive overview of the study’s main points and findings. It serves as a valuable tool for busy readers, decision-makers, and stakeholders who require a concise understanding of the research without delving into the full document.

Also Read: How to Write an Abstract for a Research Paper (Example and Tips)

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About Sowjanya Pedada

Sowjanya is a passionate writer and an avid reader. She holds MBA in Agribusiness Management and now is working as a content writer. She loves to play with words and hopes to make a difference in the world through her writings. Apart from writing, she is interested in reading fiction novels and doing craftwork. She also loves to travel and explore different cuisines and spend time with her family and friends.

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Executive Summary: Research Guidelines for A+ Papers

• Icon Calendar 30 July 2024
• Icon Page 5955 words
• Icon Clock 27 min read

When people work on organizing their research papers, they need effective guidelines on how to write an executive summary. This article provides insights students should grasp to create high-standard texts, including defining what is an executive summary, its meaning, and its basic format and structure. About its structure and format, a particular guideline teaches students all the sections of an executive summary, such as introduction, purpose statement, methods, findings, recommendations, limitations, implementation, and conclusion elements, corresponding contents of each part, and how to write each element. Other insights include 20 tips for producing a high-standard executive summary, including 10 dos and 10 don’ts, what to include, and 10 common mistakes. Lastly, the article gives a sample outline template for writing a good executive summary and a practical example of this section of a research paper.

General Aspects

A habit of reading different types of papers is helpful to a student’s mental preparation for course assessments but, more importantly, to their intellectual development. Reading various types of essays, reports, and research papers also induces mental faculties of intellect, reason, imagination, and intuition, which are essential for academic discourse. Indeed, one can tell a writer who reads habitually by how they construct and defend arguments and ideas in their works. Basically, this guideline for writing an effective executive summary includes essential insights into what students should and should not do when writing this element. In principle, the three main elements of an executive summary are an introduction, key findings, and recommendations. A provided article also defines what is an executive summary and its meaning, outlines its format and distinctive features, shows how to write each part of this section of a research paper, explains concepts, and gives helpful tips for producing a high-standard document. In turn, this guideline gives a sample outline template of a project paper and an example of an executive summary, as well as what people can include and what they should avoid when organizing such an element.

What Is an Executive Summary and Its Purpose

According to its definition, an executive summary is a brief text that accounts for main points of a longer document, mainly a market study report, project plan, and business proposal. In this respect, such a text serves the same purpose as an abstract, the only difference being that it is not used in research papers (Thomas, 2022). Ideally, an abstract is a short and descriptive section of essential details of a research paper, such as background, methodology, results, and conclusion. In contrast, an executive summary means writing a comprehensive overview of a report, research proposal, or project that explains its main points, including recommendations (Rehart, 2021). As such, the main purpose of writing an executive summary is to highlight key points, findings, and recommendations without requiring a reader to read a full report. Practically, an abstract is between 0.5-1 page, while an executive summary is about 5-10% of a document’s total word count. Since the primary purpose of an executive summary is to summarize an entire paper and its research comprehensively, this part precedes an introduction section of a report, proposal, or business plan (Rehart, 2021). In terms of pages and words, the length of an executive summary depends on academic levels and document complexities, while general writing guidelines are:

High School

• Length: 0.5-1 page
• Word Count: 125-250 words
• Length: 1-2 pages
• Word Count: 250-500 words

University (Undergraduate)

• Length: 1-3 pages
• Word Count: 250-750 words

Master’s

• Length: 2-4 pages
• Word Count: 500-1,000 words
• Length: 3-6 pages
• Word Count: 750-1,500 words

Note: Some sections of an executive summary can be added, deleted, or combined with each other, and it depends on an entire paper’s length and its scope of research. Basically, the five main parts of an executive summary are an introduction, problem or purpose, methodology, key findings, and recommendations (Thomas, 2022). Moreover, an executive summary typically appears at the beginning of most documents, before an introduction section and after a title page. In turn, an executive summary is usually one to two pages long, or about 10% of a total length of a main document. Finally, to start an executive summary, people begin with a concise statement that introduces a main paper’s purpose and research scope of a document.

Distinctive Features

An executive summary is identifiable by specific features that distinguish it from other texts, including essays and research papers. For example, to write an executive summary, people clearly and concisely present a main purpose for research, key findings, conclusions, and recommendations of a document, ensuring this part captures a paper’s essence and an actual importance of a full report (Giampalmi, 2023). Essentially, all scholarly documents require the same level of mental preparation by writers to produce high-quality work. However, students must understand that some papers are demanding because of their contents, which underscore a basic essay outline. The main contents that earmark distinctive features of an executive summary are an introduction, a purpose statement, methods, findings, recommendations, limitations, an implementation plan, and a conclusion.

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1️⃣ Introduction

An introduction of an executive summary highlights a document’s topic, which emphasizes the type of paper it is, such as a business proposal, project report, or market research report. In principle, an executive summary must be short and precise because a central focus is a chosen topic, and one should use a bridge sentence or short paragraph for an introduction (Falkenberg et al., 2024). In turn, some examples of sentence starters for beginning an executive summary are:

• This executive summary includes critical findings and strategic recommendations derived from a comprehensive analysis of [topic/issue].
• A primary objective of this report is to present main results and implications of extensive research on [topic/issue].
• This document synthesizes essential insights and proposed actions based on a presented investigation of [topic/issue].
• This proposal covers significant outcomes and strategic recommendations for an in-depth study of [topic/issue].
• A particular purpose of this study is to examine key conclusions and actionable insights from an entire evaluation of [topic/issue].
• This plan provides a concise overview of major findings and strategic advice resulting from a particular analysis of [topic/issue].
• A current business report outlines primary discoveries and strategic proposals from a rigorous examination of [topic/issue].
• This project paper aims to present pivotal results and recommendations identified through comprehensive research on [topic/issue].
• This business proposal offers a valid presentation of critical points and strategic implications derived from a particular study on [topic/issue].
• This executive summary for a research paper highlights core findings and proposed strategies based on a detailed literature review of [topic/issue].

2️⃣ Purpose Statement

A purpose statement of an executive summary communicates a document’s primary objective. In this respect, such an element provides a brief background of an assigned topic to enhance a reader’s understanding of an actual essence of an entire document (Rehart, 2021). In turn, a particular language in this part reflects an expected end, while common terms include ‘aim,’ ‘goal,’ ‘purpose,’ or ‘objective.’

3️⃣ Methods

In an executive summary, methods outline a scholar’s approach to achieving a primary objective, such as examining official data, conducting a field study, reviewing existing literature, or interviewing stakeholders. Basically, people need to understand that this component differs from methodology and literature review sections of research papers (Younas & Ali, 2021). In other words, this element does not detail the methods one has used to complete an entire work. On the other hand, authors need to outline particular strategies that help writers to better understand critical issues, such as challenges to a sector, stakeholder sentiments, industry insights, or potential barriers.

4️⃣ Findings

Findings in an executive summary are study outcomes of discussed methods. For example, it is what a scholar has discovered about a specific issue, such as an industry, stakeholders, or a project (Rehart, 2021). This component is crucial to readers because it offers a sneak peek into study outcomes that underscore a primary purpose of an entire document: project report, market research report, or business proposal.

5️⃣ Recommendations

Recommendations in an executive summary underscore a writer’s perspective regarding different issues that a research paper addresses as a challenge or problem. For example, if a given paper is a report about healthcare status, potential challenges or problems it identifies may be nursing shortages or medical errors (Thomas, 2022). In turn, provided recommendations should highlight what stakeholders, like the government and health institutions, must do to overcome these challenges or problems. Finally, such recommendations address what must be done to rectify a situation or make it possible to achieve specific outcomes.

6️⃣ Limitations

Like a research paper, an executive summary must point out some limitations that a document’s author encountered in reporting about a project or business plan. For example, these limitations may include a lack of goodwill among stakeholders, sufficient time to investigate a matter, or resources to execute a particular task (Thomas, 2022). This information is essential to a target audience because it indicates some dynamics influencing a primary objective.

7️⃣ Implementation Plan

An implementation plan is a component in an executive summary that provides a framework for adopting and implementing the recommendations. Typically, this information includes claims and activities, people responsible, a specific timeframe, and budget allocation (Rehart, 2021). Sometimes, an evaluation plan is also part of an implementation section.

8️⃣ Conclusion

A conclusion part of an executive summary is a call to action about a project paper, market research report, or business proposal. Unlike conclusions in other academic papers and essays that summarize paper’s main points, a conclusion part of an executive summary gives a direction about a whole document (Morris et al., 2024). Essentially, writers use this component to call to action an intended audience to adopt offered recommendations or compel stakeholders to adopt a particular perspective. In turn, this part also persuades a target audience to adopt a particular stance regarding a report or proposal.

Length Differences

Students should know the length of each of the above sections, except introduction and conclusion parts, depending on a document’s total length, which determines a specific word count of an executive summary. For example, a long and robust project report or business proposal requires a long executive summary with an extended purpose statement, methods, findings, recommendations, limitations, and implementation, which means the length of 4-10 double-spaced pages, or 2-5 single-spaced pages, or 1,000–2,500 words, depending on a particular volume of an overall work (Rehart, 2021). Typically, introduction and conclusion sections take a statement or short paragraph of 0.5-1 double-spaced page or 125-250 words, irrespective of a research paper or executive summary’s length. However, if a research paper is a long work of more than 10 double-spaced pages, 5 single-spaced pages, or 2,500 words, introduction and conclusion parts should not exceed 5-10% of a whole word count (Rehart, 2021). Besides, a corresponding body section of an executive summary must take about 80-90% of a total word count of a research paper, not less. The word count of a title page, a table of contents, an abstract, a reference page, and an appendix is not considered since these parts are technical and do not mean writing itself.

Structure and Writing of Each Section

Writing an executive summary requires students to demonstrate an understanding of its purpose. This understanding means students should know when to write its content, what to talk about, and how to write each of the sections above. On the other hand, to write a well-organized executive summary for a report, people concisely summarize a paper’s purpose and its scope of research, methodology, key findings, conclusions, and recommendations (Giampalmi, 2023). Therefore, writing an executive summary is essential to approach carefully and with the utmost focus.

1️⃣ Writing an Executive Summary as a Last Action

Because an executive summary overviews an entire research paper, students should write this part after finishing their market research papers, project reports, or business proposals. However, one should read and reread a whole document to know the most significant points forming part of brief components (Thomas, 2022). By writing an executive summary as a last item, one can have a mental picture of what to address to give a target audience a comprehensive sneak peek into a research document.

2️⃣ Making Notes of Important Aspects

While reading and rereading a research paper, students should take notes of the most critical aspects of their work that must appear in an executive summary. Moreover, one should identify crucial information in an introduction, a purpose statement, methods, findings, recommendations, limitations, an implementation plan, and a conclusion (Rehart, 2021). As such, these aspects must address each section above.

Writing an Introduction Part

When writing a college essay introduction, students must refrain from going into details about a specific purpose of a whole text because they will have an opportunity to do so later. While one may mention a document’s background, this person should make it concise to contextualize an assigned topic (Giampalmi, 2023). The most crucial detail is that an introduction part of an executive summary should be a sentence or brief paragraph. In turn, to write a well-structured executive summary for an essay, people succinctly present a main argument, key points, and conclusions of an entire paper, ensuring it captures an actual essence and significance of its content.

Writing a Purpose Statement Part

When writing a research paper’s purpose, students should communicate a specific type of document, such as a business proposal, a market report, or a project composition. The next thing is to state a valid background, provide a particular reason for writing, like sourcing funds, recommend solutions, or report progress and challenges (Rehart, 2021). However, one should avoid going into detail because they will do so later in an executive summary of a research paper.

Writing a Methods Part

When writing a methods section, one should focus on giving an intended audience a sense of a particular strategy that helps achieve study outcomes. However, students should approach this part differently than a methodology section of a research paper (Giampalmi, 2023). Instead, they should mention what they did to execute an entire work, such as interviewing stakeholders or analyzing official data. The best way to approach this section is to list everything one did to make a research paper.

Writing a Findings Part

Since a primary purpose of a findings section in a research paper is to narrate outcomes, students should write it in the past tense. Therefore, when writing this section of an executive summary, authors should see themselves as reporters educating a target audience about what they have learned in executing a particular task (Giampalmi, 2023). An essential detail students should note when writing this section is to refer to credible sources of information that lead to the findings. These reliable sources can be documents, organizations, individuals in leadership, or industry experts.

Writing a Recommendations Part

When writing a recommendations section in an executive summary for a research paper, students should focus on giving a clear and brief paragraph of what should happen after the findings. Essentially, one should address key decision-makers or stakeholders because they are responsible for creating change through policy (Rehart, 2021). The best approach to writing recommendations is to interrogate each challenge or problem and related findings to understand what must happen to create positive outcomes.

Writing a Limitations Part

The best approach to writing a limitations section in an executive summary for a research paper is to interrogate possible challenges. For example, such aspects that one has faced in a discussed project may include as a lack of goodwill among stakeholders or sufficient time, resources, or support (Rehart, 2021). Ideally, authors aim to inform an intended audience of some factors that have complicated their work or may complicate an overall implementation of offered recommendations.

Writing an Implementation Plan Part

When writing an implementation plan in an executive summary, students should focus on telling a target audience a specific procedure for actualizing provided recommendations. In this respect, the best approach to writing this section is to interrogate offered recommendations to determine what must happen to actualize each (Giampalmi, 2023). In principle, some issues to consider may include people in charge of implementation, such as an organization’s human resource director, a specific time it would take to actualize (timeline), a study budget, and how to measure success (evaluation).

Writing a Conclusion Part

When writing a conclusion part, students should aim to persuade an intended audience to adopt a particular stance regarding a research paper or proposal. Although one might reiterate a particular topic, it is not necessary to mention each of the preceding sections (Giampalmi, 2023). Instead, authors should focus on sending a strong communication regarding a central theme of a document. The best approach to writing a conclusion section is to influence a target audience’s perspective on an assigned topic in accordance with offered recommendations and implementation plan steps.

3️⃣ Explaining Acronyms, Abbreviations, and Key Terms

Since an executive summary is an overview of a market research paper, project report, or business plan, authors should write it clearly and precisely. For example, to write a correct executive summary for a research proposal, people briefly summarize a suggested purpose, key objectives, methodology, expected outcomes, and recommendations (Thomas, 2022). As such, the best approach is to use simple language and define all acronyms, abbreviations, and key terms. In turn, students should not assume that readers know what each acronym, abbreviation, and key term means when they read complete documents.

4️⃣ Proofreading, Revising, and Editing

After completing writing a research paper, students should proofread a complete document to identify grammatical and formatting mistakes and inconsistent arguments and ideas. For example, the best way to fix these mistakes and flaws is to revise a whole research paper by fixing mistakes, like missing punctuation and wrong citations, and editing a document by adding or deleting words and sentences to create a logical order of thoughts and ideas (Giampalmi, 2023). In turn, authors must be factual, not use word count fillers, and avoid unnecessary repetitions. Besides, they should know that a target audience is not interested in stories but in factual communication that makes logical sense.

Outline Template

Like essays, executive summaries have a specific structure students should demonstrate in their writing. The sections above underscore this outline template, meaning students should know what each section of writing an executive summary for a research paper entails and how to write it. Basically, the best way to write a high-quality executive summary is to create a template and populate this outline with ideas for a project, a business plan, a proposal, or a report (Giampalmi, 2023). In turn, such a preparation helps students to have a mental picture of a particular kind of document they want to have and a right attitude when writing.

I. Introduction: [Introduce a specific topic and state a particular kind of document, such as a market research paper, project report, or business plan].

II. Purpose Statement: [Explain a primary objective of a research paper, such as investigating a problem, souring some funds, or reporting its progress].

III. Methods: [Enumerate how a specific task is accomplished, such as examining official data, interviewing stakeholders, or reviewing existing literature].

IV. Findings: [Provide study outcomes of discussed methods, such as what official data reveals, stakeholders’ sentiments, or what research says].

V. Recommendations: [State clearly what stakeholders or key decisions must do to address possible challenges or problems that the findings reveal].

VI. Limitations: [Discuss defined challenges or problems that were encountered in completing a particular task, such as poor time management, a lack of support, or absent goodwill by stakeholders].

VII. Implementation Plan: [Include what stakeholders or key decision-makers must do to actualize provided recommendations, such as identifying a person responsible and establishing a budget and timeline].

VIII. Conclusion: [Persuade a target audience to adopt offered recommendations and work toward creating change by facilitating an implementation plan].

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Executive Summary Example

Topic: A Need for Proactive Climate Change Initiatives

I. Introduction

Stakeholders in a particular climate change discourse must shift their focus from discourse to practical, proactive measures to demonstrate seriousness in tackling the biggest threat of the millennium.

II. Purpose Statement

A Particular purpose of writing this executive study is to examine a current status of a climate change discourse, interrogate dynamics that make it unpromising as a practical solution to a particular crisis, and recommend what stakeholders must do to restore hope to millions globally who are afraid that climate change poses the biggest threat to an overall existence of current and future generations.

III. Methods

An executive report employs several data-gathering methods to achieve these objectives, including examining a climate change discourse over the decades to identify key themes: environmental policies, greenhouse gases, industrial pollution, natural disasters, weather forecasts, and others. Another method is interrogating research and official data on climate change by government agencies in the last three decades. A current report also considers interviews with environmentalists, social justice advocates, government officials, and leaders of organizations that dedicate their mission to creating awareness about a particular need for environmental conservation and preservation.

IV. Findings

Overall, the methods above reveal worrying findings about a discussed climate change discourse:

• Human activities, including industries and deforestation, have increased global warming to 1.1 degrees C, triggering unprecedented changes to the Earth’s climate. The lack of consensus on reversing human-induced global warming among the most industrialized countries suggests that such a trend will worsen in the coming decades.
• Adverse impacts of climate change are evident on people and ecosystems. Without urgent practical interventions, these impacts will become more widespread and severe with every additional degree of global warming.
• Developing and implementing adaptation measures in communities can effectively build and foster the resilience of people and ecosystems. However, stakeholders must interrogate their climate change funding priorities for effective proactive interventions.
• Communities will continue recording climate-induced losses and damages as long as communities cannot adapt to some impacts of this global problem. An example is 1.1 degrees C of global warming.
• Projections indicate global greenhouse gas (GHC) emissions will peak at 1.5 degrees C before 2025 in selected at-risk pathways.
• Burning fossil fuels remains a leading cause of a global climate crisis.
• Carbon removal is the most effective and practical solution to limiting global warming from peaking at 1.5 degrees C.
• There is a lack of commitment by key stakeholders to finance climate change mitigation and adaptation.
• Climate change and collective efforts to mitigate and adapt to its impacts will exacerbate global inequity if stakeholders do not prioritize just transition.

These findings of a research paper confirm that a climate change discourse is alive to the threat the global problem poses to people and ecosystems and the weaknesses in current interventions.

V. Recommendations

This executive report recommends that key stakeholders, including governments, communities, policy experts, and financiers, must adopt to prioritize practical solutions to the global climate crisis.

• Stakeholders must target a net-zero climate-resilient future through urgent, systemwide transformations.
• Adopt policies that enhance access to fresh produce by establishing a relationship between farmers and consumers.
• Improve awareness about the critical benefits of organic foods.
• Consider policies that promote regenerative farm practices to eliminate toxins and revitalize soils.
• Create infrastructures for transforming waste into compost manure for farm use.
• Develop policies that encourage communities to embrace a green neighborhood.

VI. Limitations

This executive report recognizes several limitations that have made a real fight against climate change unproductive and threaten current and future endeavors to arrest the crisis. For example, stakeholders need to note that these limitations may undermine a particular implementation of provided recommendations in this report. One limitation is a lack of goodwill among key stakeholders. The four leading industrial powers, namely the United States, China, India, and Brazil, contribute to significant global atmospheric temperature increases. Traditionally, these countries have refused to agree on how to cut back on industries primarily because they are the main drivers of their economies. Another limitation is the mis-prioritization of financing, where much focus is on theoretical interventions, such as agreements and seminars, at the expense of practical solutions like building infrastructures for transforming waste into usable products. While stakeholders agree on an actual essence of the 3R (reuse, reduce, and recycle) framework, there is little practical implementation at the community level.

VII. Implementation Plan

A particular implementation plan for recommendations provided above recognizes government agencies as the most suitable implementers because official bodies are key stakeholders who finance climate change initiatives. A proposed business plan considers that, to shift a current climate change fight from mere discourse to practical evidence, stakeholders must prioritize the following:

• A budget of at least $50 million annually at the country level;
• A period of between 2-5 years; and
• Periodic evaluation of progress through at least one annual seminar or conference.

VIII. Conclusion

This executive research paper calls on all stakeholders in a discussed climate change discourse to reconsider a current focus by recognizing its failure to create meaningful change as evidence shows this crisis continues to worsen. Instead, they should focus on practical, proactive interventions focusing on communities because that is where much environmental damage happens. It is also where defined adversities of a current crisis manifest most powerfully.

Steps on How to Write an Executive Summary

Writing an executive summary is a technical undertaking requiring students to consider each section’s basic structure and essential details. When writing a research paper, one must know when to write each section and what to say (Thomas, 2022). In this respect, preparation, stage setup, writing a first draft of an executive section, and wrap-up are essential steps students should follow to produce a research paper document that meets quality standards. As a result, an executive summary should include a document’s purpose, key findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

Step 1: Preparation

As a first step in writing an executive summary, preparation helps auhtors to develop a proper mindset. For example, this step involves knowing a basic structure and what to write in each section of a research paper (Giampalmi, 2023). Therefore, a critical task for students in this stage is constructing a basic structure and stating what must happen in each section.

Step 2: Stage Setup

Setting up a stage is a second step in writing an executive summary. For instance, this step involves reading and rereading a document to identify critical details to address in each section of a basic structure (Giampalmi, 2023). The best approach to achieve this outcome is to make notes of the most vital data when reading a research paper.

Step 3: Writing a First Draft

A third step is to create a first draft of an executive summary by putting all the critical data into relevant sections. Ideally, people must start with a clear introduction where they point out a focal point of a research paper and then move to a study’s purpose statement, methods, findings, recommendations, limitations, implementation plan, and conclusion (Rehart, 2021). Each research section must summarize and not explain the most critical data.

Step 4: Wrap-Up

Wrapping a first draft into a final version of a research paper is a last step in writing an executive summary. This stage involves proofreading, revising, and editing a first version of an executive section to eliminate grammar mistakes and inconsistent statements (Rehart, 2021). As a result, authors must perfect their executive summaries of research papers by fixing errors and flaws that affect a logical progression of ideas and thoughts and an overall quality of an entire text.

Writing an executive summary can be demanding, particularly for students who do not prepare well or do not know what is most important. The following tips can be helpful: begin an executive summary by explaining why a specific topic is important; state a particular purpose of a research paper by outlining a unique problem and why it is essential or relevant to an intended audience; explain study methods that help to execute a defined task; state research findings; enumerate some limitations by addressing dynamics that undermine an overall implementation of solutions; consider different recommendations and list them using numbers or bullet points; outline an implementation plan that identifies a person or entity that oversee its execution, a budget allocation, and how to evaluate progress; and write a conclusion that persuades a target audience to adopt a particular perspective about a chosen topic. In turn, 10 dos and 10 don’ts that people should consider when writing their executive summaries in their research papers are:

• reading a research paper thoroughly to identify a primary objective, methods for collecting data, key findings, recommendations, significant limitations, and an implementation strategy;
• considering an intended audience of an executive summary to determine whether to use simple or technical language;
• writing formally and avoiding jargon;
• outlining a specific structure that considers all the main sections (introduction, purpose statement, methods, key findings, recommendations, limitations, implementation, and conclusion);
• organizing a brief text in a summary format;
• using a short, clear, precise, and captivating opening statement to hook readers;
• including each section to state the most critical details;
• focusing on summarizing a research paper rather than explaining its contents;
• reviewing a complete document for incorrect information;
• proofreading, revising, and editing an executive summary to eliminate all mistakes.

10 Dont’s

• using jargon to simplify complex terms and phrases;
• explaining rather than summarizing a research paper;
• creating too many grammar mistakes, such as missing punctuation and confusing words with a similar pronunciation;
• ignoring a basic outline for writing;
• writing a lengthy introduction;
• concentrating on some sections more than others;
• explaining ideas or concepts not discussed in a main text;
• providing a very short or long summary that does not align with a document’s total word count;
• beginning an executive summary with anecdote or irrelevant information;
• placing an executive summary at the end of a research paper.

Things to Remember

An executive summary in APA or any other format is a brief and well-structured summary of a long scholarly document, such as a research paper, that follows corresponding style guidelines, including a title, a clear statement of main points, and proper citations. In turn, general writing recommendations to remember include:

• Tell an interesting story. Writers should approach an executive summary as a platform for inducing a reader’s interest in reading a research paper. As such, one should use each section to tell what is most crucial to an intended audience.
• Highlight critical data. Writers should focus on what is most critical in each section of a brief text, emphasizing statistical data because it is visually captivating.
• Maintain a formal tone from beginning to end. Writers should avoid using jargon to simplify complex concepts or terminologies.
• Write an executive summary after completing an actual research paper. Writing an executive summary as a last element of a research paper helps one to approach this document as a final overview of main points. In turn, a typical mistake of starting an executive summary before writing an actual research paper is that authors can write about details they fail to address in a final version of a document.

What to Include

Common Mistakes

• Being Too Lengthy: An executive summary should be concise and straight to a single point, avoiding unnecessary details.
• Lacking Clarity: Failure to clearly present main points can confuse readers and dilute the impact.
• Ignoring a Target Audience: Not tailoring a presented content to specific needs and interests of an intended audience can make it less relevant and engaging.
• Overloading With Technical Jargon: Using too much technical language can make it difficult for non-expert readers to understand its content.
• Missing Key Information: Omitting essential findings or recommendations can leave readers without a clear understanding of a report’s significance.
• Focusing on Minor Details: Including trivial details can distract from a main message and reduce a research paper’s effectiveness.
• Inconsistent Tone: An inconsistent tone can make a brief text appear unprofessional and disorganized.
• Lack of Structure: Without a clear structure, a particular content can be hard to follow and fail to highlight the most important points.
• Repeating Content: Repeating the same information all the time can make a text redundant and longer than needed.
• Failing to Highlight Conclusions: Not emphasizing main conclusions and recommendations can leave readers uncertain about next steps.

This guide on how to write a well-organized executive summary of a research paper emphasizes its purpose and structure. Basically, such an element covers key sections, such as an introduction, background, objective, methods, findings, analysis, conclusions, and recommendations. Furthermore, effective executive summaries are clear, concise, and relevant, providing essential information without unnecessary details. As a result, following structured tips, like avoiding jargon and emphasizing key points, ensures this part of a research or any other type of paper communicates a document’s essence effectively.

Falkenberg, L. J., Joyce, P. W., & Soranno, P. A. (2024). How to write lay summaries of research articles for wider accessibility. Limnology and Oceanography Letters , 9 (2), 93–98. https://doi.org/10.1002/lol2.10373

Giampalmi, J. (2023). College research papers for dummies . John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Morris, W., Crossley, S., Holmes, L., Ou, C., Dascalu, M., & McNamara, D. (2024). Formative feedback on student-authored summaries in intelligent textbooks using large language models. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education , 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40593-024-00395-0

Rehart, M. J. (2021). Writing business research reports: A guide to scientific writing . Routledge.

Thomas, C. G. (2022). Research methodology and scientific writing . Springer.

Younas, A., & Ali, P. (2021). Five tips for developing useful literature summary tables for writing review articles. Evidence Based Nursing , 24 (2), 32–34. https://doi.org/10.1136/ebnurs-2021-103417

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How To Write an Executive Summary for a Research Paper (With Template)

Writing an executive summary for a research paper can be a daunting task for many students. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to make the process easier. By following some simple tips and using a template, you can write an effective executive summary for your research paper.

First, it is important to understand what an executive summary is. An executive summary is a short overview of a research paper’s main points. It should provide readers with a brief description of the paper’s purpose, main findings, and conclusions. The executive summary should not include any new information or data; instead, it should serve as a summary of the paper’s key points.

When writing the executive summary, it is important to use the same language and tone that was used in the research paper. This will ensure that the executive summary is a cohesive and effective summary of the paper’s main points.

It is also important to keep the executive summary brief. You should strive to make the executive summary no longer than one page long. This will ensure that readers are able to quickly understand the main points of your paper without having to read through a long and complex document.

Before writing the executive summary, you should read through the entire research paper. This will ensure that you have a clear understanding of the paper’s main points and that you capture them effectively in the executive summary.

To help you write an effective executive summary, you might find it helpful to use a template. Below is an example of an executive summary template for a research paper:

[Paper Title]

This paper examines [brief description of paper’s main points]. The research found that [main finding]. It was concluded that [conclusion].

Based on these findings, it is recommended that [recommendation].

Overall, the research shows that [summary of main findings]. This paper provides valuable insight into [brief description of research’s purpose].

By following these guidelines and using a template, you can write an effective executive summary for your research paper. Writing an executive summary can be a daunting task, but with the right steps and guidance, it can be a simple and straightforward process.  

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Home » Blog » How to Write an Effective Executive Summary for a Research Paper

How to Write an Effective Executive Summary for a Research Paper

Table of Contents

How to Write an Effective Executive Summary

Executive summary is a term commonly used in business planning, however, in this article, we will look at how to write an effective executive summary for a research paper.

The executive summary is an initial summary of the research. A kind of appetizer that illustrates what the reader will find from there, if asked to continue reading the document. We’ll explain everything about the topic in this article.

What is an executive summary?

An executive summary is a small document or section of a research report or larger proposal. It is used to give the reader a quick overview of the larger body of material that follows. In other words, it summarizes a report, so executives don’t have to read the entire report to understand its purpose.

It contains a brief statement that addresses the problem or proposal detailed in the attached documents and provides background information, a concise analysis, and a conclusion. An executive summary is designed to help executives decide whether or not to take the proposal forward, making it extremely important.

What goes into an executive summary?

When writing an executive summary, there are guidelines to ensure you hit all the bases. According to the many books that have been written on executive summaries, as well as training courses, seminars, and professional speakers, the agreed length should be about 5 to 10 percent of the length of the entire report.

Appropriate language

The language used must be appropriate for the target audience. One of the most important things you should know before writing professionally is to understand who you are addressing. If you are writing for a group of engineers, the language you will use will be very different from how you would write for a group of funders. This includes more than just the words, but the content and depth of the explanation.

That said, regardless of the purpose of your executive summary, you should avoid being wordy. Keep your paragraphs short and concise. A block of text, no matter how elegant or engaging, can be daunting. Remember it’s a summary and people will read it to extract the main items quickly and easily.

Energetic introduction

You also want to capture the reader’s attention right away in the opening paragraph. Just as a speech usually starts with a joke to break the tension and leave people at ease to hear better what’s to come, a strong introductory paragraph can draw the reader in and make them want to keep reading. That doesn’t mean you start with a joke. Jokes are hard. Focus on your strengths but remember that most readers only provide a few sentences to win them over before moving on.

Don’t forget to explain who you are as an organization and why you have the skills, people, and experience to resolve the issue raised in the proposal. This doesn’t have to be a long biography, usually just your name, address and contact information will do, although you’ll also want to highlight your strengths when it comes to the proposal.

It may seem redundant, but start the summary with a very short, dotted list of what follows, like an index. Then, as you detail these points in the executive summary, be sure to write about the documents in the same order they appear.

Relevant information

The executive summary should not deviate from the material that follows. It’s a summary, not a place to bring in new ideas. Doing so would be confusing and undermine your entire proposal.

Establish the need or problem and convince the target audience that it must be resolved. Once configured, it is important to recommend the solution and show what the value is. Be clear and firm in your recommendation.

Justify your cause. Make sure you look at the top reasons why your organization is a perfect fit for the solution you are proposing. This is where you differentiate yourself from your competitors, whether it’s methodology, testimonials from satisfied customers, or anything else you offer that is unique. But don’t give yourself too much importance. Make sure you keep the potential customer’s name first.

Don’t overlook a strong conclusion, where you can wrap up and highlight the main points once again.

How to write an executive summary?

The general rule is that executive summaries should be as short as possible. Your target audience has limited time and attention and wants to get the details of your business plan as quickly as possible.

Try to keep your executive summary to 2 pages, if possible, although it may take longer if necessary. You can even write on one page using a lean plan format. You can learn more about this one-page business plan format and download a template here.

A description of your project or research proposal and the problem you intend to solve

Include a brief description of the research idea you carried out and why it’s needed. Your research paper doesn’t need to address a larger social problem, but it must address a lacuna or provide solution to an existing challenge.

A description of your target audience

Your target audience is who you think your research work will benefit. Sometimes, the name of the research paper itself defines the audience, such as “A Case Study of Traditional Institutions in Ogun State” or “Industrial Development of Lagos State”. Otherwise, just a brief description of the target audience – your main target audience or the people you think will spend money on your solution.

Competition

Assuming your research work has competition or opposing views, briefly describe how your research work stands out. Are you competing on theories or something else? Briefly describe what sets your research work apart here.

This is especially important for research proposal or grants. Funding institutions want to know who is behind the research idea and why you and your team are the right people to carry out the research. It can also be valuable to highlight your team’s gaps and how you plan to fill them. If you have potential partners or candidates in mind, mention them briefly and expand their qualifications in your full proposal.

Financing needs

If you are using your research plan to raise funds for your research work, your executive summary should highlight how much money you are looking for. Funding institutions want to know this in advance and don’t need to look for a grant to find these details.

Tips for Writing an Effective Executive Summary

No matter because you’re writing your executive summary, there are some general rules that make it easier and ultimately more effective. Here are some points to remember as you start:

1. Think of an executive summary as an argument

Think of an executive summary as something like an elevator pitch, but with restrictions. A good summary sells the rest of the plan, but it can’t just be a hard sell – it needs to summarize the plan. Readers expect it to cover, at a minimum, their commercial, product, market, and financial highlights.

Of course, you will highlight what will most interest the reader to achieve the immediate business objective of this plan. But your readers expect the main points covered. It’s a summary, not just an argument.

2. Write last

Don’t start writing your research paper with your summary. Although the executive summary is at the beginning of a completed research paper, many researchers choose to write the executive summary after writing everything else.

Ideally, the executive summary is short – usually just a page or two, five on the outside – and highlights points you’ve highlighted elsewhere in your research paper; so, if you save it for last, it will be quick and easy.

3. Keep your executive summary short

Be brief and concise. Some experts recommend a single page, or two, no more than five, and sometimes even more. We say less is more. Keep it as short as possible without missing the point. And because we read hundreds of papers every year – one page is better than two, and two is better than five, and more than five pages is too long.

4. Keep it simple

Form follows function; therefore, don’t overcomplicate or explain things in your summary. Most executive summaries are short texts, usually bulleted, divided into subheads. Illustrations such as an image of a product or a bar chart showing financial highlights are often a welcome addition.

5. Prioritize sections based on importance and strengths

Don’t bury the lead. Organize your executive summary so that the most important information is displayed first. There is no definite order of appearance of the different key items included, rather in fact – so use order to show emphasis.

Lead with what you want more attention and follow the items in order of importance. People tend to like summaries that start with an indication of a problem, because that can add drama and urgency that demonstrate the solution to your business.

6. Use it for your summary note

When done, reset it to a summary note. It’s the first chapter of a formal plan, but you can also use it as a standalone “summary note”. Investors often ask start-ups to submit a summary note rather than a full business plan.

It can be a short document, usually attached to an email, or simply a summary in an email. You can also use it again to fill out start-up profiles on investment platforms or to request an incubator or business plan contest.

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How to Write an Executive Summary for a Research Paper

Published 16 October, 2023

It is necessary to file an executive summary along with the documents for business purposes.  Students need to write an executive summary (sometimes known as a management summary) of their content to give a brief description to the readers about their work.

It must cover every significant point of your research but in short. So that the audience would get an accurate idea of your work and can decide whether they should read further your larger paperwork or not. Students must not skip any key idea and essential points while giving a precise summary of their work. The executive summary doesn’t contain an introduction, conclusion, or any new idea of your research paper.

It is challenging and complicates the task for the students to cover each argument, idea and the main point of their research work within the possible minimum number of words. However, you have to do it smartly to convince the readers of the purpose of the research.

What is an executive summary?

An executive summary gives a concise view of a prodigious document. It is generally the first most or only thing which readers need to consider so it must be able to communicate every key point, Research findings , and Results of your research.

It is a brief synopsis of your research work. So to maintain its length, you can’t skip any vital point to describe in it as hardly any reader goes through the entire report. You must write a compelling executive summary to grab the attention of your readers and allure them to go into the depth of your paper.

Executive summaries Components

There are mainly four components of the executive summary, shown below:

• Purpose: You must clearly define the very purpose you need to address and ways to analyze them.
• Key points: Every vital aspect, along with the central idea of your research, you should describe in the exact order as the main paper.
• Results: The outcomes yield from the research.
• Recommendations: You should recommend your suggestions to improve the issues found while researching.

Though it is a very tough task to write a compelling executive summary, yet you can achieve your goal by giving due consideration to the above components.

Importance of executive summary

• The executive summary is a condensed version of the main document, such as a business plan, that grabs the attention of your audience. It contains information on what needs to be done and how you will do it in order for success to come about.
• Filing a useful executive summary with the main document is a way for the students to grab the attention of their professors and to attract them with the content so that they would agree to go through the entire research work.
• If the college students are struggling with their low grades, then they can accelerate them by impressing their supervisors with their quality work. Students can confidently update their resume for the job with their research activity if they got kind remarks from the professors for their hard work.
• Similarly, an excellent executive summary can entice the investors to read the entire business document and go into its dept. It helps them to make an accurate decision about whether they should invest in the proposed business plan or not.

Read Also: Defining Hypothesis in Research

How to write a fantastic Executive summary?

There are essential suggestions that can help the students to write a useful executive summary.

1. Write it up to last

When it is about to inform innovative business decisions and strategies, then students need to do valuable research.

Once the students can do educational research, then they have to start working in terms of packaging findings that can easily communicate the need and value for an altered strategy to leadership. The most significant and effective way to do this is to create an appropriate business plan, including all of the findings, research, and suggestions. This type of creative business plan requires an executive summary.

It can be the best practice to craft the executive summary of an appropriate business plan after every other part of the report.  This gives the surety to the students that they can build out a review representing the final remnants of the plan as accurately as it is possible.

2. Try to capture the reader’s attention.

There is no doubt that a well-format executive summary must be informative in nature. However, it should also capture the attention of the audience. If the audience found the content interesting, then they can decide whether they want to read the remaining document or not.

The main objective of the presentation direction should be to inspire the audience with the research findings and the structurally proposed trends. Admittedly, at the end of the practical executive summary, readers might be eager to know whether they would be an advisor, banker, investor, or executive.

The right executive summary should be thorough, but the review should not reveal everything immediately. The audience would get encouraged to read out the complete story by reading the fantastic summary of a report.

3. Make sure an executive summary can stand extraordinarily

An executive summary with a clearly defined structure can become efficient. Without involving the practical review, any of the reports can appear dull and unclaimed. If the students are not able to make the executive summary that can stand on its own, then they have to revise it again and again until they get succeeded.

A useful and informative introduction paragraph, central body part, and conclusion should allow the audience who does not know the business to read the executive summary and understand the key findings from the student’s research, and the primary elements which you have mentioned in the business plan.

4. Think of an executive summary to make a condensed business plan

Students have to create a compelling executive summary to align it with more critical business strategies and plans. While writing about the executive summary, students have to read thoroughly business plan and can take the crucial information from each critical section. All the facts, evidence, numbers, and goals mentioned in the business plan must fit in the executive summary.

5. Make and include supporting research

Make the supportive claims to the executive summary for which the students have done high research and use it to create an appropriate business plan.

6. Boil it down as much as possible

Students have to use precise words and a succinct style to make a unique executive summary. By getting all the necessary information onto one page, students can condense the executive research effectively. The more succinct research students make, the more apparent their message received to the audience plus readers will get more confidence to understand the business strategies.

7. Start impressively with a BANG

If the students include a thought-provoking quote or an inspiring paragraph at the beginning of the executive summary, then it can attract the reader’s attention and can make the readers think like the students want to.

8. Keep things innovative and decisive

Try to focus the executive summary only on the positive elements of the business plan and the research done. Students have to leave all the negative discussions, obstacles, risks, and challenges for the body section of the business plan.

Necessary five-paragraph steps for making an executive summary

Students can break down a compelling executive summary into five paragraphs.

Paragraph 1: Provide a mandatory overview of a business plan

Students can capture the attention of readers by writing attractive statistics and quotes at the beginning of the summary. The first paragraph should include relevant information about business plans and insight information about the industry.

Paragraph 2: Discuss target competition, market, and business strategy

The second paragraph should include a concise and precise definition of the target market and the point of the business plan which the students want to solve. In the next step, outline the strategies with efficiency and the essential information that the specific business possesses.

The marketing strategy should focus on the three primary ways to achieve the plan of the target market. When the students focus on three forms of the market strategy, then they can maintain precision, and make the readers interested to read about their plan.

Paragraph 3: Provide an overview of highlights

The third paragraph of the executive summary should reflect operational highlights like where the office of the company is located and how long one can work there.

Paragraph 4: Make forecasting

Here students have to create sales forecasting projections after their business plan gets implemented. Students can calculate the breakeven point, and then inform the audience how they can turn a business plan into profit.

Paragraph 5: Detail the needs of investors

If any business requires finance, then one has to understand that it is time to invest in it. Students have to clear every information and point to make the current projections.

Appropriate length of an executive summary for a research paper?

There is no rule or secret of writing an executive summary of the research paper by using the words, but if the students understand the basic guidelines, they can make it useful. However, if the students are making it huge, then there is no need to write it. The real of the executive summary is to grab the attention of the reader as well as to reduce the time of the students.

For example, if the students have written ten pages of a research paper, then the executive summary will not be much larger than one page. The length of the executive summary should be as small as is possible by mentioning all the necessary points. When the students can put all the informative data in their review by making it shorter, then it means they had made an effective paper.

Instructions for writing an executive summary

We’ve compiled a list of executive summary tips to help you get started. These include general and more specific instructions for how best to approach your document so that readers can quickly understand its purpose, content, and value proposition

General instrustions

• Students must understand that an executive summary of any business report or research paper is a short review of the document: Short and review are two keywords here. Students should not make a comprehensive executive summary in any way. The executive summary should not be a substitute for the paperwork. You should keep the executive summary less than 10% of the original document. Students can keep it between 5% and 10%, not more than this.
• An executive summary of a business document has adhered to specific structural and stylistic guidelines: Students should apply specific structural and stylistic guidelines while writing an executive summary for the document like; Paragraph of the summary should be kept short The executive summary should make some sense even if you do not read the paper You should write an executive summary in a language that is appropriate for the readers.
• Students must define the problem: A problem should be clearly defined in an executive summary. Students should make sure that they are describing the problem clearly in simple and understandable terms because the documents and original reports are written based on Requests for proposals.
• Students must provide a solution while writing an executive summary: A solution must be written for the stated problem. Students need to write the solution to deliver a claim statement of purpose so that the solution can effectively tackle the problem. The solution will not make any sense if you have not clearly defined the problem.
• Graduate students must use bullet points, graphics, and headings: It is not an easy and simple task to write an executive summary. It would help if you did not write long blocks of text in the executive summary. If students enhance understanding of the fact or writing more skimmable summary then it is good to use the following; Graphics: The use of graphics in the executive summary illustrates the precise nature of the problem of the client, which can drive the point of the summary. Stimulating the visual sense by using graphics is very useful as the logical sense. Bullets: students can break down the long list of information in the desirable bullets. Headings: students should organize the theme of the summary in headings if necessary. It will help to orient the reader as readers always drive into the summary.
• College students must write fresh and Jargon free content in an executive summary: Jargon is trendy in the business world. Students should avoid the words like interface, core competency, leverage, and burning platform in the executive summary.

Read Also: Problem Statement In Research

Specific instructions

• Start with an original document: students should be familiar with the original paper to include it down to the information version. Review your document correctly whether it is a business plan, report, or manual to include the main ideas of it in an executive summary.
• Write a brief review: define the purpose and scope of the company which sponsors the document. It is the main section of the executive summary of the paper. You have to write about the specialty of your business in two or three lines. Mention why your business deserves the scrutiny of the people who are reading the summary.
• Define the problem: discussion about the problem is the foremost step of writing an executive summary of the paper. So, students here need to explain the issue of the topic. The problem should be defined in a clear and precise manner. The ill-defined problem will not sound convincing to the readers and will not let you describe the solution of the problem.
• Write a unique solution: Defining the problem is a secure part of the summary. Now, in this next step, you have to convince the readers for reading your paper by providing them with a unique solution to the defined problem. It will be a great idea for your summary if you clearly define the problem as well as a solution in it.
• Talk about the market potential: According to this tip, you have to elaborate on the stated problem by providing the stats of your business. Do not give too much extra about your business than your company has.
• Incorporate your USP: At this point, you can elaborate on the unique selling proposition of your business.
• If necessary, talk about your business model: Describe the business modal clearly and easily if needed. Some executive summaries do not need to define a business modal. However, if your summary needs it, then explain it clearly.
• If necessary, discuss your management team: If there is a need, then present your management team. It can be an essential part to be written in a summary depending upon the type of your industry.
• Provide business financial projections to support informative claims: Based on the market skills, business strategy model, and historical performance, students have to develop a bottom-up executive economic forecast. The primary purpose of the projections is to demonstrate competence as well as the ability to build financial projections based on a set of predictions or assumptions.
• Ease in to make a request: Now the time comes to request either a loan or an investment, which mainly depends on the purpose of the executive summary. Students should restate the term that why the business company requires a value. Remind the audience about the pain and business strategies that you are going through. Finally, recognize the team about doing the job excellently. One can ask for the major plans and amount that can help make a business successful. It is not worth disclosing any of the statements, yet instead, it can be effective through face-to-face negotiation.
• Recheck the entire summary: When one had written all the essential terms then rereading it can be useful. Carefully proofread the review by considering the audience for the presentation of the documents. Make sure that the language is concise and clear to the audience who is new to the topic.

How is an executive summary of a research paper different from the abstract?

The process of writing an executive summary of your paper is entirely different from a research paper abstract . For writing an of your paper, you cannot follow the same format of writing an abstract. An abstract and an executive summary of the research paper serve different purposes.

An abstract is a glimpse of what the students are going to do in the research paper whereas for the summary; students need to discuss everything and every part of the research paper in brief without missing any fact and crucial point.

So while writing an executive of your research paper, you have o write everything from the aim of the paper to the solutions of the problem along with the references. On the other hand, while writing an abstract of the paper, there is no need to write all these.

Now, you should have the knowledge to draft a compelling summary for your document. From the above content, you would have learned everything about writing an executive summary.

If even you lack somewhere while writing a useful summary of your paper, the helpers of MyResearchTopics.com can assist in writing an executive summary of the paper.

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How to Write an Executive Summary for a Research Paper

Updated 12 Sep 2023

What is an Executive Summary In a Research Paper? 

When you are asked to compose an executive summary for your research paper, the main purpose is to provide a detailed overview in a report form or any other specified paper type with a clear synthesis of all the essential key points that will help your readers to understand the objectives and the vital elements of your research. Learning how to write an executive summary for a research paper, you should prepare your target audience and save their time as they aim to understand and evaluate your main message and the content. Although there may be several deviations, depending on your subject, it is necessary to state the purpose of your report right in the first paragraph and highlight all the information that will help your readers to understand the results of your research with all the relevant descriptions, conclusions, or further recommendations. 

Why Do We Compose an Executive Summary?  

It’s done to increase the clarity and the purpose of your research for the academic community, college professors, general audience, and publishers. The executive summary in a research paper writing can be encountered in any academic discipline. It aims to help the readers understand the vital points of lengthy research work and focus one’s attention and expectations without having to read through every complex paper paragraph. Starting from colleges and universities to business circles and presentations, the role of an executive summary for research is paramount! 

The Executive Summary Length and Placement 

In the majority of cases, your summary should not exceed 5-10% of the total length of your report. For example, if your research paper is about forty pages, your executive summary should fit within two pages of text. As it appears after the table of contents, the length is critical and should play a role of a summary before your introduction part starts. Your executive summary should reflect what has been researched with a brief explanation of the problem (or series of challenges) with the methodology and solutions that you have provided before resulting in a list of outcomes. 

Structure of an Executive Summary For a Research Paper 

Even when they have an example of executive summary for research paper to look through, most students still find it challenging to learn what must be present in each part of their paper and what information is relevant or unnecessary for a specific part. While your grading rubric may have recommendations that one must follow, let's break down each part in greater depth to understand the purpose: 

• Introduction. This is where you must introduce your subject and talk about the importance of a chosen topic. Your first paragraph must provide sufficient and clear information about the discipline and the range of your research by either including the target audience or explaining why the issue matters. It should be about three to five sentences. 

For example:  “The problem of the Amazon Forests have often been discussed through the lens of environmental damage, yet not many social aspects of the almost extinct populations have been explored”.   

• Purpose of Study. When writing an executive summary, one of the hardest tasks is to explain why you are researching something and what you would like to achieve. In practice, if you want to make a point and prove that something is harmful, it must be specified along with your assumption. In a certain sense, it works like a thesis statement.  

For example: “The main objective of the research is to determine the volume of African Americans with the cardiovascular conditions living in the criminal regions of Alabama State and document the findings ”.  

• Methods to Gather Data. Also known as the methodology, it is either qualitative or quantitative analysis  that comes first. The methods may include surveys, interviews, lab experiments, or field recordings. If you are using specific technical equipment or electronic devices, it is also necessary to include a brief list, especially if it will make more sense to the readers. 

For example: “The surveys and private interviews have been chosen as the methodology for the maximum efficiency of this research project. The consent for the interviews has been received and permission has been granted by the educational counselors at the local community”. 

• Findings. This section should list your findings in a short form without getting too much into details. The most important is to explain what has been discovered and what significance it has in relation to your assumption or the methods that have been used. 

For example: “ The research on the implementation of multimedia solutions for the cognitive development of autistic children has shown that the inspiration factor has helped to motivate the young learners to adjust and work with the flexible software, thus becoming more socially aware of the socialization and the teamwork ”. 

• Recommendations. In case you have discovered certain facts or information through the course of your research, this part of a summary of research must list the order of actions that must be taken or the further research that may be helpful to achieve your goals. Also known as the call to action, this part should not introduce any new ideas but must stay within the scope of your research.

For example: “ The works by J.R. Lawson explore the subject of brain metamorphoses in virtuo at greater depth, which can further explain the main hypothesis explored by this research” . 

• Report Limitations. If you are using surveys or interviews, there are apparent limitations and challenges that you may encounter. In practice, if your sample group has been limited or you could not obtain information related to some lab research, mention it here. If something is missing from the research on the topic, it must be documented as well. Do your best to organize the limitations by the importance or the order of their occurrence by explaining why they have affected the clarity or validity of your research. 

For example: “ The lack of social contacts with the remote tribes in New Zealand has made it almost impossible to collect data about social life patterns and interactions within the tribe. The published linguistic guides have been insufficient to analyze the language specifics in full ”. 

• Implementation. This section basically helps your target audience to learn about the practical implementation of your research. Composing your summary of a research paper, it is essential to explain the practical value of your work and show the most efficient ways to use the recommendations or locate information that will help to understand the importance of your research. 

For example: “The presence of the innovative research labs in NYC for the journalistic community has also made it possible to explore the subject even further by starting with the open journalism projects and sharing them on social media or the television networks involved in the social development campaign” .

• Conclusion. This part must summarize the information that has been provided in the aforementioned sections. Remember that you should not exceed the given word count and keep your conclusion short by restating the main thesis and letting your target audience see the most important key points. Do not introduce any new ideas or mention things that have not been discussed before. 

In practical terms, think of your executive summary of a research paper as if it is a brief advertisement where you explain and promote your research paper by explaining the main purposes and the methodologies with the results. While it may sound complex to most college and university students, executive summary writing must be done when your research work has already been finished. Collect all the vital information and use it to fill in the relevant section as shown in the structure parts above. 

Executive Summary for a Research Paper Formatting 

It will always depend on your writing style and the specified formatting since this section follows the same guidelines as what has been specified for the rest of your research paper. For example, if you are composing an executive summary in APA or MLA format , you must follow the same fonts and indents that have been mentioned in the style manual. The majority of scientific writing papers do not mention anything specific regarding executive summary format other than the bullet point form in certain cases, especially when taking a report form. Always consult your academic advisor to ensure that you are not violating any writing rules before submitting your work! 

The Executive Summary Mistakes to Avoid  

Starting with an executive summary paper, many students misunderstand the purpose of each section and forget that the summary, in this case, is not the same as their introduction section or a part where they have to write about how good or bad their research is. It’s not a preface either as you have to provide a mini version of your research paper. There are at least five aspects that one must consider in terms of mistakes and the ways to avoid them, including:  

• Clarity of Your Tone. Keep your tone clear and do not introduce any new ideas or assumptions. Use information from your research and try to keep all the vital elements in 2-3 sentences at most for each section. The key aspect is to keep things brief as you write. 
• Knowing Your Target Audience. When you already know your target audience well, you can narrow things down and avoid explaining the concepts and the problems that may already be clear to your readers. It will also affect the depth of your comments and recommendations. 
• Avoid Pasting Parts of Your Existing Research. The worst mistake that can make your research paper sound weaker is copying and pasting the parts of your research paper for an executive summary. When you do so, you are also risking being blamed for self-plagiarism or repetitions that may affect the final score of your research paper. 
• Getting Too Lengthy or Overly Complex. Your executive summary report should not become overly long and go beyond 2 pages for a short paper. The same relates to the structure and complexity of each section. The purpose here is to achieve clarity and a good structure. 
• Forgetting to Proofread and Connect The Concepts. This aspect is often ignored, yet proofreading and editing your executive summary should always come first as you check the wording and readability of your work. Each section of your executive summary must represent a continuation of each preceding part. 

An executive summary is essentially a compressed representation of your research paper. If your target audience manages to understand the purpose of your research paper quickly, you have been able to compose a good executive summary report. Think of a busy person who doesn’t have much time to read your paper and imagine as if you are talking to a good friend, explaining the purpose of your writing! 

Executive Summary Writing Tips and Recommendations 

Speaking of tips for writing an executive summary, you must take notes when reading through your research paper to remember all the vital points that must be discussed. Here is what you must do to achieve success with your executive report writing: 

• Mention your purpose right away and outline the methods and sources of information that have been used.  
• As you make recommendations, do not be vague and stay specific. Mention the authors or research projects that can be helpful. 
• Learn to specify your methods and explain why choosing case studies was better or possible compared to interviews. 
• Stay focused on your subject! 
• If you have used experimental research, discuss the benefits. 
• Speaking of limitations, mention the time that has been spent on the implementation of the methods. 
• The skills and lack of communication in certain areas may also be used as the barrier to research implementation. 
• Mention the risks involved when you share recommendations. 

Note: Some college professors recommend skipping the conclusion part of an executive summary for business courses or brief reports. Dealing with a serious research paper that’s meant for publishing, the final conclusion part of 2-3 sentences must be present! 

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How to write an executive summary in 10 steps

Whether presenting a business plan, sharing project updates with stakeholders, or submitting a project proposal, an executive summary helps you grab attention and convey key insights.

Think of it as a condensed version of a document, report, or proposal that highlights the most important information clearly and concisely. It's like a "cheat sheet" that gives you a snapshot of the main points without reading the entire thing.

Throughout the article, we'll explore some examples of executive summaries to give you a better understanding of how they can be applied. Plus, we'll provide you with ready-to-use templates and best practices for writing compelling executive summaries.

What is an executive summary?

An executive summary is a concise overview of a longer document or report. It is typically written for busy executives or decision-makers who may not have the time to read the entire document but still need to grasp its key points and recommendations. 

An effective executive summary should capture the essence of the document, highlighting the most important information in a brief and easily understandable way. It should provide a snapshot of the document's purpose, methodology, major findings, and key recommendations. The summary should be written in a way that allows the reader to quickly grasp the main ideas and make informed decisions based on the information presented.

Why do you need to write one?

For a business owner , an executive summary is one of the most important documents you will have. Like a business plan , they help you lay out the potential value of your business and your potential for success. 

Unlike a business proposal, however, an executive summary is designed to be read in a brief amount of time. That makes them ideal for a variety of uses, like project proposals and research summaries. Sending your strategic plan to a prospective investor or stakeholder likely won’t get you far. But a brief report that clearly states your key findings and what’s in it for them might help you — and your proposal — stand out. It isn't all the details. It's what gets you the meeting to share more.

An executive summary is also a business document that can travel without you. It may be presented to other leaders and potential investors. If it’s written well, it will take on a life of its own. You may find that you get support and resources from places you never imagined.

What should be included in an executive summary?

Your executive summary should include brief descriptions of who your product, service, or proposal is for and your competitive advantage. Be sure to introduce your report concisely yet clearly . Note the most important points and its overall purpose––what do you hope to achieve with this report? 

Also, include any necessary background information and statistics about the industry, high-level information about your business model, necessary financial information, or other insights you discuss in the report. Depending on your proposal, you may want to consider summarizing a market analysis of your target market.

Typically, an executive summary follows a structured format, including sections such as:

• Introduction: Provides a brief background and context for the document.
• Objective or purpose: Clearly states the goal of the document and what it aims to achieve.
• Methodology: Briefly describes the approach, data sources, and methods used to conduct the research or analysis.
• Findings: Summarizes the main findings, conclusions, or results derived from the document.
• Recommendations: Outlines the key recommendations or proposed actions based on the findings.
• Conclusion: Provides a concise wrap-up of the main points and emphasizes the significance of the document.

How do you write an executive summary?

When tackling an executive summary, it's all about following a structured approach to ensure you effectively communicate those crucial points, findings, and recommendations. Let’s walk through some steps and best practices to make it a breeze:

Step 1: Get to know the document

Take the time to dive into the full document or report that your executive summary will be based on. Read it thoroughly and identify the main objectives, key findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

Step 2: Know your audience

Think about who you're writing the executive summary for. Consider their knowledge level, interests, and priorities. This helps you tailor the summary to their needs and make it relevant and impactful.

Step 3: Outline the structure

Create an outline for your executive summary with sections like introduction, objective, methodology, findings, recommendations, and conclusion. This way, you'll have a logical flow that's easy to follow.

Step 4: Start strong

Kick off your executive summary with a captivating opening statement. Make it concise, engaging, and impactful to hook the reader and make them want to keep reading.

Step 5: Summarize objectives and methodology

Give a brief overview of the document's objectives and the methodology used to achieve them. This sets the context and helps the reader understand the approach taken.

Step 6: Highlight key findings

Summarize the main findings, conclusions, or results. Focus on the juiciest and most relevant points that support the document's purpose. Keep it clear and concise to get the message across effectively.

Step 7: Present key recommendations

Outline the important recommendations or proposed actions based on the findings. Clearly state what needs to be done, why it matters, and how it aligns with the document's objectives. Make those recommendations actionable and realistic.

Step 8: Keep it snappy

Remember, an executive summary should be short and sweet. Skip unnecessary details, jargon, or technical language . Use straightforward language that hits the mark.

Step 9: Review and polish

Once you've written the executive summary, give it a careful review for clarity, coherence, and accuracy. Make sure it captures the essence of the full document and represents its content faithfully. Take the extra step to edit out any fluff or repetition.

Step 10: Dress to impress

Consider formatting and presentation. Use headings, bullet points, and formatting styles to make it visually appealing and easy to skim. If it makes sense, include some graphs, charts, or visuals to highlight key points.

Tips for writing an effective executive summary

• Adapt your language and tone to suit your audience.
• Keep things concise and crystal clear—say no to jargon.
• Focus on the most important info that packs a punch.
• Give enough context without overwhelming your reader.
• Use strong and persuasive language to make your recommendations shine.
• Make sure your executive summary makes sense even if the full document isn't read.
• Proofread like a pro to catch any pesky grammar, spelling, or punctuation errors.

Executive summary template for business plans

Here's a general template for creating an executive summary specifically for business plans:

[Your Company Name]

[Business Plan Title]

Business overview

Provide a brief introduction to your company, including its name, location, industry, and mission statement . Describe your unique value proposition and what sets your business apart from competitors.

Market analysis

Summarize the key findings of your market research. Provide an overview of the target market, its size, growth potential, and relevant trends. Highlight your understanding of customer needs, preferences, and behaviors.

Product or service offering

Outline your core products or services, including their key features and benefits. Emphasize how your offerings address customer pain points and provide value. Highlight any unique selling points or competitive advantages.

Business model

Explain your business model and revenue generation strategy. Describe how you will generate revenue, the pricing structure, and any distribution channels or partnerships that contribute to your business's success.

Marketing and sales strategy

Summarize your marketing and sales approach. Highlight the key tactics and channels you will use to reach and attract customers. Discuss your promotional strategies, pricing strategies, and customer acquisition plans.

Management team

Introduce the key members of your management team and their relevant experience. Highlight their expertise and how it positions the team to execute the business plan successfully. Include any notable advisors or board members.

Financial projections

Summarize your financial projections, including revenue forecasts, expected expenses, and projected profitability. Highlight any key financial metrics or milestones. Briefly mention your funding needs, if applicable.

Funding requirements

If seeking funding, outline your funding requirements, including the amount needed, its purpose, and the potential sources of funding you are considering. Summarize the expected return on investment for potential investors.

Reiterate the vision and potential of your business. Summarize the key points of your business plan, emphasizing its viability, market potential, and the expertise of your team. Convey confidence in the success of your venture.

Note: Keep the executive summary concise and focused, typically within one to two pages. Use clear and compelling language, emphasizing the unique aspects of your business. Tailor the template to suit your specific business plan, adjusting sections and details accordingly.

Remember, the executive summary serves as an introduction to your business plan and should pique the reader's interest, conveying the value and potential of your business in a concise and persuasive manner.

Executive summary examples

Every executive summary will be unique to the organization's goals, vision, and brand identity. We put together two general examples of executive summaries to spark your creativity and offer some inspiration. 

These are not intended to be used as-is but more to offer ideas for how you may want to put your own executive summary together. Be sure to personalize your own summary with specific statistics and relevant data points to make the most impact.

Example 1: executive summary for a communications business plan

Introduction:

We're thrilled to present our innovative [insert product] that aims to revolutionize the way people connect and engage. Our vision is to empower individuals and businesses with seamless communication solutions that break barriers and foster meaningful connections.

Market opportunity:

The communications industry is evolving rapidly, and we've identified a significant opportunity in the market. With the proliferation of remote work, the need for reliable and efficient communication tools has skyrocketed. Our extensive market research indicates a demand for solutions that prioritize user experience, security, and flexibility.

Product offering:

At [Company Name], we've developed a suite of cutting-edge communication tools designed to meet the diverse needs of our customers. Our flagship product is a unified communication platform that integrates voice, video, messaging, and collaboration features into a seamless user experience. We also offer customizable solutions for businesses of all sizes, catering to their unique communication requirements.

Unique value proposition:

What sets us apart from the competition? Our user-centric approach and commitment to innovation. We prioritize user experience by creating intuitive interfaces and seamless interactions. Our solutions are scalable, adaptable, and designed to keep up with evolving technological trends. By combining ease of use with advanced features, we deliver unparalleled value to our customers.

Target market:

Our primary focus is on small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that require efficient and cost-effective communication tools. We also cater to individuals, remote teams, and larger enterprises seeking reliable and secure communication solutions. Our target market encompasses industries such as technology, finance, healthcare, and professional services.

Business model:

To generate revenue, we employ a subscription-based business model. Customers can choose from different plans tailored to their specific needs, paying a monthly or annual fee. We also offer additional services such as customization, integration, and customer support, creating additional revenue streams and fostering long-term customer relationships.

Marketing and sales strategy:

Our marketing strategy centers around building brand awareness through targeted digital campaigns, content marketing, and strategic partnerships. We'll leverage social media, industry influencers, and online communities to reach our target audience. Additionally, our sales team will engage in proactive outreach, nurturing leads and providing personalized consultations to convert prospects into loyal customers.

Team and expertise:

Our team is composed of experienced professionals with a deep understanding of the communications industry. Led by our visionary founder and supported by a skilled and diverse team, we have the expertise to drive innovation, develop robust products, and deliver exceptional customer service. We're passionate about our mission and dedicated to making a lasting impact in the market.

Financial projections:

Based on extensive market research and financial analysis, we anticipate strong growth and profitability. Our financial projections indicate steady revenue streams, with increasing customer adoption and market share. We're committed to managing costs effectively, optimizing our resources, and continuously reinvesting in research and development.

Funding requirements:

To fuel our ambitious growth plans and accelerate product development, we're seeking [funding amount] in funding. These funds will be allocated towards expanding our team, scaling our infrastructure, marketing efforts, and ongoing product innovation. We believe this investment will position us for success and solidify our market presence.

Conclusion:

In summary, [Company Name] is poised to disrupt the communications industry with our innovative solutions and customer-centric approach. We're ready to make a positive impact by empowering individuals and businesses to communicate effectively and effortlessly. Join us on this exciting journey as we redefine the future of communication. Together, we'll shape a connected world like never before.

Example 2: executive summary for a project proposal

[Project Name]

[Project Proposal Date]

Hello! We're thrilled to present our project proposal for [Project Name]. This executive summary will provide you with a high-level overview of the project, its objectives, and the value it brings.

Project overview:

Our project aims to [describe the project's purpose and scope]. It's a response to [identify the problem or opportunity] and has the potential to bring significant benefits to [stakeholders or target audience]. Through meticulous planning and execution, we're confident in our ability to achieve the desired outcomes.

Objectives:

The primary goal of our project is to [state the overarching objective]. In addition, we have specific objectives such as [list specific objectives]. By accomplishing these goals, we'll create a positive impact and drive meaningful change.

Our proposed approach for this project is based on a thorough analysis of the situation and best practices. We'll adopt a structured methodology that includes [describe the key project phases or activities]. This approach ensures efficient utilization of resources and maximizes project outcomes.

The benefits of this project are truly exciting. Through its implementation, we anticipate [describe the anticipated benefits or outcomes]. These benefits include [list specific benefits], which will have a lasting and positive effect on [stakeholders or target audience].

Implementation timeline:

We've devised a comprehensive timeline to guide the project from initiation to completion. The project is divided into distinct phases, with well-defined milestones and deliverables. Our timeline ensures that tasks are executed in a timely manner, allowing us to stay on track and deliver results.

Resource requirements:

To successfully execute this project, we've identified the key resources needed. This includes [list the resources required, such as human resources, technology, equipment, and funding]. We're confident in our ability to secure the necessary resources and allocate them effectively to ensure project success.

A project of this nature requires a well-planned budget. Based on our analysis, we've estimated the required funding to be [state the budget amount]. This budget encompasses all project-related costs and aligns with the anticipated benefits and outcomes.

Our project proposal is an exciting opportunity to address [the problem or opportunity] and create tangible value for [stakeholders or target audience]. With a clear vision, defined objectives, and a robust implementation plan, we're ready to embark on this journey. Join us as we bring this project to life and make a lasting impact. 

Is an executive summary the same as a project plan?

While both are important components of project management and documentation , they serve different purposes and contain distinct information.

An executive summary, as discussed earlier, is a concise overview of a longer document or report. It provides a snapshot of the key points, findings, and recommendations. It focuses on high-level information and aims to provide an overview of the document's purpose, methodology, findings, and recommendations.

On the other hand, a project plan is a detailed document that outlines the specific activities, tasks, timelines, resources, and milestones associated with a project. It serves as a roadmap for project execution, providing a comprehensive understanding of how the project will be carried out.

A project plan typically includes objectives, scope, deliverables, schedule, budget, resource allocation, risk management, and communication strategies. It is intended for project team members, stakeholders, and those directly involved in the execution.

In summary, an executive summary offers a condensed overview of a document's key points, while a project plan provides a comprehensive and detailed roadmap for executing a project.

Executive summaries vs. abstracts

An executive summary is not the same as an abstract. Executive summaries focus on the main points of a proposal. They highlight when and why a reader should invest in the company or project.

An abstract, on the other hand, concentrates on what the business does and its marketing plan. It typically doesn’t include detailed information about finances.

While it is usually compelling, it’s less of an elevator pitch and more of a summary. The goal of an abstract is to inform, not to persuade. On the other hand, the goal of an executive summary is to give readers who are pressed for time just enough information that they’ll want to look further into your proposition.

When do you use an executive summary?

An executive summary is used in various situations where there is a need to present a condensed overview of a longer document or report. Here are some common instances when an executive summary is used:

• Business proposals: When submitting a business proposal to potential investors, partners, or stakeholders, an executive summary is often included. It provides a concise overview of the proposal, highlighting the key aspects such as the business idea, market analysis, competitive advantage, financial projections, and recommended actions.
• Reports and research studies: Lengthy reports or research studies often include an executive summary at the beginning. This allows decision-makers, executives, or other stakeholders to quickly understand the purpose, methodology, findings, and recommendations of the report without going through the entire document.
• Project updates: During the course of a project, project managers may prepare executive summaries to provide updates to stakeholders or higher-level management. These summaries give a brief overview of the project's progress, achievements, challenges, and upcoming milestones.
• Strategic plans: When developing strategic plans for an organization, an executive summary is often included to provide an overview of the plan's goals, objectives, strategies, and key initiatives. It allows executives and stakeholders to grasp the essence of the strategic plan and its implications without reading the entire document.
• Funding requests: When seeking funding for a project or venture, an executive summary is commonly used as part of the funding proposal. It provides a succinct summary of the project, highlighting its significance, potential impact, financial requirements, and expected outcomes.

In general, an executive summary is used whenever there is a need to communicate the main points, findings, and recommendations of a document concisely and efficiently to individuals who may not have the time or inclination to read the entire content. It serves as a valuable tool for understanding and facilitates quick decision-making.

5 ways project managers can use executive summaries

Project managers can use executive summaries in various ways to effectively communicate project updates, status reports, or proposals to stakeholders and higher-level management. Here are some ways project managers can use executive summaries:

• Project status updates: Project managers can provide regular executive summaries to stakeholders and management to communicate the current status of the project. The summary should include key achievements, milestones reached, challenges encountered, and any adjustments to the project plan. It allows stakeholders to quickly grasp the project's progress and make informed decisions or provide guidance as needed.
• Project proposals: When pitching a project idea or seeking approval for a new project, project managers can prepare an executive summary to present the essential aspects of the project. The summary should outline the project's objectives, scope, anticipated benefits, resource requirements, estimated timeline, and potential risks. It helps decision-makers understand the project's value and make an informed choice about its initiation.
• Project closure reports: At the end of a project, project managers can prepare an executive summary as part of the project closure report. The summary should highlight the project's overall success, key deliverables achieved, lessons learned, and recommendations for future projects. It provides a concise overview of the project's outcomes and acts as a valuable reference for future initiatives.
• Steering committee meetings: When project managers present updates or seek guidance from a steering committee or governance board, an executive summary can be an effective tool. The summary should cover the important aspects of the project, such as progress, issues, risks, and upcoming milestones. It ensures that decision-makers are well-informed about the project's status and can provide relevant guidance or support.
• Change requests: When submitting a change request for a project, project managers can include an executive summary to summarize the proposed change, its impact on the project, potential risks, and benefits. It helps stakeholders and decision-makers quickly assess the change request and make informed decisions about its implementation.

Using executive summaries, project managers can efficiently communicate project-related information to stakeholders, executives, and decision-makers. The summaries provide a concise overview of the project's status, proposals, or closure reports, allowing stakeholders to quickly understand the key points and take appropriate action.

When should you not use an executive summary?

While executive summaries are widely used in many situations, there are some cases where they may not be necessary or suitable. Here are a few scenarios where an executive summary may not be appropriate, along with alternative approaches:

• Highly technical documents: If the document contains highly technical or specialized information that requires a detailed understanding, an executive summary alone may not be sufficient. In such cases, it is better to provide the complete document and supplement it with explanatory materials, presentations , or meetings where experts can explain and discuss the technical details.
• Personal or creative writing: Executive summaries are typically used for informational or analytical documents. If the content is more personal in nature, such as a memoir, novel, or creative piece, an executive summary may not be relevant. Instead, focus on providing an engaging introduction or book blurb that entices readers and conveys the essence of the work.
• Short documents: If the document itself is already concise and can be easily read in its entirety, an executive summary may be redundant. In these cases, it is more effective to present the complete document without an additional summary.
• Interactive presentations: In situations where you can present information interactively, such as in meetings, workshops, or conferences, it may be more effective to engage the audience directly rather than relying solely on an executive summary. Use visual aids, demonstrations, discussions, and Q&A sessions to convey the necessary information and capture the audience's attention.

Final thoughts on writing a compelling executive summary

An executive summary isn’t the kitchen sink — it’s the bells and whistles. Geared toward busy decision-makers, these one-pagers communicate your case for action and proposed solutions. When it’s written well, your audience will walk away with an understanding of what needs to be done, why it needs to happen, and why they should help it move forward. 

But writing it well doesn’t just mean spell-checking. It means tailoring your communication to an influential, yet busy and distracted audience. To be effective, you’ll need to write your proposal with empathy and an understanding of what matters to them .

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Allaya Cooks-Campbell

With over 15 years of content experience, Allaya Cooks Campbell has written for outlets such as ScaryMommy, HRzone, and HuffPost. She holds a B.A. in Psychology and is a certified yoga instructor as well as a certified Integrative Wellness & Life Coach. Allaya is passionate about whole-person wellness, yoga, and mental health.

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Home » Research Summary – Structure, Examples and Writing Guide

Research Summary – Structure, Examples and Writing Guide

Table of Contents

Research Summary

Definition:

A research summary is a brief and concise overview of a research project or study that highlights its key findings, main points, and conclusions. It typically includes a description of the research problem, the research methods used, the results obtained, and the implications or significance of the findings. It is often used as a tool to quickly communicate the main findings of a study to other researchers, stakeholders, or decision-makers.

Structure of Research Summary

The Structure of a Research Summary typically include:

• Introduction : This section provides a brief background of the research problem or question, explains the purpose of the study, and outlines the research objectives.
• Methodology : This section explains the research design, methods, and procedures used to conduct the study. It describes the sample size, data collection methods, and data analysis techniques.
• Results : This section presents the main findings of the study, including statistical analysis if applicable. It may include tables, charts, or graphs to visually represent the data.
• Discussion : This section interprets the results and explains their implications. It discusses the significance of the findings, compares them to previous research, and identifies any limitations or future directions for research.
• Conclusion : This section summarizes the main points of the research and provides a conclusion based on the findings. It may also suggest implications for future research or practical applications of the results.
• References : This section lists the sources cited in the research summary, following the appropriate citation style.

How to Write Research Summary

Here are the steps you can follow to write a research summary:

• Read the research article or study thoroughly: To write a summary, you must understand the research article or study you are summarizing. Therefore, read the article or study carefully to understand its purpose, research design, methodology, results, and conclusions.
• Identify the main points : Once you have read the research article or study, identify the main points, key findings, and research question. You can highlight or take notes of the essential points and findings to use as a reference when writing your summary.
• Write the introduction: Start your summary by introducing the research problem, research question, and purpose of the study. Briefly explain why the research is important and its significance.
• Summarize the methodology : In this section, summarize the research design, methods, and procedures used to conduct the study. Explain the sample size, data collection methods, and data analysis techniques.
• Present the results: Summarize the main findings of the study. Use tables, charts, or graphs to visually represent the data if necessary.
• Interpret the results: In this section, interpret the results and explain their implications. Discuss the significance of the findings, compare them to previous research, and identify any limitations or future directions for research.
• Conclude the summary : Summarize the main points of the research and provide a conclusion based on the findings. Suggest implications for future research or practical applications of the results.
• Revise and edit : Once you have written the summary, revise and edit it to ensure that it is clear, concise, and free of errors. Make sure that your summary accurately represents the research article or study.
• Add references: Include a list of references cited in the research summary, following the appropriate citation style.

Example of Research Summary

Here is an example of a research summary:

Title: The Effects of Yoga on Mental Health: A Meta-Analysis

Introduction: This meta-analysis examines the effects of yoga on mental health. The study aimed to investigate whether yoga practice can improve mental health outcomes such as anxiety, depression, stress, and quality of life.

Methodology : The study analyzed data from 14 randomized controlled trials that investigated the effects of yoga on mental health outcomes. The sample included a total of 862 participants. The yoga interventions varied in length and frequency, ranging from four to twelve weeks, with sessions lasting from 45 to 90 minutes.

Results : The meta-analysis found that yoga practice significantly improved mental health outcomes. Participants who practiced yoga showed a significant reduction in anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as stress levels. Quality of life also improved in those who practiced yoga.

Discussion : The findings of this study suggest that yoga can be an effective intervention for improving mental health outcomes. The study supports the growing body of evidence that suggests that yoga can have a positive impact on mental health. Limitations of the study include the variability of the yoga interventions, which may affect the generalizability of the findings.

Conclusion : Overall, the findings of this meta-analysis support the use of yoga as an effective intervention for improving mental health outcomes. Further research is needed to determine the optimal length and frequency of yoga interventions for different populations.

References :

• Cramer, H., Lauche, R., Langhorst, J., Dobos, G., & Berger, B. (2013). Yoga for depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Depression and anxiety, 30(11), 1068-1083.
• Khalsa, S. B. (2004). Yoga as a therapeutic intervention: a bibliometric analysis of published research studies. Indian journal of physiology and pharmacology, 48(3), 269-285.
• Ross, A., & Thomas, S. (2010). The health benefits of yoga and exercise: a review of comparison studies. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 16(1), 3-12.

Purpose of Research Summary

The purpose of a research summary is to provide a brief overview of a research project or study, including its main points, findings, and conclusions. The summary allows readers to quickly understand the essential aspects of the research without having to read the entire article or study.

Research summaries serve several purposes, including:

• Facilitating comprehension: A research summary allows readers to quickly understand the main points and findings of a research project or study without having to read the entire article or study. This makes it easier for readers to comprehend the research and its significance.
• Communicating research findings: Research summaries are often used to communicate research findings to a wider audience, such as policymakers, practitioners, or the general public. The summary presents the essential aspects of the research in a clear and concise manner, making it easier for non-experts to understand.
• Supporting decision-making: Research summaries can be used to support decision-making processes by providing a summary of the research evidence on a particular topic. This information can be used by policymakers or practitioners to make informed decisions about interventions, programs, or policies.
• Saving time: Research summaries save time for researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and other stakeholders who need to review multiple research studies. Rather than having to read the entire article or study, they can quickly review the summary to determine whether the research is relevant to their needs.

Characteristics of Research Summary

The following are some of the key characteristics of a research summary:

• Concise : A research summary should be brief and to the point, providing a clear and concise overview of the main points of the research.
• Objective : A research summary should be written in an objective tone, presenting the research findings without bias or personal opinion.
• Comprehensive : A research summary should cover all the essential aspects of the research, including the research question, methodology, results, and conclusions.
• Accurate : A research summary should accurately reflect the key findings and conclusions of the research.
• Clear and well-organized: A research summary should be easy to read and understand, with a clear structure and logical flow.
• Relevant : A research summary should focus on the most important and relevant aspects of the research, highlighting the key findings and their implications.
• Audience-specific: A research summary should be tailored to the intended audience, using language and terminology that is appropriate and accessible to the reader.
• Citations : A research summary should include citations to the original research articles or studies, allowing readers to access the full text of the research if desired.

When to write Research Summary

Here are some situations when it may be appropriate to write a research summary:

• Proposal stage: A research summary can be included in a research proposal to provide a brief overview of the research aims, objectives, methodology, and expected outcomes.
• Conference presentation: A research summary can be prepared for a conference presentation to summarize the main findings of a study or research project.
• Journal submission: Many academic journals require authors to submit a research summary along with their research article or study. The summary provides a brief overview of the study’s main points, findings, and conclusions and helps readers quickly understand the research.
• Funding application: A research summary can be included in a funding application to provide a brief summary of the research aims, objectives, and expected outcomes.
• Policy brief: A research summary can be prepared as a policy brief to communicate research findings to policymakers or stakeholders in a concise and accessible manner.

Advantages of Research Summary

Research summaries offer several advantages, including:

• Time-saving: A research summary saves time for readers who need to understand the key findings and conclusions of a research project quickly. Rather than reading the entire research article or study, readers can quickly review the summary to determine whether the research is relevant to their needs.
• Clarity and accessibility: A research summary provides a clear and accessible overview of the research project’s main points, making it easier for readers to understand the research without having to be experts in the field.
• Improved comprehension: A research summary helps readers comprehend the research by providing a brief and focused overview of the key findings and conclusions, making it easier to understand the research and its significance.
• Enhanced communication: Research summaries can be used to communicate research findings to a wider audience, such as policymakers, practitioners, or the general public, in a concise and accessible manner.
• Facilitated decision-making: Research summaries can support decision-making processes by providing a summary of the research evidence on a particular topic. Policymakers or practitioners can use this information to make informed decisions about interventions, programs, or policies.
• Increased dissemination: Research summaries can be easily shared and disseminated, allowing research findings to reach a wider audience.

Limitations of Research Summary

Limitations of the Research Summary are as follows:

• Limited scope: Research summaries provide a brief overview of the research project’s main points, findings, and conclusions, which can be limiting. They may not include all the details, nuances, and complexities of the research that readers may need to fully understand the study’s implications.
• Risk of oversimplification: Research summaries can be oversimplified, reducing the complexity of the research and potentially distorting the findings or conclusions.
• Lack of context: Research summaries may not provide sufficient context to fully understand the research findings, such as the research background, methodology, or limitations. This may lead to misunderstandings or misinterpretations of the research.
• Possible bias: Research summaries may be biased if they selectively emphasize certain findings or conclusions over others, potentially distorting the overall picture of the research.
• Format limitations: Research summaries may be constrained by the format or length requirements, making it challenging to fully convey the research’s main points, findings, and conclusions.
• Accessibility: Research summaries may not be accessible to all readers, particularly those with limited literacy skills, visual impairments, or language barriers.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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An executive summary is one of the most crucial parts of a report. It represents a chance for the author to grab the reader’s attention and draw them into the main document.

When readers are pressed for time, it may be the only part of the report they read, so a well-written summary is vital. Unfortunately, summaries are often an afterthought for authors and are frequently written in haste.

Part of Oxfam’s Research Guidelines series, this guideline gives a short overview of how to write an engaging executive summary that conveys the most important information from the main report in a clear, concise way.

It provides tools for thinking about how to get the most out of your summary, as well as examples from academia and business, plus tips on things to avoid. This guide was originally written in 2015 and was updated in 2019.

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Citation styles vary so we recommend you check what is appropriate for your context.  You may choose to cite Oxfam resources as follows:

Author(s)/Editor(s). (Year of publication). Title and sub-title . Place of publication: name of publisher. DOI (where available). URL

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Executive Summary Examples for Business Plans, Project Plans, and Research Projects

By Kate Eby | February 8, 2024

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Executive summaries allow decision-makers to quickly grasp the key points of important documents and make decisions. We’ve collected a variety of executive summary examples and templates that you can use as models for your executive summaries. 

Included in this article, you’ll find a  business plan executive summary example , a  project proposal executive summary example , a  research report executive summary example , and more. Plus, learn  how to fix common executive summary mistakes .

What Are the Main Components of an Executive Summary?

An  executive summary is a concise overview of a larger document, report, or proposal. It gives high-level executives or decision-makers a quick understanding of the main points of a longer document without requiring them to read the whole text.   

These are the components you might include in an executive summary:   

• Problem Statement: Clearly state the problem or challenge the company, product, or project addresses.
• Key Proposition: Outline the proposed solution or key value proposition.
• Market Analysis: Summarize findings about the market, customer needs, or competition.
• Key Features and Benefits: Highlight the main features or benefits of the proposed solution or strategy.
• Financial Summary: Provide a snapshot of financial aspects, such as cost, revenue projections, or return on investment (ROI).
• Next Steps: Briefly describe the next steps or strategy for implementation.

Simple Executive Summary Example

The following simple executive summary presents a concise statement of key findings and links them directly to a strategic recommendation. It provides a clear snapshot of the situation and the proposed action, which is essential for an executive summary.

Problem Statement

Many small businesses struggle with inefficient inventory management, leading to lost sales and increased operational costs.

Key Proposition

Our company proposes an AI-driven inventory management system that automates tracking and forecasting, tailored for small businesses.

Market Analysis

Research shows a 40 percent increase in demand for automated inventory solutions in the small business sector, with a significant gap in affordable, user-friendly options.

Key Features and Benefits

The system offers real-time inventory tracking, predictive restocking alerts, and an intuitive interface, reducing inventory errors by an estimated 50 percent.

Financial Summary

Our projected development cost is five hundred thousand dollars with a break-even point in 18 months. The expected ROI is 200 percent in three years, tapping into a market with a potential revenue of five million dollars annually.

Development will commence in Q1 2024, with a pilot launch in Q3. Full market release is scheduled for Q1 2025, followed by targeted marketing campaigns and customer feedback integration for further enhancements.

Executive Summary Template

Download a Blank Executive Summary Template for

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Available in blank and example versions, this executive summary template guides you in succinctly presenting key information about your business plan or project to stakeholders. Simply fill in each section with relevant details to create a concise overview that highlights problems, solutions, market potential, product features, financials, and next steps.

Business Plan Executive Summary Example

Review the following example for a business plan executive summary of an eco-friendly transportation company. This example provides a clear, brief overview that is essential when you want to engage stakeholders and set the stage for more detailed discussions.

In urban areas, the lack of convenient, eco-friendly transportation options leads to increased traffic congestion and pollution.

GreenGo Mobility Solutions proposes a network of e-bike sharing stations, offering an affordable, sustainable, and flexible transportation alternative.

There is a growing trend toward eco-friendly transport in cities, with a 60 percent increase in e-bike usage. Surveys show high interest among urban commuters for more accessible e-bike options.

Key Features and Benefits 

Our e-bikes are equipped with GPS tracking and easy-to-use interfaces. The bikes are designed for urban environments, offering a convenient and environmentally friendly commuting option.

The project requires an initial investment of two million dollars, with projected annual revenue of five million dollars by the third year. We anticipate a break-even point within two years, based on subscription and pay-per-use models.

Marketing Plan Executive Summary Example

In the following example, an executive summary outlines a marketing initiative within a company, detailing both the challenge and the strategic response. It provides a clear overview of the marketing plan’s objectives, actions, and expected outcomes.

We have seen a decline in new user adoption of our company's flagship software product over the past year.

Initiate a Revitalize and Engage campaign, focusing on updating the product’s user interface and enhancing customer engagement through social media and community building.

Competitor analysis and customer feedback indicate a need for more intuitive design and stronger community presence to attract and retain users.

The campaign will introduce a sleek, user-friendly interface and a robust online community platform, aiming to increase user engagement and satisfaction.

The campaign requires a budget of five hundred thousand dollars, with an expected increase in user adoption rates by 20 percent within the first year post-implementation.

Begin a UI redesign in Q2 2024, launch a social media engagement strategy in Q3, and roll out the updated product with community features in Q4.

Project Proposal Executive Summary Example

The example executive summary below demonstrates a well-structured project proposal that succinctly identifies a specific challenge and proposes an actionable solution. It provides a comprehensive snapshot of the project, including its rationale, expected benefits, financial implications, and implementation timeline.

Our current customer relationship management (CRM) system is outdated, leading to inefficiencies in sales tracking and client management.

We propose the development and implementation of a new, custom-built CRM system to streamline sales processes and enhance customer engagement.

Internal analysis indicates a 35 percent increase in process efficiency with a modern CRM system, while competitor benchmarking shows significant advantages in customer retention.

The new CRM will offer real-time sales tracking, automated client communication tools, and advanced analytics features, improving sales efficiency and customer satisfaction.

The estimated project cost is two million dollars, with a projected increase in sales efficiency by 50 percent and customer retention by 20 percent within two years.

Initiate the project in Q2 2024, with phase-wise implementation and employee training, aiming for full deployment by the end of Q4 2024.

Startup Executive Summary Example

Startups need to communicate their vision to potential investors and key stakeholders. In this example, an executive summary helps convey the startup’s vision with a concise summary of the business opportunity, unique selling proposition, market potential, and action plan.

There is a growing demand for sustainable and eco-friendly home cleaning products, but the market lacks options that are both effective and affordable.

EcoClean Innovations is a startup offering a line of environmentally friendly, biodegradable cleaning products made from natural ingredients, catering to eco-conscious consumers.

Market trends show a 50 percent increase in consumer preference for green homecare products, with a significant gap in cost-effective options.

Our products are non-toxic and competitively priced, and they have a minimal environmental footprint, addressing the need for effective and sustainable cleaning solutions.

We require an initial investment of one million dollars, projecting a 30 percent market penetration in the eco-friendly segment within the first two years.

Launch with an initial range of products by Q3 2024, followed by marketing campaigns targeting eco-conscious communities and online marketplaces.

Real Estate Development Executive Summary Example

In the following executive summary example for a construction project, the author outlines their vision for the Greenway Residential Complex. This summary captures the essence of the construction project proposal, presenting key information in a concise and structured format.

The growing urban population in Metro City has led to a shortage of affordable, eco-friendly housing options, resulting in increased living costs and environmental concerns. Key Proposition

Our project proposes the development of the Greenway Residential Complex, a sustainable and affordable housing solution. Utilizing innovative construction methods and eco-friendly materials, the complex aims to provide a balanced urban living experience that is both cost-effective and environmentally responsible.

Research indicates a high demand for eco-conscious housing in Metro City, with a market gap in affordable segments. Surveys show that young families and professionals are actively seeking sustainable living options that align with their environmental values and budget constraints.

• Sustainable design incorporating solar panels, rainwater harvesting, and green spaces
• Affordable pricing, targeting middle-income families and young professionals
• Proximity to public transportation and city centers, reducing commute times and the carbon footprint
• High-quality, energy-efficient building materials, ensuring lower utility costs and a smaller environmental impact
• Estimated project cost: Fifty million dollars
• Anticipated revenue from sales: Seventy million dollars, with a projected ROI of 40 percent over five years
• Funding secured from green building grants and private investors
• Finalize construction permits and approvals by Q2 2024.
• Begin construction in Q3 2024, with a projected completion date in Q4 2026.
• Launch a marketing campaign targeting eco-conscious families and professionals. Tip:  In this example, notice how helpful it is to use bullet points to convey certain information. Using bulleted lists is a great way to organize and present information in an executive summary.

Construction Project Executive Summary Example

Construction projects have many moving parts, which means executive summaries need to capture a lot of information in a small space. Consider a construction-specific executive summary template to ensure that stakeholders are keyed into the most vital project information.

Download a Blank Construction Project Executive Summary Template for

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Download an Example Construction Project Executive Summary Template for

Microsoft Word | Adobe PDF | Google Docs

This construction project executive summary template allows users to give a high-level overview of the key aspects of a project, such as status, risks, issues, and changes. Available in both blank and sample versions, this editable template condenses complex project information into an easily digestible format. To use it, simply fill in each section with relevant, concise information about the current state and progress of your construction project, ensuring it remains updated and reflective of any changes or developments.

Renewable Energy Initiative Executive Summary Example

A renewable energy initiative executive summary should highlight the project’s objectives, strategies, and potential impact, as well as its contribution to environmental sustainability. In the following example, the summary articulates the project’s vision and its alignment with global environmental goals.

The urgent need to address environmental challenges and the increasing global demand for energy underscore the importance of transitioning to renewable energy sources. The reliance on traditional fossil fuels is unsustainable and contributes significantly to climate change.

The SunWind Project is a pioneering initiative combining solar and wind power to create a robust and sustainable energy solution. This project aims to leverage the strengths of both solar and wind energy, ensuring a continuous and reliable power supply while significantly reducing carbon emissions.

The renewable energy sector is experiencing rapid growth, fueled by global environmental policies and a rising consumer preference for sustainable energy. This shift presents an opportunity for the SunWind Project.

The project is unique in its integration of solar panels and wind turbines, ensuring consistent energy production under varying weather conditions. This scalable approach is designed to adapt to increasing energy demands. By significantly reducing the carbon footprint, the project supports global environmental sustainability goals and has the potential to power thousands of homes and businesses.

The SunWind Project has an estimated cost of two hundred million dollars, with projected revenues from energy sales anticipated to be around three hundred million dollars over the next 10 years. This represents a potential ROI of 50 percent. The project is poised to benefit from green energy grants, government subsidies, and private investments.

Immediate steps include securing the necessary environmental permits and clearances. The construction phase, slated to begin in the second quarter of 2024, will focus on installing solar panels and wind turbines, with a goal to commence energy production by the end of 2025.

One-Paragraph Healthcare Executive Summary Example

An executive summary of a healthcare initiative needs to do the following: concisely identify a pressing healthcare issue, present a tailored solution with its benefits, summarize market needs and competition, and outline the financial viability and next steps. 

In the following example, notice how an executive summary can capture all key elements in a single paragraph:

The HealthFirst Community Wellness Initiative addresses the critical problem of rising chronic illness rates in urban areas, focusing on diabetes and heart disease. Our comprehensive solution involves launching community health centers that provide preventive care, lifestyle education, and regular health screenings, as well as cater to the specific needs of urban populations. Market analysis indicates a significant demand for accessible healthcare services in these areas, with a lack of preventive and educational resources being a key gap. The initiative’s main features include state-of-the-art diagnostic tools, personalized health plans, and collaboration with local fitness and nutrition experts, offering benefits such as improved community health outcomes and reduced healthcare costs. Financially, the project is expected to be sustainable, with a mix of funding from public health grants and private partnerships. We are projecting a positive ROI within three years due to reduced hospital admissions. The next steps involve securing funding, establishing partnerships with local health professionals and organizations, and launching a pilot center in the downtown district, with a plan to expand to five more urban areas within two years.

Nonprofit Executive Summary Example

An executive summary for a nonprofit organization should communicate the essence of a project or initiative to donors and volunteers. It should concisely outline the organization’s mission, goals, and key solutions while also detailing strategies, actions, and their impact.

  This  executive summary example from Doctors Without Borders emphasizes the inadequacy of current Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agendas in meeting the needs of vulnerable populations. It then proposes six key recommendations to address these shortcomings. 

This executive summary succinctly identifies the core issue — inequitable access to healthcare — and clearly outlines actionable recommendations. This document helps facilitate advocacy and policy change, which are central to this organization’s goals.

Research Report Executive Summary Example

An executive summary in a research report concisely presents the key findings, conclusions, and recommendations derived from a research project. It covers elements such as the project topic, background, research methods, and critical insights, tailored for quick understanding and decision-making.

In this real-world  exampl e from the ASPCA , the executive summary details a study showing that veterinary hospitals’ proactive discussions about pet health insurance positively impacted hospital revenue and increased patient visits. 

Notice how this summary concisely outlines the study’s purpose, methodology, and significant findings, providing a clear overview for readers. In addition, it highlights the study’s relevance and implications for veterinary practices, emphasizing the practical benefits of educating clients about pet health insurance.

Research Report Executive Summary Template

Download a Blank Research Report Executive Summary Template for

Microsoft Word |  Adobe PDF | Google Docs Download an Example Research Report Executive Summary Template for

To create your own research report executive summary, download this customizable template. Available in blank and example versions and three printable formats, this template serves as a structured guide to organize and present the key components of a research report. Simply fill in each section with specific details about your research, including the project topic, background information, methods used, conclusions, and recommendations.

Research Project Proposal Executive Summary Example

An executive summary for a research project focuses mainly on the research question, methods, and expected outcomes. These summaries often point out how important the research could be and what impact it might have on the field.  

Download a Blank Research Project Proposal Executive Summary Template for Microsoft Word | Google Docs  

Download an Example Research Project Proposal Executive Template for Microsoft Word | Google Docs

Teams can use this one-page executive summary — available in a blank or sample version — to concisely present the key elements of a research project to stakeholders, potential funders, or academic committees. By structuring the summary with specific sections such as background, objectives, and methodology, you can be sure that you’ve clearly and briefly outlined all critical aspects of your research.

Executive Summary Slide Example

Executive summaries are often documents that one distributes to executives, potential investors, and other stakeholders. However, slideshow presentations can facilitate a more interactive discussion. Plus, the inclusion of charts, graphs, and other images can better illustrate key points.  

Download an Example Single Slide Executive Summary Template for

PowerPoint | Google Slides

Download a Blank Single Slide Executive Summary Template for

This executive summary slide template is a versatile tool for succinctly conveying key project information in a single, visually engaging slide. You can enter your project information in the blank template or download the sample version for additional guidance. Input relevant details in each section, such as an overview of your project and next steps. The template allows users to insert their own text, graphics, and data. Copy your completed slide into a longer presentation, or use it on its own as a visual complement to any stakeholder presentation.

How to Improve Your Executive Summary

A poorly constructed executive summary can serve as an instructive example of what to avoid. Ineffective executive summaries might be too detailed or technical, lack focus on key points, or omit a clear call to action. 

Here are examples of the three most common mistakes found in executive summaries:

Includes Too Many Details or Technical Information

This example demonstrates one of the most common mistakes, which is including too much detail or overly technical language. It dives deeply into the specific technical specifications of the equipment and financial metrics, which might be overwhelming for readers. A more effective executive summary would focus on the broader objectives, expected impacts, and benefits of the project in a language that is accessible to a non-technical audience.

Lacks Focus on Key Points  

Sometimes, summaries fail to clearly highlight the most critical aspects of the project or proposal. This summary lacks focus concerning the key points of the Pathways to Knowledge project. A more effective summary would concisely state the project’s goal, significance, and anticipated outcomes.

Omits a Clear Call to Action or Conclusion  

Failing to include a clear conclusion or call to action is another common mistake. The summary should not only inform but also persuade and guide the reader toward the desired action or decision. This summary outlines the project’s goals and structure, but omits a clear call to action. The document doesn’t specify what is expected from the reader or potential stakeholders, such as support, partnership, funding, or involvement in the project.

Corrected Example

To create a more effective example, start by removing overly technical details. (Stakeholders don’t need to know the specific standards with which the training modules are aligned or which types of processors power your computers.) Next, take out unnecessary details that stray from the main point of the project. An executive summary is not the place to discuss the origins of the project idea or the elements your team has not yet decided on. Finally, always conclude your executive summary with a clear call to action.

The Pathways to Knowledge project is a pioneering educational initiative by a nonprofit organization, aimed at bridging the educational divide in underprivileged and remote communities. This project involves the deployment of Mobile Education Hubs: state-of-the-art, solar-powered mobile units that are equipped with educational resources, technology, and internet access. These hubs are designed to travel to various underserved areas, providing children and adults with access to quality educational materials, online learning platforms, and virtual tutoring. Each hub also hosts workshops and seminars led by educators and experts, covering a wide range of subjects from basic literacy and numeracy to vocational training and digital literacy. The initiative seeks to empower communities by enhancing educational opportunities, fostering a culture of lifelong learning, and equipping individuals with the skills necessary for the 21st-century job market. By focusing on accessibility and adaptability, the Pathways to Knowledge project aspires to create a ripple effect of educational advancement and social upliftment across diverse communities.

Master the Art of Writing Executive Summaries with Examples for Business Plans, Project Plans, and Research Projects from Smartsheet

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Research Paper Executive Summary Template

• Great for beginners
• Ready-to-use, fully customizable Doc
• Get started in seconds

In the fast-paced world of research, it's crucial to communicate your findings quickly and effectively. That's where ClickUp's Research Paper Executive Summary Template comes in handy!

This template is designed to help you create a concise and impactful executive summary for your research paper by:

• Summarizing the key findings and results of your study
• Outlining the methodology and approach used in your research
• Highlighting the implications and potential impact of your findings

With ClickUp's Research Paper Executive Summary Template, you can save time and ensure that your research is easily understood by busy executives and decision-makers. Get started today and make your research stand out!

Benefits of Research Paper Executive Summary Template

When using the Research Paper Executive Summary Template in ClickUp, you'll experience the following benefits:

• Saves time by providing a pre-designed format for creating an executive summary
• Ensures consistency and professionalism in your research paper summaries
• Makes it easier for busy executives to quickly grasp the main findings and implications of your research
• Helps you effectively communicate the value and impact of your study
• Streamlines the process of creating executive summaries, allowing you to focus on the research itself

Main Elements of Research Paper Executive Summary Template

ClickUp's Research Paper Executive Summary template is designed to help you create professional and concise summaries of your research papers. Here are the main elements of this template:

• Doc Template: Use the pre-designed Research Paper Executive Summary template to easily structure and format your executive summary.
• Custom Statuses: Track the progress of your executive summary with custom statuses such as In Progress, Review, and Complete.
• Custom Fields: Add custom fields to capture important information about your research paper, such as Research Methodology, Key Findings, and Recommendations.
• Different Views: Access different views to review and collaborate on your executive summary, including the Document Outline view, where you can quickly navigate through different sections, and the Comments view, where you can easily leave and respond to feedback.

How to Use Executive Summary for Research Paper

Writing an executive summary for a research paper can be a daunting task, but with the help of ClickUp's Research Paper Executive Summary Template, you can simplify the process. Just follow these four steps to create a concise and impactful summary:

1. Understand the purpose and scope of your research

Before you begin writing your executive summary, it's important to have a clear understanding of the purpose and scope of your research paper. What problem are you addressing, and what key findings or conclusions did you arrive at? This will help you determine what information to include in your summary.

Use the Docs feature in ClickUp to review your research paper and identify the main points that need to be highlighted in the executive summary.

2. Craft a compelling introduction

Start your executive summary with a strong and engaging introduction that captures the reader's attention. Provide a brief overview of the research topic, its significance, and any relevant background information. Clearly state the main objective of your research and why it is important.

Utilize the custom fields in ClickUp to create a section for the introduction and ensure that it is well-crafted and impactful.

3. Summarize the key findings and conclusions

In this section, summarize the main findings and conclusions of your research paper. Highlight the most important results and insights that you have discovered. Be concise and use clear language to convey your key points. Avoid unnecessary technical jargon that may confuse the reader.

Use the custom fields in ClickUp to organize and prioritize the key findings and conclusions, ensuring that they are presented in a logical and coherent manner.

4. Provide recommendations and next steps

End your executive summary by providing recommendations based on your research findings. Offer practical suggestions for further action or areas that require further investigation. This shows the reader the potential impact and value of your research.

Create tasks in ClickUp to outline the recommendations and next steps, assigning them to relevant team members if necessary. This will help ensure that your research is put into action and that the necessary follow-up is carried out.

By following these four steps and utilizing ClickUp's Research Paper Executive Summary Template, you can effectively summarize your research paper in a clear and concise manner, allowing readers to quickly grasp the main points and understand the significance of your work.

Get Started with ClickUp’s Research Paper Executive Summary Template

Researchers and academics can use this Research Paper Executive Summary Template to create effective executive summaries for their research papers.

First, hit “Add Template” to sign up for ClickUp and add the template to your Workspace. Make sure you designate which Space or location in your Workspace you’d like this template applied.

Next, invite relevant members or guests to your Workspace to start collaborating.

Now you can take advantage of the full potential of this template to create impactful executive summaries:

• Use the Summary View to provide a concise overview of the key findings, methodology, and implications of the research
• The Visuals View will help you incorporate visual elements such as graphs or charts to enhance understanding
• Use the Recommendations View to provide actionable suggestions based on the research findings
• The References View will help you list all the sources and citations used in the research paper
• Customize the template by adding sections such as Introduction, Methodology, Results, and Conclusion
• Update the executive summary as you refine your research paper to ensure it accurately reflects the final version
• Review and proofread the executive summary to ensure clarity and coherence.

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Online Executive Summary Generator

Number of sentences in results:

Summary Ratio is 87 %

• ✍️ Definition
• ☕ How to Create One

🖇️ References

✍️ executive summary generator defined.

As you can infer from the title alone, an executive summary generator is an online tool that creates, well, executive summaries. Though it shortens texts, cutting out redundant information, you shouldn't consider the instrument appropriate for any task. Let's see the central definition to see when this tool is useful.

What Is an Executive Summary?

An executive summary is an overview of a business proposal, investment program, marketing strategy, or other financial project. It outlines the main points addressed in the source.

It is a brief yet comprehensive summary of your paper . Apart from central arguments, this overview should include background information for those who may not have time to read the entire original document. Besides, an executive summary should address potential solutions to the problem highlighted in the text.

📍 Unlike an abstract (a brief overview), an executive summary is a shortened model of the document . The former typically prefaces academic and research-oriented papers to entice the audience to continue reading.

When Does One Need an Executive Summary?

A business person, analyst, or mere student might need an executive summary when presenting a new business plan or another project to a group of investors and stakeholders .

• An executive summary is an important section of the plan, primarily if it’s being used to seek investment.
• Its objective is to offer a basic overview of the company or project.
• It also emphasizes areas of particular interest to potential investors.

As we’ve mentioned, an executive summary should not be an introduction to the proposition as a whole. Instead, it offers a condensed summary of its most relevant ideas and facts. The ultimate purpose of an executive summary is to entice readers to read the rest of the business plan .

☕ Creating an Executive Summary: Tool vs. Person

Any person working in business or studying it should be prepared to deal with executive summaries. Knowing how to write one is a necessary skill. However, with our online generator, you don't have to worry about learning it yourself.

Yet, how does it work? Let's see how an executive summary tool completes such an assignment compared to a person.

How Does an Executive Summary Writer Work Online?

Our online executive summary generator relies on the extractive method of text modification. Here is what it does:

1. Creates an intermediate representation of the input text to discover valuable material. TF metrics are typically computed for each sentence in the provided matrix.

2. Grades the items based on the depiction . As a result, it provides a number to each sentence indicating its likelihood of being picked in the summary.

3. Generates a summary using the top most crucial sentences of the source. Latent semantic analysis (LSA) has been utilized in research to identify semantically significant phrases.

To create an extractive summary, our tool applies artificial intelligence technologies to improve these features:

Upon using our online executive summary generator, it’s a good idea to review the result. Check if there's anything you've overlooked when writing the original text. You may also need to edit the summary you get . Proofread it; incorporate bullet points or headings to make it easy to skim and digest.

How Can You Write an Executive Summary Yourself?

When it comes to the manual writing of an executive summary, there are some rules a person should follow to develop a successful one.

Keep It Short

Some people make the mistake of including too much information in their executive summaries. It results in a document that is long and challenging to read. Thankfully, there are a few simple tips that can help you avoid this pitfall:

📌 First , avoid redundancies. There is no need to use excessive words and wordy expressions.

📌 Second , focus on the critical points. Covering too many details will only serve to clutter your summary.

📌 Lastly , edit ruthlessly. Once you have identified the essential information, cut out any superfluous details.

Following these simple tips ensures that your executive summary is short, sweet, and to the point.

Include an Introduction

An introduction is often included as part of an executive summary, as it can help to provide context and background information. When writing one, be sure to follow these steps:

With an introduction, your readers will have all the data they need to effectively understand the purpose and content of both the executive summary and the original text.

List the Main Points

• Use a level heading for each significant subject you will discuss. These should occur in the same order as they appear in the original report.
• For each important point, write a concise paragraph .
• Discuss the benefits of the proposed course of action when offering suggestions.

Prioritize Information

While there is no standard format for a shortened business plan, there are guidelines to help make the process smoother. Here is what you should mention in an executive summary:

• Business description . Explain what the company does and what products and services it provides. Who is the intended audience? What issue is addressed by the company's offerings?
• Product or service description . A few paragraphs should go into greater depth about the company's goods and/or services. How do they meet a need? What is their competitive edge? Why does the demand for them increase?
• History . Following a brief introduction to the firm, it's time for a quick history lesson. Say when the firm was founded and where it is located. Who founded it? What are their backgrounds and duties? Where does the company stand now?
• Achievements . This part is intended to showcase highlights. Talk about the company's revenue growth rate, customer growth rate, and other vital milestones that point to the company's expanding success.
• Future plans . In what direction does the company head? What are the development plans? What can the company look like in three to five years? Elaborate on all these issues in the final paragraph or two.
• Financial overview . This component is essential if the strategy is used to secure funding. Firstly, it should include top-line estimates. Secondly, here you explain how much money is required and how it will be spent.

Avoid Copy-Pasting

Don't copy anything from the original text. Since you've decided to compose an executive summary yourself, write what you want to say in your own words . If you don't see how to reword some parts from the source, you can use our rephraser tool to change them a bit.

Work on Your Style

To write a successful executive summary, you should ensure it’s well-articulated. Its style should be professional for the sake of your message reaching your audience.

Here are some stylistic features you should keep in mind when writing your executive summary:

Unlike academic writing, usually designed to be objective and dispassionate, professional writing is supposed to be persuasive and engaging . So, don’t be afraid to support your ideas with expressive, convincing, yet appropriate language.

Proofreading and editing are the last steps in writing any essay, research paper, case study, etc. It’s no exception for executive summaries. Errors can make your piece look unprofessional and detract from the overall quality .

• By proofreading your text, you will catch grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes.
• Editing will enhance the clarity and logic of your writing.

📍 Ultimately, proofreading and editing are essential for ensuring that your executive summary is of the highest possible quality .

The executive summary generator is a valuable free online tool for anyone who wants to create high-quality business plan overviews quickly and easily. We encourage you to try it and see how it can benefit your projects. Also, share it with your friends who may need its help.

Updated: May 8th, 2024

• Writing an Executive Summary: UAGC Writing Center, the University of Arizona
• Text Summarization Techniques – A Brief Survey: Mehdi Allahyari et al., Cornell University
• Executive Summaries: University Writing Center (UWC), Texas A&M University
• How to Write an Executive Summary: Skye Schooley, Business News Daily

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• How to write an executive summary, with ...

How to write an executive summary, with examples

The best way to do that is with an executive summary. If you’ve never written an executive summary, this article has all you need to know to plan, write, and share them with your team.

What is an executive summary?

An executive summary is an overview of a document. The length and scope of your executive summary will differ depending on the document it’s summarizing, but in general an executive summary can be anywhere from one to two pages long. In the document, you’ll want to share all of the information your readers and important stakeholders need to know.

Imagine it this way: if your high-level stakeholders were to only read your executive summary, would they have all of the information they need to succeed? If so, your summary has done its job.

You’ll often find executive summaries of:

Business cases

Project proposals

Research documents

Environmental studies

Market surveys

In general, there are four parts to any executive summary:

Start with the problem or need the document is solving.

Outline the recommended solution.

Explain the solution’s value.

Wrap up with a conclusion about the importance of the work.

What is an executive summary in project management?

In project management, an executive summary is a way to bring clarity to cross-functional collaborators, team leadership, and project stakeholders . Think of it like a project’s “ elevator pitch ” for team members who don’t have the time or the need to dive into all of the project’s details.

The main difference between an executive summary in project management and a more traditional executive summary in a business plan is that the former should be created at the beginning of your project—whereas the latter should be created after you’ve written your business plan. For example, to write an executive summary of an environmental study, you would compile a report on the results and findings once your study was over. But for an executive summary in project management, you want to cover what the project is aiming to achieve and why those goals matter.

The same four parts apply to an executive summary in project management:

Start with the problem or need the project is solving.  Why is this project happening? What insight, customer feedback, product plan, or other need caused it to come to life?

Outline the recommended solution, or the project’s objectives.  How is the project going to solve the problem you established in the first part? What are the project goals and objectives?

Explain the solution’s value.  Once you’ve finished your project, what will happen? How will this improve and solve the problem you established in the first part?

Wrap up with a conclusion about the importance of the work.  This is another opportunity to reiterate why the problem is important, and why the project matters. It can also be helpful to reference your audience and how your solution will solve their problem. Finally, include any relevant next steps.

If you’ve never written an executive summary before, you might be curious about where it fits into other project management elements. Here’s how executive summaries stack up:

Executive summary vs. project plan

A  project plan  is a blueprint of the key elements your project will accomplish in order to hit your project goals and objectives. Project plans will include your goals, success metrics, stakeholders and roles, budget, milestones and deliverables, timeline and schedule, and communication plan .

An executive summary is a summary of the most important information in your project plan. Think of the absolutely crucial things your management team needs to know when they land in your project, before they even have a chance to look at the project plan—that’s your executive summary.

Executive summary vs. project overview

Project overviews and executive summaries often have similar elements—they both contain a summary of important project information. However, your project overview should be directly attached to your project. There should be a direct line of sight between your project and your project overview.

While you can include your executive summary in your project depending on what type of  project management tool  you use, it may also be a stand-alone document.

Executive summary vs. project objectives

Your executive summary should contain and expand upon your  project objectives  in the second part ( Outline the recommended solution, or the project’s objectives ). In addition to including your project objectives, your executive summary should also include why achieving your project objectives will add value, as well as provide details about how you’re going to get there.

The benefits of an executive summary

You may be asking: why should I write an executive summary for my project? Isn’t the project plan enough?

Well, like we mentioned earlier, not everyone has the time or need to dive into your project and see, from a glance, what the goals are and why they matter.  Work management tools  like Asana help you capture a lot of crucial information about a project, so you and your team have clarity on who’s doing what by when. Your executive summary is designed less for team members who are actively working on the project and more for stakeholders outside of the project who want quick insight and answers about why your project matters.

An effective executive summary gives stakeholders a big-picture view of the entire project and its important points—without requiring them to dive into all the details. Then, if they want more information, they can access the project plan or navigate through tasks in your work management tool.

How to write a great executive summary, with examples

Every executive summary has four parts. In order to write a great executive summary, follow this template. Then once you’ve written your executive summary, read it again to make sure it includes all of the key information your stakeholders need to know.

1. Start with the problem or need the project is solving

At the beginning of your executive summary, start by explaining why this document (and the project it represents) matter. Take some time to outline what the problem is, including any research or customer feedback you’ve gotten . Clarify how this problem is important and relevant to your customers, and why solving it matters.

For example, let’s imagine you work for a watch manufacturing company. Your project is to devise a simpler, cheaper watch that still appeals to luxury buyers while also targeting a new bracket of customers.

Example executive summary:

In recent customer feedback sessions, 52% of customers have expressed a need for a simpler and cheaper version of our product. In surveys of customers who have chosen competitor watches, price is mentioned 87% of the time. To best serve our existing customers, and to branch into new markets, we need to develop a series of watches that we can sell at an appropriate price point for this market.

2. Outline the recommended solution, or the project’s objectives

Now that you’ve outlined the problem, explain what your solution is. Unlike an abstract or outline, you should be  prescriptive  in your solution—that is to say, you should work to convince your readers that your solution is the right one. This is less of a brainstorming section and more of a place to support your recommended solution.

Because you’re creating your executive summary at the beginning of your project, it’s ok if you don’t have all of your deliverables and milestones mapped out. But this is your chance to describe, in broad strokes, what will happen during the project. If you need help formulating a high-level overview of your project’s main deliverables and timeline, consider creating a  project roadmap  before diving into your executive summary.

Continuing our example executive summary:

Our new watch series will begin at 20% cheaper than our current cheapest option, with the potential for 40%+ cheaper options depending on material and movement. In order to offer these prices, we will do the following:

Offer watches in new materials, including potentially silicone or wood

Use high-quality quartz movement instead of in-house automatic movement

Introduce customizable band options, with a focus on choice and flexibility over traditional luxury

Note that every watch will still be rigorously quality controlled in order to maintain the same world-class speed and precision of our current offerings.

3. Explain the solution’s value

At this point, you begin to get into more details about how your solution will impact and improve upon the problem you outlined in the beginning. What, if any, results do you expect? This is the section to include any relevant financial information, project risks, or potential benefits. You should also relate this project back to your company goals or  OKRs . How does this work map to your company objectives?

With new offerings that are between 20% and 40% cheaper than our current cheapest option, we expect to be able to break into the casual watch market, while still supporting our luxury brand. That will help us hit FY22’s Objective 3: Expanding the brand. These new offerings have the potential to bring in upwards of three million dollars in profits annually, which will help us hit FY22’s Objective 1: 7 million dollars in annual profit.

Early customer feedback sessions indicate that cheaper options will not impact the value or prestige of the luxury brand, though this is a risk that should be factored in during design. In order to mitigate that risk, the product marketing team will begin working on their go-to-market strategy six months before the launch.

4. Wrap up with a conclusion about the importance of the work

Now that you’ve shared all of this important information with executive stakeholders, this final section is your chance to guide their understanding of the impact and importance of this work on the organization. What, if anything, should they take away from your executive summary?

To round out our example executive summary:

Cheaper and varied offerings not only allow us to break into a new market—it will also expand our brand in a positive way. With the attention from these new offerings, plus the anticipated demand for cheaper watches, we expect to increase market share by 2% annually. For more information, read our  go-to-market strategy  and  customer feedback documentation .

Example of an executive summary

When you put it all together, this is what your executive summary might look like:

Common mistakes people make when writing executive summaries

You’re not going to become an executive summary-writing pro overnight, and that’s ok. As you get started, use the four-part template provided in this article as a guide. Then, as you continue to hone your executive summary writing skills, here are a few common pitfalls to avoid:

Avoid using jargon

Your executive summary is a document that anyone, from project contributors to executive stakeholders, should be able to read and understand. Remember that you’re much closer to the daily work and individual tasks than your stakeholders will be, so read your executive summary once over to make sure there’s no unnecessary jargon. Where you can, explain the jargon, or skip it all together.

Remember: this isn’t a full report

Your executive summary is just that—a summary. If you find yourself getting into the details of specific tasks, due dates, and attachments, try taking a step back and asking yourself if that information really belongs in your executive summary. Some details are important—you want your summary to be actionable and engaging. But keep in mind that the wealth of information in your project will be captured in your  work management tool , not your executive summary.

Make sure the summary can stand alone

You know this project inside and out, but your stakeholders won’t. Once you’ve written your executive summary, take a second look to make sure the summary can stand on its own. Is there any context your stakeholders need in order to understand the summary? If so, weave it into your executive summary, or consider linking out to it as additional information.

Always proofread

Your executive summary is a living document, and if you miss a typo you can always go back in and fix it. But it never hurts to proofread or send to a colleague for a fresh set of eyes.

In summary: an executive summary is a must-have

Executive summaries are a great way to get everyone up to date and on the same page about your project. If you have a lot of project stakeholders who need quick insight into what the project is solving and why it matters, an executive summary is the perfect way to give them the information they need.

For more tips about how to connect high-level strategy and plans to daily execution, read our article about strategic planning .

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Literature Review

12 Best Tools For Perfect Research Summary Writing

Discover the 12 best tools to streamline your research summary writing, ensuring clarity and precision every time.

Aug 29, 2024

Consider you finally find the time to tackle that research paper for your class. You pull up your literature search and see dozens of articles and studies staring back at you. As you scroll through the titles and abstracts, you realize you need to figure out how to summarize the research to get started on your paper. 

Writing a practical research summary can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to. In this guide, we’ll break down what a research summary is, why it’s essential, and how to write one. This information lets you confidently write your research summary and finish your paper. 

Otio’s AI research and writing partner can help you write efficient research summaries and papers. Our tool can summarize academic articles so you can understand the material and finish your writing.

Table Of Contents

What is a research summary, purpose of a research summary, how do you write a research summary in 10 simple steps, what is a phd research summary, examples of research summary, supercharge your researching ability with otio — try otio for free today.

A research summary is a piece of writing that summarizes your research on a specific topic. Its primary goal is to offer the reader a detailed study overview with critical findings. A research summary generally contains the structure of the article. 

You must know the goal of your analysis before you launch a project. A research overview summarizes the detailed response and highlights particular issues. Writing it may be troublesome. You want to start with a structure in mind to write a good overview. 

Related Reading

• Systematic Review Vs Meta Analysis • Impact Evaluation • How To Critique A Research Article • How To Synthesize Sources • Annotation Techniques • Skimming And Scanning • Types Of Literature Reviews • Literature Review Table • Literature Review Matrix • How To Increase Reading Speed And Comprehension • How To Read Research Papers • How To Summarize A Research Paper • Literature Gap

A research summary provides a brief overview of a study to readers. When searching for literature, a reader can quickly grasp the central ideas of a paper by reading its summary. It is also a great way to elaborate on the significance of the findings, reminding the reader of the strengths of your main arguments. 

Having a good summary is almost as important as writing a research paper. The benefit of summarizing is showing the "big picture," which allows the reader to contextualize your words. In addition to the advantages of summarizing for the reader, as a writer, you gain a better sense of where you are going with your writing, which parts need elaboration, and whether you have comprehended the information you have collected. 

1. Read The Entire Research Paper

Before writing a research summary , you must read and understand the entire research paper. This may seem like a time-consuming task, but it is essential to write a good summary. Make sure you know the paper's main points before you begin writing.

2. Take Notes As You Read

As you read, take notes on the main points of the paper. These notes will come in handy when you are writing your summary. Be sure to note any necessary information, such as the main conclusions of the author's writing. This helpful tip will also help you write a practical blog summary in less time.

3. Organize Your Thoughts

Once you have finished reading and taking notes on the paper, it is time to start writing your summary. Before you begin, take a few minutes to organize your thoughts. Write down the main points that you want to include in your summary. Then, arrange these points in a logical order.

4. Write The Summary

Now that you have organized your thoughts, it is time to start writing the summary. Begin by stating the author’s thesis statement or main conclusion. Then, briefly describe each of the main points from the paper. Be sure to write clearly and concisely. When you finish, reread your summary to ensure it accurately reflects the paper's content.

5. Write The Introduction

After you have written the summary, it is time to write the introduction. The introduction should include an overview of the paper and a summary description. It should also state the main idea.

6. Introduce The Report's Purpose

The summary of a research paper should include a brief description of the paper's purpose. It should state the paper's thesis statement and briefly describe each of the main points of the paper.

7. Use Keywords To Introduce The Report

When introducing the summary of a research paper, use keywords familiar to the reader. This will help them understand the summary and why it is essential.

8. State The Author's Conclusions

The summary of a research paper should include a brief statement of the author's conclusions. This will help your teacher understand what the paper is trying to achieve.

9. Keep It Concise

A summary should be concise and to the point. It should not include any new information or arguments. It should be one paragraph long at maximum.

10. Edit And Proofread

After you have written the summary, edit and proofread it to ensure it is accurate and precise. This will help ensure that your summary is effective and free of any grammar or spelling errors.

1. Otio: Your AI Research Assistant  

Knowledge workers, researchers, and students today need help with content overload and are left to deal with it using fragmented, complex, and manual tooling. Too many settle for stitching together complicated bookmarking, read-it-later, and note-taking apps to get through their workflows. Now that anyone can create content with a button, this problem will only worsen. Otio solves this problem by providing researchers with one AI-native workspace. It helps them: 

1. Collect a wide range of data sources, from bookmarks, tweets, and extensive books to YouTube videos. 

2. extract key takeaways with detailed ai-generated notes and source-grounded q&a chat. , 3. create draft outputs using the sources you’ve collected. .

Otio helps you to go from a reading list to the first draft faster. Along with this, Otio also enables you to write research papers/essays faster. Here are our top features that researchers love: AI-generated notes on all bookmarks (Youtube videos, PDFs, articles, etc.), Otio enables you to chat with individual links or entire knowledge bases, just like you chat with ChatGPT, as well as AI-assisted writing. 

Let Otio be your AI research and writing partner — try Otio for free today ! 

2. Hypotenuse AI: The Versatile Summarizer  

Like all the AI text summarizers on this list, Hypotenuse AI can take the input text and generate a short summary. One area where it stands out is its ability to handle various input options: You can simply copy-paste the text, directly upload a PDF, or even drop a YouTube link to create summaries. 

You can summarize nearly 200,000 characters (or 50,000 words) at once. 

Hypotenuse AI summarizes articles, PDFs, paragraphs, documents, and videos. 

With the AI tool, you can create engaging hooks and repurpose content for social media. 

You'll need a paid plan after the 7-day free trial. 

There needs to be a free plan available. 

The AI tool majorly focuses on generating eCommerce and marketing content. 

3. Scalenut: The Beginner-Friendly AI Summarizer  

Scalenut is one of the powerful AI text summarizers for beginners or anyone starting out. While it's not as polished as some other business-focused apps, it's significantly easier to use — and the output is just as good as others. If you want a basic online text summarizer that lets you summarize the notes within 800 characters (not words), Scalenut is your app. 

With Scalenut, you get a dedicated summary generation tool for more granular control. 

The keyword planner available helps build content directly from the short and sweet summaries. 

The AI tool integrates well with a whole suite of SEO tools, making it a more SEO-focused summarizer. 

You only get to generate one summary per day. 

Scalenut's paid plans are expensive compared to other AI tools. 

You must summarize long-form articles or blogs at most the limit of 800 characters. 

4. SciSummary: The Academic AI Summarizer  

SciSummary is an AI summarizer that helps summarize single or multiple research papers. It combines and compares the content summaries from research papers, article links, etc. 

It can save time and effort for scientists, students, and enthusiasts who want to keep up with the latest scientific developments. 

It can provide accurate and digestible summaries powered by advanced AI models that learn from feedback and expert guidance. 

It can help users read between the lines and understand complex scientific texts' main points and implications. 

It may only capture some nuances and details of the original articles or papers, which may be necessary for some purposes or audiences. 

Some types of scientific texts, such as highly technical, specialized, or interdisciplinary, may require more domain knowledge or context. 

Some sources of scientific information, such as websites, videos, or podcasts not in text format, may need help summarizing. 

5. Quillbot: The AI Summarizer for Academic Papers  

QuillBot uses advanced neural network models to summarize research papers accurately and effectively. The tool leverages cutting-edge technology to condense lengthy papers into concise and informative summaries, making it easier for users to navigate vast amounts of literature. 

You can upload the text for summarization directly from a document. 

It's excellent for summarizing essays, papers, and lengthy documents. 

You can summarize long texts up to 1200 words for free. 

The free plan is limited to professionals. 

There could have been some more output types. 

QuillBot's Premium plan only gives you 6000 words for summaries per month. 

6. Scribbr: The Research Paper Assistant  

Scribbr is an AI-driven academic writing assistant with a summarization feature tailored for research papers. The tool assists users in the research paper writing process by summarizing and condensing information from various sources, offering support in structuring and organizing content effectively. 

7. TLDR This: The Online Article Summarizer  

TLDR This uses advanced AI to effectively filter out unimportant arguments from online articles and provide readers only with vital takeaways. Its streamlined interface eliminates ads and distractions while summarizing key points, metadata, images, and other crucial article details. 

TLDR This condenses even very lengthy materials into compact summaries users can quickly consume, making it easier to process a vast range of internet content efficiently. 

Ten free "AI" summaries 

Summarization of long text 

Basic summary extraction 

Premium option cost 

No significant improvement in premium options 

8. AI Summarizer: The Text Document Summarizer  

AI Summarizer harnesses artificial intelligence to summarize research papers and other text documents automatically. The tool streamlines the summarization process, making it efficient and accurate, enabling users to extract essential information from extensive research papers efficiently. 

Easy-to-understand interface 

1500-word limit 

Multiple language support 

Contains advertisements 

Requires security captcha completion 

Struggles with lengthy content summarization 

9. Jasper: The Advanced Summarizer  

Jasper AI is a robust summarizing tool that helps users generate AI-powered paper summaries quickly and effectively. The tool supports the prompt creation of premium-quality summaries, assisting researchers in distilling complex information into concise and informative outputs. 

Jasper offers some advanced features, like generating a text from scratch and even summarizing it. 

It integrates well with third-party apps like Surfer, Grammarly, and its own AI art generator. 

It's versatile and can be used to create summaries of blogs, articles, website copy, emails, and even social media posts. 

There's no free plan available — though you get a 7-day free trial. 

You'll need to have a flexible budget to use Jasper AI. 

The Jasper app has a steep learning curve. 

10. Resoomer: The Summary Extractor  

Resoomer rapidly analyzes textual documents to determine the essential sentences and summarizes these key points using its proprietary semantic analysis algorithm. 

By automatically identifying what information matters most, Resoomer can condense elaborate texts across diverse subjects into brief overviews of their core message. With swift copy-and-paste functionality requiring no signup, this specialized tool simplifies the reading experience by extracting only vital details from complex writings. 

Clear and accurate summaries 

Creative sentence combining 

Variety of modes and options 

Lengthy text summarization without word limit in premium mode 

Confusing interface with irrelevant features 

Long-winded summaries spread across multiple pages 

11. Anyword: The Marketing-Focused Summarizer  

When I saw Anyword's summary, I could easily state that the content was unique and worth sharing, making this AI tool an excellent choice for marketers. Plus, it's very easy to use.  

Once you've copied-pasted the text and chosen a summary type, paragraph, keywords, or TL;DR, it generates a summary in minutes. Approve it; you can share the text directly without worrying about plagiarized content. 

You can test the AI tool with the 7-day free trial. 

The Anyword's text generator and summarizer are perfect for creating long-form pieces like blog posts with snippets. 

You can give detailed prompts to the AI tool to customize the generated text. 

Any word is expensive for a more limited set of features than other AI summarizers. 

It can sometimes be slower to use. 

There is no free Anyword plan available. 

12. Frase: The SEO Summarizer  

Frase is a powerful AI-powered summarizer that focuses on SEO. This means it can generate summaries that attract audiences and rank higher. Its proprietary model stands out, providing more flexibility, competitive pricing, and custom features. 

Frase uses BLUF and Reverse Pyramid techniques to generate summaries, improving ranking chances. 

It's free to use Frase's summary generator. 

Instead of GPT-3.5 or GPT-4, Frase uses its proprietary model. 

There's no way to add links to the blog or article to generate a summary. 

You can input up to 600-700 words for summarization. 

It might not be an ideal article summarizer for those who don't care about SEO. 

A research summary for a PhD is called a research statement . The research statement (or statement of research interests) is included in academic job applications. It summarizes your research accomplishments, current work, and future direction and potential. The statement can discuss specific issues such as funding history and potential requirements for laboratory equipment and space and other resources, possible research and industrial collaborations, and how your research contributes to your field's future research direction. 

The research statement should be technical but intelligible to all department members, including those outside your subdiscipline. So keep the “big picture” in mind. The strongest research statements present a readable, compelling, and realistic research agenda that fits well with the department's needs, facilities, and goals. Research statements can be weakened by: overly ambitious proposals lack of apparent direction lack of big-picture focus, and inadequate attention to the needs and facilities of the department or position. 

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Research Summary Example 1: A Look at the Probability of an Unexpected Volcanic Eruption in Yellowstone 

Introduction  .

If the Yellowstone supervolcano erupted massively , the consequences would be catastrophic for the United States. The importance of analyzing the likelihood of such an eruption cannot be overstated.  

Hypothesis  

An eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano would be preceded by intense precursory activity manifesting a few weeks up to a few years in advance.  

Results     

Statistical data from multiple volcanic eruptions happening worldwide show activity that preceded these events (in particular, how early each type of activity was detected).   

Discussion and Conclusion  

Given that scientists continuously monitor Yellowstone and that signs of an eruption are normally detected much in advance, at least a few days in advance, the hypothesis is confirmed. This could be applied to creating emergency plans detailing an organized evacuation campaign and other response measures.     

Research Summary Example 2: The Frequency of Extreme Weather Events in the US from 2000-2008 as Compared to the ‘50s

Weather events bring immense material damage and cause human victims.    

Extreme weather events are significantly more frequent nowadays than in the ‘50s.   

Several categories of extreme events occur regularly now and then: droughts and associated fires, massive rainfall/snowfall and associated floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, Arctic cold waves, etc.   

Discussion and Conclusion 

Several extreme events have become significantly more frequent recently, confirming this hypothesis. This increasing frequency correlates reliably with rising CO2 levels in the atmosphere and growing temperatures worldwide. 

In the absence of another recent significant global change that could explain a higher frequency of disasters, and knowing how growing temperature disturbs weather patterns, it is natural to assume that global warming (CO2) causes this increase in frequency. This, in turn, suggests that this increased frequency of disasters is not a short-term phenomenon but is here to stay until we address CO2 levels.  

Researchers, students, and knowledge workers have long struggled with the initial stages of research projects. The early steps of gathering and organizing information , taking notes, and synthesizing the material into a coherent summary are vital for establishing a solid foundation for any research endeavor. 

These steps can be tedious, overwhelming, and time-consuming. Otio streamlines this process so you can go from the reading list to the first draft faster. Along with this, Otio also helps you write research papers/essays faster. Here are our top features that researchers love: 

AI-generated notes on all bookmarks (Youtube videos, PDFs, articles, etc.), Otio enables you to chat with individual links or entire knowledge bases, just like you chat with ChatGPT, as well as AI-assisted writing. 

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How to Write an Executive Summary: Purpose, Elements, Types, and Examples

Businesses use executive summaries to condense reports, proposals, and goals.

But how is an executive summary written? Below, we have explained what an executive summary is, how to write one, its elements, types, and examples.

What is an executive summary?

An executive summary is a brief report or a condensed version of a lengthy business report, plan, proposal, or any other document.

The word executive means having the power to put plans, actions, or laws into effect; decision-making ability essentially. An executive person in a company or organization is someone who is responsible for managing and executing tasks (making decisions).

That’s why the name “executive summary” is used, which is derived from its primary purpose: to provide a concise summary of a document for executives (decision-makers) for executing tasks (decision-making).

Purpose of an executive summary

Executive summaries are an essential component of business documents. Businesses utilize executive summaries to condense important information into smaller, more comprehensible versions of lengthy documents and reports.

Executives who don’t have the time to go through the lengths of executive documents simply read their corresponding executive summaries.

At a glance, executive summaries are used for:

• summarizing the main points of a lengthy document,
• giving an overview of the document;
• facilitating on-time decision-making.

Elements of an executive summary

An executive summary can have various elements depending on the kind of document it summarizes. But generally, here are some common elements of an executive summary:

• An introduction that briefly introduces the document, its purpose, and the key points of the summary and the document.
• Section headings are used within the summary to distinguish between different parts of the summary. It also helps understand what a particular section is about.
• Background that provides context by summarizing the information that led to the creation of the document.
• The objective that states the main objective or purpose of the document.
• Findings that highlight the key findings, data, or research supporting the document's purpose.
• Recommended solution or course of action. This section presents the recommended or proposed actions based on the findings of the document.
• Citations or references to sources can be used to refer to ideas, research, or relevant information.
• Timeline and costs. Executive summaries may include the expected time and costs to achieve the target goal.
• A conclusion may be added to conclude the summary, highlighting the key takeaways and the expected impacts or benefits if the decision is made.

Types of executive summaries

An executive summary can summarize:

• a business plan document,
• a project proposal document,
• a research report,
• a marketing plan document;
• a financial report.

Based on these types of documents, executive summaries can vary in type. 

• A business plan executive summary can highlight the business concept, market conditions, and financial and strategic goals.
• A project proposal executive summary can highlight a specific project’s details, such as goals, scope, budget, and expected time.
• A research report executive summary can outline research goals, key findings, and conclusions.
• A marketing plan executive summary can highlight the marketing strategy, its objectives, requirements, and target audience.
• A financial report executive summary can highlight financial data, current and future trends, and recommendations.

How to write an executive summary

Based on the document, you can write an executive summary by briefly stating its key points, essential information, and various sections in a formal voice and tone.

Though there are no other hard-and-fast rules than writing normal summaries , here are some tips for writing executive summaries:

• Understand the document thoroughly. If you are responsible for writing an executive summary, you must read the document in question thoroughly before crafting its summary. A good summary requires you to fully understand the required document, including its essence, key points, objectives, important information, and so on.
• Write concisely. Summaries are supposed to be brief and condensed versions of their original documents. That’s why you need to be concise in your writing.
• Only write what’s important. One of the major aspects of writing summaries is that they discard non-essential information and focus on what’s truly important. The nitty-gritty parts are for original documents, not summaries.
• Use clear language. The quality of summaries heavily depends on the correct use of language. Summaries require clear-cut language to communicate the message effectively.
• Check the grammar. Executive summaries ought to be professional, and grammatical mistakes are unacceptable in professional settings. That’s why you must check the grammar of the summary, including spelling and punctuation, before finalizing it. Consider using an AI grammar checker for a quick check of grammatical errors.

Example of an executive summary

Here’s an example of a project proposal executive summary:

Introduction: The project All About Fashion is a newly proposed initiative to launch a fashion-related mobile app designed to educate users about fashion trends and the sale of related products.

Background: Recent market analysis shows a gap and an increasing demand for platforms focused on fashion, with mobile apps in particular.

Objective: The project “All About Fasion” aims to develop a mobile application that offers diverse functionalities that will facilitate fashion in different ways, such as broadcasting fashion-related news, highlighting fashion trends, and facilitating the sale of fashion products.

Market analysis: Our deep market analysis in partnership with ABC Company reveals a market potential of approximately $2 billion, driven by an increasing demand for said product, with a primary audience of females aged 15 to 45 currently.

Solution: The "All About Fashion" project will deliver a multi-functional mobile application that addresses the identified market gap. The app will feature real-time updates on fashion news and trends, as well as a marketplace for related products. Users will be able to browse the latest news, trends, and products, receive personalized fashion recommendations based on their biodata and activities, and purchase products. The app will also include a social component that allows users to record, edit, and share their fashion finds and interact with influencers.

Anticipated outcome: The proposed solution is anticipated to meet current market demands while creating a smooth user experience that promotes engagement and drives sales. This solution uses advanced technology to provide a one-stop-shop for all things fashion, positioning us as a leader in the market. The "All About Fashion" app is projected to generate $50 million in revenue within the first three years of launch.

Writing a good executive summary is essential for effectively communicating the essence of a larger document to executives in businesses. An executive summary facilitates quick and informed decision-making by outlining the purpose, key findings, and recommended actions for lengthy documents. The article also highlights the purpose, elements, types, and an example of executive summaries.

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How to Write an Executive Summary (Example & Template Included)

Here’s the good news: an executive summary is short. It’s part of a larger document like a business plan, business case or project proposal and, as the name implies, summarizes the longer report.

Here’s the bad news: it’s a critical document that can be challenging to write because an executive summary serves several important purposes. On one hand, executive summaries are used to outline each section of your business plan, an investment proposal or project proposal. On the other hand, they’re used to introduce your business or project to investors and other stakeholders, so they must be persuasive to spark their interest.

What Is an Executive Summary?

An executive summary is a short section of a larger document like a business plan , investment proposal or project proposal. It’s mostly used to give investors and stakeholders a quick overview of important information about a business plan like the company description, market analysis and financial information.

It contains a short statement that addresses the problem or proposal detailed in the attached documents and features background information, a concise analysis and a conclusion. An executive summary is designed to help executives and investors decide whether to go forth with the proposal, making it critically important. Pitch decks are often used along with executive summaries to talk about the benefits and main selling points of a business plan or project.

Unlike an abstract, which is a short overview, an executive summary format is a condensed form of the documents contained in the proposal. Abstracts are more commonly used in academic and research-oriented writing and act as a teaser for the reader to see if they want to read on.

Executive Summary Format & Template

To put all of that information together, here’s the basic format of an executive summary. You can find this same information in our free executive summary template :

• Introduction, be sure to know your audience
• Table of contents in the form of a bulleted list
• Explain the company’s role and identify strengths
• Explain the need, or the problem, and its importance
• Recommend a solution and explain its value
• Justify said solution by explaining how it fits the organization
• A strong conclusion that once more wraps up the importance of the project

You can use it as an executive summary example and add or remove some of its elements to adjust it to your needs. Our sample executive summary has the main elements that you’ll need project executive summary.

How to Write an Executive Summary

The pressure of writing an executive summary comes from the fact that everyone will pay attention to it, as it sits at the top of that heap of documents. It explains all that follows and can make or break your business plan or project plan . The executive summary must know the needs of the potential clients or investors and zero in on them like a laser. Fortunately, we’ll show you how to write and format your executive summary to do just that.

Executive summaries vary depending on the document they’re attached to. You can write an executive summary for a business plan, project proposal, research document, or business case, among other documents and reports. However, when writing an executive summary, there are guidelines to ensure you hit all the bases.

Executive Summary Length

According to the many books that have been written about executive summaries, as well as training courses, seminars and professional speakers, the agreed-upon length for an executive summary format should be about five to 10 percent of the length of the whole report.

Appropriate Language

The language used should be appropriate for the target audience. One of the most important things to know before you write professionally is to understand who you’re addressing. If you’re writing for a group of engineers, the language you’ll use will differ greatly from how you would write to a group of financiers.

That includes more than just the words, but the content and depth of explanation. Remember, it’s a summary, and people will be reading it to quickly and easily pull out the main points.

Pithy Introduction

You also want to capture a reader’s attention immediately in the opening paragraph. Just like a speech often opens with a joke to break the tension and put people at ease, a strong introductory paragraph can pull a reader in and make them want to read on. That doesn’t mean you start with a joke. Stick to your strengths, but remember, most readers only give you a few sentences to win them over before they move on.

Don’t forget to explain who you are as an organization and why you have the skills, personnel and experience to solve the problem raised in the proposal. This doesn’t have to be a lengthy biography, often just your name, address and contact information will do, though you’ll also want to highlight your strengths as they pertain to the business plan or project proposal .

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Executive Summary Template

Use this free Executive Summary Template for Word to manage your projects better.

Relevant Information

The executive summary shouldn’t stray from the material that follows it. It’s a summary, not a place to bring up new ideas. To do so would be confusing and would jeopardize your whole proposal.

Establish the need or the problem, and convince the target audience that it must be solved. Once that’s set up, it’s important to recommend the solution and show what the value is. Be clear and firm in your recommendation.

Justify your cause. Be sure to note the key reasons why your organization is the perfect fit for the solution you’re proposing. This is the point where you differentiate yourself from competitors, be that due to methodology, testimonials from satisfied clients or whatever else you offer that’s unique. But don’t make this too much about you. Be sure to keep the name of the potential client at the forefront.

Don’t neglect a strong conclusion, where you can wrap things up and once more highlight the main points.

Related: 10 Essential Excel Report Templates

What to Include in an Executive Summary

The content of your executive summary must reflect what’s in the larger document which it is part of. You’ll find many executive summary examples on the web, but to keep things simple, we’ll focus on business plans and project proposals.

Getting everything organized for your executive summary can be challenging. ProjectManager can help you get your thoughts in order and collaborate with your team. Our powerful task management tools make it easy to get everything prioritized and done on time. Try it free today.

How to Write an Executive Summary for a Business Plan

As we’ve learned above, your executive summary must extract the main points of all the sections of your business plan. A business plan is a document that describes all the aspects of a business, such as its business model, products or services, objectives and marketing plan , among other things. They’re commonly used by startups to pitch their ideas to investors.

Here are the most commonly used business plan sections:

• Company description: Provide a brief background of your company, such as when it was established, its mission, vision and core values.
• Products & services: Describe the products or services your company will provide to its customers.
• Organization and management: Explain the legal structure of your business and the members of the top management team.
• SWOT analysis: A SWOT analysis explains the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of your business. They describe the internal and external factors that impact your business competitiveness.
• Industry & market analysis: This section should provide an overview of the industry and market in which your business will compete.
• Operations: Explain the main aspects of your business operations and what sets it apart from competitors.
• Marketing plan: Your marketing plan describes the various strategies that your business will use to reach its customers and sell products or services.
• Financial planning: Here, you should provide an overview of the financial state of your business. Include income statements, balance sheets and cash flow statements.
• Funding request: If you’re creating your business plan to request funding, make sure to explain what type of funding you need, the timeframe for your funding request and an explanation of how the funds will be used.

We’ve created an executive summary example to help you better understand how this document works when using it, to sum up a business plan.

Executive Summary Example

For this executive summary example, we’ll imagine a company named ABC Clothing, a small business that manufactures eco-friendly clothing products and it’s preparing a business plan to secure funding from new investors.

Company Description We are ABC Clothing, an environmentally-friendly manufacturer of apparel. We’ve developed a unique method of production and sourcing of materials that allows us to create eco-friendly products at a low cost . We have intellectual property for our production processes and materials, which gives us an advantage in the market.

• Mission: Our mission is to use recycled materials and sustainable methods of production to create clothing products that are great for our customers and our planet.
• Vision: Becoming a leader in the apparel industry while generating a positive impact on the environment.

Products & Services We offer high-quality clothing products for men, women and all genders. (Here you should include pictures of your product portfolio to spark the interest of your readers)

Industry & Market Analysis Even though the fashion industry’s year-over-year growth has been affected by pandemics in recent years, the global apparel market is expected to continue growing at a steady pace. In addition, the market share of sustainable apparel has grown year-over-year at a higher pace than the overall fashion industry.

Marketing Plan Our marketing plan relies on the use of digital marketing strategies and online sales, which gives us a competitive advantage over traditional retailers that focus their marketing efforts on brick-and-mortar stores.

Operations Our production plant is able to recycle different types of plastic and cotton waste to turn it into materials that we use to manufacture our products . We’ve partnered with a transportation company that sorts and distributes our products inside the United States efficiently and cost-effectively.

Financial Planning Our business is profitable, as documented in our balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement. The company doesn’t have any significant debt that might compromise its continuity. These and other financial factors make it a healthy investment.

Funding Request We’re requesting funding for the expansion of our production capacity, which will allow us to increase our production output in order to meet our increasing customer demand, enter new markets, reduce our costs and improve our competitiveness.

If you’d like to see more executive summary examples for your business plan, you can visit the U.S. small business administration website. They have business plans with executive summary examples you can download and use.

Executive summaries are also a great way to outline the elements of a project plan for a project proposal. Let’s learn what those elements are.

How to Write an Executive Summary for a Project Proposal

An executive summary for your project proposal will capture the most important information from your project management plan. Here’s the structure of our executive summary template:

• Introduction: What’s the purpose of your project?
• Company description: Show why you’re the right team to take on the project.
• Need/problem: What is the problem that it’s solving?
• Unique solution: What is your value proposition and what are the main selling points of your project?
• Proof: Evidence, research and feasibility studies that support how your company can solve the issue.
• Resources: Outline the resources needed for the project
• Return on investment/funding request: Explain the profitability of your project and what’s in for the investors.
• Competition/market analysis: What’s your target market? Who are your competitors? How does your company differentiate from them?
• Marketing plan: Create a marketing plan that describes your company’s marketing strategies, sales and partnership plans.
• Budget/financial planning: What’s the budget that you need for your project plan?
• Timeline: What’s the estimated timeline to complete the project?
• Team: Who are the project team members and why are they qualified?
• Conclusions:  What are the project takeaways?

Now that we’ve learned that executive summaries can vary depending on the type of document you’re working on, you’re ready for the next step.

What to Do After Writing an Executive Summary

As with anything you write, you should always start with a draft. The first draft should hit all the marks addressed above but don’t bog yourself down in making the prose perfect. Think of the first draft as an exploratory mission. You’re gathering all the pertinent information.

Next, you want to thoroughly review the document to ensure that nothing important has been left out or missed. Make sure the focus is sharp and clear, and that it speaks directly to your potential client’s needs.

Proofread for Style & Grammar

But don’t neglect the writing. Be sure that you’re not repeating words, falling into cliché or other hallmarks of bad writing. You don’t want to bore the reader to the point that they miss the reason why you’re the organization that can help them succeed.

You’ve checked the content and the prose, but don’t forget the style. You want to write in a way that’s natural and not overly formal, but one that speaks in the manner of your target audience . If they’re a conservative firm, well then, maybe formality is called for. But more and more modern companies have a casual corporate culture, and formal writing could mistakenly cause them to think of you as old and outdated.

The last run should be proofing the copy. That means double-checking to ensure that spelling is correct, and there are no typos or grammatical mistakes. Whoever wrote the executive summary isn’t the best person to edit it, however. They can easily gloss over errors because of their familiarity with the work. Find someone who excels at copy-editing. If you deliver sloppy content, it shows a lack of professionalism that’ll surely color how a reader thinks of your company.

Criticism of Executive Summaries

While we’re advocating for the proper use of an executive summary, it’d be neglectful to avoid mentioning some critiques. The most common is that an executive summary by design is too simple to capture the complexity of a large and complicated project.

It’s true that many executives might only read the summary, and in so doing, miss the nuance of the proposal. That’s a risk. But if the executive summary follows the guidelines stated above, it should give a full picture of the proposal and create interest for the reader to delve deeper into the documents to get the details.

Remember, executive summaries can be written poorly or well. They can fail to focus on results or the solution to the proposal’s problem or do so in a vague, general way that has no impact on the reader. You can do a hundred things wrong, but if you follow the rules, then the onus falls on the reader.

ProjectManager Turns an Executive Summary Into a Project

Your executive summary got the project approved. Now the real work begins. ProjectManager is award-winning project management software that helps you organize tasks, projects and teams. We have everything you need to manage each phase of your project, so you can complete your work on time and under budget.

Work How You Want

Because project managers and teams work differently, our software is flexible. We have multiple project views, such as the kanban board, which visualizes workflow. Managers like the transparency it provides in the production cycle, while teams get to focus only on those tasks they have the capacity to complete. Are you more comfortable with tasks lists or Gantt charts? We have those, too.

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To ensure your project meets time and cost expectations, we have features that monitor and track progress so you can control any deviations that might occur. Our software is cloud-based, so the data you see on our dashboard is always up to date, helping you make better decisions. Make that executive summary a reality with ProjectManager.

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Home | News & Insights | How to Write an Executive Summary

How to Write an Executive Summary

3rd Sep, 2024

Depending on the type of organisation you’re in and the work involved, an executive summary can be an incredibly useful way to quickly and clearly communicate the key takeaways of a larger document. With a greater understanding of how to effectively compose an executive summary, you can ensure that any project documents, proposals or surveys provide the relevant information for stakeholders, and convey the intended message. In this guide, we will explain how to write an executive summary, with all the best tips and details to ensure you can successfully create tailored summaries for your business.

What is an executive summary?

Before we look at how to write one, it’s important to know exactly what an executive summary is. An executive summary is essentially an overview of a document, more detail-rich and often long documents . The exact length of your executive summary and its contents will depend on what document it is summarising. However, executive summaries typically range from one to two pages long. Your summary should share all the information that your readers and stakeholders need to know about the document, providing them with the details they need to succeed before they have even read the main body of the document.

When are executive summaries used?

Executive summaries are most commonly used in the following types of documents:

• Research reports
• School reports
• Environmental studies
• Project proposals
• Market surveys
• Business cases
• Project plans

Why are executive summaries important?

If you’re writing any of the above documents an executive summary should be an essential component. This is because your readers might not have time to go through the full document straight away after initially receiving it. Therefore, a strong executive summary should be able to provide a clear overview of the contents of the document, and when they do intend to go through it fully, it should keep their attention and motivate them to continue reading .

Additionally, the summary might contain important details for stakeholders, ensuring they can prepare for future meetings and quickly follow up on specific areas of the document.

What should an executive summary include?

A high-quality executive summary should offer a brief statement of the key topics being covered within the document. It’s important to keep in mind that it is a summary, meaning you should keep the language succinct and to the point, aiming to stay within the one to two-page range referenced earlier in this guide. The main elements that you will want to include in your executive summary are:

• An overview of what the document is about, such as the challenges a business is currently having, or a proposal for a new product.
• A clear analysis of the problem.
• Background information that applies to the reader.
• Conclusions the author has reached.

How to write an executive summary

Your executive summary should be written in a professional manner , as well as being clear and concise. It can be beneficial before you start writing it to do some research and potentially find a template that reflects the type of summary or document you’re writing. For example, E-Sign has a wide range of useful templates that our clients can utilise, including a grant proposal template , that features an executive summary section. Also, you should ask any questions to your colleagues or management prior to writing, to ensure that you format and style the summary appropriately to your organisation . Follow the steps below to write a great executive summary.

1. Start with the problem and proposed solution 

First, make sure that you have read the document in its entirety multiple times, so you can quickly highlight the main points, problems, and advice. You should begin your executive summary by explaining why the document and the project it discusses are important . 

Clearly explain the background detail of what the problem is, including any relevant research or feedback that supports this. This should be followed by why it is essential to solve the problem, including how the resolution will benefit your customers and other stakeholders. 

For example, if your document is proposing an environmental study, you should establish the value of the study, what information it can provide in order to make crucial sustainable changes, who will benefit from the outcome of the study etc.

2. Detail the project’s objectives or the solution it intends to provide

After presenting the problem in the first part of your executive summary, you will want to follow up by outlining your solution . This includes explaining and convincing your readers why this solution is the best option to solve the problem. You can support these claims by broadly describing what will happen during the project and the intended outcomes. 

However, the executive summary will be situated at the start of the proposal/project plan. So it’s ok not to have all your deliverables and milestones mapped out at this stage, more details will be provided to the reader as they progress through the document. If you want to include an overview of the project’s core deliverables and timelines, it may be beneficial to create a project roadmap before writing this part of your executive summary.

3. Explore the value of the solution

For this part of the summary, you will start to go into more detail about how the solution will impact and improve upon the challenges discussed at the beginning of the document. This is likely to include any expected results, relevant financial details, project risks, and potential benefits. It’s common in this section of the summary to relate the project to your overall company goals, objectives, and values.

4. Conclude with the importance of your work

Once you have provided the key information to your readers and stakeholders, you should close your executive summary by emphasising the impact and importance of this project on your organisation and the wider community overall . It should leave a lasting impression on the reader, resonating with their values and encouraging them to support the proposed plan. Incorporating a call to action and leaving the reader wanting to continue the document are good ways to conclude your executive summary.

Executive summary example template

Every executive summary might look different, depending on the type of document you are creating the summary for, your industry and organisation etc. When considering how to format your executive summary, you should keep the intended audience in mind and whether your company has any set requirements. Whilst the above details the elements you will want to include in terms of written content, below is a brief executive summary template, showing how you may want to lay out your content when writing your own.

[Introduction/problem statement]

Example – The city of (city/town name) has been facing a steady decline for various reasons including (increased unemployment rates, and increased crime rates amongst young people). According to recent research by (well-known institution) (relevant statistics, e.g., anti-social behaviour by young people has risen by 10%). In correlation with this (more relevant statistics, e.g., 1 in 3 families say that they would benefit from having more activities for their kids to do outside of school) .

[Proposed solution]

Example – Our architectural project has been effectively planned to address the core issues discussed above, and avoid the deficiencies of previous attempts at bringing a community building to the local area. The project is not just about constructing the building itself, but also ensuring that an infrastructure is in place that actively encourages the community to utilise the space and services it will provide. It will create job opportunities and support families that are looking for positive activities their children can become involved in.

Example – Our objectives for this project are (list objectives) with regular reviews to ensure we are meeting the targets we set out. Following the successful completion of this project, our next step is implementing our work on a wider scale to make a difference in the lives of individuals and communities around the world. The total cost to carry out this work is (total figure) and your investment of (figure) is the ideal amount to complete our funding and get the project started.

[Conclusion and next steps]

Example – There is a growing need for a modern community centre where children and young people can go to give them purpose, and activities that are relevant to their interests. It’s important to invest in projects that will support younger people, allowing them to successfully flourish and positively transition into the working world. By the end of this project, we anticipate (outcomes including data estimates, e.g.10,000 people can benefit from the community centre we build). Find out more about our organisation and this project here.

A well-written executive summary can set the tone for the rest of your proposal/project plan , and make a significant difference in achieving the intended outcomes of the document. For example, if you’re sending a proposal to potential investors, your executive summary will provide them with the initial facts that might influence their decision before they have read the full document. 

As an electronic signature and digital document solutions provider, E-Sign understands the importance of creating and sending high-quality documents for signature, like proposals and plans that feature executive summaries. There are many benefits to implementing an e-signature platform like E-Sign into your document workflows including increased efficiency, cost savings, reduced carbon emissions and more . 

Contact us today to discuss your requirements and our digital transformation team can help to provide you with a tailored plan that meets your needs. You can also get started with E-Sign by registering for our 14-day free trial , allowing you to try the features and functionality of the platform yourself, and see how it can support your organisation’s document processes.

Luke Garrett

Head of digital transformation.

Luke works with organisations to evaluate their existing processes, assessing the organisational change and change management processes that a business may require. He leads organisations through the process and ensures a smooth transition to the most effective operations.

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