Executive summary 

To begin an executive summary for a report, center the title of the page in all caps to print
about two inches from the top of the page. Leave three blank lines and begin the
paragraphs of the summary. Double-space the paragraphs in the body and indent the first
line of each paragraph half an inch. Use the same side margins for this section as you do for
the body of your report. The bottom margin for each page should be at least one inch. 

Place the executive summary after the table of contents and before the first section of the
body of the report. Number the pages of the executive summary using Roman numerals (ii,
iii, etc.). Center the page numbers to print about one-half to one inch from the bottom of the
page. The summary should be no longer than two pages. 

In the first paragraph of the executive summary, state the purpose of the report. Then
summarize the main points of the report beginning with the overview and continuing
through the other sections of the report. Devote no more than one paragraph to each
section of the report. Include any recommendations you wish to make related to the
content of the report at the end of the summary.

Report formats

Short reports that are viewed in hard copy and fastened only with a staple or paper clip are
often called unbound reports. To begin an unbound report, center the title of the report in
all caps to print about two inches from the top of the page. Leave three blank lines and
begin the paragraphs or body of the report.

Double-space the paragraphs in the body and indent the first line of each paragraph half an
inch. Use the default side margins for your software or set the side margins to one inch. The
bottom margin for each page should be at least one inch. Place a page number in the
document header for the second and subsequent pages of the report. Place the page
number at the right margin to print about one inch from the top of the page.

Internal Headings

Side headings, such as "Internal Headings" shown above, and paragraph headings, such as
"Paragraph Headings" shown below, are used to divide longer reports into sections. These
headings make the report easier to read and understand.

Side headings. Key a side heading on a line by itself, beginning at the left margin. Capitalize
all important words in a side heading.
Paragraph headings. A paragraph heading describes the information in the one paragraph
it begins. Place a paragraph heading on the first line of the paragraph at the indent point.
Capitalize only the first word and follow the paragraph heading with a period.