Reconciling the experts: Resolving the advice on writing business plans. Like any other endeavor that combines hardnosed factual analysis and creative freethinking, the task of writing business plans generates a range of opinions.

Your task: Find at least six sources of advice on writing successful business plans (focus on start-up businesses that are likely to seek outside investors). Use at least two books, two magazine or journal articles, and two websites or blogs. Analyze the advice you find and identify points where most or all the experts agree and points where they don’t agree. Wherever you find points of significant disagreement, identify which opinion you find most convincing and explain why. Summarize your findings in a brief formal report.

 

Here’s
the situation: Read and follow the directions on pages 466-67 in chapter 15. Your
report should include the following:

• 
  Information as noted and asked for in the case. Research from at
  least six credible sources to inform the your audience and to support the recommendation(s)
• 
  APA citations for all researched information (in-text
  parenthetical citations and a reference list at the end of the report)
• 
  Formal report formatting
  
  

You will need to conduct outside research and cite
your sources using APA citations. Conclude the formal report by making
recommendations to your audience. Your report MUST be formatted as a formal
report.

Part One (Due Week 6) Table of Contents and Introduction

Your assignment this
week is to write your formal report’s table of contents and introduction, using
formal formatting. To complete this assignment, you will need to have a good
plan in place for your formal report. I encourage you to use the three-step
process we’ve been studying this session. (The formal report is due in its
entirety at the end of week 8. In week 6, only the table of contents and
introduction are due.)

In week 6, your assignment should include the following: 

• A table of contents using formal report formatting. (Note that page numbers are not
       necessary this week, as you will not have written the actual report yet.
       Page numbers should be added next week, though, when you complete the
       report.)
• The table of contents should include first- and second-level headings, like the example
       on page 437 in chapter 15.

• Include an  introductory section featuring the following four parts (see page 439 in
       chapter 15 for an example.
•  

• Introduction 

• Purpose, Scope, and Limitations 

• Sources and Methods 

• Report Organization

Identify at
     least six credible sources you will use in your proposal in the “Sources
     and Methods” section.

• Use formal report formatting.

• Be free of grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.

Part Two (Due Week 8)
Formal Report in Full

In week 6, you planned the
formal report and wrote the TOC and introduction. In week 8, you will complete
the formal report. (You may need to revise the TOC and Introduction, based on
the feedback you receive from your instructor.)

In week 8, your assignment should contain the following:

• 
  Be formatted as a formal report, following the guidelines formal reports in the
  text (including the guidelines for headings and subheadings found on pages 435-448);
• 
  Include appropriate prefatory, text, and supplemental parts (The
  formal report should contain appropriate prefatory, text, and supplemental
  parts, including the following: a cover and/or title page; a letter of
  transmittal; a table of contents; the four-part Introductory Section from week
  6; appropriately labeled body sections; and appendices, such as the client
  interview and list of references. Your report does not need to contain all
  of these parts, but should contain most of them.);

• 
  Fully answer the question posed in the case from the text,
  considering all of the background information provided and fulfilling the
  purpose outlined in the case. The word count for the intro, body, and
  conclusion should be 1250-1750 words);
• 
  Use at least six credible
  researched sources appropriately and effectively;
• 
  Include proper documentation using APA style (both in-text and
  end-of-text citations--please check your work
  using turnitin.com); and
• 
  Be free of spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.

Note: Visual aids are entirely appropriate for this kind of
report, but they are not required. If you decide to use visual aids, be certain
to adhere to the standards we have studied previously in this course.

 

How the Formal Report
Assignment is Graded

The Formal Report Assignment will be graded according to the criteria set
forth in the Rubrics for weeks 6 and 7/8, located in Doc Sharing.