Your Task
Study a consumer product that you or a business might consider buying.
This might be a notebook or laptop, a smartphone, a digital camera,
a widescreen TV, an espresso machine, a car, a gaming system, a powerful
office printer, or some other product. Use at least four primary and four
secondary sources to research your product (see the textbook, Learning
Objective 10-3).
Your primary research can be in the form of surveys, credible
YouTube product reviews, observations, or interviews with individuals
(owners, users, salespeople, technicians) in a position to comment on
attributes of your product. Secondary research will be in the form of print or
electronic sources, such as magazine articles, marketing websites with user
reviews, and company websites. Use electronic databases and the Web to
find appropriate articles. Your report should analyze and discuss at least
two comparable models or versions of the target product. Decide
which criteria you will use to compare the models, such as price, features,
warranty, and service.
Your report must include:
• Four primary sources and four secondary sources (Refer to the
textbook, Learning Objective 10-3)
• One well-constructed graphic (Refer to the textbook, Learning
Objective 10-5)
• Report components: cover page, letter of transmittal, table of
contents, executive summary, introduction, findings (organized by
comparison criteria), a summary of findings, conclusions or
recommendations, and citations. Refer to Learning Objective 10-3 in
your textbook.
• Address the report to Professor Smith.
After completing your report, please compile a presentation that includes the
following:
• At least five visually appealing slides summarizing your report content.
• You may find it helpful to record the primary talking points for each
slide in the Notes section of your PowerPoint, below each slide. Here’s
a link to a resource that explains how to use the Notes section in
PowerPoint: https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Add-speakernotes-to-your-slides-26985155-35f5-45ba-812b-e1bd3c48928e.
• You must be visible in the video recording of your
presentation. Many students use a smartphone to record their
presentations. Please provide a link to the video or upload the video
recording to Brightspace along with your PowerPoint slides and Formal
Report by the due date.
• Presentation Length: 5 minutes or less.
General Instructions:
1. This formal report must be typewritten.
2. Report format: MLA 8.
3. Submit the formal report, presentation slides, and video (if
applicable) via Brightspace on or before the due date.
4. Please submit the formal report and slides in Microsoft Word,
Microsoft PowerPoint (presentation slides only), or PDF format.
5. Refer to Learning Objective 10-6 and Figure 10.19 (please see folder
below) to learn more about the components of a formal report.
6. Point value: 10 points.
7. Evaluation Criteria: Please refer to the grading rubric. Access the
rubric via the “Submit Formal Report” link below.
8. Work Plan: Below you will find a MindTap link that provides an
example of a Work Plan for a formal report. You are not required to write
a Work Plan but preparing a Work Plan makes for a cohesive report.
9. Report Drafts: You may submit report drafts for review up to one
week before the assignment due date. I will evaluate the document and
provide feedback regarding your draft report. You are not required to
submit a draft report.
10. If you have any questions concerning this assignment, please ask.
We can meet virtually during office hours or by appointment. You may
also submit your questions via Brightspace “Course Messages”.
Submit your report using the “Formal Report Submission” link. You
may submit an unlimited number of times. I will grade the latest
submissions.