Recommendation Report (RR)
A Green City for Rogers Biometrics
Scenario
{“Scenario” is an example of first- level APA 7 heading}
It is centered, bold, upper & lower case
The following scenario is what we will use for the recommendation report (RR) in memo format.
The company where you work, Rogers Biometrics (RB) has decided to relocate; Dr. Rogers, the owner and CEO, wants to move to a green city. She believes living and working in a green city makes a statement about the mission of RB.
Dr. Rogers has tasked you with researching (investigating) green cities in the continental United States, analyzing them, and recommending one for RB . She has given you a provisional promotion to senior analyst with a considerable pay raise for this project. This promotion and raise will become permanent if you do an excellent job with this.
All 25 of RBs employees including you will be relocating with the company. Everyone is anxious to see what city you recommend and why.
Background Information
{Second-level heading APA 7, flush left, bold, upper, and lower case}
For examples of APA headings or seriation, click this link. https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/apa_headings_and_seriation.html
Click the link below to watch a short video on green cities. You can use these as part of your required 10 references if you cite them in your report.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMDgU6ezZLk
Click the link below to read a little about green cities.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-do-cities-go-green/
Your Task
{First-level heading}
1. Select three cities in the United States. Select from the lower 48.
2. Select four criteria from the 9 below.
3. Analyze each one of your cities using four of the criteria you selected.
4. Create a weighted decision matrix using the data from your analysis. (See text p.479)
5. Make a recommendation for one city. No one city will be perfect, just recommend the best.
Criteria for Green City
{Second-level heading}
A. Generates and/or uses renewable energy
B. Pollution Control, pick one : air, water, noise
C. Climate Change Policy
D. Green Spaces within a 10-minute walk from home and/or office (undeveloped land that is partially or completely covered with a variety of vegetation.
E Availability and type of Mass Transit/Public Transportation
F. Bike Friendly (Safe bicycle paths in downtown and rent-a-bike or bike share
availability
G. Pedestrian friendly cities. (Walkability in downtown)
H. Fresh, healthy food ---- e.g. access to farmer’s markets and/or locally sourced food
“In 2018, 23.5% of Baltimore residents lived in an area where access to healthy food is limited” (Meyershon, June 2020). This is an example of APA 7 in text citation.
I. Health Care, e.g., number of doctors per capita/access to excellent hospitals
Instructions for Writing the RR
NOTE: The headings and organization used in this document are what you should use for your Recommendation Report (RR). No other organization/headings are acceptable. We are using a combination of APA 7 and the GEB text for the style and format. See the link above in Background Information for APA 7 seriation.
1. Use the APA 7 heading format and the names of the headings used in this document.
2. Use Calibri 11-point font for the entire report including headings and reference page.
3. The report should be 1500 words MAXIMUM, single-spaced and use at least ten references. If you use the same source three times, it counts as only one source.
4. The reference list is double-spaced, has hanging indents; watch this video on how to make hanging indents.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7yajSdMT3o
Itis in alphabetical order as per APA 7. Click here for the Purdue OWL on APA 7 references. https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_electronic_sources.html
Put a page number on the reference list. Make the URLs, hyperlinks, live on the reference page. See the following link for how to handle reference twins (when you use a source more than once). Reference twins count as one source.
https://canvas.fau.edu/courses/112225/files/23551433?wrap=1&fd_cookie_set=1
Caution: Do Not use MS Word template for APA references. It is incorrect, and be careful with citation generators. Must are also incorrect. Your best bet is to manually create your reference page.
5. Write in the first person singular and be aware of your audience, GEB text pp.135-7, 141-4. Use first-person plural when referring to Rogers Biometrics, e.g., “our company.” Remember, you work there.
5. Use high impact or high skim value format (headings, bullets, etc.) wherever appropriate to help organize your report. Note: Your report must have at least one instance of high-impact formatting.
Follow tips in document design, GEB text pp. 196-9. Follow APA 7 guidelines for headings.
6. Use the Memorandum Format that is demonstrated in this document starting on p.4. Also, refer to the text p. 394 for a Memorandum example.
Follow the “tips” in the blue box – your initials on the “From” line. Note: the headings in the GEB text example do NOT follow APA 7, so follow the format presented in this document or the Purdue OWL (see link) not your text.
NOTICE MEMOS AND LETTERS HAVE DIFFERENT FORMATS.
7. Do NOT number the first page of the memo. Put subsequent page numbers upper right.
Note: The memorandum template starts on page 5 of this document, but your memorandum will not have all this introductory material.
8. Insert proper in-text citations (no standalone URL links) for facts, illustrations, or ideas taken from any sources. These in-text citations will correspond to the APA reference list at the end of your report. Note: You cannot have items on your reference page that do not appear as citations in the paper.
9. You must have at least two original visuals. The Matrix counts as one.
Additional Resources to Help Your Writing
See the “Signal Phrases “ handout in this link. http://www.capella.edu/interactivemedia/onlineWritingCenter/downloads/handoutSignalPhrases2009.pdf
Check your grammar. Consider a free version of Grammarly.
Commonly confused words
https://www.grammarcheck.net/confusing-words/
Common useless words (being concise)
https://www.grammarcheck.net/boring-phrases/
Word to be eliminated from your writing
https://www.forbes.com/sites/dailymuse/2015/05/07/15-words-you-need-to-eliminate-from-your-vocabulary-to-sound-smarter/?sh=50dbc76f29de
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Learn the difference:
CRITERIA and CRITERION. Use them correctly.
Criteria is plural of Criterion.
ANALYST is your job title for this scenario. An Analyst is a person who investigates something
ANALSIS is something you do. You investigate.
Below, you will find the template for your RR done in memorandum format. We are using the Indirect Strategy, GEB Text pp. 391 & 447. Create a RB letterhead and logo for the first page of your memo.
Letterhead & Logo Here
Create this for RB. Include address, phone, email)
MEMORANDUM
Date:
To: Dr. Rogers
From: Your name and your initials (see text, p. 395, blue box)
Subject: The Best Green City for RB
Introduction/Problem/Background
{example of first- level APA 7 heading}
The introduction/problem is your first paragraph. It states the purpose of your document, briefly describes the problem, gives a little background (you’ll have to make this up) and previews the headings, thus allowing the reader to understand the organization.
Conclusion/Recommendation
(See text p. 497 & 507 and following links https://keydifferences.com/difference-between-summary-and-conclusion.html - ComparisonChart
https://www.monash.edu/rlo/assignment-samples/engineering/eng-writing-technical-reports/conclusions-and-recommendations
Your conclusion is NOT just a summary of your data; do NOT repeat the individual facts. Conclusions are judgments, opinions, reasoned inferences based on your data. See GEB text p. 444, blue box, “Tips.”
Write your recommendation based on your analysis. Remember: recommendations are actionable, what to do next. See GEB text p.445 Look at blue box “Tips”. Use action verbs.
Do NOT number your recommendation and conclusion as shown in the text.
Facts/Findings
!.Explain your choice of the four criteria from the 9, e.g., why those? Explain the weight you gave each one and why.
2.Explain the ranking of the three cities; three is the highest and one the lowest. You can’t accomplish this until after you have completed your research and filled in the matrix.
3.Present one negative, about each of the three cities you’ve chosen. Remember, nothing is all good.
This is a good place for another visual.
4. Put your Weighted Decision Matrix in this section. Include one fact per cell in the Matrix with an attribution. See text p. 479 for a “weighted decision matrix.” Remember to give each visual a title on number.
Note: On the next page is an example of a weighted matrix. It is from another class doing a different topic.
Table 1 {Your table (visual) must have a number and a title as per APA7 }
Weighted Decision Matrix {title}
Cities Airport
20 Commuter Convenience
45 Traffic
35 Total
100
Located 12 miles from city2
2 x 20 = 40
4.2% utilizes public transportation4a
1 x 45 = 45
Average travel time is 24.6 Minutes4a
3 x 35 = 105
190
Located10 miles from city1
3 x 20 =60
Public transit account for 11.1% of household4b
2 x 45 = 90
Average travel time is 25.8 minutes4b
2 x 35 = 70
220
Located 13 miles from city3
1 x 20 = 20
21.4% of households commute by public transit4c
3 x 45 = 135
Average travel time is 26.2 minutes4c
1 x 35 = 35
190
Note: Adapted from 1. City of Atlanta (2019); 2. Orlando Travel Resources (2019); 3. Cross (2019); 4a. Data USA, Orlando, FL (2018); 4b. Data USA, Atlanta, GA (2018); 4c. Data USA, Seattle, WA (2018).
{You must have this note. It contains your citations}
Open this link for a full discussion of Figures/tables in APA7 https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/apa_tables_and_figures.html
Discussion/Analysis
Navigating your way through paragraph(s) will give you the opportunity to display your writing skills, e.g., transitions, coherence, parallelism, concision, word choice, grammar, etc. See GEB text pp. 145-6, 169-77, 190, 193-6, commas and semicolons, D-8-11. Also go to the Purdue OWL link provided here and read the section on bias-free language. As mentioned earlier, use first person singular.
https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/bias-free-language/general-principles
Part 1 {The is an example of an APA third-level heading. Notice it is italicized.
Discuss your data (the four criteria) for the one city you are going to recommend. Include more than just the data; include the implications for RB e.g., 42 miles of bicycle paths in the downtown area will allow employees to bike to work, thus keeping carbon emissions down and making this city a healthy place to live. The data: XYC has 42 miles of bicycle paths (XXXX, 2020). {in-text citation}.
Note: I invented the bicycle path fact to show you how to do this. You can have quotes in this section, but as a general rule 10% maximum of the text can be quotes. The best way to keep below the 10% is not to quote entire sentences. Write and cite only the actual fact.
Part 2
Explain why the one negative about your recommended city did not change your recommendation (see Facts/Findings). Why didn’t the negative prevail?
This is a good place for your additional visual.