The document discusses the elements that make up the back matter section of a recommendation report, including a glossary, list of symbols, appendices, references, and index. A glossary contains definitions of key terms in alphabetical order with citations. An appendix contains additional useful but non-essential material like usability test plans or interview questions. References are listed sources using a recommended citation style. An index provides specifics and page numbers for long reports.

1. Writing Formal
Reports
The Recommendation
Report Back Matter
Adapted a presentation from http://www.ais.msstate.edu/AEE/

2. Elements in a
Recommendation Report
Back matter
• Glossary
• List of Symbols (if any)
• Appendices
• Reference list
• Index

3. Glossary & List of Symbols
• Glossary- alphabetical listing
of key terms in the report
• The definitions are given in
complete sentences with
appropriate citations
List of Symbols &
Abbreviations
• Use standard symbols
• Do not create your own

4. Appendixes
• Additional material that is
useful but not essential to
understanding the body of the
report
▫ Usability test plan
▫ Interview questions, etc.
• Presents the data from which
some conclusions were drawn
and recommendations made
▫ Notes taken during usability
test
▫ Questionnaires filled out (if
any) etc.

5. References
• List of sources
• Use the recommended style
▫ For this report APA but it may
differ in the workplace

7. Index
• Contains more detail than the
table of contents
• Gives specifics along with page
numbers
• May or may not be used;
depends on the requirements
by client
• Usually for reports which are
hundreds of pages long