Cover Page Executive Summary Table of Contents Background Problem/ Opportunity Research Objectives
Action Standard Research Method Research Results Managerial Implications Appendices Acknowledge Sources
An Action Standard defines the criteria that will be used to interpret the results or to make decisions. It is the standard that will be used to define what is important, significant, or merits action in the report. While others may choose to use other criteria, including an Action Standard ensures that there is no confusion about what is used in the report.
A Standard is needed because a value—say, 100—has no meaning except in context. If it is body temperature, 100 indicates a fever. If it is a test score, its meaning depends on what grading scale is being used (i.e., 100 point test, SAT, or GMAT).
Standards set early in the process, in conjunction with the client, help avoid misunderstandings and disagreements.
Action Standards take the form of “ratios higher than …” or “the top three most frequently mentioned …” or “statistically significant differences at 0.05 …”