The body of an analytical report is bracketed  by the front matter and the back matter. This  
video will describe just what these  pages contain and how they should be  
used. Front matter refers to the pages that  are placed at the start of the main report,  
and depending on the needs of the reader and the  expectations of the employer, it can include a  
letter of transmittal, a title page, a table of  contents, and an abstract or executive summary.
These pages add to the usability of  the document by allowing the reader  
to easily find the information they want and by  providing a summary of the reports main points.
A letter, or memo of transmittal, is also called  a cover letter. In it you should indicate what you  
are sending and why you are sending the materials.  You should also summarize the information,  
including any action you are requesting from  the reader, and end with contact information.
The title page should include a clear and  descriptive title, the name of the writer,  
their title if applicable, their organization and  the date of submission. It could also include the  
names of the readers, sponsoring  organizations, or company logos.
A table of contents allows your reader to easily  find the information they want without reading  
through the entire document. It also serves as  an outline for the report. The table of contents  
is constructed using chapter or section  titles. Make sure you are consistent in  
the wording you use in the table of contents and  the wording you use in the headings of the body.
Often your readers may not have time  to read through your entire report  
and instead will rely on the abstract or  executive summary. The executive summary  
is a concise version of your report. The  executive summary paraphrases the report  
and should include the purpose, comments on  the research design, general conclusions,  
and any recommendations. Unlike the executive  summary that paraphrases the report, an abstract  
follows the phrasing and organization of the  report itself. You can draw out key sentences  
from each section of your report to state  the purpose, methods, results, discussion,  
and recommendations. Each of these statements  should be one or two sentences in length.
Back matter refers to the pages that are  placed at the end of the main report. This  
is material that is important for the  report but it's not essential to the  
actual writing. The common categories of back  matter are the reference page and appendices.
References are commonly included in the back  matter. This is the place to cite the sources  
you referenced in your report. The format  you use for the reference page will depend  
on the citation style you have chosen,  for example APA style or MLA style. You  
should choose the citation style that  is most commonly used in your field.
Appendices are supplementary materials you include  at the end of a report. Putting materials at the  
end keeps the report from being overly long and  detailed. What you choose to include in the back  
matter depends on the type of report, the topic  of the report, and the complexity of the report.  
In this student report the author has included the  list of questions he asked in his interviews. An  
engineering report might include calculations as  an appendix. No matter what you choose to include  
each of your appendices should be numbered  or lettered consecutively and given a title.  
Appendices should be referenced in the table of  contents and referenced in the body of the text.
The body of an analytical report is bracketed  by the front matter and the back matter the  
front matter consists of a letter or memo of  transmittal, a title page, a table of contents,  
and an abstract or executive summary. The  back matter is made up of the reference  
page and appendices. What you put in the  appendices depends on the topic of your report.