Below is Dark's idea for a Wondertainment format. The first time he tried to implement it it bombed, but it would be really cool to get one successful version out before the hub goes up (personal goal). I have an idea for something to do with it.
by Joe Schmo
the XXth of Month, XXXX
Here you will summarize the purpose of this business report in two sentences or less. One sentence is preferred, but you may use two sentences if absolutely necessary.
Introduce your thing, say
why this thing is getting written. This can be a short paragraph. I will take this space to also say one important thing about this format: juxtapose how formal the format is with how frivolous and childish the contents are. Wondertainment is a company effectively run by naivety. The format communicates all of the "company" part that you need. The actual contents of the report should communicate the "childish" aspect.
Describe your method(s) of gathering information. Your length may vary, though know that the whole point of a business report is to be concise and to the point.
1)
Finding number one.
Report on your first finding.
2) Finding number two.
Keep reporting on findings until you have no more findings to report on.
3) Finding number three.
Et cetera. These could be pretty long, seeing as they are what you are using to back your argument (and they are raw evidence).
This is the point you have been trying to make all along. Cite your findings while making your point.
1)
Recommendation one.
This is where you recommend certain actions to be taken in accordance to your findings. You can probably number these too.
2) Recommendation two.
And so on and so forth.
Sometimes you have other articles or small pieces of information that you refer to, and you put them in appendixes. You would say something like "refer to a graph of sales this quarter (Appendix A)". Put as many as you need. Don't get obsessive, these are supposed to be optional.