Hi everyone!

Before I even think of starting to write the executive summary, I want input as to how you guys want it written. Since it's important, we should make it serious but entertaining and a "good read." So please post your thoughts.

Thanks,
Lydia

-- Anonymous, November 26, 1998

Answers

I think the most important thing to focus on is the content. My only suggestion for writing style is to get to the point quickly (i.e. in the first sentence of every paragraph)and to minimize introductory statements which force readers to read a whole paragraph before they find out what's the bottom-line.

By Sunday afternoon, I will post to the discussion group page an expanded introduction to our entire paper. I hope that you will be able to use this intro to help with framing the issues we address in our paper.

-- Anonymous, November 27, 1998

I think I was unclear. I didn't so much mean the presentation of the paper (although I meant that); I meant more -- do we think that the executive summary should be proportioned the same way that the actual paper is, or should we be minimizing the background information (since the paper is for experts and classmates)?

-- Anonymous, November 27, 1998

I think the executive summary should place more emphasis on the second part of our paper. I think you should expect readers to have some basic familiarity with cyberspace concepts, but don't write as though readers are techno-experts.

-- Anonymous, November 28, 1998

Hi Lydia,

I agree with Kristina -- I would definitely cut down the first part of our paper to the bare bones. For example, I would pare down my section (Real space trespass law) to a paragraph. That paragraph should list (but not go into) related causes of action (nuisance, etc.), give the elements of real space trespass, the elements and definitions of real space trespass to chattel, a sentence on the statutes, and maybe a sentence on the two cases I mention.

For our joint section, I would devote three or four sentences to each element -- one or two sentences describing the case and the technology, and one or two sentences describing the legal analysis. If we end up coming back to these four cases in the second part of our whitepaper, perhaps to illustrate how our architectures would have applied to these situations (not a bad idea; we should seriously consider doing this), then maybe we should devote more space to the background of the cases.

How long is the executive summary supposed to be again? If it's supposed to be 5 pages, I would devote about 1.5 pages to the old part. That's my vote, anyway.

- Michelle.

-- Anonymous, November 28, 1998