Discuss the use of introductory elements that allow readers to get a feel for a document without reading the entire work

What will be an ideal response?

Answer: One of the most important elements to consider is an introductory feature that helps time-pressed readers either get a sense of what's in the document or even get all the key points without reading the document. A synopsis, sometimes called an abstract, is a brief overview (one page or less) of a report's most important points. The phrasing of a synopsis can be informative (presenting the main points in the order in which they appear in the text) if you're using the direct approach or descriptive (simply describing what the report is about, without "giving away the ending") if you're using the indirect approach. As an alternative to a synopsis or an abstract, a longer report may include an executive summary, a fully developed "mini" version of the report, for readers who lack the time or motivation to read the entire document.
Learning Obj.: LO 11.4: Summarize the four tasks involved in completing business reports and proposals.