Research Report

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RESEARCH REPORT Research Methodology: Tools, Methods and Techniques

 After completing this chapter, you should be able to:  Know the guidelines to effective report writing   Know the contents of a research report   Tailor the report format to meet the needs of different types of research (basic and applied),

different research goals that need reports of varying lengths, and different audiences    Write a good executive summary or synopsis, introductory section, methods section, data 

analysis section and interpretation of the results  Give recommendations and suggestions for implementation, as necessary   Write the summary and acknowledgements  Provide the appropriate materials for references  Include appropriate materials in the appendix  Critique research reports and published studies

Table of Content 14.1 INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH REPORT 14.2 GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE REPORT WRITING 14.3 THE WRITING PROCESS 14.4 STRUCTURE OF A RESEARCH REPORT FORMAT 14.5 CRITERIA OF A GOOD RESEARCH REPORT

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14.1 INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH REPORT

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The entire research process or writing the research report must be understood that after designing a nice project, all the effort spent in the entire process is worthless if it is not properly reported.

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14.2 GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE REPORT WRITING

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The two key factors guiding the preparation of  written reports are: 

The nature of the audience

• The first factor to consider in preparing a written report is to consider the background and interests of the audience.

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The original objectives of the report

• The second key factor guiding the preparation of the report is the need to present the collected data in a manner that enables the research’s original objective(s) to be accomplished.

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14.3 THE WRITING PROCESS

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Prior to writing, the researcher as mentioned above must deal with two key questions: 

Who will read the research report?  What is the purpose of the report? 

The following are some of the important factors to be considered by researchers faced with the task of   writing the research report:

Do not assume prior knowledge

Use common terminology wherever possible

Write as if explaining the points to a panel of readers sitting opposite

Try to “SELL” the information

Keep sentences short and simple

 Avoid reducing the sentences by leaving out important words like “a”, “the” and “that”

Use the active tense rather than passive

Keep to basic punctuation

Have one final writer 

Develop an outline prior to writing

Plan on rewriting

Follow acceptable report format

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14.4 STRUCTURE OF A RESEARCH REPORT FORMAT

 Abstract  Author’s declaration

 Acknowledgemen t

List of tables

Title page

Cover page

Table of contents



Preparatory

List of figures

Chapter 3 – Methodology Chapter 2 – Literature Review

Chapter 1 – Introduction

Chapter 4 –  Analysis of data

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Body

Chapter 5 – Discussion and Conclusion

 Appendix

Index

(if any)

(if any)

Reference

Fly leaves 

Supplementar  y

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14.5 CRITERIA OF A GOOD RESEARCH REPORT

The steps in the research process are vital to be used, for a report cannot be accurate when the basic input is inaccurate.

Completenes s

 A report is complete when it provides all the information readers need in language they understand.

Clarity

Conciseness

 Accuracy

1.

The report must be complete as well as concise, where the writer must be selective in what he includes.

The report must be clear, where words, sentences, and paragraphs can all make a difference.