Writing the

Methodology and Results

Section

LEARNING OUTCOMES
Identify the purpose of methodology
and results to a report.
Identify elements in a methodology
and results
Analyze methodology and results by
identifying their elements.

RECAP/OVERVIEW
Reports generally include
these sections in this order:

Abstract
Introduction
Literature Review
Methodology
Results
Discussion
Conclusion

Research Report
Methods

Research Report Methods

The method section describes :
Steps that you followed in conducting
your study and the materials you
used in each step.
the materials and procedures.
the elements included and the order
in which they are presented

Research Report Methods

ELEMENTS INCLUDED IN METHODS SECTION
Overview of the Experiment
Population/Sample
Location
Restrictions/Limiting Conditions
Sampling Technique
Procedures
Materials
Variables
Statistical Treatment
(Weissberg & S. Buker, 1990, p. 92).

Structure of Methodology Section

First describe how the data was collected
Details of how you collected the data
From your own experiences and recollections
Details of how your data source collected the
data (secondary analysis)
From the article or report

Second describe how you analyzed the data

Statistical procedures used
How those procedures test your hypothesis or
answer your research question

Details of
How You Collected Your Data
Target Population Type of people residing
in what geographical area
Method of Sampling or Subject Selection
Sampling Method

Random Sampling
Purposive Sampling
Sample Size
Response Rate (%) = # Responding
# Sampled

X 100

Details of
How You Collected Your Data
Method of Observation
Self-Report Survey (Quantitative)
Mail, email, telephone, face-to-face
Questionnaire Construction
Include a copy in the Appendix

Details of Data Collection Method

Any unanticipated problems with method
How data was entered into statistical
analysis data base

Describe How You

Analyzed the Data
Qualitative Analysis
Describe how you organized your
response data
Categorization of comments
How you used spontaneous comments from
subjects to formulate new questions

Describe how your analyze method will

answer or address your research
question

Language
Passive voice is common and so is past tense:
Telephone interviews were conducted. The interviews
were conducted for a state agency. A split ballot
design was employed .Each quarter of the sample was
asked. Three open-end and one closed-end question
formats were investigated. Each question format was
drawn from previous research and was selected to be
illustrative of one approach to asking age. The
particular question format ... was randomly
determined prior to the interview. All interviews were
conducted from a centralized location.

Language
The interviewer then introduced himself/herself and
stated who was conducting the study and asked for
the potential study participants cooperation.
The questionnaire consisted of 20 questions, of which
the age question was number 15.
Actual age data were available from the state agency
for 1,324 of the individuals interviewed.
Therefore, following the completion of an interview it
was possible to compare an individuals reported age
with his or her actual age.
This in turn permitted inferences as to which question
format produced the most accurate age data
as well as which format resulted in the lowest refusal
rate or nonresponse rate.

Research Report
Results

Research Report Results

This section should include some text,
mainly to describe the tables and graphs
containing the data. Short tables can be
included directly in the text, but
extensive tables and graphs are put on
separate pages following the one on
which they are first mentioned in the
text.

Research Report Results (cont)

Units should be given in the heading of each
data column and not after the individual values
listed in the table. All tables and graphs should
have titles. Graphs should be neatly and
carefully drawn on graph paper or plotted with
a computer, and axes must be properly labeled
and scaled. Raw data and sample calculation
are normally placed in an appendix. A
comment on the accuracy and reproducibility
of the results is also appreciated in this
section.

ELEMENTS INCLUDED IN RESULTS

SECTION #
statement showing where the results can
be found- an overview
statement presenting the most important
findings
statement commenting on the results this
may include:
generalising from the results
explaining possible reasons for the results
comparing the results with what was expected
or with results from other studies

Language:
Referring to a diagram, chart etc.
As can be seen
from
in

It can be seen
We can see

Table 1
Figure 2
From

the

figures
chart
diagram

the

chart,
diagram,
table,
graph,
figures,
statistics,

can
it

be
may

seen
concluded
shown
estimated
calculated
inferred

...

that ...

that ...

REFERENCE

Swales, J. M. (1990). Genre analysis. Cambridge:

Cambridge University Press
Abdul Majid, N., Md Yusoff, A.A., Abdullah, T. Marzuki, S.,
Md Salleh, z., Muhammad, F., Abd Hamid, S.A., Kahar, R.
(2007) Academic Report Writing: From Research to
Presentation. Selangor: Pearson Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. Pp. 4057.
Leonhard, B.H. (2002) Discoveries in Academic Writing.
Singapore: Heinle & Heinle. Pp. 1-10.
Halligan, N. (2004). A short course on writing technical
reports. Technical Writing. Retrieved June 9, 2005 from
http://www.technical-writing-course.com/type-of-technicalreport.html
Asian Institute of Technology Language Center. (2003).
Writing Up Research Guidebook. Asian Institute of
Technology. Retrieved June 9, 2005 from
http://www.clet.ait.ac.th/el21open.htm

THE END