Communications in a Research Report

Objective: To be informative or persuasive Interchange of verbal and graphic information

Seeks an understanding and agreement regarding the results This is two-way
communications process and there is a need for feedback

The Report Writing Process

Analysis of the data

The actual writing of the report · Exploring the contents of a data set. · Finding structure in data. ·
Checking assumptions in statistical models. · Communicating the results of an analysis.
The Qualities of a Good Report
Complete: Include all aspects of the study… and present at the reader’s level
Correct: Accurate on representing the research results
Concise: Be selective
Clear: Clear and logical organization
Organization is Key
Decide before the report is written the… Information to be included Level of detail Tone Logical
arrangement of information
Use the skills you learn in technical writing and communications classes ... so you need to review
your technical writing
Structural Patterns of Presentation Order

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1. Time Order. Chronological time, either forward or backward. 2. Space Order. The relationship
among places and locations. 3. Cause-Effect. Cause may precede effect or the opposite may hold. A
report may stress one or the other. 4. Increasing Difficulty. Such a structure involves going from the
simple to the complex or from the familiar to the unfamiliar. Useful when audience lacks expertise in
the topic. 5. Established Category. Useful when a basic framework is understood. 6. Comparison or
Contrast. Helps readers grasp differences or similarities more easily. 7. Pro and Con Order.
Presenting arguments for and against something, usually without favoring one or the other.

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Developing a Writing Style
... Use Concrete Words. Such words are clear and specific. Be willing to specify, itemize, give details
or examples, define, and illustrate.
... Keep Sentences Short. Shorter sentences usually are more readable, other things equal. Lengthy
sentences are more likely to cause confusion or complexity.

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... Vary Sentence Types and Structures. Use declarative (assert), interrogative (question), imperative
command), and exclamatory sentences. Do not limit a report, but use all types, where appropriate.
Also vary structure among simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences. Varying
types and structure increases interest and reduces monotony.

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... Maintain Unity. Try to build each paragraph around one idea or topic.
... Use Active Verbs. Active sentences tend to be more forceful and more direct. This does not mean
that the passive voice should never be used. Use it sparingly, however.
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... Use various means of emphasis. There are different ways to emphasize certain points made in the
report -- space, repetition, position, and mechanical means (e.g., arrows, color, underscoring).
... Avoid wordiness. Say what is to be said in as few words as possible.
... Write and speak naturally. Often it is difficult to identify what is natural. A helpful guide is
conversational language but it is only a guide.
... Write on the level of reader's understanding. Do not over-estimate the reader's understanding and
confuse him/her with highly specialized technical jargon and do not underestimate the reader by
using overly simplistic and childish terms.
... Watch pace. Avoid trying to say too much in too few words. In the same light, it is bad to stretch
an idea out by using many words.

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... Keep tone appropriate. The way in which words are put together says a great deal about the writer.
Thus, tone of writing implies something about the personality of the writer. While it is rare for a
person to have complete control of the tone of his/her writing, it is important to acknowledge that it
has many shades -- positive or negative, helpful or indifferent, courteous or impertinent, humble or
arrogant, etc.

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Practitioner Suggestions for Researchers
Do the readers a work for them. You don't have to analyze everything. Write in plain English Convey
the main ideas quickly. Answer the question at hand. Keep the report interesting. Some format
limitations must be followed.
Present tense works better. Don't say: "The test panel liked the taste of the juice." Say: "People like
the taste of the juice." Use active voice. "We believe..." rather than: "It is believed that..."
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Passive voice is stilted. Use first person plural--not third person singular. Present tense and active
voice make reports sound action oriented--and businesslike. And active is easy to read. Passive voice
makes the reader work harder.

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Findings, findings--don't use the word findings, Conclusions is the take-away section. Use
informative headlines--not label headlines Let your tables and charts work. The purpose of a table or
a chart is to simplify. Use the double-sided presentation whenever possible. The double-sided
presentation is one of the most readable report formats.
Virgie Palor Lagundino
Graph Types
Spreadsheets and statistical software packages make generating graphs very easy
Online charts and graphs (Qualtrics.com and Surveyz.com Line, bar, pie, radar, scatterplots, and
other types of charts can be created easily Learning how to create charts and tables with your
statistical package will save you time and make your work seem more professional
PRESENTING AND INTERPRETING THE FINDINGS
1. Sequence the presentation of data as suggested by your statement of the problem.
2. Present data in topical or thematic sequence. Group similar information into one heading or sub-
heading as the case may be.
3. Present only relevant data. Individual scores or raw data should be appended not presented in the
discussion chapter.
4. Choose the medium that will present data effectively. Summarize data in tables or figures.
5. The textual presentation should supplement or expand the contents of tables or charts. Rather than
duplicate them.
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6. The analysis of data should be objective and logical. Facts, not opinions, should prevail.
7. In reporting statistical test of significance, include information concerning the obtained magnitude
or value of the test, the degrees of freedom, the probability level, and the direction of the effect.
8. The discussion generally includes: - the meaning of what has been found - statement of inferences
- conditions that limit the generalization - implications/applications of findings
WRITING THE CONCLUSIONS
- a set of generalized statements which are derived from the answers to the main problems.
The conclusions are not repetitions of the findings but rather a statement synthesizing the major
findings.
Conclusions should be drawn only for the population and circumstances for which the evidence has
been collected.
WRITING THE RECOMMENDATIONS

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- a set of doable actions that could be done to solve the problematic situation. The recommendations
may be in terms of - what findings suggest in terms of policy and practices - what the results mean in
terms of existing knowledge - what further research is suggested by the findings

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PARTS OF A RESEARCH MANUSCRIPT (Lyceum of Aparri prescribed format)
Preliminaries (Complete parts for final manuscript, but for proposal, only the title page is needed in
the preliminary parts) -Title Page -Approval Sheet -Acknowledgement -Dedication -Abstract -Table
of Contents -Lists of Tables
I. INTRODUCTION (same parts for proposal and final manuscripts) The Problem and Its
Background Statement of the Problem Hypothesis Conceptual Framework Significance of the Study
Definition of Terms Scope and Delimitation of the Study Review of Related Literature and Studies
II. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ( both for proposal and final manuscripts) -Research Design -
Locale of the Study -Samples and Sampling Procedure -Research Instruments -Data Gathering
Procedure -Statistical Treatment of Data
III. RESULTS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA ( for final manuscript only)
IV. SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS (for final manuscript only)

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Appendices (for final manuscript only) -Protocol Letters - Data Gathering Tool (Questionnaire) -
Bibliography(acknowledge all authors) - this may be taken from the following: (arranged in
alphabetical order) -Books -Journals -Published Theses -Unpublished Theses Internet Resources

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Protocol Letters include the following: 1. Letter to the School Head 2. PSDS 3. SDS 4. teachers 5.
Respondents etc.
Permit to Study includes: 1. Permit to Study, approved by the SDS 2. Permit to Conduct a Study,
requested by you, endorsed by your research adviser, approved by the SDS. (Note: As per
instructions of the ASDS, use the header of Lyceum of Appari)