Principles of research writing

Objectives

Determine the nature of research writing;

Explain the qualities of an effective reasearch writing;
Determine the components of a research paper;
Evaluate the conventions used in a sample text;
Organize the steps in writing process; and
Reflect on a learning experience
 Incident report
In the workplace, both executives and rank-and-file employees may be
required to submit various kinds of reports like a progress report and
accomplishment report.
• One kind of report that may be asked of you to submit is the incident
report (Adler et.al.) 2012

• An incident report creates a written record of a troublesome

occurrence.
• The report is written either by the person involved in the incident or
by the person in charge of the area where it took place.
• Such a report may be needed to satisfy government regulations, to
guard against legal liability, or to draw attention to unsafe or
otherwise unsatisfactory conditions in need of correction.
• Accordingly, an incident report must provide a thorough description
of the occurrence and, if possible, an explanation of the cause(s).
• In addition, it often includes a section of recommendations for
corrective measures.

• When describing incident, always provide complete details:

• 1. Names and job titles of all persons involved, including onlookers
• 2. Step-by-step narrative description of the incident
• 3. Exact location of the incident
• 4. Date and exact time of each major development
• 5. Clear identification of any of any equipment or machinery involved
• 6. Detailed description of any medical intervention required, including
names of ambulance services and personnel, nurses, physicians,
hospitals or clinics
• 7. Reliable statements (quotation or paraphrase) from persons
involved
• 8. Out come of the incident
• To avoid liability when discussing possible causes, use qualifiers such
as perhaps, maybe possibly and it appears.
• Do not report the comments of witnesses and those involved as if
those observations were verified facts, often they are grossly
inaccurate.
• Attribute all such comments to their sources, and identify them as
speculations only.
• Furthermore, exclude any comments unrelated to the immediate
incident.
• Although you’re ethically required to be as complete and accurate as
possible, don’t create an unnecessarily suspicious climate by relying
on secondhand accounts or reporting verbatim the remarks of
persons who are obviously angry or distraught.
Minutes
• In the previous chapter, it as mentioned that nearly all workplace
writing is done for at least one of three purposes: to recreate a
record, to request or provide information, or to persuade.
• Writing a meeting minutes serves the first purpose, that is to create a
record of what transpired in a meeting held.
• One of the most important follow-up steps to a meeting is to prepare
and distribute the meeting minutes.
• It is a written record of the discussions held, decisions made, and
actions items assigned. (Adler, et. Al., 2012)
• A good set of minutes should be complete and concise.
• This means they should be thorough enough that someone who was
not at the meeting should be able to know exactly what happened.
COMMUNICATION
FOR WORK
PURPOSES
Objectives
◦ Explain the qualities of an effective presenter
◦ Identify the common manifestations of communication anxieties
◦ Deliver an effective oral presentation using appropriate technology
◦ Evaluate an oral presentation
◦ Reflect on a learning experience.
Three different purposes of
communication
◦ To inform
◦ To persuade
◦ To entertain
Modes of public speaking
◦ Manuscript
◦ Memorized
◦ Impromptu
◦ Extemporaneous
Distinct features
◦Unlike usual public speaking, oral presentation uses a
more business like tone and language because of the
fact that it is used for work purposes.
An oral presentation may be
delivered to an internal or external
audience.
◦ Internal (inside the organization)
◦ External (outside the organization)

◦ Examples of internal: departmental meeting, employee orientation,

annual reports
◦ Example of external: sales presentation and business proposal
presentation
Steps from planning to delivery
◦ Know your purpose it will guide you in organizing your ideas
◦ Focus your topic and be sure that it is specific enough to be
covered by your presentation
◦ Know your audience
◦ Gather references for your presentation.
◦ Outline your presentation
◦ Practice your presentation
◦ Deliver your presentation.
Tips in delivering
◦ Visualize your delivering an excellent speech
◦ Emphasize the relevance of your speech to your audience.
◦ Clearly explain your objectives at the start of your presentation.
◦ Use multimedia in your presentation. Have a back-up plan in case of
technical glitch
◦ Have a bottle of water for yourself.
◦ If your situation permits, arrive earlier than the members of the
audience and greet them as they enter,
◦ Dress professionally
◦ Include a real life experience when presenting ideas.
◦ Maintain eye contact and use natural gestures.
◦ Move from one location to another.
◦ Repeat the question of a member of the audience if you feel that not all
have heard or understood it.
◦ Allow enough time for questioning . Listen carefully before answering.
◦ Know the set up of the venue.
◦ Do not be defensive. Be honest to acknowledge what you do not know.
Ethics in oral presentation
◦ Never waste time of your audience by being unprepared.
◦ Have a purpose or objective in making your presentation. Do not
discredit someone in your presentation.
◦ Never distort information at your own advantage.
◦ Never use abusive language, or name call, it will offend audience.
◦ Cite your sources
◦ Be courteous at all times