Chapter 17

The Research Report

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 The Written Report
 The key purpose of any research report is to
offer a clear description of what has been done
in the various stages of the research process.

 Important to identify the specific purpose of the

report, so that it can be tailored accordingly.

 Examples
 Simple descriptive report
 Comprehensive report, offering alternative
solutions
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 Presentation of Results

 Results of the study and

recommendations to solve the problem
have to be effectively communicated to
the sponsor, so that suggestions made
are accepted and implemented.

 Contents and organization of written

report and oral presentation depend on
the purpose of the research study, and the
audience to which it is targeted.
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 Characteristics
Characteristics of
of aa Well-Written
Well-Written Report
Report

 Clarity
 Conciseness
 Coherence
 The right emphasis on important aspects
 Meaningful organization of paragraphs
 Smooth transition from one topic to the
next
 Apt choice of words
 Specificity
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 Contents of Research Report

 Title
 Executive summary or abstract
 Table of contents
 List of Tables, Figures, and Other Materials
 Preface
 Authorization Letter
 The introductory section
 The body of the report
 The final part of the report
 References
 Appendix
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 Contents of Research Report

The introductory section:

1. Introduction (§1.1).
2. Reason for the research (description of the
problem) (§1.2).
3. Research objective and research questions (§1.3).
4. The scope of the study (§1.4).
5. Research method (approach) (§1.5).
6. Managerial relevance (§1.6).
7. Structure and division of chapters in the research
report (§1.7).

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 Contents of Research Report

The body of the report:

 Theoretical part: contains an in-depth
exploration and a clear explication of the
relevant literature. The exact nature of this
part depends on the type of study you have
done (exploratory, descriptive, or causal).
 Empirical part: includes the design details –
such as sampling and data collection
methods, as well as the time horizon, the
field setting, and the unit of analysis – and
the results of the study.
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 Contents of Research Report
The final part of the report:
1. The main findings of your research.
2. The (managerial) implications of these
findings (vis-à-vis your research questions).
3. Recommendations for implementation and a
cost-benefit analysis of these
recommendations.
4. The limitations of your study and
suggestions for future research following up
on your research project.

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 Oral Presentation

 Deciding on the Content

 Visual Aids
 For instance graphs, charts, tables

 The presenter

 The presentation

 Handling questions

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 Oral Presentation
Present the important aspects of the study so
as to hold the interest of the audience, while still
providing detailed information.

Different stimuli (charts, short movies, pictorial

and tabular depiction, etc.) have to be creatively
provided to the audience to sustain their interest
throughout the presentation.

To make all this possible, time and effort have

to be expended in crafting, planning, organizing,
and rehearsing the presentation.

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 Oral Presentation

 Check out the ‘TEDx Speaker Guide’/‘TEDx illustrated guide

for speakers’ for some guiding principles on how to draft
and deliver a compelling talk (www.ted.com).

Slide 17-12 Retrieved from: http://tedxmthood.com/illustrated-guide/

 Oral Presentation
 Slides are often helpful. Images, photos, graphs and
infographics may also help you to sustain the interest of
your audience.

 Think about dress, mannerisms, gestures, and voice

modulation.

 Speak audibly, clearly, without distracting mannerisms, and

at the right speed.

 Establish eye contact.

 Varying the length of the sentences. Vary your tone of voice

and the rate of flow of information.

 Rehearse. Keep rehearsing until you feel comfortable about

Slide 17-13 your presentation.
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