Chapter 20

How to Prepare the Research

Report and Use APA Style
 I. General Principles Relating to
Writing the Research Report
Simple, clear, direct communication is
your goal.

Educational Research Chapter 20: Preparation of the Research Report

 Language
Language - should be accurate, clear, and free of
demeaning attitudes and biased assumptions
about people.
Guidelines:
– Specificity - be specific and use words that are free of
bias.
– Labels - avoid labeling or equating subjects with their
condition (e.g. schizophrenic).
– Be very respectful of differences in gender, sexual
orientation, race and ethnicity, disabilities, and age.
– APA Manual provides suggested language.

Educational Research Chapter 20: Preparation of the Research Report

 Editorial style
Editorial style – rules or guidelines used to
ensure clear, constant presentation.
Italics – should use infrequently and only
for needed emphasis
Abbreviations - use sparingly.
Headings – APA Manual (and our chapter)
specifies five different levels and the
appropriate combinations.

Educational Research Chapter 20: Preparation of the Research Report

 Editorial style (con’t)
Quotations:
– Quotations of fewer than 40 words enclosed in
quotation marks.
– 40 or more words displayed in free standing indented
block of lines (page number listed at end).
– Include author, year, and page number.
Numbers: Use words for numbers less than ten.
Physical measurement: use or include metric
units.

Educational Research Chapter 20: Preparation of the Research Report

 Editorial style (con’t)
Presenting Statistical results
– Provide enough information so the analysis
conducted can be fully understood
provide the test statistic value, degrees of freedom,
probability value, and an effect size indicator of the
magnitude of relationship or an effect-size
confidence interval
– Here is one example for result of an analysis
of variance: F(3,32) = 8.79, p = .02, est ω2 = .
08
Educational Research Chapter 20: Preparation of the Research Report
 Reference list
Reference citations in text - use author-
date method.
Reference list--arrange in alphabetical
order with hanging indent.
Example of citation:
Johnson, R. B., & Christensen, L. B. (2011).
Educational research: Quantitative,
qualitative, and mixed approaches (4th
ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
Educational Research Chapter 20: Preparation of the Research Report
 Typing
Double space all material with uniform
typeface.
Preference for APA publications
– Times Roman typeface
– 12 point font size

Educational Research Chapter 20: Preparation of the Research Report

 II. Writing Quantitative Research
Reports Using APA Style
Sections of a research report using APA
style
1. Title page.
2. Abstract.
3. Introduction.
4. Method.
5. Results.
6. Discussion.
7. References.

Educational Research Chapter 20: Preparation of the Research Report

 Title Page
 Contents
– running head
– Title-should be 12 words or less
– Author(s) and their institutional affiliation
– Author note.

Educational Research Chapter 20: Preparation of the Research Report

 Abstract
Comprehensive summary in about 120
words.
Include brief statement of
– Research problem.
– Participants.
– Method
– Key results.
– Major conclusion

Educational Research Chapter 20: Preparation of the Research Report

 Introduction
General order of introduction
– Introduce research problem
– Review the literature and place research
problem in context of prior studies
– Purpose of study and any hypotheses

Educational Research Chapter 20: Preparation of the Research Report

 Method
• Purpose—tell exactly how the study was
conducted
• Subsections of Method section are:
– Participants.
– Design (if complex; otherwise this goes in
procedure).
– Apparatus and/or Instruments.
– Procedure

Educational Research Chapter 20: Preparation of the Research Report

 Results
Purpose
– Summarize data collected and any statistical
analysis conducted
Tables and Figures—used only if they will
most clearly and economically present the
data

Educational Research Chapter 20: Preparation of the Research Report

 Discussion
Purpose--Interpret and evaluate study
results.
General order of discussion
– State whether hypotheses supported
– Interpret results placing them in the context of
prior literature
– Limitations.
– Suggestions for future research.

Educational Research Chapter 20: Preparation of the Research Report

 References
Discussed in earlier slide.

Educational Research Chapter 20: Preparation of the Research Report

 Additional APA Tutorial
For more on APA style, go here (it’s a nice
overview done by the APA):
http://www.apastyle.org/learn/tutorials/basi
cs-tutorial.aspx

Educational Research Chapter 20: Preparation of the Research Report

 III. Writing Qualitative Research
Reports
No standard format.
Many believe some broad standard structure is
desirable.
Seven major parts of report just discussed might
work (with additional “play” within these broad
headings).
First person and active voice (Note: this also is
recommended by APA for quantitative writing).
Pseudonyms (fictitious names) commonly used.

Educational Research Chapter 20: Preparation of the Research Report

 III. Writing Qualitative Research
Reports (con’t)
Title page – similar to quantitative report.

Abstract - similar to quantitative.

Introduction – similar to quantitative, but is

suggests exploration and has no
hypotheses.

Educational Research Chapter 20: Preparation of the Research Report

 III. Writing Qualitative Research
Reports (con’t)
Method - may be included in the
introduction but better if separate section
(as in quantitative).
– Typically includes section on personal bias.
– Can Include section on strategy used to
ensure qualitative research validity.

Educational Research Chapter 20: Preparation of the Research Report

 III. Writing Qualitative Research
Reports (con’t)
Results - most important section.
– Must present evidence to support arguments.
– Balance between description and
interpretation.
Use quotes and vignettes.
Intermix descriptive statements and interpretation.

Educational Research Chapter 20: Preparation of the Research Report

 III. Writing Qualitative Research
Reports (con’t)
Discussion.
– State conclusions and additional interpretation
of the findings.
– Relate findings to other published research.
Reference section
– Same as in quantitative.
General point: qualitative writing is more
narrative, more creative, but organization
still needed for readers.

Educational Research Chapter 20: Preparation of the Research Report

 IV. Writing Mixed Research
Reports
General suggestions:
– Know your audience and write to that
audience.
– Suggest using major/generic sections of APA
report as starting point.
– One organization for Results section is list
qualitative, quantitative, and integrated results
for each research question.
– Integration also very important in discussion.

Educational Research Chapter 20: Preparation of the Research Report