How to write a research report

Write a research report

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Front matter Body of the report End matter Tables and Figures Submission and review

03 write a research report

Standard format
Title page Abstract Introduction Methods (Materials and Methods) Results Discussion (conclusion) Acknowledgments Literature cited Appendixes Tables Figure legends Figures

03 write a research report

1. Front matter
Title page:
Title , the name(s) of the author(s), institutional affiliation(s) of the author(s) and the mailing address of the corresponding author, including an email address and fax number. Some require a suggested short title to be used as a running head in the journal.

03 write a research report

 Issues of coauthorship:
Misunderstandings about coauthorships can cause bad feelings and antagonistic relationships and may even lead to accusations of unethical scientific behavior. Unfortunately, no uniform guidelines exist concerning the specifics of coauthorship that apply across all areas of the biological sciences.
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 The individual who writes most or all of the first draft of a manuscript is the first author, others who participated or contributed to the data collection and conceptualization of the study in significant ways are second (and third, etc.) authors, and the advisor, laboratory head, or field-site director is the last author.

03 write a research report

 Abstract:
As with the summary of a proposal, write the abstract of a report last. Many journals require that the abstract not exceed five percent of the word count of the text (introduction through discussion). Because of its brevity, the abstract is usually the most difficult part of a report to write. The most important part of your report.
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2. Body of the report

One of the challenges of translating good scientific research into a good scientific report involves imposing a logical sequence on to a series of analyses or experiments. Retroactive reconstruction , is critical to communicating scientific research effectively (Lemke, 1990) Once the best sequence has been decided, carry it through all sections of the report.
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2. Body of the report

Introduction Methods Results Discussion

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 Introduction
A common error is attempting to say too much in the opening paragraph. Keep it short and interesting. Rule: always state no later than the last sentence of the opening paragraph what the study is about.

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methods
Methods Field site or study area Housing and husbandry of captive animals Study population Experimental and control groups Field times Experimental design and protocol Equipment Criteria used Procedures and protocols Statistical methods

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methods
The methods section is the Achilles heel of a manuscript.
In a proposal, it may be obvious that referees will focus on the methods, but the same is true for a manuscript under review by a journal. Inadequately described methods may cast doubt on the quality and validity of your results.
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results
The accompanying text needs to point out what can be seen in the figures and tables but should not repeat the information there. Some journals may limit the number of tables and figures because they are expensive to prepare for printing. The results section should contain no discussion or interpretation of the findings. Just give me facts.
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discussion
Three matters
(1) an analysis of sources of error in the data (2) integration with what was previously known (3) implications for future study

Rule: the discussion section should rarely be the longest section of a report.
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3. End matter
End matter: Acknowledgments, references cited, and any appendixes. Acknowledgments: who helped you, research permissions, financial support, etc. Appendixes: References: form the core of scholarship through the augmentation of existing knowledge.
Endnote
TM

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checking citations
Every reference cited must of course appear in the literature cited section, and vice versa. Cross-checking can be an onerous job requiring one person to scan the manuscript while another ticks off references in the terminal list. Such checking is mandatory() unless you are using reference-formatting software such as Endpoint.
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4. Tables and figures

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5. Submission and review

1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) Friendly pre-review Where to submit The covering letter The review process Upon receiving the editorial decision How to review a manuscript

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1) Friendly pre-review
At least one colleague for a prereview of the finished manuscript. In general, the better you know the people asked, and the greater their scientific competence in the subject area of the manuscript, the better the feedback.

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2) Where to submit
Researchers often perceive a journal as particularly good (or particularly bad), although these reputations can change over time with changes in editors, new directions in research, and more or less random factors.

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3) The covering letter

The covering letter should be formal and businesslike. The opening line of the letter should get straight to the point, stating the title of the enclosed manuscript, its authorship in sequence, and the fact that it is being submitted for publication in the named journal. Many journals specify further required content of the covering letter, so it is important to check the journals instructions to authors.
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4) The review process

You should receive notification that your manuscript has been received. If you have not heard anything within a reasonable time after submission by mail, you should contact the editor. Screen submissions before deciding whether to send them out for review and return a majority of submissions without reviewing them.
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5) Upon receiving the editorial decison

Try to be emotionally prepared for a rejection and for an editorial non-decision that requires extensive revision before acceptability for publication can be assessed. Even experienced researchers can be stunned by criticisms of a manuscript they worked on so very hard for so very long. The sooner you return your manuscript with the requested changes, the sooner it can move towards possible acceptance and publication.
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6) How to review a manuscript

1. Significance of the topic 2. Appropriateness for this journal 3. Quality of research (design and analysis) 4. Quality of writing (organization, clarity, style) 5. Ranking with respect to published research
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 Strongly recommend acceptance:

(a) as is (b) with slight revisions as noted

Recommend acceptance with some reservation

(a) paper worth publishing but not exceptionally important or substantial (b) needs a few major revisions, as described in my review
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 Potentially publishable manuscript. Needs extensive revision. Doubtful. Probably should be rejected. Needs major revisions and even if undertaken would still probably be borderline. Reject (please indicate major reason)
(a) contribution not substantial enough (b) not appropriate for this journal (c) major methodological flaws that preclude publication. (d) other
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