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Chapter 13
Report Writing: Communicating the Results of a Multiple Regression

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Communication
The analysis phase
Designing, exploring, estimating, and testing Accumulating results that might be important enough to communicate

Communication is different from analysis

The communication phase

Choosing the most important results for your audience and purpose Organizing that material to clarify what you have done Explaining what you have learned using language that is easy for your audience to understand

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Organizing Your Report

A paragraph at the very beginning Describes the most important facts and conclusions Write it last (when you know what to summarize!)

Executive Summary

Introduction
Several paragraphs, describing
Background Questions of interest Data you have worked with

OK to repeat material from Executive Summary

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Organization (continued)
Interpret the data, presenting
Graphic displays, statistical summary numbers, results The four basic activities: design, explore, estimate, test

Analysis and Methods

Explain as you go along

Conclusions and Summary

Move back to the big picture Give closure Pull together all important thoughts you would like your readers to remember
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Organization (continued)
Note indicating material taken from an outside source Enough information so your audience can locate it
Could be a footnote on the same page as the material Could all be gathered together in one section at the end

Reference

Appendix
Supporting material
Important enough to be included Not important enough to appear in the text of the paper

Its there for the interested reader

But will not distract the others
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Hints and Tips

Keep it brief
Select only the most important results, graphs, conclusions
Put others in the Appendix if they must be there at all

Think about your audience

Make it clear
Use straightforward language Orient your reader No need for suspense - put important results early!

Look it over
Pretend you are your audience, not the analyst Try to forget the details you know about the project
Can you learn easily from the report?
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Hints and Tips (continued)

Do the analysis first
Accumulate lots of material Select the most important results; choose carefully

What to Write First? Next? Last?

Make an outline
Analysis and Methods section; Conclusion

Write a paragraph for each line of your outline

Then decide what to place in Appendix, choose references

Front material is easiest to write last

Executive Summary, Introduction are best written once you know what you are summarizing and introducing

Read and revise rough draft; ask a friend to help

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Other Sources
To check usage and meaning of a word
Computer word processors are often faster to check spelling

Dictionary

Thesaurus
To look for different words with a similar meaning
To find the right word, or to avoid repetition

Often part of a computer word processor

Reference Books on How to Write Reports

Advice for managers who need to write

Chicago Manual of Style

For details about writing conventions
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