WRITING RESEARCH REPORT

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hassan Ali

College of Business
Universiti Utara Malaysia
Research Report

• A scientific document in which research

work is communicated coherently and
presented in a critical, literary and orderly
way.
Generic Structure of the
Research Report
• Introduction
• Review of the Literature
• Methodology
• Findings
• Discussion and Conclusion
General Format of the Research
Report
• Prefatory Parts
• Main Body
• Appended Parts
Prefatory Part

• Title Page
• Abstract
• Disclaimer
• Table of Contents
• List of Tables
• List of Figures
Main Body

• Introduction
• Literature Review
• Methodology
• Findings
• Discussion and Conclusion
Appended Parts

• References
• Survey Questionnaire
• Any Other Data Collection Forms
• Detail Analysis/Calculations
• Any other materials not included in main
body but listed as Appendix.
Title Page

• The title of the research is a one or at most two

line summary of the research.
• The order of researchers must be agreed before
commencement of research .
• Generally the leader of the research will have
primary authorship of the research report.
Subsequent order of authorship can be
determined based on contribution to research s.a.
literature work, data collection, data analysis, etc.
Title Page (cont)

• If too many researchers are involved in the

project, authorship can be decided based on
alphabetical order.
• Where future publication is concern, it is
necessary to establish early on in the research
project, who will be listed as an author and the
order of authorship of the article.
• This is to avoid misunderstanding and to preserve
professional reputations and relationships
Abstract
• In the research report, the abstract is usually a
one page summary of the research.
• The abstract establishes:
 The purpose of the research
 The key variables of the research
 How the variables were operationalized
 How the variables were measured
 The sample size and who the sample are
 Technique of analysis
 Brief summary of the results
 Implications of the findings
Table of Content

• The table of content provides the outline of the

research report.
• The table of content essentially illustrates the
structure of the report.
• It has two main function:
Show order of presentation
Show the way parts are related to each other i.e
how small parts go together to form larger ones.
Table of Content (cont)

• Two major ouline notations:

Traditional Form
Decimal Form
Traditional Form
I. Main division
A. First-level subdivision
1. Second-level subdivission
a. 3rd-level subdivision
b. 3rd-level subdivision
2. Second-level subdivision
B. First-level subdivision
II. Second main division
Decimal Form
I. Main division
1.1 First-level subdivision
1.11 Second-level subdivision
1.111 3rd-level subdiv.
1.112 3rd-level subdiv.
1.12 Second-level subdivision
1.2 First-level subdivision
II. Second main division
Table of Content (cont)

• In the research report the main division

can be referred to as chapters
• Eg. Chapter 1 Heading
• Essentially there should be only three level
of subordination in the research report.
• A subdivision implies that an idea is being
broken into parts.
List of Table
• Tables are useful for presenting numerical
information.
• Be judicious when selecting numerical
information to be presented in the table.
• Do not overwhelm the reader with too many
information in the table.
• The complete statistical analysis can be placed in
the Appendix. Refer the reader to the
appropriate appendix in the text
List of Table (cont)
• Each Table in the text should contain the
following:
Table number - number should follow the
chapter. Eg. Table 4.1
Title – indicate the content of the table. Table
number and title are generally placed at the top.
Bannerheads and stubheads
Bannerhead – caption for the column
Stubhead – caption for the rows
List of Table (cont)

• Source – table based on material from

secondary source must acknowledge the
source, usually below the table.
• Tables in the Findings chapter are new
data generated by the research project.
Do not indicate below the table as Source:
Research data.
List of Table (cont)

• Provide a complete listing of all tables in

the research report together with the page
number in the List of Tables.
• Eg.
5.1 Correlation Matrix of Job Performance 168
Main Body

• The main body constitute the bulk of the report.

• The main body contains the:
Introduction
Literature review
Methodology
Findings
Discussion and Conclusion
Introduction

• This chapter describes:

The problem statement
Research objectives
Some research reports include the
literature review in this chapter.
• The introductory chapter can be taken
from the research proposal with minor or
light editing.
Literature Review
• This chapter up-dates the reader on
previous research conducted in the research
area.
• The literature review chapter lays the
groundwork for one’s own research work.
• Try getting into the habit of reviewing
empirical research work because you need
to show why your research is necessary in
the greater scheme of things.
Literature Review (cont)
• Reviewing empirical research work will be very helpful
when considering publication of completed research
work in an academic journal because it simplifies much
of the writing process of the journal manuscript.
• Do not just do a listing of previous studies but attempt a
critical evaluation of the previous research.
• Try pointing out general agreements and disagreements
among previous researchers.
• You may also want to challenge previously accepted
ideas.
General Process of Reviewing
an Article
• When reading an article, look for the following:
The objective(s) of the research
The theoretical rationale
The variables examined
The design
The measures used
The analysis employed
The findings obtained
Inferences and implications of the research
Writing a Review
• When writing a review, it is necessary to provide
references for all materials that the researcher did
not think of him/herself:
• References are cited briefly in the text and in detail
in the reference list.
• All references must be cited to :
Acknowledge the source
Allow the reader to verify the data
Provide information so that the reader can consult
the source independently.
Writing a Review (cont)

• References must be provided for :

Quotation – using exact words from
source
Paraphrase – using ideas in different
words
Summarize – using main points of
someone else’s opinions, theories of data.
Citing References

• There are several accepted methods of

citing references:
Harvard System
Publication Manual of the American
Psychological Association (5th ed.)
The Chicago Manual of Style
Turabian’s Manual for Writers
Modern Language Association
Methodology
• This chapter details out the technical procedures of the
research.
• It touches upon aspects of measurement, design and
analysis.
• Essentially this chapter should consist of five
subdivisions:
 Research design
 Sampling design
 Measurement
 Analysis
 Limitations
Research Design
• What type of design was used?
Field study
Field experiment
Laboratory experiment
• What is the level of analysis?
Individual
Group
Dyad
Organization
Research Design (cont)

• What are the variables?

Dependent
Independent
• How are the variables operationalized?
• What hypothesis were postulated?
Sampling Design

• Was a probability or nonprobability sample

used?
• If probability sampling was used, describe
the sampling frame.
• How was the sample selected – random,
systematic, stratified?
Measurement
• What instrument was used to measure the variables?
In most instances, a survey questionnaire will be
used.
• Describe the survey questionnaire – its parts, which
items measure a particular variables.
• What types of measurement scale was used to
measure the variables?
• Describe the response scale used.
• Describe the validity and reliability analysis carried
out.
Analysis

• Describe briefly the type of statistical

analysis used to obtain the results.
Descriptive statistics
Multiple regression and correlation
Analysis of variance
Multivariate analysis
Path analysis
Limitations

• Describe any methodological limitations of

the research.
Accessibility to data
Hawthorne effects
Choice of survey technique eg. Internet
therefore limited to those having access to
computers.
Findings
• This chapter will occupy the bulk of the report.
• The findings must be presented in a logical order.
• Findings must relate to the objectives of the research.
• Use tables judiciously to present the findings.
• Do not excessively use charts to present the findings. This
is fine if the study is descriptive in nature.
• If a table is sufficient to explain the results, do not
supplement this with charts. Avoid padding the report.
• Provide a brief narrative of the results reported in the
table.
Findings (cont)

• Do not explain each item that appears in

the table but highlight those that are
substantive.
• Similarly do not gloss over the results.
• When testing hypothesis specify if the
hypothesis is accepted or rejected.
• Do not discuss the results in this chapter
Discussion and Conclusion
• Admittedly the most difficult chapter to write.
• You have to make sense of the results that were
obtained.
• Restate the objective of the research.
• Examine the results obtained relating to each objective.
• Discuss what this results means. Look back at the theory
to provide an explanation for the results.
• Look back to the previous research and see if the results
are consistent with previous research or otherwise. Try
explaining this.
Discussion and Conclusion
(cont)
• Explanations must be probable and not
definitive. So practice using the words
“possible” and “probable”.
• Remember you are suggesting possible
explanations for the results.
• Conclude by looking at the implications of the
findings to the body of knowledge and its
practical application.
• Finally suggest a line for future research.
Appended Parts

• Provide a Reference List

• All references cited in text must appear in
the reference list.
• Reference list must be written according
to established convention. eg. APA format.
• Appendices must appear according to its
order in the text.
References for this Presentation
Babbie, E. (2004). The practice of social
research (10th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson
Wadsworth.
Cooper, D.R., & Emory, C.W. (1995). Business
research methods (5th ed.). Chicago: Irwin.
Zikmund, W.G. (2003). Business research
methods (7th ed.). Mason: Thomson South-
Western.
Thank You