9 writing report (dr. mai,2014)

9

Writing Report

McGraw-Hill/IrwinBusiness Research Methods, 10e Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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The Written Research Report

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Guidelines for Short Reports

Tell reader why you are writing

Remind reader of request

Write in an expository style

Write report and hold for review

Attach detailed materials in appendix

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The Long Research Report

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Report Modules

Prefatory Information

Introduction

Methodology

Findings

Conclusions & Recommendations

Appendices

Bibliography

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Components:

Short Report: Memo or Letter-Style

Introduction

Problem statement

Research objectives

Background

Findings

Summary and conclusions

Recommendations

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Components: Long Report: Technical

1. Prefatory Information

2. Introduction

3. Methodology (full, detailed)

4. Findings

5. Conclusions

6. Appendices

7. Bibliography

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Sample Findings Page: Tabular

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Sample Findings Page: Graphical

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Findings Page Templates

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Prewriting Concerns

What is the report’s purpose?

Who will read the report?

What are the circumstances?

How will the report be used?

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The Outline

I. Major Topic Heading

A. Major subtopic heading

1. Subtopic

a. Minor subtopic

1) Further detail

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Types of Outlines

Topic

I. Demand

A. How measured

1. Voluntary error

2. Shipping error

a. Monthly variance

Sentence

I. Demand for refrigerators

A. Measured in terms

factory shipments as

reported by the U.S.

Department of

Commerce

1. Error is introduced

into year to year

comparisons

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Grammar and Style Proofreader

Results

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Adjusting Pace

Use ample white space

Use headings

Use visual aids

Use italics and underlining

Choose words carefully

Repeat and summarize

Use service words strategically

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Considerations for Writing

Readability

Comprehensibility

Tone

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Avoiding Overcrowded Text

Use shorter paragraphs

Indent or space parts of text

Use headings

Use bullets

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Presentation of Statistics

Text

Tables Graphics

Semi-tabular

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Example of Text Presentation

Wal-Mart regained its top rank in the Forbes

500 due to its strong sales performance (11%

increase, $351.1 billion). Although Wal-Mart

surpassed number-2 ranked Exxon Mobil in

sales, Wal-Mart’s profitability ($11.2 billion)

was far below that of the oil giant ($39.5

billion).

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Example: Semi-Tabular Presentation

Although Wal-Mart regained the top spot in theFortune 500, its performance shows signs ofweakness in profitability.

Wal-Mart is the largest business in the Fortune 500 with sales increasing more than 11% over last year’s performance.

Oil giant and energy exploration leader Exxon Mobil is the most profitable company in the Fortune 500 due to record crude oil prices increasing its profits to $39.5 billion, compared to $11.2 billion for Wal-Mart.

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Example of Tabular Presentation

Company Rank

Revenue

($, millions)

Sales

Growth Profits

Profit

Growth

Wal-Mart 1 $351,139.0 11.2% $11,284.0 0.5%

Exxon Mobil 2 $347,254.0 02.2% $39,500.0 9.3%

General

Electric

6 $168,307.0 07.1% $20,829.0 27.4%

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Sample

Tabular

Findings

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Graphics Presentation

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Sample Graphics within Report

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Sample Line Graph

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Sample Area Chart

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Sample Pie Charts

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Sample Bar Chart

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Geographs

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The Oral Report

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The Oral Report

Opening

Findings and

conclusions

Recommendations

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Presentation Type

MemorizedExtemporaneous

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Audiovisuals

High Tech

Computer-drawn

visuals

Computer animation

Computer with

embedded video and

audio clips

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Audiovisuals

Low Tech

Chalkboard/

Whiteboard

Handouts

Flip charts

Overhead

transparencies

Slides

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Presenting your

research…

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Establishing rapport

Prove that you care

Prove that you are knowledgeable

Thank the audience

Never go overtime

The first 1 minute is the most important one

A picture is worth a thousand words

Use statistical charts whenever possible

Prepare a few extra slides for Q/A

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Prepare Your PowerPoint

Content --

Clear and concise

Do not open “can of worm”

Format --

Simple and consistent

Check spelling

Use much tables and figures as possible

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Typical Structure Title slide

Thank you slide

Research topics

Research motivation Problem statement

Research Statement

Literature Review

Research Approach / Methodology / Methods

Research Findings

Contributions Summary of research questions, approach, findings

Findings and contributions

Directions for future research

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APA

Format and Writing Style

Guideline

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Content

1 APA introduction

2 APA general format

3 APA Headings

4 APA References

5 APA In-text citation

6 APA Tables and figures

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What is APA?

APA stands for American Psychological Association

APA is the most commonly used format for research

in the Social Sciences

1 APA introduction

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What does APA regulate?

APA regulates the style and format of

Language style

In-text citations

References

1 APA introduction

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Why APA ?

To avoid plagiarism

To provide a clear, uniform style for references

To organize your paper so it is less confusing for the

reader

1 APA introduction

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APA language style

Use third person point of view

Example: The study showed that

Use active voice rather than passive voice

Example: The participants have not been asked

Use simple past tense or present perfect tense

Must be: clear, concise and simple

1 APA introduction

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General Format

Be typed, double-spaced, with two spaces after punctuation

between sentences

On standard-sized paper (8.5”x11”)

With 1” margins on all sides

In 10-12 pt. Times New Roman or a similar font

The page header (title) is in the upper left-hand of every

page

The page number in the upper right-hand side of every page

2 APA general format

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References

Main Body

Abstract

Title page

2 APA general format (cond’t)

Four major

sections:

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“Running head” +

Header (optional)

Institutional Affiliation

Title of the paper

Author name

Instructor’s name

Due date (month, day

and year)


Title PageFairyland University

APA format and writing style guideline

Author: Ann So YoungInstructor: Chang Soung Hook

HMC, January 12, 2012

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Abstract Page


Header

Abstract (centered, at

the top of the page)

Content summary

(covers research

topic, research

questions, methods,

key words, results,

conclusions)

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Main Body (Text)

The first text page is page number 3

The title of the paper is centered at the top of the page

Using text double-spaced

Using parenthetical in-text citations to identify the

information source


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References Page


Center the title “References”

at the top of the page

Double-space

Flush left the first line of the

entry and indent subsequent

lines

Order entries alphabetically

by the author’s surnames

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APA Headings

APA uses a system of five heading levels

3 APA Headings

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APA uses a system of five heading levels

3 APA Headings (cond’t)

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References: Basics

Author name order: Last name, First initial. Middle

initial. (Date). Article title. Journal Title, volume number

(issue number), page numbers.

Alphabetize reference list entries the last name of the

first author of each work

4 APA References

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References for Multiple Authors

Up to seven authors, list every author

For sources with eight or more authors, use the first six

names followed by an ellpsis mark (…) and the last

author’s name.

Ex. Dolan, R., Smith, R. C., Fox, N. K., Purcell, L.,

Fleming, J., Alderfer, B., …Roman, D. E.

(2008). Management of diabetes: The adolescent

challenge. The Diabetes Educator, 34, 118-135.

4 APA References

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Quotation

Summary or paraphrase

Book

Print Journal

Database articles

Electronics sources

Two or more works

A work with 2 authors

A work with 3 or 5 authors

A work with 6 and more

authors

A work with unknown

author

The same last name/ The

same authors

Organization

Personal communication


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Format for a quotation

Ex: Caruth (1996) states that a traumatic response frequently entails a “delayed, uncontrolled repetitive appearance of hallucinations and other intrusive phenomena” (p.11).

Ex: A traumatic response frequently entails a “delayed,

uncontrolled repetitive appearance of hallucinations and other

intrusive phenomena” (Caruth, 1996, p.11).

When quoting, introduce the quotation with a signal phrase.

Make sure to include the author’s name, the year of publication,

the page number, but keep the citation brief—do not repeat the

information.


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Format for a summary or paraphrase

Example: Though feminist studies focus solely on women‘s

experiences, they err by collectively perpetuating the

masculine-centered impressions (Fussell, 1975).

Example: Recently, the history of warfare has been significantly

revised by Marcus (1989), and Raitt and Tate (1997) to include

women’s personal and cultural responses to battle and its

resultant traumatic effects.

Example: According to feminist researchers Raitt and Tate

(1997), “It is no longer true to claim that women's responses to

the war have been ignored” (p. 2).


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BooksElements of a reference to an entire book

Cone, J. D., & Foster, S. L. (1993). Dissertations and theses from start to finish:

Psychology and related fields. Washington, DC: American Psychological

Association.


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Print Journals

Last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Date). Article title.

Journal Title, volume number (issue number), page

numbers.

Example: Berkerian, D. A. (1993). In search of the typical

eyewitness. American Psychologist, 48(3), 574-576.


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Database Articles

Last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Date). Article title. Journal

Title, volume number (issue number), page numbers. doi or Retrieved from URL

Borman, W. C., Hanson, M. A., Oppler, S. H., Pulakos, E. D., & White, L. A.

(1993). Role of early supervisory experience in supervisor

performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 78(8), 443-449.

Retrieved from http://www.eric.com/jdlsiejls/supervisor/early937d%


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Electronic sourcesBecause websites frequently don’t provide all the information necessary for a complete citation, list the information you have in this order and omit items that may be unavailable or redundant.

First :Author, sponsoring organization or article title Complete date Title of article Name and issue of periodical OR Website name/Sponsoring organization Retrieval date if the website is likely to change the content URL address Fredrickson, B. L. (2000, March 7). Cultivating positive emotions to

optimize health and well-being. Prevention & Treatment, Article

001a. Retrieved from

http://journals.apa.org/prevention/volume3/pre0030001a.html


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Two or more works

When the parenthetical citation includes two or more

works, order them in the same way they appear in the

reference list—the author’s name, the year of publication—

separated by a semi-colon:

Example: (Kachru, 2005; Smith, 2008)


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A work with two authors

When citing a work with two authors, use “and” between

authors’ name in the signal phrase yet “&” between their

names in parenthesis:

Example: According to feminist researchers Raitt and Tate

(1997), “It is no longer true to claim that women's responses to

the war have been ignored” (p. 2).

Example: Some feminists researchers question that

“women's responses to the war have been ignored”

(Raitt & Tate, 1997, p. 2).


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A work with 3 to 5 authors

When citing a work with three to five authors, identify all

authors in the signal phrase or in parentheses:

Example: (Harklau, Siegal, and Losey, 1999)

In subsequent citations, only use the first author's last

name followed by "et al." in the signal phrase or in

Parentheses:

Example: (Harklau et al., 1993)


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A work with 6 and more authors

When citing a work with six and more authors,

identify the first author’s name followed

by “et al.”:

Example: Smith et al. (2006)


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A work of unknown author Use the the source’s full title in the signal phrase and

Cite the first word of the title followed by the year of publication in

parenthesis.

Put titles of articles and chapters in quotation marks;

Italicize titles of books and reports:

Example: According to “Indiana Joins Federal

Accountability System” (2008), …

Or, (“Indiana”, 2008)


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The same last name/the same author

When citing authors with the same last names, use first

initials with the last names:

Example: (B. Kachru, 2005; Y. Kachru, 2008)

When citing two or more works by the same author

published in the same year, use lower-case letters (a, b, c) with

the year of publication to order the references:

Example: Smith’s (1998 a) study of adolescent

immigrants…


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Organization

When citing an organization, mention the organization the first

time when you cite the source in the signal phrase or the

parenthetical citation:

Example: The data collected by the Food and Drug

Administration (2008) confirmed that…

If the organization has a well-known abbreviation, include the

abbreviation in brackets the first time the source is cited and then

use only the abbreviation in later citations:

Example: Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed …

FDA’s experts tested…


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Personal communication

When citing interviews, letters, emails, etc., include the

communicators name, the fact that it was personal

communication, and the date of the communication. This

kind of citation is NOT included in the reference lists.

Example: Ann Young confirmed that many of her classmates

had difficulties with APA style (Personal communication,

January 12, 2012)


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APA Tables

Label a table with an Arabic numeral and provide a title. The

label and the title appear on separate lines above the table, flush-

left and single-spaced.

Cite a source in a note below the table:

Example:

Country Regular users

France 9 ml

Table 1: Internet users in Europe

“The European Union and Russia”(2007). Retrieved from

http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu


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APA Figures Label a figure with an Arabic numeral and provide a

title. The label and the title appear on the same line

below the figure, flush-left .

Cite the source below the label and the title:

Example: Figure 1. Internet users in Europe

Eurostat Statistical books. (2007) The European Union and

Russia: Statistical comparison. 2007 edition. Retrieved from

http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu


9 writing report (dr. mai,2014)

Education

long report

long research report

written research report

sample findings page

example of text presentation

use service words

findings page templates

ample white space use