The Format of Research Paper(Writing a Report )

Presented by

Bishow Raj JoshiConsultant

NCTTM Event and Training Management

Points to be considered

• Identify an area of interest

• Talk to your guide/Supervisor

• Reflect and explore possibilities

• Identify sources of information

• (Collect anything that looks interesting and

useful, review the available literature)

Points to be considered

• List and define key concepts and terms

• Frame and evaluate the title against criteria

• Talk to your guide, discuss and finalize the title.

Along with topic finalization:

• Decide the objectives of your research.

• A long list of objectives is not required.

• Instead, achievable 2 to 4 objectives are enough

Familiarizing oneself with the format

TITLE PAGE

DECLARATION

RECOMMENDATION*

APPROVAL*

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABSTRACT

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES

LIST OF FIGURES

* Should be on letter head

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background/Context

1.2 Statement of problem

1.3 Rationale of the study

1.4 Objectives of the study

1.5 Research questions/ Hypothesis

1.6 Significance of the study

1.7 Delimitations of the study

1.8 Operational definition of the key terms

CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

2.1 Review of related literature

2.2 Implication of the review for the project work

2.3 Conceptual framework

CHAPTER III: METHODS AND PROCEDURES OF THE STUDY

2.1 Design of the study

2.2 Sources of data

2.2.1 Primary sources

2.2.2 Secondary sources

2.3 Sample (for qualitative study) or Field/ Areas of study (for qualitative study)

2.4 Sampling procedure

2.5 Data/Information collection tools

2.6 Data/Information collection procedure

2.7 Data analysis and interpretation procedure

CHAPTER IV: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Results

4.2 Discussion/Interpretation

CHAPTER V: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Summary

5.2 Conclusions

5.3 Recommendations

5.3.1 Policy level

5.3.2 Practice level

5.3.3 Further research

REFERENCES

Follow Publication Manual of APA (American Psychological Association) 6th Edition (2010)

APPENDICES

• Study tools• Sample of collected data/information

Font size

• Use Times New Roman Font• For the running text 12 point• For the immediate heading 13 point• Use 15 point for sub-heading and heading

Other qualities

• Use all capital letters for the TITLE, CHAPTER NUMBERS and CHAPTER

HEADINGS.

• The first letter of the sub-heading should be capital.

• The right margin should be 1 inch, the top margin 1 inch, the bottom margin 1

inch, and the left margin 1½ inches

• Highlight the important word and phrase using either italic or bold font

as it is done in this paper also.

Other qualities Cont…

• DO NOT leave the heading alone at the bottom of

the preceding page and the description in the

following page

• DO NOT use digits in categorizing sub-headings.

• Follow the American Psychological Association

(APA) style presented for citing and listing the

references

EXAMPLE OF THE REPORT TITLE

• The title should reflect the nucleus of the study as briefly as possible, e.g.

TREKKING IN ANNAPURNA REGION OF NEPAL

ADVENTURE TOURISM AND ITS ROLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM

INDUSTRY IN NEPAL

CONTRBUTION OF SHERPA/GURUNG/THAKLI…. PEOPLE IN

TOURISM IN ….. REGION

1.1 Background/Context

• This heading shall include an introductory survey of information related to the study, i.e. broad introduction to the area under study. So it incorporates the major theories related to the proposed study.

1.2 Statement of problem

• Frame the problem or issue that the thesis/project work is addressing

• Answer the question:– Why does this research need to be conducted?

1.3 Rational of the study

• Explain: why are you carrying out this research?

• Mention the reason behind carrying out the research.

1.4 Objectives of the study

• Write what do you want to find out, identify, experiment, analyze, compare …

• Item wise objectives of the study should be mentioned here specifically, preferably in the form as below : • to explore ....................• to compare ...................• to determine .................• to analyze ...................• to identify ......................• To evaluate ………………

Generally, action verbs are used to enlist the objectives.

1.5 Research questions/ Hypothesis

• If you are carrying out experimental research or if the study aims at testing certain or hypotheses, these should be mentioned here. Otherwise this section may be overlooked

• Formulate questions that you intend t deal with in your thesis/study

• Remember to start with general questions and then gradually move to the specific ones

1.6 Significance of the study

• This section shall include the importance of the study and the information to whom and in which area/field of the study it provides.

• Mention who will be benefited with your research/project work. For example:– The study is significant because it throws light on the

role of travel agencies in the development of tourism industry . It, therefore, provides insight in planning further activities for tourism development. Similarly, …………… will be benefited from this study.

1.7 Delimitations of the study

• The boundary of delimitation will be mentioned under this heading, e.g.

• The study will be conducted only in 5 travel agencies of Kathmandu district and only ten subjects will be selected from each of the agencies. The focus of the study will be limited to ….

1.8 Operational definition of the key terms

• Define the technical terms that are used in your research/project work from your research perspectives.

2.1 Review of related literature

• This sub-heading shall incorporate the review of the existing related research works and the explanation of the difference between them and the proposed study. The review of the literature is a critical evaluation, analysis and synthesis of existing knowledge relevant to your own research topic. It is not a summary, synopsis... or a description of other people's work. (Hart 2005, p. 153)

2.2 Implication of the review for thesis/ project work

• Mention clearly the theses/researches you consulted while preparing your research from following perspectives:

• Carefully examine a body of literature i.e. theses, researches, books, articles etc. to make your research area clear.

• Explain how these literatures help you in your research.

2.3 Theoretical/ Conceptual framework

• Present a clear frame of your research that can clearly summarize your work.

CHAPTER III: METHODS AND PROCEDURES OF THE STUDY

• In this section, the researchers should describe the methodology they intend to adopt for the study. Methodology needs to be divided into the following sub-sections.

3.1Design of the study

• Mention whether your study is qualitative or quantitative.

• It can be mixed type.

3.2 Sources of data

• This section comprises the definition of population under study and an explanation of the sampling procedure. Any other secondary sources likely to be consulted, related works for instance, may also be mentioned. So this sub-section can also be divided into the following two types.

Types of data

Primary sources of data• It refers to the direct sources from whom and

which the first hand information can be collected, i.e. the information which is not previously collected and utilized for any other purposes. Examples–

The total primary source of this study is all the office bearers and clients of all the travel agencies in Kathmandu district. However, the sample primary source of this study will consist of ten office bearers and ten clients from each of the five selected travel agencies

Secondary sources of data• It refers to the sources from which second hand

or supportive information is collected which includes all the documents or information available through print or electronic media related to the proposed study. However, the researcher has to sort out a few of them to give a thorough reading. The researcher has to mention them under this sub-heading, e.g.

Example

• All the materials, available in print or electronic media which are related to ……….topic………..are the secondary sources of this study. Some of them are Hudson (1980), Wardhaugh (1986), Trudgill (1992), Romains (1992).

3.3 Sample (for qualitative study) or Field/ Areas of study (for qualitative study)

3.4 Sampling procedure

• Under this sub-heading the researchers specify which sampling procedure(s) used to sample the population from the study populations, e.g.– Five travel agencies for this study will be selected

randomly but the ten informants from each of them will be selected using non-random procedure conveniently.

For Other sampling procuders consult internet

3.5 Data/Information collection tools

• Out of the four major research tools-questionnaire, interview, observation, test items– the researchers can select any one or more than one according to the nature of their research.

3.6 Data/Information collection procedure

• The stepwise procedure of data collection including the development of tools such as questionnaires, tests, interviews, etc. and their administration shall be mentioned here in their proper order, e.g.

3.7 Data analysis and interpretation procedure

• Mention how you interpret the data e.g. tabulation, graph, diagram etc.

Example

• The researcher collected the list of total travel agencies in Kathmandu

from tourism board, then selected five agencies randomly from the

list, visited each of the selected travel agency personally, requested

for the permission to carry out the study and assured the their

informant confidentiality. Each agency were visited for at least one

hour twice a week and the conversations that took place there was

recorded. The process lasted for 4 weeks. He/She also made informal

inquiry when he/she thought necessary regarding the recorded

conversation. This inquiry followed the recorded conversation.

4.1 Results

• As you motioned in your methodology section, present the information/data.

• Present the collected data descriptively as well as analytically using appropriate statistical tools and diagrams and tables.

• Statistical tools may be mean, and percentage.

4.2 Discussion/Interpretation

• Discuss the issue from your research perspective.

• What the data suggest and prove state it in this section. It means, for example, if more than 60% respondents supports the positive role of travel agencies, it means that Travel agencies have positive influence on tourism industry.

5.1 Summary

• Summarize most important findings or results that are related to your research objectives.

• Present them in points if it is quantitative study.

• Present them in paragraphs if it a qualitative study.

5.2 Conclusions

• Make a short conclusion only focusing on your main objectives.

• Mention what you perceived from your research.

5.3 Recommendations

5.3.1 Policy level5.3.2 Practice level5.3.3 Further research

• Say what can be done to improve the existing situation of the study area.

Thank you.