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Lesson One:

1. Significance of Research Report writing

As a major component of the research study

Becomes complete if written and presented

No matter how brilliant the hypotheses are, or well designed and conducted,

or most striking the generelisations and findings are; unless it is

communicated to others, it is valueless.

Unless findings are made known to others, the purpose of research is not well

served.

As integral part of the research project, it cannot be omitted.

Presentation of results or writing a report is, therefore, part and parcel of the

research project.

2. Research beginning point

a. A research report is a tool by which you will communicate your

investigations with others. Before beginning to work on the report, you must first

complete most of your research. When the research is complete, and all the

necessary data and interpretation is over it, you can do the following:

Thinking about the content of your research report. Start this exercise by

searching the literature in your area of research.

Review the literature to see what has been published on your topic in the

past and identify the various sources to use in writing your own report.

Note, conduct a literature search by browsing through journals and other

references that are important in your field or by conducting a key word search

through library databases.

Conduct the prewriting exercise by answering the following questions asa basis of your report (consult Blake, Gary and Bly et.al)

Describe the purpose of your research. Are you presenting the results of

research, outlining a new theory or method, and/or offering a new

interpretation of old data?

Describe the most important feature of your research.

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Make a list of anyone who contributed to your research and who could be

involved in writing the research report. Describe the contribution they might

make to your research report.

Compile a list of works by other researchers that you used in your own

research or that is related to your research.

Describe the ways in which your research proves or disproves other

researchers' work.

Describe the background of this subject.

Describe what you expected to find before you began your research. How

did your project change over time? How did your results differ from your

expectations?

Describe your results. How did you check your results? How can you

best represent them: with text, in a table, with a figure, etc?

Describe the consequences of your research. What does it mean for the

subject? How will it affect future research on this subject?

Describe the ideal audience for your report. Who would be most

impacted by your research? Who would best understand the consequences of

your research?

If you are seeking to publish your report, describe the journals in which

you would like to see your research appear. What are the specific

requirements for these journals? Additionally, what type of language should

you use in writing your report? Look carefully at journals to which you are

interested in submitting; how do writers describe their experimental data?

Consider the specific guidelines under which you are working. If

relevant, make a list of the sections you are required to include in your report.

If you have freedom in choosing sections to include, make a list of the

sections you think will be necessary to include.

3. Research Audiences and their expectations

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a. Itis important to consider to whom you are communicating your research

before you begin and while you write your research report. The reader and not

the writer is the one who dictates the appropriate form of the research report.

They will dictate whether a technical (in case of technocrats) or a popular

report (to non technical audience or public, or both is needed. In this way your

report will adequately communicate your research and its significance to your

readers.

b. Incase of academic research, you should write as though your lecturer,

research supervisor or professor is not your reader. You should think of a

much broader audience including your peers and colleagues who will not be

involved in evaluating and or grading your research work. To make it much

easier, it is advisable to think of an audience of people with a similar

background who are interested in your subject, but who do not know as much

about your investigations as well as those who are uninterested bearing in

mind that, someone skilled in the art could reproduce your work precisely.

c. People may have no time. They will want information to be presented

clearly and concisely as possible, thorough and accurate. While readers from

your own discipline and area of research might read your report closely and

all the way through, many other readers will read only the title and abstract to

keep abreast of research.

d. To understand precisely your audience, conduct a pre writing exercise by

answering the following questions:

Describe your audience. What is their position? Why will they read

your report?

What does your audience already know about this topic?

What information will be new to your reader?

What is the most important thing for your reader to understand from

your report?

List terms and/or procedures that is important to your research but that

your audience may not be familiar with. Include terms that you are using

in a new or unique way.

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It is important to consider to whom you are communicating your

research before you begin and while you write your research report. The

reader and not the writer is the one who dictates the appropriate form of

the research report. They will dictate whether a technical (in case of

technocrats) or a popular report (to non technical audience or public, or

both is needed. In this way your report will adequately communicate your

research and its significance to your readers.

Incase of academic research, you should write as though your lecturer,

research supervisor or professor is not your reader. You should think of a

much broader audience including your peers and colleagues who will not

be involved in evaluating and or grading your research work. To make it

much easier, it is advisable to think of an audience of people with a similar

background who are interested in your subject, but who do not know as

much about your investigations as well as those who are uninterested

bearing in mind that, someone skilled in the art could reproduce your work

precisely.

People may have no time. They will want information to be presented

clearly and concisely as possible, thorough and accurate. While readers

from your own discipline and area of research might read your reportclosely and all the way through, many other readers will read only the title

and abstract to keep abreast of research.

To understand precisely your audience, conduct a pre writing exercise

by answering the following questions:

o Describe your audience. What is their position? Why will they

read your report?

o What does your audience already know about this topic?

o What information will be new to your reader?

o What is the most important thing for your reader to understand

from your report?

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o List terms and/or procedures that is important to your research

but that your audience may not be familiar with. Include terms

that you are using in a new or unique way.