REPORT WRITING FOR PREP STUDENTS

PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING BEFOREHAND

• Total number of pages: 5 (NOT INCLUDING COVER PAGE, REFERENCES AND APPENDIX)

• What is required in the 5 pages:– INTRODUCTION– LITERATURE REVIEW– METHODOLOGY– DATA ANALYSIS – CONCLUSION

• Font and format:– Double-spacing– Times New Roman 12

• Information on cover page must be included in the following order:

– UNIMAS LOGO

– RESEARCH TITLE

– NAME OF COURSE AND CODE

– SESSION

– NAME OF INSTRUCTOR

– NAME OF GROUP MEMBERS

REFERENCES

• You will use the American Psychology Association format or commonly known as APA Style.

• REMEMBER, TOTAL NUMBER OF REFERENCES USED IS 5 AND ONE REFERENCE MUST BE FROM A BOOK.– Hence, you are not allowed to use ONLY internet

references.

• More info later.

DATA INSTRUMENT

• For your current level, the instrument is in a form of a questionnaire which is a method of gathering data for quantitative analysis.

• Limited to only 15 questions.

• Data collected requires a total of 30 respondents.

Additional Information

• Avoid using wikipedia.

• DEADLINE SET ON 21 MARCH 2014, FRIDAY.

• Stage 1: Topic proposed and a simple intro made

• Questionnaire, 5 references (must use at least 1 book), apa format

• Progressive update, question limited to 15, respondents 30

• Marks (10%)

Recap

• The following are the basic writing style you have been exposed so far:– Introduction

• Define (Not literally) the topic• Lead in to thesis• Agree or disagree (Not explicitly but implicitly)• Thesis statement (A simplified sentence that encompass

your topic sentences)

– Body of Paragraph• Main Idea 1

– Topic Sentence 1– Supporting details – Conclusion (optional)

• Main Idea 2– Topic Sentence 2

– Supporting details

– Conclusion (optional)

• Main Idea 3– Topic Sentence 3

– Supporting details

– Conclusion (optional)

– Conclusion

• A summary of what you have discussed in your essay and NO MORE ADDITIONAL IDEAS.

How to write APA style

• References must be in alphabetical order according to author’s surname.

Basic referencing skill:

• If it is a book:Author’s Surname, Initial of Author’s First Name.

(Year, Month Date). Title (in italics). Location: Publisher.

• For example:

Fatima, A. (2004). Gender, literacy and empowerment in Morocco. United Kingdom: Routledge.

Nash, R. (1990). The closing of the American heart –What’s really wrong with America’s schools. Dallas, Texas: Probe Books.

WHAT IF THERE IS NO AUTHOR’S NAME, YEAR OR ETC?

• Easy, omit them and the same goes for internet references.

– If there is no author’s name:

• (2004). Gender, literacy and empowerment in Morocco. United Kingdom: Routledge.

– If there is no specific year:

• Fatima, A. Gender, literacy and empowerment in Morocco. United Kingdom: Routledge.

• If it is from the internet:Author’s Surname, Initial of Author’s First Name.

(Year, Month Date). Title (in italics). Retrieved on Month Date, Year, from URL

For example: • Baldry, I. (2007, February 18). Alternative energy solutions

in a time of power crisis. Retrieved March 16, 2009 from http://www.freearticles.co.za/environment

• Wong, B. (2007, April 18). Is alternative energy worth the investment? Retrieved March 16, 2009, from http://www.freearticles.co.za/environment

Additional information

• There are other ways of making references out there. My suggestion to you is:

– LEARN THEM AS A PART OF YOUR JOURNEY IN OBTAINING KNOWLEDGE.

– IN UNIVERSITY, THERE SHOULDN’T BE ANYMORE SPOONFEEDING.

PRACTICE!

DEMANDING RESPECT

THE EVOLUTION OF THE

AMERICAN COMIC BOOK

PAUL LOPES

TEMPLE UNIVERSITY PRESS

Philadephia

Lopes, P. Demanding Respect: The Evolution of the American Cookbook. Philadephia: Temple University Press.

Schlosser, E. (2012). Fast Food Nation. New York: First Mariner Books.

URL: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2014-02-12/bhubaneswar/47269101_1_water-pollution-urban-water-

bodies-israel-helpWebsite:

TIMES NEW INDIA

Israel help to reduce water pollutionFeb 12, 2014, 02.34PM ISTBHUBANESWAR: A team of experts from Israel on Tuesday

reached Bhubaneswar to study groundwater pollution in the city. The Chilika Development Authority (CDA), which is managing the wetlands at Chilika, is facilitating the team's visit.…….

Additional note: Let us assume you read this article yesterday.

Israel help to reduce water pollution. (2014, February 17). The Times Of India. Retrieved February 17, 2014, from http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2014-02-12/bhubaneswar/47269101_1_water-pollution-urban-water-bodies-israel-help

IN-TEXT CITATION

• Very easy

• In your writing let’s say the reference is:

Fatima, A. (2004). Gender, literacy and empowerment in Morocco. United Kingdom: Routledge.

• In your text it is written as, (Fatima, 2004).

• No author, then it is written as (Gender, literacy and empowerment in Morocco, 2004).

• Same rule applies for internet citation

How to write your introduction

• It must answer the following questions:

– What is the background of your research?

– What is the purpose you want to carry out the research?

– What are your enquiries to pursue the research?

– What is your expected outcome for the research?

– What is the significance of your research?

How to write your literature review

• Using the 5 references you have selected, extract thekey points to discuss further and justify your research

• Be organised around and related directly to theresearch question

• Synthesise results into a summary of what is and is notknown

• Identify areas of controversy in the literature (if any)

• Formulate questions that need further research (if youcan)

Ask yourself questions:

• What is the problem or research question that my lit.review helps to define?

• What type of literature review am I doing? Am Ilooking at issues of theory? methodology? Policy?quantitative research? qualitative research?

• What is the scope of my lit. review? What type ofpublications am I using?

How to write the methodology

• What is your approach? Clue: Quantitative

• How do you approach it?

• When will it be carried out?

• What is your population and sample?

• Organise your questionnaire according to the research question.

• How will you analyse and present the data?

How will you analyse the data

• What is your return rate?

• What is your demographic profile?

• You only write about observable data similar like non-linear writing.

How will you write your conclusion

• I limit you to only write 3 paragraphs

• Did your findings corroborate to your research questions?

• What are proposed recommendations on improving your research?