RESEARCH IN

TECHNICAL EDUCATION

Module 11.1: Writing a Research Report

National Institute of Technical Teachers Training & Research

Chandigarh
 CONTENTS

S. No Page
Learning Outcomes
1. Introduction 1
2. Research Report-Concept 1
3. Systematic Approach to Writing Research Report 2
3.1 Establish the AIM 2
3.2 Consider the Audience/Reader of Research Reports 2
3.3 Institution or Government Officials 2
3.4 Education Practitioners 3
4. Types of Research Reports 4
4.1 Evaluation Reports 4
4.2 Institutional Research Reports 5
4.3 Journal Articles 6
5. Format of a Research Report 6-18
5.1 The Preliminary Section of a Research Report 8
5.2 The Body of a Research Report 14
5.3 The References Materials of the Research Report 17
6. Format of A Journal Article 18-21
6.1 Techniques to Follow When Writing a Journal Article 19
6.2 Major Sections of a Journal Article 20
7. Edit and Revise before final submission of a Research Report 21-22
Practice Task 23
Feedback 24
References 25
 WRITING A RESEARCH REPORT

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the module, you will be able to:

 Define a research report.
 Explain the significance of writing a research report.
 Describe systematic approach to writing a research report.
 Describe various types of research reports.
 Describe the components of research report.
 Develop the format of a research report and journal article.

1. Introduction

Dear learners, as you know that the core of research is the problem. You have identified the
problem and stated its objectives and hypotheses. In addition, you have also selected the
method of research, sample and developed the tools. You have also collected the data and
analyse the data. Now, you are required to report the findings. Here, lies the significance of
writing a research report.

The present learning module will enable learners understand the significance, types and
stages of writing a research report.

2. Research Report - Concept

A Report is an account brought by one person to another, especially of some matter

specially investigated. A formal statement of the results of an investigation, or of any matter
on which definite information is required, made by some person or body instructed or
required to do so (shorter oxford English Dictionary). It describes the completed research,
i.e., the concluded activity of research. It describes what research was done and how it was
done and the results and conclusions of the research. The significance of the research is
also addressed. As such it differs from a research proposal which gives emphasis on what
research is intended, how it is to be intended.

Research report is an exposition type of composition and the primary function is to

communicate ideas in a manner understandable to and usable by the reader/audience.
Thus, report writing has been recognized as an indispensable part of any piece of research
work as it records the purpose, the importance, the limitations, the procedures, the findings
and the conclusions.

1 Prof. (Dr.) Sunil Dutt

3. Systematic Approach to Writing Research Report

To make any written document effective and efficient, systematic approach can be followed:
 Establish the AIM
 Consider the AUDIENCE/READER
 Devise the STRUCTURE
 DRAFT the text
 EDIT and REVISE

3.1 Establish the AIM

A research should start with the aim. Every report must have an aim – a specific,
specified reason for being written. You must then decide what information is necessary
in achieving that aim.

3.2 Consider the Audience/Reader of Research Reports

Research reports take different forms and different emphasis depending primarily on the
audience. As the writer, you must understand not only the reader's purpose, but his
background as well. You must know who your reader is, what he already knows, and
what he does not know. Try to predict what the reader will understand without
explanation and without definition. In addition, you must know what information to
elaborate. If you use a specialized word, then you must know when to define it. All this
requires a lot of thought before writing a research report.

To be a good research report writer, you must know your audience - its purpose and
knowledge. Audiences are divided into two types. The first type is the institution or
government officials who might consist of institution administrators, government
administrators, and other funding agency officials. The second type is the education
practitioners who might consist of teachers, teacher trainees, and other researchers.
Each type of audience has different interests and will understand the same problem
through a different language and from a different perspective.

3.3 Institution or Government Officials

Who is an institution or government official? He might be an institution principal or

contract administrator. The institution or government official's major concern is with
policy or decision making. The institution or government official must often make
decisions based upon what he/she reads. In writing a research report for an institution
or government official, you must interpret your material and present its implications, not
merely give the facts. The institution or government official is usually knowledgeable in

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the field and will not need technical terms defined for him. The institution or government
official seldom uses the detail, though he/she often wants it available. Organize your
research report around institution or government official reading habits. The institution or
government official is usually a busy person, so most of them read the summary or
abstract, conclusions and recommendations, and some read the introduction and
background section. Only a very few read the body of the research report or the
appendix material.

Consider the position of the institution or government officials. What do they require of a
research report? Among the major requirements will be that the document:

1. is easily understood.
2. has recommendations that are solidly based.
3. provides a basis for action.
4. recommendations may be translated into policy.
5. provides useful information so that decisions may be made.

3.4 Education Practitioners

Who is an education practitioner? It might be a teacher or a teacher trainee. The

education practitioner's major concern is with improvement of programmes, instructional
material, teaching methods, and self- improvement. The education practitioner many
times will not be able to follow complicated statistics, and will grow restive with too much
theory.

Sentence length should also be kept down when writing for the education practitioner.
Let one sentence carry one idea or one statement, in order to avoid confusion in the
reader's mind. Because the English language is remarkable for its variety of meanings
and expressions, whenever possible, use simple words. Usually with the education
practitioner, you will need to supply background information in order to give the reader
an understanding of the previous work that has been done in the area of study. Some
definition may also be necessary in order that the reader will fully understand the
meaning of .the report and its significance.

Consider the position of the education practitioner. What do they require of a research
report? Among the major requirements will be that the document:

1. provides a clear expression and is easily understood.

2. has academic credibility.

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 3. provides a clear presentation.
4. has coherence of purpose as exemplified by the report as a whole.

4. Types of Research Reports

When writing a research report it is important to understand that different circumstances

may call for different types of reports. In technical education research the three major
types of research reports are: evaluation reports, institutional research reports, and
journal articles. An evaluation report facilitates the communication of evaluation
procedures which were undertaken, and portrays the results of an evaluation study in
order to assist in decision making and/or making changes to improve vocational
technician education. An institutional research report communicates the purpose,
procedure, and findings of the completed research study to the reader in order to inform
the reader of a specific topic in technician education. A journal article is a report written
for publication by a researcher who has already completed a research study in order to
share with other people the benefit of the new knowledge.

Under each major kind of research report, some different types include:

4.1 Evaluation Reports

Student Follow-up Report - communicates programme success based on the

feedback from former students. The report generally contains an overview of the
procedures, statistics on the number of placements and wages, and places of
employment. Judgement feedback from former students on how the programme
benefitted the-m is sometimes included. The audience of this report usually includes
teachers involved in the programme which the students participated in, administrators
from that institution, and sponsors and supporters of the school.

Summary of Student Assessment Report - documents the progress of individual

and groups of students. Sometimes used to assign grades to students and to monitor
the consistency of student accomplishments from year to year. It includes a
description of assessment procedures used by individual instructors and statistics of
test scores, and course grades. The audience of this report usually includes teachers
and students.

Formative Evaluation of an Instructional Activity Report - documents the results

of a formative evaluation for use in making further improvements and taking
corrective actions. These reports are sometimes very brief and written by the
instructor for his own use. It is a document that helps the instructor determine what

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he should not do and what works best for him. The audience of this report usually
includes teachers.

Course or Programme Evaluation Report - provides summative evaluation

information regarding decisions for continuing a course or programme. It provides
formative evaluation results to help in improving the course or programme. Usually, a
detailed report in which more than one evaluation technique was utilized. The
audience of this report usually includes administrators and teachers.

Curriculum Product Evaluation Report - provides corrective input for enhancing

the curriculum product or justifying its use. It usually includes an expert judgement of
the curriculum product concerning its cost, use, benefits, etc. The audience of the
report usually includes curriculum developers and potential adopters of curriculum.

4.2 Institutional Research Reports

Curriculum Development Study Report - provides the base or input for the
development of a course or programme. This report usually pulls together all sources
of data (this might include the manpower assessment study report) to justify the
curriculum or spell out what should be in the curriculum. The audience of this report
usually includes curriculum development specialists and teachers.

Manpower Assessment Study Report - identifies and documents the supply and
demand of skilled workers in various occupational and geographical regions. It is
usually a statistical report showing both current employment as well as projections of
the future in an occupational field. The audience of this report usually includes
programme planners and curriculum developers.

Staff Development Needs Assessment Study Report - identifies the in-service or

upgrading needs of individuals and groups of teachers. It usually includes a
description of survey results of faculty interests and perceived needs for
improvement. The audience of this report usually includes administrative staff.

Occupational Analysis Study Report - identifies and documents the specific job
competencies of individuals working in a particular occupation. It usually has tasks
listed with frequency and importance ratings for each task. The audience of this
report usually includes curriculum developers, programme planners and teachers.

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 Assessment of Student Evaluation Techniques Report - determines the types of
techniques used by teachers for evaluating students and determines their
consistency in application. It usually includes a description of the various techniques
used by instructors with recommendations concerning consistency or improvement.
The audience of this report usually includes administrators and teachers.

4.3 Journal Articles

Research Articles - share specific research findings with scholars and practitioners
in the field. It is a published summary of a research study, and includes a description
of the rationale, methodology, and findings of the research study. It is published in
the journal of a professional association which maintains a review board or uses
referees. The audience of research articles usually includes researchers, university
and other institutional researchers, teachers and administrators.

Prescriptive Articles - interpret research findings into suggested actions which

should be taken by policy makers or practitioners. They are designed to persuade
someone into implementing their research findings for some new innovation.
Prescriptive articles involve a practical interpretation of research with the intent to
motivate some kind of change. The audience of prescriptive articles usually includes
teachers and administrators.

Instructional Articles – instruct/teach practitioners about some things that have

been proven or advanced through a specific or accumulative research effort.
instructional article usually describes some technique innovation which has been
tested in a research study. The emphasis on this type of article is on teaching the
reader how to implement or adopt the innovation that been studied. Specific steps or
procedures as well as description of the underlying rationale are usually provided.
The audience of instructional articles usually includes teachers.

5. Format of a Research Report

A necessary part of any research is the writing of the report to convey the results and
conclusions to interested persons. Most graduate schools, institutions, and professional
journals indicate formats that they expect report writers to follow. These formats differ in
detail somewhat, but they usually include three main divisions: the preliminary materials, the
body of the report, and reference materials. Each of the main divisions may consist of
several sections. However, it is appropriate here to consider the format of a research report.
The format should reflect the stages the research process, but it exists essentially as the

6
means by which the research is communicated. There are various ways in which a format is
established, but it is proposed here that we consider the following, and then make the
necessary adaptations to fit your audience's needs.

I. Preliminary Materials

a. Title Page
b. Acknowledgements
c. Table of Contents
d. List of Tables (if any)
e. List of Illustration (if any)
f. Abstract

II. Body of the Report

a. Introduction

1. Statement of the problem

2. Literature review
3. Underlying hypotheses or key questions
4. Limitations
5. Definition of terms

b. Methodology

1. Sources of data
2. Data gathering instruments
3. Procedures employed (designs, sampling, etc.)

c. Presentation and Analysis of Data

1. Presentation of the findings

2. Tables (usually incorporated into the presentation of the findings)
3. Figures (usually incorporated into the presentation of the findings)

d. Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations

1. Summary
2. Conclusions
3. Recommendations

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 Ill. Reference Materials

a. Bibliography
b. Appendices

The list of items outlined above is fairly comprehensive. It is not meant to be a rigid
guideline of every step you must take. Before deciding on a final format it is necessary to
ask yourself:

What is it that is essential to include in order to provide an easily understood research

report, and how do we provide evidence that the recommendations are solidly based? An
outline is effective if it helps to identify and order the subdivisions of the report's major
divisions or sections. Obviously, the outline must precede the actual writing of the report
since it is expected to serve as a guide for the writing which lies ahead. An effective outline
is a check for coverage and an assurance for sequence and logical presentation of ideas
and items.

Since the planning outline is for the writer's use only and considering that it is tentative in
nature, it is expected that as the writer proceeds, addition, removal, and rearrangement of
items may be necessary and desirable. The list of items outlined above is fairly
comprehensive. It is not meant to be a rigid guideline of every step you must take.

Before deciding on a final format, it is necessary to ask yourself:

What is it that is essential to include in order to provide an easily understood research

report, and how do we provide evidence that the recommendations are solidly based? An
outline is effective if it helps to identify and order the subdivisions of the report's major
divisions or sections. Obviously, the outline must precede the actual writing of the report
since it is expected to serve as a guide for the writing which lies ahead. An effective outline
is a check for coverage and an assurance for sequence and logical presentation of ideas
and items.

Since the planning outline is for the writer's use only and considering that it is tentative in
nature, it is expected that as the writer proceeds, addition, removal, and rearrangement of
items may be necessary and desirable.

5.1 The Preliminary Section of a Research Report

You will recall that the preliminary components of the research report consist of the
title page, acknowledgements, table of contents, list of tables, list of illustrations, and
abstract. All the qualities of good writing: clarity, conciseness, and accuracy should be

8
inherent in these preliminary materials, as well as in the body of your report.

The Title Page

The title page, which appears first may contain the following items.
1. title of the study,
2. full name of the research report writer and institution for which he works,
3. name of institution to which the report is submitted, and
4. date when the research report was written.

These items are centred between the margins on the page, and no terminal
punctuation is used. The title is typed in capital letters, but usually only the initial letters
of principal words are capitalized in other items. If the title extends beyond one line it is
double-spaced and placed in the shape of an inverted pyramid.

The title should contain key words or phrases that give a clear and concise description
of the scope and nature of the research report. The title should not claim more for the
study than it actually delivered. It should not be stated so broadly that it seems to
provide an answer that cannot be generalized, either from the data gathered or from

EFFECT OF ONLINE LEARNING AND BLENDED LEARNING ON

ACHIEVEMENT OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN
PSYCHOLOGY AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEARNING IN
RELATION TO METACOGNITIVE AWARENESS

A RESEARCH REPORT

Submitted to the Panjab University Chandigarh

In respect of Doctor of Philosophy

By
Ambalika Dogra
Ph.D. Scholar

January, 2016

the methodology utilized. For example, if a simple descriptive self-concept study was
made of a group of children enrolled in a particular inner-city elementary school, the
title should not read, "The Self-Concepts of Inner-City Children”. A more appropriate
title would be "The Self-Concept of a Group of Delhi Inner-City Children”. An example
of a Title page is given below:

9
The Acknowledgements Page

The 'Acknowledgements' page is usually included when the research writer wants
especially to express his thanks to individuals who have given him substantial
guidance or assistance, however, a long list of acknowledgements is not in good taste.
The word Acknowledgements' is centred on the top of the page, and the paragraphs of
the acknowledgements are typed in standard form as shown below:

T Acknowledgements
h
e The investigator is grateful to the principals (viz.,) who served as respondents and cooperated
in the administering of the instrument used in this survey. The investigator is also grateful to
T the city superintendents (viz.,) who served as respondents and cooperated in the
a administering of the instrument.
b
The responses of all the individuals who participated in the survey are anonymous and are
l
referred to in the study only by means of various types of symbols. In the formulation of
e
methods and the preparation of materials for this study the investigator received many
valuable suggestions from
o
f Special thanks are expressed to Dr. Professor of Education at the Panjab University,
Chandigarh who served
C

Contents

The 'Table of Contents', which is a separate page or pages, gives the reader an
overview of the research report and enables him to locate quickly each of its sections.
The main division titles are usually typed in capital letters, subdivision headings in
small letters with the initial letter of the principal word capitalized. All titles and
headings appear in the exact words and order as they do in the research report, and
each is followed by the correct page citation. The relationship between main headings
and subtopics is shown by proper indentation and capitalization. If possible, the
headings are confined to one line of space, and parallel grammatical structure is used
for the same value of headings. See the example of a 'Table of Contents' below:

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 Table of Contents
Page
Acknowledgements
List of Tables
List of Illustrations

Chapter
I. Introduction
1.1 The Problem and Its Purposes
1.2 Definition of Terms
1.3 Sources of Data
1.4 Method of Procedure
1.5 Significance of the Problem

II. Some Effects of Changing Social and Economic Conditions on the

Technical Training Institute

III. Importance of Technical Training Institutes Social and Economic

Problems and Their Effects on Enrolment

IV. The Future of Technical Training Institutes in India

Bibliography/References
Appendix

The List of Tables

The 'List of Tables' should give the table numbers in Roman numerals. The first and
last words and all nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, 'and adverbs in the title of each
table should be capitalized, and there should be double-spaced periods extending in a
line from the last letter of the title to the corresponding page number. The word "Table"
and "Page" should be placed at the top of the columns of numbers. See the example,
below:

List of Tables
Table Detail Page
No.
1.1 Student Population of Central City by Wards, 1958
2.1 Value of New School Buildings Erected in Central City by
Years, 1958-1968
3.1 The Growth of Central City Public Schools, 1958-1968, as
indicated by Census, Programmes, and Facilities

The List of Illustrations

In the,' List of Illustrations the first and last words and all nouns, pronouns, adjectives,

11
verbs, and adverbs in the title of each illustration should be capitalized, and there
should be double-spaced periods extending in a line from the last letter of the title to
the corresponding page number. The words "Figure" and "Page" should be placed at
the top of the columns of numbers. Both the figure and page numbers should be
Arabic numerals. When the title of a figure is very long, it is permissible to use a
shortened form. However, in certain reports it may be necessary, in the interest of
clarity, to present the title of the figure exactly as it appears in the text. Descriptive
statements that may be used in addition to the title within the body of the report should
be omitted in the List of Illustrations. The list of illustrations can be prepared as for list
of Tables above.

The Abstract

The abstract is a very concise description of a research report. is of considerable value

to the reader because it provides him with time saving synopsis of an entire report.
The abstract provides essential general information but omits details. Recognizing the
f that different institutions have their own· requirements for abstract preparation, the
following suggestions are offered merely to explain the general nature of an abstract.

Contents of the Abstract

The abstract should provide a brief explanation of the research problem and the topics
studied. The sources of information and the procedure used should be given very
general coverage. Finally, the findings, conclusions, and recommendations (if any)
should be stated briefly.

Preparation of the Abstract

The following suggestions are given for writing and typing the abstract

 Use topic sentences and combine them with transitional statements to form
unified paragraphs.
 Give special attention to sentence structure in order to write a short, logically
consistent, and highly abstract.
 Strive for accuracy as well as unity. Complete sentences should be used.
Abbreviated terms that are not acceptable the main report should not be used
in the abstract either.
 The third person and past tense should be used.
 Limit the abstract to the specified number of words (such as six hundred words
or less).

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  The abstract should have a top and bottom margin of 25mm left-hand margin of
35mm and a right-hand margin of 25mm.
 The general heading for the abstract should contain the author's name
(surname first), title of the study, and the date. The abstract must be double
spaced.

Sample of an Abstract

Jones, John T., The Effect of a Teaching Procedure, Using Students' Compositions,
On Fourth-Grade Students' Sentence Construction January, 1971.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of using students' written
compositions, as the primary aid for teaching, on the production of incomplete and
over-complete sentences written by fourth-grade students. The subjects for this study
were children selected at random from fourth-grade classes at Happy Hollow
Elementary School located in the Centreville School District. Most of the children came
from middle-class homes, although a small percentage were from the upper-middle
class.

The subjects were assigned either to a control group or an experimental group, each
containing twenty-six students. This grouping existed only during periods in which
specific written composition instruction was offered. The same teacher taught both
groups in order to eliminate the difference in teacher ability.

Each written composition class lasted for thirty minutes each day for each group. The
experiment was carried on for one semester. In the control group, the teacher used
materials in the fourth-grade English textbook, and additional duplicated materials, all
of which concentrated on building and writing good sentences. The experimental group
used only student written work as aids to improving the writing of complete thoughts in
sentences. In the experimental group, on Friday of each week, students wrote a new
story. Only incomplete and over-complete sentences were red-marked.

The teacher taught the experimental group with these stories, using projector,
chalkboard, and oral reading of the stories. The story writers were not always identified
as the 3tories were discussed in class. The class would help improve the sentences in
the students' stories. No textbooks, workbooks,
or duplicated materials were used.

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At the end of the semester each student wrote a story. The students were allowed fifty
minutes to write a what was in a "mysterious box" on the teacher's desk. followed an
outline suggested by the teacher and contained t paragraphs of five sentences each.
The paragraphs answered following questions: What is in the box? What is the
mystery item used for? What would I do with the mystery item if it were mine? These
were graded by two secondary school English teachers and the researcher.

The experimental group wrote fewer incomplete sentences than the control group, the
difference being significant beyond the .01 level of significance (t = 2.90). The
experimental group also wrote fewer over-complete sentences, the difference being
significant at the same level of significance (t = 2.70).

It is concluded that when the experimental method is used the students will write fewer
incomplete and fewer over-complete sentences than when the traditional method of
instruction is used.

It is recommended that similar studies be conducted to assess the effect of the

experimental method (1) when subjects are selected from fifth and sixth grades, (2)
when subjects come from various socio-economic strata, (3) on other criterion
variables such as interest, attitude, and quality of writing.

5.2 The Body of a Research Report

The body of the report follows the preliminary information. The body of ·the research
report contains four logical divisions:
a) Introduction
b) Methodology
c) Presentation and Analysis of Data
d) Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations

a) Introduction

Statement of the Problem

The statement of the problem should appear early in the paper, and the various
elements should be presented in definite, lucid terms, leaving no doubt as to the intent
of the researcher. Ambiguous terms and involved wording should be avoided.

Review of Related Literature

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A thorough review should be made of the literature related to the problem area under
investigation. In this way the researcher will discover whether the study he is
undertaking already has been thoroughly researched, thus making his study
redundant. The researcher should then organize this review of the literature so that the
relationships of other studies to the present one are pointed out. Finally, the
researcher should use the review to establish a theoretical base or rationale upon
which defensible hypotheses can be based or key questions can be developed.

Statement of Hypotheses or Research Questions

Hypotheses in a research study are predictions of facts or relationships based upon

existing information, which will when tested experimentally or empirically, produced
new facts, concepts, or evidence. They should be stated as declarative sentences and
should clearly identify the variables with which they are concerned.

Limitations

This section of the research report should call attention to any limitations that exist in
the reference populations, treatments, instruments used, or research design. These
factors must be described so that a reader may make his own decision about the
applicability of the findings to other situations.

Definition of Terms

Careful definitions need to be stated for all important variables, particularly if these
variables are to be measured by means of a specific instrument or combination of
devices. Many terms commonly in use are subject to a variety of interpretations, and
accurate reporting requires that these terms be defined according to the precise
meaning they are intended to convey. Esoteric technical jargon interferes with the
communication of ideas, as does inconsistent use of any of them.

b) Methodology

Procedures for Collection and Treatment of Data

The procedures followed in conducting the study should be explained in complete

detail. A step-by-step description is needed of the manner in which decisions have
been made about the data required for the study, the devices used for their collection,
and the process by which they have been collected.

In addition, the techniques, devices, and procedures followed should be shown to be

15
appropriate, valid, and reliable for the acquisition of the data upon which conclusions
and inferences are based. Any errors or weaknesses in the procedures that have been
discovered during the conduct of the research should be pointed out, and any
consequent limitations upon the research results should be fully noted. Complete
information, sufficient to make possible an exact replication of the study, should be
included. This information should describe explicitly where and when data have been
gathered, from exactly how many subjects the data have been gathered, the relevant
characteristics of these subjects, and the methods and materials used.

c) Presentation and Analysis of Data

Presentation of Data

Plans for the organization and presentation of the data should be prepared in advance
for any research report. Clarity requires that data categories be specific, and it further
requires that only relevant data be reported. Charts, diagrams, graphs, tables, and
other such devices should be used when they can be designed to present information
effectively and accurately, permitting the reader to examine the data more readily than
in a purely textual presentation. The textual presentation, then, should supplement or
expand upon, rather than duplicate the contents of tables and charts. This discussion
should be stated in a formal narrative style that provides a smooth transition from one
point to the next and clarifies any relationships that bear upon the problem.

Analysis of Data

The analysis of data must be objective and logical. A careful distinction must be made
between fact and opinion, since opinion has no place in this section of the report. The
evidence relevant to each hypothesis or research question should be examined,
including any data that may be contrary to the anticipated outcomes. Although the
researcher is expected to relate his work to previous research and, thus, to generalize,
he should avoid exaggerating and making broad generalizations without adequate
data upon which to base them. All generalizations should be stated with careful
qualifications, and conclusions should be drawn only for the population and
circumstances for which the evidence has been collected. There may be unexpected
developments in the research, such as unanticipated relationships or unforeseen
trends; these matters should be reported fully. Any weaknesses in the research
design, techniques, or population that have come to light should be discussed frankly,
with particular attention given to the manner in which these factors may have affected
the outcome of the research.

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d) Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations

Summary
The summary should briefly review the procedures, findings, and entire involvement of
the problem. The important points in the study are brought together in the summary,
but not all the evidence upon which they are based is repeated.

Conclusions

The conclusions are stated precisely and related directly to the hypotheses or research
questions that were presented. The conclusions announce whether the findings of the study
confirmed or rejected the hypotheses or answered the research questions of the study. If the
conclusions modify an existing theory, this fact is discussed. If the data have any implications
for educational programmes or practices, these may be discussed. If the investigation raises
or clarifies specific questions that suggest areas for further research, this information is
presented concisely.

If no further research would appear to be profitable in this area and a new approach to the
problem is needed, this suggestion is made. However, remember only those conclusions that
can be supported by the data presented in the study should be stated.

Recommendations

The recommendations should indicate how the conclusions might be used or implemented in
educational practice. Recommendations based on the conclusions can be of great help to
teachers, administrators, and others in the field who may not have sufficient training to
discover these applications for themselves.

5.3 The Reference Materials of the Research Report

The reference materials of the report follow the main body of the research report and
contains the following:
a) Bibliography
b) Appendix

a) Bibliography

The bibliography should give a clear, complete description of the sources that were
used when preparing the research report. Some bibliographies classify entries under
headings such as Books, Periodicals, Newspapers, Reports, Public Documents, and
Miscellaneous. A more common approach is to arrange items in a single alphabetized
list. Bibliographical items are usually listed alphabetically by author's surnames, but a

17
 chronological arrangement is used in some research studies. o universally accepted
style for constructing a bibliography exists. You need to adopt one that is approved by
your institution or publisher and use it consistently. Module 2 presents a simple and
workable style for writing bibliographies.

b) Appendix

An appendix, if included, follows the bibliography. You do not merely dump leftover
products of the study in the appendix, rather, you present relevant supporting materials
that are too lengthy to be placed in the body of the research report, such as
questionnaires, form letters, evaluation sheets, checklists, courses of study,
documents, and interview forms. The items in the appendix are grouped, labelled,
lettered, and listed in the table of contents. They should also be cited at the
appropriate place within the body of (he report, for the benefit of the reader who may
require this additional information.

6. Format of A Journal Article

There are many reasons for wanting to publish one's research; other people can benefit from
the new knowledge; one may need to publish in order to get promoted in his job, or one may
just wish to clarify his thoughts and receive reactions to them. The purpose of this unit is to
help the researcher, one who has already completed a research study, understand how to
write a professional journal article.

Preliminary Tasks that should be completed before preparing a Journal Article.

There are several preliminary tasks that should be completed before beginning to draft a
report of the research study for publication in a professional journal.

 Begin concentrating on who might be interested in learning the results of your

research study. Be critical. Be honest. Define an audience for whom the results of
your study would have the greatest potential usefulness. Then write for that audience
or reader.
 Develop a list of the professional journals most likely to be read by your defined
audience. Develop a list of the journals which publish articles on topics similar to
yours.
 Once the list of potential target journals has been developed, the prospective writer
should study past issues. The objectives of this process are to determine which
journal's content most nearly matches your proposed article and to take notes on the
typical length, publication style, and accepted vocabulary. One should also make

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 note of the editor and the address to which manuscripts are to be sent. Most journals
have notes to prospective writers inside the back cover indicating where the
manuscripts are to be sent, and how to obtain a copy of the journal policy.

Remember to

o identify the audience with the greatest potential interest.

o identify the most appropriate target journal.
o determine the required format.

Only after completing these tasks should the writer begin to outline and draft the article.

6.1 Techniques to Follow When Writing a Journal Article

Keep in mind there are many ways of presenting and/or writing about the same set of
obtained data, but that you are trying to convey specific information to a particular
audience which is accustomed to reading new information in a particular format.
Conform to the style of the target journal.

While writing and re-writing drafts of the article, remember to be concise and do not
go beyond the length of the recommended number of words for articles in the target
journal that you have selected. Do not include any words which are not absolutely
necessary to convey the data, their meaning, and the appropriate interpretations.

Understand ability is just as important as conciseness. Always have one or more

non-involved people read the final draft of the proposed article. A non-involved
person is someone other than yourself or a co-writer. It might be a professor,
committee member, fellow student, or spouse. It does not matter that they may not
be knowledgeable in your field, they can still point out redundancies and in many
instances show where you did not give enough information to the intended readers.

Be very careful when using technical terms. Avoid their use whenever possible, and
ensure that you define each term and use it in its proper context. Use only the
technical terms which are appropriate for the target journal and audience.

Another useful technique for achieving conciseness and understand- ability is to

outline the article first. There is probably no single technique so useful in the initial
phases of article writing than outlining. The table of contents from your formal
research report can serve as the first outline. This outline should be expanded until
you are certain what should be included in your article. Then reduce the outline. In

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 fact, the journal article may only incorporate one or two chapters of your original
research report.

6.2 Major Sections of a Journal Article

The following are some general topics which are covered in many professional articles.
However, do not use any suggested format blindly, modify it to suit the chosen journal.

Presentation of the Problem

 Review of the Literature: not always required or requested, and usually only
one or two paragraphs. (This may be preceded by a brief introductory
statement.)
 Statement of the Problem: a concise, understandable, perhaps even non-
technical explanation depending upon the target journal, often general in
nature.

Procedures utilized in the Study

 Hypotheses or research questions: only if the target journal requires them,

and then in an appropriate format even if the analysis is non-statistical.
 Description of Population/Samples: often only two or three sentences.
 Types of Data and Methods of Collection: usually brief, but some technical
journals require rather detailed descriptions or explanations.
 Method of Analysis: be brief, cite references of any statistical methods used.

Results

 Tables: remember tables are used to present large amounts of data in an

understandable form. Do not include a table if it is not useful. A well-
constructed table should convey to the reader the essential meaning of a set
of data which otherwise would take several pages to present in prose form.
It should present the data more clearly than if written into the text of your
article. A common error is presenting related data in several different tables,
when the data could be combined into one or two well-organized tables.
 Brief Written Presentation: state the significance level of any statistical test
used and present a summary of the major findings.

Discussion of Results

 The study's objectives, hypotheses or research questions should be

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 addressed stating whether they were confirmed, rejected, or in the case of
research questions, answered.
 Usefulness of Results - explain how the reader can use the results, why
they are meaningful.
 Implications for Further Study - do not become so involved in stating the
implications of your study that you cause the reader to lose interest or
become bored with reading your personal/professional philosophy.
Implications are justified only when they are clearly probable and based
upon the obtained data.
References

Include an entry for each citation in the article. A bibliography is not included for a journal
article except when it serves a special purpose or when one is requested by the journal staff.
An appendix is not generally required but may be included if it is necessary to present
material that would otherwise break the continuity of the article.

While good writing may be partly a personal judgement there are definite mistakes which
can and should be avoided. For example, all writers must be constantly on guard to prevent
non-informative expressions from becoming part of a proposed article. Use of the first
person is another mistake to be avoided. Normally, it can be avoided or corrected by using
such expressions as, "the researcher" or "the writer", or employing the term "one". For
example, you could change "I do not believe the first person format should be used", to "One
should not use the first person format".

Good writing is difficult, and it is hard work. There is much time involved in editing, setting up
tables, and verifying bibliographic style. It is only natural that one becomes tired of reading
and re- reading the same manuscript, but it is the only way to get an article into a format and
style that will be acceptable for publishing. It is also the best way to maximize your
contributions in a given field of study.

7. Edit and Revise before final submission of a Research Report

The following guidelines will assist the researcher in editing and revising the research report
before submission to the concerned authorities:
 Set aside draft report for a day or two before revising. This makes it easier to view
your work objectively and see any gaps or problems. Rethink ideas, refine
arguments, reorganize paragraphs, and reword sentences. Have somebody else
read the paper and tell you if there's anything that's unclear or confusing.
 Proofread the Final Draft.

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 Detect any careless errors (such as misspelled words and incorrect punctuation and
capitalization).
 Read backwards in order to detect any more errors.
 Errors harder to spot on a computer screen
 Check for Clarity
o Use easily understandable words
o Use verbs in the active voice vs the passive voice
 Check for Conciseness
o Limit paragraph length
o Avoid Camouflaged Words (instead use common terminology)
o Omit Redundancies (unnecessary words)

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Practice Task
1. Explain, in brief, the concept of a research report.

2. List what a good research report writer should know about the audience/reader of a
research report.

3. What does ‘Review of Literature’ indicate in a research report?

4. What does ‘Population and sample’ indicate in a research report?

5. Which one of the following is NOT the logical division of the Introduction to a research
report?
a. A statement of the problem.
b. A review of the literature.
c. A description of the sample selected for the study.
d. A statement of the hypotheses/research questions.

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Feedback/Self-evaluation to Practice task

1. It describes the completed research, i.e., the concluded activity of research. It describes
what research was done and how it was done and the results and conclusions of the
research. The significance of the research is also addressed.
2. Who the audience/reader is; what he/she already knows or does not know; his/her purpose &
background.
3. A rationale for the study by citing the findings of other research.
4. Describes the subjects of the study and how they were selected.
5. c.

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References

 Best, JW and Kahn, JV (2006). Research in Education. 10th Edition. Boston A & B/
Pearson.
 Borg, W and Gall, M (2003). Educational Research: an introduction, New York:
Longman.
 Cohen, L (2000). Educational Research in Classrooms and Schools - a Manual of
Materials and Methods. New York: Harper & Row Publishers.
 CPSC (1990). Developing Skills in Technician Education Research-Module 10: Writing
Research Reports. Singapore: Colombo Plan Staff College for Technician Education.
 Dunford, R (2004). Developing a research proposal. In Burton, S. & Steane, P.
(Eds.) Surviving your thesis (pp.46-58). New York, NY: Routledge.
 Forsyth, P (1998). How to be better at writing … reports & proposals. New Delhi: Kogan
Page India Pvt. Ltd., 180 pp.
 Gay, LR (2000). Educational Research, Ohio: Charles E Merril Publishing.
 Gupta, SL and Gupta, Hitesh (2011). Research Methodology – Text and Cases with
SPSS Applications. New Delhi: International Book House Pvt. Ltd.
 Kothari, CR (2012). Research Methodology. New Delhi: New Age International (P)
Limited Publishers.
 Koul, L (2009). Methodology of Educational Research. 4th Edition; Noida: Vikas
Publishing House Pvt. Ltd., 532pp.
 Kulkarni, PD and Sharma, BB (1986). Independent Study Techniques. Chandigarh:
TTTI
 Kumar, R (2016). Research Methodology – A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners. New
Delhi: Sage Publications India Pvt. Ltd., Third Printing, 399pp.
 Singh, AK (2012). Tests, Measurements and Research Methods in Behavioural
Sciences. New Delhi: Bharati Bhawan (Publishers & Distributors).
 Srinagesh, K (2005). The Principles of Experimental Research. Butterworth-Heinemann.
 Tatke, J (2009). Research Methodology. Pune: Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning.
 Research Report: Introduction, Definition and Report Format.
http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/marketing/research-report-introduction-definition-and-
report-format/48713

Support learning resources:

 Video film on ‘Writing a Research Report – Concept and Format’ developed/recorded

by Professor (Dr.) Sunil Dutt, NITTTR, Chandigarh.
 Video film on ‘Research Report – Guidelines’ developed/recorded by Professor (Dr.)
Sunil Dutt, NITTTR, Chandigarh.
 Meghana, S (2010). Research Report Writing.
https://www.slideshare.net/meghana353/research-report-writing.
 Writing a Research Report in American Psychological Association (APA) Style.
https://opentextbc.ca/researchmethods/chapter/writing-a-research-report-in-american-
psychological-association-apa-style/
 Vidya-mitra (2016). Writing a Research Report. Video on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nte0uN2Ezs

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