STUDY SKILLS - PRIMARY RESEARCH REPORT STRUCTURE
This information is taken from:
Reid (2012): 3: Structuring your report.
Use this structure if your main focus of research is primary (object analysis, interviews, questionnaires).
Reid (2012): 3: Structuring your report.
Use this structure if your main focus of research is primary (object analysis, interviews, questionnaires).
A report gives a logical and ordered structure to an investigative process. The sections help the reader know what to expect and find the information they need. (Reid, 2012, p.39).
An investigative report should be structured in the following order:
1. TITLE AND CONTENTS PAGES
Title page should include your name, your course, your report title, and the date it was completed.
Contents page should include a list of the main sections (and subsections) of your report. Include page numbers.
2. ABSTRACT
This is a summary of the whole report.
Sometimes the abstract ... is the only part of the report that people read, so it has to stand on its own and give a fair and useful reflection of your work. ...
As the abstract summarises the whole report, you should write it last. It should only be about 200 words or fewer and is normally written as one paragraph.
It should contain a sentence or two about the
3. INTRODUCTION
This is where you explain what you have decided to investigate and why and how you are doing it and introduce the main texts that you have read.
4. LITERATURE REVIEW
This is an analysis of the background literature relating to your primary research.
It is not an historical narrative of past research, nor a summary of everything you have read.
Instead you are comparing and contrasting previous research in your field, analysing the strengths and weaknesses of these studies and identifying what this tells you about your own project. ...
Look at what themes or main issues are coming from your background reading - use these themes to help group your reading together. ...
Once you have grouped your reading under headings, compare and contrast the studies under each heading, analysing their methods and findings and always showing how these findings relate to your own investigation. (Reid, 2012, p.77).
5. METHODS
This is where you describe what you did for your primary research and how it relates to the themes identified in the literature review.
You need to justify why you chose the methods you did ...
As the methods are descriptive and follow a step-by-step procedure of what you did, it is usually a good section to start writing first. ...
6. RESULTS
This is where you present the results of your primary research using both words and visuals (graphs or diagrams).
You can't interpret and present all the data you collect ... how is what you are presenting going to help answer your brief?...
Pick out for the reader the important trends in the data - avoid describing each individual data point in detail.
Present the data in one format only - either a table or graph or diagram. Select the most appropriate form for the trends and comparisons you want to show.
Label graphs and diagrams so you can refer to them easily, and describe the crucial trends and patterns that they show ...
You need to describe in words what each table, figure, graph or diagram shows - they won't speak for themselves! ...
Save all interpretation of the findings for your discussion section.
7. DISCUSSION
This is where you explain the results of your primary research relating them to the themes identified in your literature review.
Use tentative language:
using words like 'may', 'might' or 'possibly' shows that you are aware you cannot give a definitive answer but you are attempting to explain your findings within the within the limitations of what you have investigated. ...
raise any limitations or problems you faced and assess to what these shortcomings affected your results ... suggest how the limitations could be overcome if the investigation was repeated or developed. ...
8. CONCLUSION
This is where you sum up the key points you have made:
9. REMEMBER!
Respect the formal structure of reports, but see it as a communication tool, not a set of rigid rules.
The literature review and discussion sections are likely to be the longest, contain the most critical analysis ... and so be worth the most marks! (Reid, 2012, pp.39-40).
An investigative report should be structured in the following order:
- Title and contents pages
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Literature review
- Methods
- Results
- Discussion
- Conclusion
1. TITLE AND CONTENTS PAGES
Title page should include your name, your course, your report title, and the date it was completed.
Contents page should include a list of the main sections (and subsections) of your report. Include page numbers.
2. ABSTRACT
This is a summary of the whole report.
Sometimes the abstract ... is the only part of the report that people read, so it has to stand on its own and give a fair and useful reflection of your work. ...
As the abstract summarises the whole report, you should write it last. It should only be about 200 words or fewer and is normally written as one paragraph.
It should contain a sentence or two about the
- purposes and aims
- methods used
- main findings
- most important conclusions ... (Reid, 2012, pp.40-44).
3. INTRODUCTION
This is where you explain what you have decided to investigate and why and how you are doing it and introduce the main texts that you have read.
4. LITERATURE REVIEW
This is an analysis of the background literature relating to your primary research.
It is not an historical narrative of past research, nor a summary of everything you have read.
Instead you are comparing and contrasting previous research in your field, analysing the strengths and weaknesses of these studies and identifying what this tells you about your own project. ...
Look at what themes or main issues are coming from your background reading - use these themes to help group your reading together. ...
Once you have grouped your reading under headings, compare and contrast the studies under each heading, analysing their methods and findings and always showing how these findings relate to your own investigation. (Reid, 2012, p.77).
5. METHODS
This is where you describe what you did for your primary research and how it relates to the themes identified in the literature review.
You need to justify why you chose the methods you did ...
As the methods are descriptive and follow a step-by-step procedure of what you did, it is usually a good section to start writing first. ...
6. RESULTS
This is where you present the results of your primary research using both words and visuals (graphs or diagrams).
You can't interpret and present all the data you collect ... how is what you are presenting going to help answer your brief?...
Pick out for the reader the important trends in the data - avoid describing each individual data point in detail.
Present the data in one format only - either a table or graph or diagram. Select the most appropriate form for the trends and comparisons you want to show.
Label graphs and diagrams so you can refer to them easily, and describe the crucial trends and patterns that they show ...
You need to describe in words what each table, figure, graph or diagram shows - they won't speak for themselves! ...
Save all interpretation of the findings for your discussion section.
7. DISCUSSION
This is where you explain the results of your primary research relating them to the themes identified in your literature review.
Use tentative language:
- This seems to support ...
- It appears that ...
- This may be due to ...
using words like 'may', 'might' or 'possibly' shows that you are aware you cannot give a definitive answer but you are attempting to explain your findings within the within the limitations of what you have investigated. ...
raise any limitations or problems you faced and assess to what these shortcomings affected your results ... suggest how the limitations could be overcome if the investigation was repeated or developed. ...
8. CONCLUSION
This is where you sum up the key points you have made:
- Look backwards to the original brief and summarise the main findings of your investigation.
- Let your readers know why your findings are important.
- Give the crucial 'take-away' message that you want to leave your readers with.
- Include any suggestions for further research if appropriate. ... (Reid, 2012, pp.53-66).
9. REMEMBER!
Respect the formal structure of reports, but see it as a communication tool, not a set of rigid rules.
The literature review and discussion sections are likely to be the longest, contain the most critical analysis ... and so be worth the most marks! (Reid, 2012, pp.39-40).
REFERENCE
Reid, M. (2012) Report writing. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Reid, M. (2012) Report writing. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
