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Program : MBA

Semester : III

Subject Code : MB0050

Subject Name : Research Methodology

Unit Number : 13

Unit Title : Research Report Writing

Lecture Number : 13

Lecture Title : Research Report Writing

Book Id : B1700

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Research Report Writing

Objectives :

● Classify the various types of research reports.

● Explain the process of report writing and presentation in business

research.

● Discuss the key features to be kept in mind in terms of the report

format.

In this unit, we will be discussing in detail the documentation of

the research study.

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Unit-13 Research Report Writing

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Lecture Outline

Introduction

Types of Research Reports

Report Writing: Structure of the Research Report

Report Writing: Formulation Rules for Writing the Report

Summary

Check Your Learning

Activity

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Unit-13 Research Report Writing

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Introduction

● On completion of the research study and after obtaining the

research results, the real skill of the researcher lies in analysing

and interpreting the findings and linking them with the

propositions formulated in the form of research hypotheses at the

beginning of the study.

● One cannot overemphasize the significance of a well-documented

and structured research report. Just like all the other steps in the

research process, this requires careful and sequential treatment.

● It might be for an academic and theoretical purpose or might need

to be clearly spelt and linked with the business manager’s decision

dilemma.

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Unit-13 Research Report Writing

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Types of Research Reports

● The research report is a one-way communication of the

researcher’s study and analysis to the reader/manager, and thus

needs to be all-inclusive and yet neutral in its reporting.

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Unit-13 Research Report Writing

Types of Research Reports

Brief Reports: These reports could be designed in several ways - Working papers or basic

reports and Survey reports

Detailed reports: These are more formal and could be academic, technical or business reports such as - Technical reports and Business reports

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Report Writing: Structure of the Research Report

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Unit-13 Research Report Writing

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Report Writing: Structure of the Research Report

Preliminary Section

This section mainly consists of identification information for the study conducted. It has the following individual elements: Title page, Letter of transmittal, Letter of authorization, Table of contents, Executive summary, Acknowledgements.

Main Report

This is the most significant and academically robust part of the report. The elements in it are: Problem definition, Study background, Study scope and objectives, Methodology of research.

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Unit-13 Research Report Writing

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Report Writing: Structure of the Research Report

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Unit-13 Research Report Writing

● Interpretations of Results and Suggested Recommendations:

– This section comes after the main report and contains interpretations of

results and suggested recommendations. It presents the information in a

summarized and numerical form.

– In case the report includes recommendations, they should be realistic,

workable and topically related to the industry studied.

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Report Writing: Formulation Rules for Writing the Report

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Unit-13 Research Report Writing

● Some features of a good research study that should be kept in

mind while documenting and preparing the report:

– Clear report mandate

– Clearly designed methodology

– Clear representation of findings

– Representativeness of study finding

– Command over the medium

– Phrasing protocol

– Simplicity of approach

– Report formatting and presentation

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Report Writing: Formulation Rules for Writing the Report

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Unit-13 Research Report Writing

● Guidelines for Presenting Tabular Data:

– Most research studies involve some form of numerical data, and even

though one can discuss this in text, it is best represented in tabular form.

Table identification details

The table must have a title (1a) and an identification

number (1b). The table title should be short and usually would not include any

verbs or articles.

Data arrays

The arrangement of data in a table is usually done in an ascending manner. This could either be in terms of time, (columnwise) or according to sectors or categories (row-wise) or locations.

Measurement unit

The unit in which the parameter or information is presented should be clearly mentioned.

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Report Writing: Formulation Rules for Writing the Report

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Unit-13 Research Report Writing

Spaces, leaders and rulings (SLR)

For limited data, the table need not be divided using grid lines or rulings, simple white spaces add to the clarity of information presented and processed.

Assumptions, details and comments

Any clarification or assumption made, or a special definition required to understand the data, or formula used to arrive at a particular figure, e.g., total market sale or total market size can be given after the main tabled data in the form of footnotes.

Data sources

In case the information documented and tabled is secondary in nature, complete reference of the source must be cited after the footnote, if any.

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Guidelines for Visual Representations: Graphs

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Unit-13 Research Report Writing

● Similar to the summarized and succinct data in the form of tables,

the data can also be presented through visual representations in

the form of graphs.

● Line and curve graphs: Usually, when the objective is to

demonstrate trends and some sort of pattern in the data, a line

chart is the best option available to the researcher.

● The researcher also must take care to formulate the zero baseline

in the chart as otherwise, the data would seem to be misleading.

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Summary

● The most important task ahead of the researcher is to document the entire

work done in the form of a well structured research report.

● The orientation and structure of the report will depend on what kind of

report is being constructed. These could be brief or detailed; academic,

technical or business report.

● The reports generally follow a standardized structure. The entire report can

be divided into three main sections—the preliminary section, the main body

and endnotes.

● There must be no ambiguity in either presenting the findings or

representativeness of the findings.

● Visual relief for the written can be provided through figures, tables and

graphs.

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Unit-13 Research Report Writing

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Check Your Learning

1. What are the different kind of reports available to the researcher?

Ans: Based on the size of the report, it is possible to divide the report into brief

reports and detailed reports.

2. The title page, followed by the letter of authorization, acknowledgements,

executive summary and the table of contents are found in the:

a) Preliminary section

b) Appendices

c) Main report

d) Executive summary

Ans: a) Preliminary section

3. The referencing protocol for a footnote and bibliography is the same. (True /

False)

Ans: False

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Unit-13 Research Report Writing

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Activity

● Go to the library and read a research report. Now see whether it

has:

– Followed the structure as you studied in this unit

– Was the report format correct or incorrect in your opinion?

– How was the data shown in the report- as tables, figures or charts?

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Unit-13 Research Report Writing