Quantitative Research Report writing

Syed Shahzad Ali

Quantitative Research

“Any study using numerical data with an

emphasis on statistics to answer the

research question.” (Perry, Research in

Applied Linguistics)

Researcher’s Responsibility

• American Educational Research Association

(AERA 2002) describes the researcher’s

responsibilities.

• “To report their findings to all relevant stakeholders

and that their reports to the public should be written

straightforwardly to communicate the practical

significance for policy” (Guiding Standards)

Style Manual• The most prominent differences between the different style

manuals include the way we cite references in the text (i.e.

the format of the in-text citations) and to prepare the final

list of references in the bibliography (i.e. the format of the

end of the text references)

• Headings

• Sub-headings

• Figures and tables

• Use of certain symbols

• Abbreviations.

American Psychological Association (APA) Style

• Different journals adopt different format according to

their needs but APA Style manual is the most

commonly used style and it is published in a book

format and its most recent Edition is the 6th Edition.

• APA not only offers format prescriptions but also

provides elaborate guidelines on how to structure

research reports and how to present and organize the

content of the various parts.

Main Parts of Research Report

TITLE

• It summarizes the main idea of the work describing the topic and the actual variables/ issues under investigation.

• It should be “Catchy” that it should attract the reader attention.

• It should be succinct and informative.

ABSTRACT

• Important paragraph at the beginning of

research article.

• It performs the “inform- and attract”

function of the title.

• Strict word limit for abstracts.

Five Essential Elements of Abstract

• Purpose of the study.

• Source of the data.

• Method for collecting data.

• General results.

• General interpretations of the results.

3. Introduction of the Study• It is the brain of the study.

• It provides historical context to the study.

• It presents the specific topic/ problem and addresses the following

questions.

Why this topic is being investigated?

The research question.

Any theory being considered.

Any hypothesis being proposed.

Any predictions made.

Constructs and Terminology is defined here.

4. Literature Review

• It accomplishes at least four different

functions.

• 1. Map of the terrain

• Providing a comprehensive and historical

overview of the books, articles and

documents.

Literature Review

• 2. Specific Theoretical background of the empirical

investigation reported

• Trustworthiness that the author is knowledgeable

• University knows that the author has done his “homework”

• He has a wide range of relevant theoretical and research

approaches.

• Literature Review could be 20 percent or 50 percent of

total length of the article. Constraints are set by the

auditors of the journals.•

Conti……….

• APA Guidelines states

• “Discuss the literature but do not include an

exhaustive historical review. Assume that the

reader is knowledgeable about the field for

which you are writing and does not require a

complete digest.”

5. Methodology

• Skeleton of the study.

• Provides the technical details how the investigation

was conducted.

• Crucial in convincing the audience about the

credibility of the results.

• Focus entirely on our own study. Don’t describe

details of other people’s work

Methodology

• Methodology is divided into subsections.

• 1. Participants

• The appropriate description of the research sample

is critical to quantitative research because only in

the light of this, it can be decided whether the

generalization of the findings is legitimate.

Methodology• 2. The Instruments

• These are devices which are used to collect data.

Instruments determine both the type and kind of the

data that can be collected

• Surveys through interviews and questionnaires

• Tests

• The instruments should be described accurately. The

actual instrument is often included in an appendix.

Methodology

• 3. Procedure

• It is the procedure which is followed

• During the data collection phase.

• How the instruments were administered.

• Summarizing the conditions under which the

measurements were taken ( for example, format,

time, place, and personnel who collected the data)

Methodology

• Data Analysis

– Although APA Guidelines do not high light data

analysis as an obligatory section, many studies

include it because it helps the reader to prepare

for the next coming analytical techniques.

– It discusses possible problem issues such as

missing data, attrition and non-response and

how these were handled.

6. Conclusion

• Every research article does not have “Conclusion’

because if results and discussion sections are there

separately, the latter can conclude the whole paper.

• Conclusion can include certain things.

• Summary of the major findings.

•

Conclusion Contd.• Call for further research.

• Questions raised by the investigation.

• An explanation of the pedagogical implication of the results.

• Statement of the overall significance of the topic addressed by

the study.

• Mckay(2006) suggests “The conclusion should end on a

strong note with some general statement that leaves the

reader a positive sense of the article”.

7. References or Bibliography

• There are two basic rules.

• All the citation in the report must appear in the

reference list, and all references in the list must

be cited in the text.

• The format requirements of the presentation

style of the particular publication must be

adhered to rigorously.

8. Appendix

• An appendix is helpful as detailed descriptions of

certain relevant material are included in Appendix

because that material is distracting or inappropriate

to the main body of the work.

• Copies of the instruments.

• Transcripts.

• Other supplementary material for readers to have a

better idea of what exactly went on.

• THANK YOU