Report Writing

What is a report?

Report is a summary of information. It is a communication from someone who has information to someone who wants to use that information. A report is a form of narrative or statement which presents facts relating to an event or state of business affairs which are necessary for an evaluation of progress and for decisions. It is a presentation of facts and findings about an activity. It is objective, impartial presentation of facts. It may arise out of available factual data or through enquiry, investigation, survey, interview, experiment etc. A mere expression of opinion without supporting factual data is not a report.

Office reports may be regarded as the vehicles of communicating information to those who need that information and will use it. They also provide valuable records. They serve as usual means of developing public relation and goodwill.

According to George R. Terry defined report as “A written statement on collection of facts, events, and opinions and usually express as summarized and interpretative value of this information. It may deal with past accomplishments, present conditions, or probable future developments.”

According to Johnson, “A good report is a communication that contains factual information organized and presented in clear, correct and coherent language.”

Reports are used by members of management to plan, organize and control business operations. Each manager in an organization has to report to his senior for which he has accepted the responsibility.

Research Report

A research report is a formal statement of the research process and its results. It narrates the problem studied, methods used for studying it and the findings and conclusions of the study.

The purpose of a research report is to communicate to interested persons the methodology and the results of the study in such a manner as to enable them to understand the research process and to determine the validity of the conclusions. The aim of the report is not to convince the reader of the value of the result, but to convey to him what was done, why it was done, arid what was its outcome. It is so written that the reader himself can reach his own conclusions as to the adequacy of the study and the validity of the reported results and conclusions.

Layout of a research report

Research report is considered as a major component of the research study, the research task remains incomplete till the research has been presented or written. Writing of report is the last step in a research study and requires a set of skills somewhat different from those called for in respect of the earlier stages of research. This task should be accomplished by the researcher with utmost care. He may seek the assistance and guidelines of experts for the purpose. Any research report is to be conveyed to end-user or recorded for future use. So, there is a standard design which is to be followed for presenting report. The format of a research report has three main divisions.

1. Preliminary section

2. Main text

3. Reference section

1. Preliminary Pages:

These must be title of the research topic and data. There must be preface of foreword to the research work. It should be followed by table of contents. The list of tables, maps should be given.

2. Main Text:

It provides the complete outline of research report along with all details. The title page is reported in the main text. Details of text are given continuously as divided in different chapters.

(a) Introduction:

Its purpose is to introduce the research topic to readers. It must cover statement of the research problem, hypotheses, objectives of study, review of literature, and the methodology to cover primary and secondary data, limitations of study and chapter scheme. Some may give in brief in the first chapter the introduction of the research project highlighting the importance of study. This is followed by research methodology in separate chapter.

The methodology should point out the method of study, the research design and method of data collection.

(b) Statement of the problem:

This is crux of his research. It highlights main theme of his study. It must be in nontechnical language. It should be in simple manner so ordinary reader may follow it. The social research must be made available to common man. The research in agricultural problems must be easy for farmers to read it.

(c) Analysis of data:

Data so collected should be presented in systematic manner and with its help, conclusions can be drawn. This helps to test the hypothesis. Data analysis must be made to confirm the objectives of the study.

(d) Implications of Data:

The results based on the analysis of data must be valid. This is the main body of research. It contains statistical summaries and analysis of data. There should be logical sequence in the analysis of data. The primary data may lead to establish the results. He must have separate chapter on conclusions and recommendations. The conclusions must be based on data analysis. The conclusions must be such which may lead to generalization and its applicability in similar circumstances. The conditions of research work limiting its scope for generalization must be made clear by the researcher.

(e) Summary:

This is conclusive part of study. It makes the reader to understand by reading summary the knowledge of the research work. This is also a synopsis of study.

3. Reference section:

It covers relevant appendices covering general information, the concepts and bibliography. The index may also be added to the report.

Different Steps in Writing Report

Research reports are the product of slow, painstaking, accurate inductive work. The usual steps involved in writing report are:

1. Logical analysis of the subject-matter;

2. Preparation of the final outline;

3. Preparation of the rough draft;

4. Rewriting and polishing;

5. Preparation of the final bibliography; and

6. Writing the final draft.

Though all these steps are self explanatory, yet a brief mention of each one of these will be appropriate for better understanding.

1. Logical analysis of the subject matter: It is the first step which is primarily concerned with the development of a subject. There are two ways in which to develop a subject

i. Logically: The logical development is made on the basis of mental connections and associations between the one thing and another by means of analysis. Logical treatment often consists in developing the material from the simple possible to the most complex structures.

ii. Chronologically: Chronological development is based on a connection or sequence in time or occurrence. The directions for doing or making something usually follow the chronological order.

2. Preparation of the final outline: In the next step in writing the research report is to outlines the framework upon which long written works are constructed. They are an aid to the logical organization of the material and a reminder of the points to be stressed in the report.

3. Preparation of the rough draft: Such a step is of utmost importance for the researcher now sits to write down what he has done in the context of his research study. He will write down the procedure adopted by him in collecting the material for his study along with various limitations faced by him, the technique of analysis adopted by him, the broad findings and generalizations and the various suggestions he wants to offer regarding the problem concerned.

4. Rewriting and polishing of the rough draft: This step is the most difficult part of all formal writing. Usually this step requires careful revision and checking for weaknesses in the logical development or presentation. The researcher should check the mechanics parts like grammar, spelling and usage.

5.  Preparation of the final bibliography: Bibliography is a list of books in some way pertinent to the research which has been done. It should contain all those works which the researcher has consulted. The bibliography should be arranged alphabetically and may be divided into two parts; the first part may contain the names of books and pamphlets, and the second part may contain the names of magazine and newspaper articles. The entries in bibliography should be made adopting the following order:

For books and pamphlets the order may be as under:

i. Name of author, last name first.

ii. Title, underlined to indicate italics.

iii. Place, publisher, and date of publication.

iv. Number of volumes.

Example

Kothari, C.R., Quantitative Techniques, New Delhi, Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd., 1978.

For magazines and newspapers the order may be as under:

i. Name of the author, last name first.

ii. Title of article, in quotation marks.

iii. Name of periodical, underlined to indicate italics.

iv. The volume or volume and number.

v. The date of the issue.

vi. The pagination.

Example

Robert V. Roosa, “Coping with Short-term International Money Flows”, The Banker, London, September, 1971, p. 995.

6. Writing the final draft: It is the last step where the final draft should be written in a concise and objective style and in simple language, avoiding vague expressions. Here, the researcher must avoid abstract terminology and technical jargon. A research report should not be dull, but must enthuse people and maintain interest and must show originality. It must be remembered that every report should be an attempt to solve some intellectual problem and must contribute to the solution of a problem and must add to the knowledge of both the researcher and the reader.

Significance of a research report

1. Decision Making Tool: Today’s complex business organizations require thousands of information. A reports provide the required information a large number of important decisions in business or any other area are taken on the basis of information presented in the reports. This is one of the great importances of report.

2. Investigation: Whenever there is any problem, a committee or commission or study group investigates the problem to find out the reason behind the problem and present the findings with or without the recommendation in the form of a report. It is another importance of report.

3. Evaluation: Large scale organizations are engaged in multidimensional activities. It is not possible for a single top executive to keep personal watch on what others are doing. So, the executive depends on reports to evaluate the performance of various departments or units.

4. Quick Location: There is no denying the fact that business executives need information for quick decision-making. As top executives are found to be busy for various purposes), they need vital sources of information. Such sources can be business reports.

5. Development of skill: Report writing skill develops the power of designing, organization coordination, judgment and communication.

6. Neutral presentation of facts: Facts are required to be presented in a neutral way; such presentation is ensured through a report as it investigates, explains and evaluates any fact independently.

7. Professional Advancement: Report also plays a major role in professional achievement. For promotion to the rank and file position, satisfactory job performance is enough to help a person. But for promotion to high level position, intellectual ability is highly required. Such ability can be expressed through the report submitted to higher authority.

8. Proper Control: Whether activities are happening according to plan or not is expressed through a report. So, controlling activities are implemented based on the information of a report.

9. A managerial Tool: Various reports make activities easy for the managers. For planning, organizing, coordinating, motivating and controlling, manager needs help from a report which acts as a source of information.

10. Encountering Advance and Complex Situation: In a large business organization, there is always some sort of labor problems which may bring complex situations. To tackle that situation, managers take the help of a report.

Issues that should be kept in mind at the time of writing a research report

When writing a research report, several critical issues should be considered:

1. Clarity and Structure: Ensure the report is well-organized, with a clear introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion, facilitating ease of understanding for the reader.

2. Accuracy and Precision: Precision in language and accurate data representation and findings are crucial for maintaining the report’s credibility.

3. Ethical Considerations: Adhere to ethical guidelines, ensuring the protection of participants’ rights and confidentiality and proper citation of sources.

4. Validity and Reliability: Emphasize the validity and reliability of the research methods and data, accounting for any potential biases or limitations.

5. Audience Consideration: Tailor the report to the intended audience, whether academic, professional, or general readers, ensuring the language and content are appropriate for the target audience.

6. Transparency: Be transparent about the research process, including any limitations or challenges encountered during the study.

Addressing these issues will help create a robust and credible research report, contributing to advancing knowledge in the respective field.

How to deal with data after they are collected

After data collection, it is essential to systematically manage and analyze the gathered information. Here’s how to proceed:

1. Organize the Data: Ensure that the collected data is well-organized, labelled, and stored securely, maintaining its integrity and confidentiality.

2. Data Cleaning: Scrutinize the data for any errors, inconsistencies, or missing information, and address these issues through data cleaning processes.

3. Data Analysis: Utilize appropriate statistical or qualitative analysis methods to derive meaningful insights from the data, aligning with the research objectives.

4. Interpret the Results: Interpret the analyzed data in the context of the research questions or hypotheses, deriving conclusions that contribute to addressing the research problem.

5. Visual Representation: Use visual aids such as graphs, charts, and tables to present the data effectively, enhancing the clarity and impact of the findings.

6. Documentation and Reporting: Document the data analysis process, ensuring transparency and reproducibility, and incorporate the results into the research report or presentation.

The collected data can be effectively managed, analyzed, and utilized by following these steps to derive valuable insights, contributing to the overall research outcomes.