Reading and Writing

Quarter 4 – Module 3:
Academic Writing in the
Discipline: Writing a Research
Report
Reading and Writing
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 4 – Module 4: Academic Writing in the Discipline: Writing a Research Paper Report
First Edition, 2020

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 What I Need to Know

This module is designed and written to provide you with the essential competencies in
reading and writing. The scope of this module discusses the unique features of and
requirements in composing texts that are useful in various disciplines. Each lesson is
followed by activities that will help you gain familiarity of the foundational concepts of
academic writing, and practice and engage your critical thinking, reading and writing.
At the end of this module, you are expected to:
1. identify the unique features, parts, and requirements in writing a research report;
and;
2. produce an effective research report.

What I Know

Read the questions carefully and choose the letter of the correct answer.
1. Which of the following is a long, formal essay, usually 5 to 15 pages in length,
which presents the writer’s views and findings on a chosen subject?
A. Book Report C. Formal Report
B. Research Report D. Informal Report
2. It allows readers to evaluate the quality of the research and provides the
details by which another researcher may replicate and validate the findings.
A. Abstract C. Methodology
B. Discussion D. Results
3. It contains the interpretation of data and perhaps a short introduction.
A. Abstract C. Methodology
B. Discussion D. Results
4. It is an overview of the research study and is typically two to four paragraphs
in length.
A. Abstract C. Methodology
B. Discussion D. Results
5. It is where the results of the study are interpreted and evaluated against the
existing body of research literature.
A. Abstract C. Methodology
B. Discussion D. Results

What’s In

Brainstorm at least 5 possible research topics using the given infographic and observe
how you made sense of the following information.

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 What’s New

Directions: Define the following terms.

1. Research
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Research Paper
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Let’s Think!
Why is doing research work important??
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

What is It

What is a Research Report?

Research is the systematic investigation and study of materials and sources to
establish facts and reach new conclusions. An essential part of learning, research allows
you to delve deeper into a subject matter and articulate what you think about it based
on what you have learned.
A research report is a document that presents a complete piece of research in a
focused and coherent manner. It follows a definite format, which depends on the
discipline. For students, the purpose of making research reports is to demonstrate their

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full understanding of a problem or topic, the methodology used, and the implications or
applications of the results.
Characteristics of an Effective Research Report
An effective research report has—at least—the following four characteristics:
• Focus: an effective report emphasizes the important information.
• Accuracy: an effective report does not mislead the reader.
• Clarity: an effective report does not confuse the reader.
• Conciseness: an effective report does not waste the reader’s time

Below is a general format of a research report. The format conforms to the guidelines
set by the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association Sixth Edition
(2013).

Features Description
Title page This page presents the title of the research, the author’s
name, and the school’s name.
Abstract This is a brief, comprehensive summary of the contents of
the report.
Introduction This is the first section of the body of the report. It is where
the problem is stated, the background or review of
literature is given, and the hypothesis is stated.
Methodology This is the second section of the body of the report. It
mentions the subjects or the participants of the study and
the actual steps in conducting the study.
Results This is the third section of the body of the report. It is
where the research data and analysis are summarized. It
shows graphical, tabular, and textual presentations of the
data.
Discussion This is where the implications and applications of the
study are explained, such as whether the hypothesis
previously stated is supported or disproved. Also, it is
where the limitations of the research and recommendations
are discussed as well as the conclusions that shed light on
or solve the problem.
References This part contains the different sources mentioned in the
report. The style depends on the research adviser.

Let us look at its parts in greater detail.

Parts of a Research Report
1. Title Page – contains an informative title that describes the content of the paper, the
name of author/s, addresses or affiliations, and date of submission. Examples of an
informative title are the following:
a. Effects of Facebook on the Academic Achievement of first Year Students
b. Development and Validation of a Software for Detecting Plagiarism
2. Abstract – contains the summary of the research findings and conclusions. It briefly
presents the context of the study, research questions or objectives, methodology, major
findings, conclusions, and sometimes implications. An abstract does not contain any
citation or a great deal of statistical results. Its length ranges from 100 to 250 words.
3. Introduction – explains the current state of the field and identifies research
gaps. It is also the part where the research focus is presented by addressing the
identified gaps in the topic. It puts the research topic in context. It is usually
three to five paragraphs long.
4. Literature Review – contains the summary and synthesis of all available
sources directly related to the study. In a research report, the literature review
is divided into two sections: related concepts and related studies.

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Related concepts present some of the fundamental concepts needed by the readers to
better understand the study. Concepts and theories are defined, explained, and
described. Unlike related concepts, related studies are based on previously conducted
studies directly related to the paper. Both the related concepts and studies will help the
writer explain the phenomena that may arise in the study.
5. Methodology – describes how the experiments or tests in the research were
conducted. It presents the context within which the study was conducted, the
participants, the instruments used, data gathering procedure, and the data analysis. In
discussing the context of the study and the participants, the number and the
demographic profiles of the participants are explained as well as the place where the
study was conducted.
The discussion of the instrument used presents the tools in gathering data. These tools
may be in the form of a questionnaire, interview, focus group
discussion, survey, and tests, among others. All of the instruments used should
be described in detail, along with the explanation of how they were validated. The data
gathering sections present the details on how the data were collected while the data
analysis section presents how the data were analyzed, either qualitatively (coding
scheme) or quantitatively (statistical tools). The past tense is used in writing the
methodology.
6. Results – factually describes the data gathered and the tables and graphs that
summarize the collected data. Along with the tables and graphs are their respective
interpretations. The flow of the results section should follow the flow of the research
questions/problems/objectives. It is expected that for each research problem or
objective, corresponding results are presented.
7. Discussion – provides an explanation of all the results in relation to the
previous studies presented in the literature review. In this section, the research
problems or objectives, as well as the major findings, are restated in the first paragraph.
The succeeding paragraphs should explain whether the study supports or rejects the
previous findings and explain the reasons for this. New findings uncovered in the
research should also be stated. Similar to the flow of the results, the discussion part
follows the flow of the research problems or objectives.
8. Conclusion – contains the restatement of the major findings, the limitations of the
study, the recommendations, and the implications. Note that in some cases, the
conclusion is integrated into the discussion.
9. References – contain the different sources used in the study. These may be
academic books, journals, and other online sources. Its format depends on the
school, teacher, or field of study.

Steps in Writing a Research Report

Writing a research report may seem like a daunting task, but if you break down
the process into small steps, you will be able to accomplish it effectively. The stages of
writing a research report also follow the basic writing process, with the few additions to
accommodate and address the different parts of the report.
1. Select and narrow down the topic. Use any of your preferred prewriting activities to
generate ideas.
2. Conduct a preliminary research by gathering the initial references.
3. Formulate the thesis statement and research questions. A good thesis statement
effectively guides and controls the flow of your paper.
4. Prepare a preliminary outline.
5. Gather additional references. Use the preliminary outline as a guide for this stage.
6. Prepare the pre-final outline.
7. Prepare your instruments, such as your questionnaire.

Preparing a Survey Instrument

A survey instrument is a document that lists planned questions used to measure
attitudes, perceptions, and opinions of the respondents. It contains responses directly
related to each specific research question. It can either be in
the form of an interview guide or a questionnaire.
A survey instrument usually has four parts:

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● Personal information section for participants/respondents (this is usually optional
since, except for disclosing the gender and age and other general demographic
information, most participants wish to remain anonymous)
● Basic questions that establish the eligibility of the participants/respondents
● Main questions that are directly linked to the research questions.
● Open-ended questions (optional)

When preparing a survey instrument, follow these steps:

a. Do preliminary research. You may visit your library or use online sources for this.
b. Talk to a person who is knowledgeable in preparing survey instruments.
c. Master the guidelines in preparing a questionnaire or interview guide.
d. Clarify your research questions. Be sure that the items indicated in your survey
instruments are directly related to each specific research question.
e. Write the instrument using the appropriate format. Get model instruments if needed.
f. Edit your instrument and match it with your research questions.
g. Revise when necessary.
h. Pilot your survey instrument to further improve its quality. This means that you have
to get some respondents (colleagues or a small sample of the target respondents) to try
to answer the instrument and give you feedback. Then, revise the instrument
accordingly.

Below are some guidelines in preparing a survey instrument.

1. Implement the instrument and gather the data.
2. Analyze the collected data and interpret it through tables and graphs.
3. Write the methodology and result sections.
4. Write the introduction and literature review.
5. Write the discussion. Be sure to link the literature review to the discussion section.
6. Write the conclusion.
7. Prepare the reference list. Be sure to list all the items cited in the body of your paper.
It is useful to keep a separate word document or physical notebook where you can list
your reference as you come across them to make sure you do not leave anything out
when you have to prepare the reference list.
8. Edit and format your paper. Observe the proper mechanics.

Guidelines in Writing a Research Report

Now that you are aware of the steps in writing a research report, follow the writing
guidelines below to ensure that your report is well-written.
1. Fifty to seventy-five percent of the paper should be devoted to results and
discussion.
2. Be sure to cite all your sources whether they are paraphrased or directly quoted.
3. As with the previous types of written works, use direct quotations sparingly;
paraphrase as much as possible.
4. Strictly follow the required documentation style.
5. Topics should be relevant, interesting, current, and manageable in terms of
resources, skills needed, and time. They should not be too sensitive and too
controversial.
6. Research questions should directly address the given topic or thesis statement.

Example:
Title: Effect of Facebook on the Academic Performance of Senior High School
Students
Thesis statement: Facebook has an effect on the academic performance of senior high
school students
Research questions:
(1) Does exposure to Facebook affect students’ performance during examination?
(2) Does exposure to Facebook affect students’ attention span during class
activities?
(3) Does exposure to Facebook affect students’ participation in curricular activities?
7. The title should be a concise statement of the main topic of the research report. It
should clearly indicate the purpose of the research or study. It should be self-
explanatory.

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8. The statement of the problem should be clear and definitive. It should tell why the
research or study is important.
9. The hypothesis must be clear as to how it will be tested. The important terms should
be clear, and the outcomes should be measurable.
10. The methodology allows the reader to evaluate the procedure and the results of the
research or study. Thus, it should have sufficient details for the reader to repeat the
procedure in a future study.
11. The results section should state the results or outcomes of the research or study,
including those that counter the expectations made in the beginning.
12. The discussion section should present the similarities and differences of the
results between the current study and those of the previous ones done on the same
subject. The similarities and differences will provide context to the results of the
current research as well as clarify and confirm those results.

What’s More

A. Write T if the statement is true and F if false.

_____1. The research report follows a format similar to that of an academic essay.
_____2. The abstract should be written prior to writing a conclusion.
_____3. An informative title is preferred when writing a research report.
_____4. The conclusion contains the details of the finding obtained from the study.
_____5. Gathering references can be done recursively.
_____6. It is better to have as many direct quotations as possible.
_____7. Majority of the paper content should be devoted to literature review.
_____8. Survey instruments should be aligned to research questions.
_____9. Tables and graphs for the gathered data are presented under the
introduction section.
_____10. The discussion section presents the procedure undertaken to complete the
study.
_____11. The introduction contains the purpose of the study and the current state of the
field of the study.
_____12. The literature review contains the explanation of relevant concepts and
related studies.
_____13. The methodology contains the description of participants and instruments.
_____14. Title and thesis statements are written differently.
_____15. Two different documentation styles can be used in one research report.

What I Have Learned

In writing a research report, you must

1. choose a topic that is interesting and relevant to your audience;
2. use the accepted format;
3. accomplish the purpose of each part of the report;
4. acknowledge the sources of the information you used in your report; and
5. be consistent with the citation style that you use. You must also keep in
mind the properties of a well-written text to make your writing appear
more academic.

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 What I Can Do

Write a research report based on the data below.

Topic : Source: Critical Reading and Writing, Dayagbil, 2016 p. 145
Title : School Drop Outs: Fact or Fallacy
Methodology
Research Method: Descriptive method
Respondents : Grade 6 students who stopped schooling in Agan Elementary School, a
public school in the mountain Barangay of Zamboanga.
Procedure : Visited the homes of students who dropped out
Distributed survey instruments and conducted in- depth interview
Results : Students dropped out from school due to the following reasons: school is very
far from home, no money for school needs, too many assignments, and they do not like
the teacher.

Research Report Writing Rubric

3 points 2 points 1 point

Summary Good Fair Poor

The article is The article is The article
clearly clearly summary is
but succinctly summarized, but unclear or overly
summarized - only some sub points detailed, so long
the key points of are addressed as to appear
the article are along with main more
touched upon. The points. The like a short,
article summary summary is not unclear article
takes up no more succinct, is too than a summary.
than one third of long and
the total cumbersome
assignment.
Article Good Fair Poor
Choice Article selected is Article selected Article is barely
current (<5 years), may be current related to task or
topic is specific to (<5 years) or is grossly out
task. Article somewhat older, dated (> 10
published in peer topic is related to years). Article
reviewed scholarly task, but less not
journal. specific. Article from acceptable
published in peer source.
reviewed scholarly
journal.
Organization Good Fair Poor
Summary is well Paper is organized, Paper is not well
organized, and has an intro, body organized, has
clearly stated. The and conclusion. an
points of the article The purpose of the unclear or non
are clear from the paper becomes existent intro,
very beginning and clear within the body and
the name and paper and the conclusion. The
author of the name and author of purpose of the
article the article is paper is unclear

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 is made clear early mentioned within and the name
in the paper. the paper. and
author of the
article is not
stated
or stated late.
Mechanics Good Fair Poor
Requirements APA and page APA and page APA and page
length (1) length (1) length (2-3
requirements are requirements are pages)
met and there are met and there are requirements are
no grammatical 1-4 grammatical not met. There
errors or typos. errors or typos. are
5+ grammatical
errors or typos.

Assessment

Read each sentence carefully. Choose the letter that corresponds to the letter of the
correct answer.
1. It is a document that presents a complete piece of research in a focused and coherent
manner.
A. Research report C. Research proposal
B. Research findings D. Research work
2. Whether the hypothesis of the research is supported or disproved will be explained
in the _________ section of the research report.
A. Methodology C. Abstract
B. Results D. Discussion
3. Which of the following sections of a research report should one consult in order to
have an overview of the contents of the report?
A. Title page C. Abstract
B. Introduction D. Methodology
4. In which step do you create a general plan for each paragraph of your paper?
A. Write a rough draft.
B. Take notes and make an outline.
C. Revise and edit the rough draft.
D. Create a research question.
5. What is the difference between revising and editing?
A. Revising focuses on the mechanical aspects, whereas editing involves
rewording of sentences or changing of ideas.
B. Revising and editing are the same.
C. Revising means to write a whole new paper WHILE editing means to
fix the grammar.
D. Only A and C
6. Which of the following should be eliminated because the information is
unnecessary for a research report?
A. Purpose C. Results
B. Procedure D. Prediction
7. In his report, Louie wants to include the reason he chose his particular topic
instead of other similar ones. In which section of the report should he include
this information?
A. Purpose C. Results
B. Procedures D. Conclusions

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8. Which person would most likely need to include a research report based on
accomplishments?
A. One who discovered a procedure that can help increase student test
scores.
B. One who documented their travels around the country.
C. One who completed a program for getting out of debt.
D. One who accounted the company’s finances at the end of a fiscal year
9. You are about to do a literature search, what would be the first stage?
A. Do a literature search online.
B. Write the abstract.
C. Read introductory textbooks.
D. Ask your teacher for some articles.
10. What should I write for my discussion?
A. discuss results and findings of your topic
B. identify limitations and weakness of your report
C. describe the significance of these findings
D. All of the above.
11. Do you interpret your data in the results section?
A. Yes, I interpret every figure and table added to the final document.
B. No, the interpretation of the results is done by the reader.
C. Yes, but only some. The more relevant ones
D. No, the interpretation of the results is done during the discussion
section.
12. If one of your key findings contradicts your hypothesis or results from other research
papers, you should:
A. Leave the results out of your research paper.
B. Discuss possible reasons for this discrepancy.
C. Include the results in the Results section but leave it out in the
Discussion section.
D. Fake your results so that it matches.
13. Which of the following is a good title?
A. Action of antibiotics on bacteria
B. Inhibitory actions of the antibiotic streptomycin on Mycobacterium
tuberculosis bacteria culture
C.A preliminary research on the inhibitory actions of the antibiotic
streptomycin on Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria
D. Inhibition of growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by streptomycin
14. Which of the following is true?
A. We can include citations in the Abstract to show credibility in our
work.
B. We should include as many limitations as possible in the conclusion
to show that we have deeply evaluated our research process.
C. We should use absolutes in our Discussion to show confidence in our
explanations.
D. We can include illustrations in the Materials & Methods to aid our
description on what was done.
15. The results in Kevin’s research do not match his hypothesis. Which of the following
should he do?
A. He should change the hypothesis so that the results would prove it
true.
B. He should alter the results so that the hypothesis would be proven
true.
C. He should state the results as is even though they counter the
hypothesis made.
D. He should state only the results that would agree with the hypothesis.