BUSINESS RESEARCH

METHOD
BY
PROF. SHANTILAL SONAVE

UNIT – 5
Report Writing
 What is a report?
• A report is a written presentation of factual information based on an investigation or research. Reports form the basis for
solving problems or making decisions, often in the subjects of business and the sciences. The length of reports varies; there
are short memorandum (memo) reports and long reports. Most often you will be asked towrite a long report.
 What makes an effective report?
• Clear, concise and accurate

• Easy for the audience to understand

• Appropriate for the audience

• Well organised with clear section headings

 Purpose of Research Report

• It is formal statement of the research processand its results.

• It narrates the problem studied method usedfor studying it and the findings and conclusionof the study.
 Characteristics of a Report

• It is narrative but authoritative document on the outcome ofa research effort.

• It presents highly specific information for a clearlydesignated audience.

• It is non persuasive has a form of communication.

• It is a simple readable and accurate form of communication.

 The Writing Process

Publishing/
Submission

The Writing
Process
 Type of Reports

It may be classified into-

1.Technical report,

2.Popular report,

3.Interim report,

4.Summary report,

5.Research abstract

6.Research article
7. Contractual reports

8. Project reports

9. Evaluation reports

10. Annual Report

 Technical Report/Thesis
• It is a comprehensive full report of the research processand it’s out come.

• It is meant for academic community.

• It is a formal long report covering all the aspects of research process – statement of the problem, objectives,methods and
techniques used sampling, field and other research procedures, sources, tools and methods, data processing, analysis,
findings, conclusions and suggestions.
 Popular Report
• This type of report is designed for an audience of executives/administrators and other non-technicalusers.

• The reader is less concerned with methodological details but more interested in studying quickly themajor findings
and conclusion.

• The style of writing may be more journalistic.

 Interim Report
• When there is a long time lag between data collectionand the presentation of the results in the case of a sponsored project,
the study may lose its significance and usefulness and the sponsor may also lose interestin it.
• On of the most effective ways to avoid such eventualities are to present an interim report.
• Intended to last for only a short time until some thingconcrete is found.
• The interim report contains a narration of what has been done so far and what were its outcome. It facilitates the sponsoring
agency to take action withoutwaiting for the full report.
 Summary Report
• A summary report is generally prepared for the consumption of the lay audience namely the generalpublic.
• The preparation of this type of report is desirable forany study whose findings are of general interest.
• It is written in non-technical language with a liberaluse of pictorial charts.
• It just contains a brief reference to the objective ofthe study, its major findings and their implications.
• It is a short report of two or three pages.
• Its size is so limited as to be suited for publication indaily newspapers.
 Research Abstract

• This is a short summary of the technical report.

• It is usually prepared by doctoral student before submittinghis thesis.
• Its copies are sent by the University along with the letters ofrequest to the examiners invited to evaluate the thesis.
• It contains a brief presentation of the statement of the problem, the objectives of the study, methods and techniquesused
and an overview of the report.
• A brief summary of the results of the study may also beadded.
• This abstract is primarily meant for enabling the examiner-invitees to decide whether the study belongs to the area of
their specialization and interest.
 Research Article

• This is designed for publication in a professional journal. If a study has towed or more aspects that canbe discussed
independently, it may be advisable to write separate articles rather than to crowd too manythings into a single article.

• A research article must be clearly written in conciseand unambiguous language. It must be logically organized,
progressing from a statement of the problem and the purpose of study, through the analysis of evidence to the
conclusion and implications.
 Contractual Reports
• Contractual reports are primarily required foraccountability and performance assessment purposes.

• The key purpose of performance reporting and monitoring is to keep people focused on desired change and to help
them decide what else needs tobe done.
 Project Reports
• Project reports should provide detail on theoverall project at the point of completion.
• They should be written in a way that enables the reader to assess the quality and importance of the information with the
aim ofpersuading the reader to agree with the conclusions and recommendations.
 Evaluation Reports
• Evaluation reports are normally prepared atthe midpoint and at the end of a project/ program.
• They generally cover most if not all evaluation indicators, including the relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact and
sustainability of theproject/program.
 Annual Report
• An annual report is a good marketing tool that presents the actions and accomplishments of anorganisation
during the financial year.

• It provides public evidence of financial stability andshowcases the achievements of an organisation.

 Research Report Format
• In this section, the format of a comprehensivetechnical report or doctoral thesis is discussed.
 Report Outline

A technical report has a number of clearly defined

sections. While the headings of the sections and their order may vary from one situation to another,the following is
suggested as a broad sequence of contents of a research report.
 Report Out line

A. Prefactory items

1. Title page

2. Researcher’s declaration

3. The certificate of the research Supervisor

4. Preface/Acknowledgements

5. Table of contents

6. List of tables

7. List of graphs and charts

8. Abstract of Synopsis
 Contd..
B. Body of the report

1 Introduction
(a)Theoretical background of the topic

(a)Statement of the Problem

(c) Review of Literature

(d)The scope of the Present study

(e) Objectives of the study

(f) Hypotheses to be tested

(g) Definition of concepts

(h) Model, if any

Contd..
2. The Design of the study
(a)Methodology

– Overall typology

- Methods of data collection

(a)Sources of data

(a)Sampling plan

(a)Data collection instruments

(a)Field work

(a)Data processing and analysis plan

(a)An overview of the report

(a)Limitations of the study

Contd..

3. Results: Findings and Discussion

4. Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations

c. Terminal Items

1. Bibliography
2. Appendix

( a) Copies of data collection instruments(b)Technical details of sampling plan

(c) Complex tables

(d) Glossary of new terms used in the report