STRUCTURE AND COMPONENTS OF THE RESEARCH REPORT

MEANING: A research report is a precise presentation of the work done by a researcher

while investigating a particular problem. The thesis (also called research report) is a
description of your research project based on the Research Question(s) or Problem(s). The
thesis tells the story of your research questions/problems and how you found answers to
them.

PURPOSE: A critical awareness of the previous work in your field exploring some additional
questions (a thesis may reproduce a previous study in a new context or with modifications).
An understanding of basic research theory and techniques.

THESIS STRUCTURE

MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE THESIS

1. ABSTRACT (also called Synopsis or Summary).

 This should be a very brief overview of the WHOLE report covering 4 main areas:
 What you did? (The Topic)
 How you did it? (Methodology)
 What have you found out? (Results – major only)
 What was the significance? (Conclusion/Recommendations)
2. INTRODUCTION
 Provide contextual information to the problem/questions, identifying the gap of
research in this area.
 Introduce the objectives.
 Identify the specific research questions.
 Introduce how the objectives will be achieved (methodology, briefly).
 Introduce the main findings and conclusions.
 Indicate the structure of the rest of the report.
 3. LITERATURE REVIEW:
 Review previous work relating to the research problem/questions (to define,
explain, justify), and show (in greater detail than the introduction) the gap that
the present research will be filling.
 Thematically structured.
 May have several sub-sections to identify themes.
 Research should be integrated and combined highlighting areas of similarity and
difference.
 Review previous work relating to methodology (to define, explain, justify).
4. METHODOLOGY:
 Explore the scope and limitations of your chosen methodology.
 Explain how data was collected/generated.
 Explain how data was analyzed.
 Explain any methodological problems and their solutions or effects.
5. RESULTS
 Present the results (using graphs, tables, etc where appropriate)
 Discussion: Interpret and discuss the results.
 Compare with results of previous research (link to Literature Review).
 Discuss the effects of methods used on data obtained.
 Discuss the shortcomings of the research, or the research methodology.
6. CONCLUSION
 Return to the res. ques. & suggest whether they've been answered or "solved".
 Return to the objectives and whether they have been achieved.
 Indicate what has been learnt from the study and how it can be applied.
 Indicate improvements for the research and future possibilities (scope).

TYPES OF REPORTS
It’s a fact that the results of a research investigation can be presented in a number of ways
viz., a technical report, a popular report, an article, a monograph or at times even in the
form of oral presentation. Which method(s) of presentation to be used in a particular study
depends on the circumstances under which the study arose and the nature of the results.

A technical report is used whenever a full written report of the study is required whether for
recordkeeping or for public dissemination. A popular report is used if the research results
have policy implications. We give below a few details about the said two types of reports:

(A) TECHNICAL REPORT

In the technical report, the main emphasis is on (i) the methods employed, (ii) assumptions
made during the study, and (iii) the detailed presentation of the findings including their
limitations and supporting data.

A general outline of a technical report can be as follows:

i. Summary of results: A brief review of the main findings just in two or three pages.
 ii. Nature of the study: Description of the general objectives of the study, formulation
of the problem in operational terms, the working hypothesis, the type of analysis and
data required, etc.
iii. Methods employed: Specific methods used in the study and their limitations. For
instance, in sampling studies, we should give details of sample design viz., sample
size, sample selection, etc.
iv. Data: Discussion of data collected, their sources, characteristics, and limitations. If
secondary data are used, their suitability to the problem at hand be fully assessed. In
the case of a survey, the manner in which data were collected should be fully
described.
v. Analysis of data and presentation of findings: The analysis of data and presentation
of the findings of the study with supporting data in the form of tables and charts be
fully narrated. This, in fact, happens to be the main body of the report usually
extending over several chapters.
vi. Conclusions: A detailed summary of the findings and the policy implications drawn
from the results be explained.
vii. Bibliography: A bibliography of various sources consulted be prepared and attached.
viii. Technical appendices: Appendices be given for all technical matters relating to the
questionnaire, mathematical derivations, elaboration on techniques of analysis, and
the like.
ix. Index: Index must be prepared and be given invariably in the report at the end.

The order presented above only gives a general idea of the nature of a technical report; the
order of presentation may not necessarily be the same in all the technical reports.

(B) POPULAR REPORT

The popular report is one that gives emphasis on simplicity and attractiveness. Simplification
should be sought through clear writing, minimization of technical, particularly mathematical,
details and liberal use of charts and diagrams. The attractive layout along with large print,
many subheadings, and even an occasional cartoon now and then is another characteristic
feature of the popular report.

Besides, in such a report emphasis is given on practical aspects and policy implications.

We give below a general outline of a popular report.

i. The findings and their implications: Emphasis in the report is given on the findings of
most practical interest and on the implications of these findings.
ii. Recommendations for action: Recommendations for action on the basis of the
findings of the study is made in this section of the report.
iii. Objective of the study: A general review of how the problem arise is presented along
with the specific objectives of the project under study.
iv. Methods employed: A brief and non-technical description of the methods and
techniques used, including a short review of the data on which the study is based, is
given in this part of the report.
 v. Results: This section constitutes the main body of the report wherein the results of
the study are presented in clear and non-technical terms with liberal use of all sorts
of illustrations such as charts, diagrams, and the like.
vi. Technical appendices: More detailed information on methods used, forms, etc. is
presented in the form of appendices. However, the appendices are often not detailed
if the report is entirely meant for the general public.

There can be several variations of the form in which a popular report can be prepared. The
only important thing about such a report is that it gives emphasis on simplicity and policy
implications from the operational point of view, avoiding the technical details of all sorts to
the extent possible.

LAYOUT OF THE RESEARCH REPORT

The Research report layout must necessarily convey enough about the study so that he can
place it in its general scientific context, judge the adequacy of its methods, and thus form an
opinion of how seriously the findings are to be taken. For this purpose, there is a need of a
proper layout of the report. The layout of the report means as to what the research report
should contain. A comprehensive layout of the research report should comprise preliminary
pages, the main text, and the end matter. Let us deal with them separately.

Preliminary Pages

In its preliminary pages, the report should carry a title and date, followed by
acknowledgments in the form of a preface’ or ‘Foreword’. Then there should be a table of
contents followed by a list of tables and illustrations so that the decision-maker or anybody
interested in reading the report can easily locate the required information in the report.

Main Text

The main text provides the complete outline of the research report along with all details.
The title of the research study is repeated at the top of the first page of the main text and
then follows the other details on pages numbered consecutively, beginning with the second
page. Each main section of the report should begin on a new page. The main text of the
report should have the following sections:

1. Introduction
2. Statement of findings and recommendations
3. The results
4. The implications drawn from the results; and
5. The summary.

1. Introduction: The purpose of the introduction is to introduce the research project to

the readers. It should contain a clear statement of the objectives of research i.e.,
enough background should be given to make clear to the reader why the problem was
considered worth investigating. A brief summary of other relevant research may also be
stated so that the present study can be seen in that context. The hypotheses of the
study, if any, and the definitions of the major concepts employed in the study should be
explicitly stated in the introduction of the report.
2. The methodology adopted in conducting the study must be fully explained. The
scientific reader would like to know in detail about such things: How was the study
carried out? What was its basic design? If the study was an experimental one, then
what were the experimental manipulations? If the data were collected by means of
questionnaires or interviews, then exactly what questions were asked (The
questionnaire or interview schedule is usually given in an appendix)? If measurements
were based on observation, then what instructions were given to the observers?
Regarding the sample used in the study, the reader should be told: Who were the
subjects? How many were there? How were they selected? All these questions are
crucial for estimating the probable limits of the generalizability of the findings. The
statistical analysis adopted must also be clearly stated. In addition to all this, the scope
of the study should be stated and the boundary lines be demarcated. The various
limitations, under which the research project was completed, must also be narrated.

3. Statement of findings and recommendations: After introduction, the research report

must contain a statement of findings and recommendations in non-technical language
so that it can be easily understood by all concerned. If the findings happen to be
extensive, at this point they should be put in the summarised form.

4. Results: A detailed presentation of the findings of the study, with supporting data in the
form of tables and charts together with a validation of results, is the next step in writing
the main text of the report. This generally comprises the main body of the report,
extending over several chapters. The result section of the report should contain
statistical summaries and reductions of the data rather than the raw data. All the
results should be presented in a logical sequence and split into readily identifiable
sections. All relevant results must find a place in the report. But how one is to decide
about what is relevant is the basic question. Quite often guidance comes primarily from
the research problem and from the hypotheses, if any, with which the study was
concerned. But ultimately the researcher must rely on his own judgment in deciding the
outline of his report.

5. Implications of the results: Toward the end of the main text, the researcher should
again put down the results of his research clearly and precisely. He should state the
implications that flow from the results of the study, for the general reader is interested
in the implications for understanding human behaviour. Such implications may have
three aspects as stated below:

 A statement of the inferences drawn from the present study which may be
expected to apply in similar circumstances.
 The conditions of the present study may limit the extent of legitimate
generalizations of the inferences drawn from the study.
 It is considered a good practice to finish the report with a short conclusion that
summarises and recapitulates the main points of the study. The conclusion drawn
from the study should be clearly related to the hypotheses that were stated in the
introductory section. At the same time, a forecast of the probable future of the
subject and an indication of the kind of research that needs to be done in that
particular field is useful and desirable.
 6. Summary: It has become customary to conclude the research report with a very
brief summary, resting in brief the research problem, the methodology, the major
findings, and the major conclusions drawn from the research results.

End Matter

At the end of the report, appendices should be enlisted in respect of all technical data such
as questionnaires, sample information, mathematical derivations, and the like. A
bibliography of sources consulted should also be given. Index (an alphabetical listing of
names, places, and topics along with the numbers of the pages in a book or report on which
they are mentioned or discussed) should invariably be given at the end of the report. The
value of the index lies in the fact that it works as a guide to the reader for the contents in
the report.

MECHANISM (STEPS) OF WRITING RESEARCH REPORT

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

(a) 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 (a)
logically and (b) chronologically. Logical treatment often consists of developing the material
from the simplest possible to the most complex structures. Chronological development is
based on a connection or sequence in time or occurrence.

(b) Preparation of the final outline: “Outlines are 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.”

(c) Preparation of the rough draft: At this step, the researcher writes down what he has
done in the context of his research study. He will write down the procedure adopted in
collecting the material for study, various limitations faced, the technique of analysis
adopted, broad findings and generalizations, and suggestions regarding the problem
concerned.

(d) Rewriting and polishing: This happens to be the most difficult part of all formal writing.
Usually, this step requires more time than the writing of the rough draft. Careful revision
makes the difference between a mediocre and a good piece of writing.

(e) Preparation of the final bibliography: The bibliography is a list of books or other
previous research works that have been consulted by the researcher in this research. The
bibliography should be arranged alphabetically and may be divided into two parts; one part
may contain the names of books and pamphlets, and the other part may contain the names
of magazine and newspaper articles.

(f) Writing the final draft: While writing the final draft, the researcher must avoid abstract
terminology and technical jargon. A research report should not be dull and must stimulate
people to maintain interest and show originality. It must be remembered that every report
should be an attempt to solve some intellectual problem. It must contribute to the solution
of a problem and must add to the knowledge of both the researcher and the reader.