COMMUNICATION OF RESEARCH

FINDINGS
INTRODUCTION
Communication and utilization of research
findings is the concluding stage in research
process.
Research cannot be considered complete
until the research results are effectively
communicated to it’s users and consumers.
Carried out through dissemination phase.
MEANING OF DISSEMINATION
Communication denotes flow of information
from a source.
It is the process by which the target group
receives and utilizes information.
It is the process of obtaining research results
and communicating it to the intended
subjects or decision makers so as to
encourage implementation of the research
findings.
FEATURES OF DISSEMINATION

It is an integral part of research process.

Information is specific to the intended audience.
It is much more than the formal publication in
journals or books
For effective dissemination the researcher
should have adequate knowledge, creativity,
clinical judgment and skill.
PURPOSES
 To communicate the research result to maximizes the impact of it on
the health outcomes of patients.
 To share information on the progress in health care practices.
 To implement innovations where necessary.
 To advance the body of knowledge of nursing profession and to
improve the patient outcomes.
 To critique the research results and encourages replication of studies.
 To improve the quality of nursing care.
 To help in Evidence Based Practice.
 To aid in the development of effective protocols and policies
 To motivate the passive nurses to conduct or participate in research.
CRITERIA FOR EFFECTIVE DISSEMINATION
1.Select an effective communication channel.
2.Knowledge on the target population
3.Develop a plan
4.Decide the type of publication.
5.Choose the content.
6.Select the journal for publication
7.Decide on authorship
8.Assemble materials
9.Prepare outline of the report
10.Write effectively
1.Select an effective communication
channel
Research results can be communicated orally
or in writings
Oral presentations can be done in the form of
poster presentation, research paper
presentation in a conference or workshop etc.
Written presentation is done in the form of
journal article presentation and publication of
research report in the books etc.
2. Know the target audience
Researcher should know the audience to
whom they want to communicate their
research findings.
Usually the audience of nursing researches
will be the bedside nurses, nurse educators,
nurse administrators, health care
professionals and the general public.
Based on the target population the
researcher should choose the right method of
communication.
3. Develop a plan
Prepare a plan before dissemination for
disseminating the research results effectively
to the audience.
The plan should include the decision about
the communication outlets and the method
of communication
4. Decide the type of publication
 Nursing research results can be published in Nursing, medical, health
and clinical based journals based on the decision of the researcher.
 Nurse researchers may publish their research report either in a
research based journal or clinical based journal.
 Research reports and methodologies are most suited for research
based journals.
 Clinical guidelines, evidence based guidelines, quality improvement,
program evaluation and literature review are most suited for clinical
based journals.
 Depending on the focus of the journal the researcher may expand a
specific section of the research report. For example the researcher
may write more on discussion of findings in relation to nursing
practice in a clinical based journal and more on methodology section
in a research based journal.
5. Choose the content
Decide the number of pages required to
communicate the findings effectively.
Decide the content to be included.
Avoid unnecessary duplication and
manipulation
6. Select the journal for publication
Select an appropriate journal for publishing
the research results
While selecting the journals consider the
factors such as goal or focus of the journal,
audience, frequency of publication, citation
details and acceptance procedure.
It is unethical to submit the same report to
two journals simultaneously.
8. Decide on authorship
This is to be done in case of group projects.
International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE)
suggests that the authorship credit must be given to the
person who made substantial contributions for the
conception and design of the study or data analysis and
interpretation, drafting or revising the manuscript and
approving the final version of the manuscript.
The lead author is usually the first named author.
The order of authors should be based on their contribution
and when the contributions are comparable the names of
the co-authors are listed alphabetically.
8. Assemble the materials
Read the guidelines for journal manuscript
carefully before writing the report.

Assemble the relevant literature, references,

description of study samples, output of the
computer analysis, figures, photographs and
the permission to use copy right material if
any.
9. Prepare the outline of the report
Outline should include the content to be
covered in the manuscript, headings,
subheadings and the timeline for completing
the manuscript.
As per the journal concerned follow the
guidelines for publishing the research report.
There may be slight variations in the
guidelines.
10. Write effectively
Select appropriate words, sentences and
organize the thought effectively.
Prepare the entire draft and then review for
incomplete sentences, spelling mistakes and
grammatical errors.
If any corrections need to be done reorganize
the content after the correction.
RESEARCH REPORT
RESEARCH REPORT
INTRODUCTION
 Research report complete only after the dissemination of
findings to others.
 Writing research report requires special skills.
 For effective presentation of research report researcher
needs the assistance and guidance of experts.
MEANING OF RESEARCH REPORT
 Research report is a brief description of research work done
by the researcher.
 It summarizes the key aspects of the research study such as
tittle, introduction, methods, result, discussion and
conclusions.
Characteristics of research report
1.Focus : An effective research report should
focus on important informations.
2.Accuracy : It should convey accurate
information. It should not mislead the reader.
3.Clarity : It should be clear enough and it
should not confuse the reader.
4.Conciseness : It should present the details of
the research in a concise manner.
Guidelines for preparing the research
report
Be objective.
Minimize the use of technical language.
Treat the data confidentiality.
Revise and rewrite.
Use visual aids.
Show originality.
Use appropriate layout in accordance with the
objective.
Free grammatical errors.
Present the subject matter in a logical sequence.
Continuation
Prepare index and it must be attractive and
clear.
Use headings and subheadings to attract the
reader’s attention.
Have peer review of the report if possible.
Include bibliography of the sources consulted.
Enlist all the technical data in the
appendices.
Steps in writing the research report
Scientific writing requires modesty,
objectivity and openness to new possibilities.
Composed in clear English using short and
direct sentences.
Avoid jargon.
Should contain all the details.
Follow the criteria while preparing the
research report.
Six steps are involved in writing the research
report
1. Assemble and arrange the
subject matter
Assemble all the materials such as relevant
literature, description of study samples,
output or the result of data analysis, figures,
photographs and permission to use copy right
material if any.
Arrange the material in a sequential order.
For example chronological order can be
followed to arrange the content in sequential
order.
Develop the material from the simplest
2. Prepare the layout
Prepare an outline or layout which serves as
a framework to build the whole report.
Layout helps in logical organization of
materials and prompts on the points to be
stressed in the report.
3. Prepare a preliminary draft
In the preliminary draft the researcher writes
down what he or she has done actually.
It includes the procedure adopted for
conducting the study, limitations, analysis
techniques adopted, broad findings and
generalizations.
Cite all the sources in the preliminary draft
also.
4. Revise and rewrite
Careful revision of preliminary draft to
overcome the flaws in logical development
and presentation.
Emphasize cohesion, distinct pattern and
consistency.
Focus on grammar, spelling and usage.
5. Write the bibliography
Include the list of books and works that have
contributed or been consulted in preparation
of research report.
6. Write the final draft
Final draft must be error free, clearly
organized and formatted correctly.
Maintain objectivity and brevity.
Use simple language and avoid vague
expressions
Final report should motivate the reader and
generate interest.
Researcher must solve the problem and add
knowledge to the profession.
Types of research report
1.Publicationin journal
2.Oral presentation or paper presentation
3.Poster presentation .
Steps involved in publication of research
report in journals : 1. Select a journal

 Select an appropriate journal.

 Consider the factors such as focus of the journal, target audience,
appropriateness of the proposed article to the journal’s scope and aims ,
impact factor, journal rank, article influence and index, journal requirements
such as word count, publication charges, style of writing, peer review period,
publication timeline publication mode ie.online or printed version and
frequency of publication.
 Consider the journal requirements such as word count publication charges,
style of writing, peer review period publication timeline, publication mode
(online, print) and frequency of publication.
 Select a refereed or non refereed journal based on the interest of the
researcher.
 Journal can be selected based on the manuscript prepared or based on the
guidelines of the journal prepare the manuscript.
2. Send query letter
Write a query letter to the editor to find out
the interest in publishing the research report.
Query letter should contain the title of the
study, methods, results, implications of the
study, names and credentials of investigators.
Sometimes the editor may ask to submit the
manuscript also.
 3. Locate and read author’s
guidelines
Carefully read the guidelines for authors
such as page limit, specific instructions on
preparation of figures and tables, types of
references, type of article accepted,
format, revise and submission process.
4. Prepare for publication of
research report
a. Follow the standard reporting guidelines. Common standard
guidelines are the following
 For RCTs : CONSORT (Consolidated Standards Of Reporting
Trials)
 For observational studies : STROBE (Strengthening The
Reporting Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology)
 For case reports : CARE (Reporting guidelines for Case
Reports)
 For systematic reviews and meta analysis : PRISMA (Preferred
Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta analysis).
 For non randomized studies : TREND (Transparent Reporting
of Evaluation with non randomized Designs).
i. Organize the content
Organize the content under the following headings
 Title page
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 Conclusion
 Acknowledgement
 References
 Tables
 Figures
a. Title page
Titleof the research
Author/ authors and authors affiliation
Keywords
Complete contact information of the
corresponding author
b. Abstract

Precisely and concisely presen the abstract.

Start with the objectives and aims of the
study.
Briefly describe how the investigation was
carried out and the study results.
Conclude the abstract with a description of
the significance of the results and their
impact in the field of the study.
c. Introduction
 Introduction should include the background of the problem to
show the significance of the study in the beginning itself.
 It should point out the gaps in literature.
 Begin the introduction with a broad research topic and narrow
down the area of study.
 Begin with a small opening sentence to familiarize the reader
with the research area.
 Add the conceptual and theoretical framework.
 Briefly describe the approaches adopted to test the hypothesis.
 The last paragraph should focus on the research question, aim
or hypothesis to be tested.
 Summary should state how the answer to the research problem
will contribute to the overall field of the study.
d. Methods
Keep the explanation brief and concise.
Describe the methods employed in the study.
Include research design, setting, sampling
procedure, population, protection of human
subjects, data collection instruments,
procedures and data analysis techniques.
Include the statistical methods used to
analyze the results.
e. Results
Present the results using tables and figures
Each table and figure need to be introduced in
separate paragraph.
Include the key statistics such as the number of
samples (n), the index of Measures of Central
Tendency (Mean, median and mode), the index of
dispersion (standard deviation, standard errors of
measurement), type of statistical test performed
(t test, chi square test) and p values in the table.
Describe the results briefly.
f. Discussion
Point out the research work done and the new knowledge
discovered.
Begin with a brief overview iof the work and present the
notable and significant findings presented in the result section
and compare the findings with the existing literature,
conceptual or theoretical framework.
Interpret the study results to elicit suggestions in the direction
of practice and research. This should aid in construction of
logical arguments for supporting or rejecting the hypothesis
and for making recommendations for the future studies and
developments.
Mention the limitations and avoid over generalization of
findings.
g. Conclusion
Begin with a brief statement of the major
results.
Mention the major points of the discussion.
End with a statement on the contribution of
the findings to the profession.
h. Acknowledgements
Itis a brief statement of the role of
participants contributed for the study who do
not meet the requirements for authorship but
have provided a valuable contribution to the
research work.
State the source of funding for the study.
i. References
Include the details of references.
Include the references of all the key sources,
previous studies that support or inspire the
present work.
Organize and format the references using
reference managers.
h. Tables
Place the tables separately after the
reference
Each table should have a title in bold and
present the data in tables.
Format the table in a proper manner to
present the data clearly.
i. Figures
 Figures should be also placed in separate
section
Maintain appropriateness and clarity while
using graphs and figures.
Comply with the content of the text.
Include figures and explanations.
All the figures should have a title in bold
ii. Maintain originality
Check for plagiarism before submitting the
research report.
Plagiarism refers to the use of another
person’s ideas or statements with no credit to
the original author.
Many anti plagiarism softwares are available
to detect plagiarism of words and phrases.
iii. Decide on authorship
Itis based on the contribution of the
researchers in conception and design of the
study, data analysis and interpretation,
drafting and revising the manuscript and
approving the final version of the manuscript.
The lead author is usually the first named
author.
The order of authorship should be based on
their contribution and when the contributions
are comparable the names of co authors are
iv. Avoid duplicate submission
Duplicate submission refers to the submission
of the same report article to more than one
journal simultaneously or revising a
previously published article and submitting it
to an alternate journal for publication. This is
the violation of international copyright law.
v. Submit the manuscript

Once the manuscript is ready for journal

submission it has to be uploaded in the portal
along with a covering letter.
Covering letter should include the title of the
study, details of all the authors and the
contact information of corresponding author.
Attach the undertaking regarding the
originality of the paper, non submission of
the article to the other journals and approval
iv. Review, revision, rejection and
resubmission process
REVIEW
Peer reviewed journals usually assigns the
articles to 2 or more reviewers to critique the
manuscript. It is also reviewed by the
editorial staff also.
In many cases the author is blinded to the
reviewer of the manuscript.
Critiquing of the article is done for it’s
originality, timeliness of the problem,
objectivity, honesty, completeness,
Continuation
REVISION
Make revision based on the reviewer’s
comments
Resubmission should include a covering letter
mentioning how corrections were handled.
If the researcher is not accepting the
comments or the reviewer a clear rationale
should be provided.
Directions and timeline for resubmission may
vary based on the journal.
Continuation
REJECTION
The common reasons for rejection are
inaccuracies and poorly written manuscript.
Other reasons are methodology problems,
clinically not applicable or statistical
problems.
While rejecting the article, most of the
editors provide the author the reason for
rejection along with reviewer’s comments.
These comments should be used to re draft
Other publication opportunities
1.Book review
2.Electronic journals
3.Evidence based guidelines
4.Policy beliefs
5.Quality improvement articles
Advantages and disadvantages
ADVANTAGES
Reach larger number of audience.
Rapid dissemination
Information is reliable in nature because the article
undergoes peer review process.
Provide comprehensive information of the research study.
DISADVANTAGES
Chances for plagiarism.
Likelihood of delay in actual publication of the report and
poor feedback from the targeted group
E journals is not always referred
2. Oral presentation or Paper
presentation
The research report is presented to a group of professionals at the
conferences.
Presentations can be done formally at local national or
international level and informally among peers.
Prior to the conference authors are invited to submit the research
abstract based on the conference theme in a given format.
Follow IMRAD (Introduction, Methodology, Results And Discussion)
like journal article presentation.
If the submission is accepted the researcher needs to attend the
conference and present the paper.
During the conference the researcher is given 15 to 30 minutes to
present the findings and another 5 minutes to interact with the
audience and clarify their doubts.
Suggestions or guidelines for good
oral presentation
Informal or conversational talk makes the
presentation more effective than reading the
verbatim.
Researcher should rehearse the presentation
several times to familiarize with the script
and keep the check on the allotted time.
Dress appropriately and maintain eye contact
with the audience during presentation.
Familiarize with the presentation hall before
the presentation.
Continuation
Use simple language and minimal technical
jargon.
Choose the right font size.
Avoid writing all the text in capital letters.
Recommended font size for title line is 44,
major text 32 and minor text is 24 with 1.5
line spacing.
Use contrasting colors but don’t use many
colors.
Use schematic diagram for methodology
Continuation
Each slide should have only one graph.
In case of tables do not have more than 4
columns and 3 rows.
Encourage questions and discussion after
presentation.
Answer the questions and end up the
presentation by thanking the audience.
Advantages
Disseminates findings more quickly.
Possibility to get the feedback from the
audience immediately.
Useful to get the feedback from peers before
submitting a manuscript for publication.
Disadvantages
Information is transmitted to limited number
of audience.
Very little time to establish the context of
research.
Little opportunity for in depth discussion of
results.
Uncomfortable for those who dislike to
present in a larger group.
3. Poster presentation
Researcher summarizes the highlights of the
study using visual graphic presentation.
Study results are examined by the audience
with or without interaction with the
investigator.
Usually 1 to 2 hours are allotted for poster
presentation during conference.At that time
many researchers may display their posters
in the specified area.
The participants of the conference go around
Components of poster
1.Heading – Title and authors with affiliation
2.Introduction – Should be concise and visually
pleasing
3.Research problem and hypothesis
4.4. Methodology - Research design , sample
characteristics, sample size, variables under
measurement and data collection methods.
5.Results - Present the findings using graphs
and tables.
6.Implications - Provide information on how
General guidelines for preparation
of poster
Poster must be easily understandable.
Letter size should be at least 1 inch high.
Font size must be 16. Avoid using all caps.
Use correct grammar and spelling.
Use phrases instead of sentences.
Avoid background graphics which make the
text difficult to read.
Light colored background with dark colored
text print is preferred.
Continuation
Use photographs and graphs to highlight the
results. Get the technical assistance of a
graphic artist if necessary and possible.
Give citation.
Present the important aspects using tables,
diagrams and graphs.
Guidelines for effective
presentation of poster
Maintain professional appearance.
Smile and maintain eye contact.
Allow adequate time for the viewers to read
the poster without interruption.
Greet the viewers with a hello and offer
answer to the questions
Do not take criticism personally.
Advantages
Reach larger number of audience.
Allows one to one interaction.
Many researchers can present the findings.
Disadvantages
Difficult to make corrections after printing. So
less flexible in nature.
Only limited number of audience can view at
a time.
Only limited informations can be printed.
CONCLUSION
Research process ends only with the effective
communication of findings to the target
population and utilization by them.