Research Report

“Research report is a research document that contains basic aspects of the research
project”.

Introduction

Mostly, research work is presented in a written form. The practical utility of

research study depends heavily on the way it is presented to those who are
expected to act on the basis of research findings. Research report is a written
document containing key aspects of research project.

Research report is a medium to communicate research work with relevant people.

It is also a good source of preservation of research work for the future reference.
Many times, research findings are not followed because of improper presentation.
Preparation of research report is not an easy task. It is an art. It requires a good deal
of knowledge, imagination, experience, and expertise. It demands a considerable
time and money.

Definition

Research reports are recorded data prepared by researchers or statisticians after

analyzing information gathered by conducting organized research, typically in the
form of surveys or qualitative methods.

Reports usually are spread across a vast horizon of topics but are focused on
communicating information about a particular topic and a very niche target market.
The primary motive of research reports is to convey integral details about a study
for marketers to consider while designing new strategies. Certain events, facts and
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other information based on incidents need to be relayed on to the people in charge
and creating research reports is the most effective communication tool. Ideal
research reports are extremely accurate in the offered information with a clear
objective and conclusion. There should be a clean and structured format for these
reports to be effective in relaying information.

In simple words:

 Research report is the systematic, articulate, and orderly presentation of

research work in a written form.
 Research report is a research document that contains basic aspects of the
research project.
 Research report involves relevant information on the research work carried
out. It may be in form of hand-written, typed, or computerized.

Purpose of Research Report

Purpose of Research Report is to demonstrate or develop your ability to undertake

a complete piece of research including research design, and an appreciation of its
significance in the field. It will probably include most of the sections described in
Methodology Recount, but will be more clearly contextualized, it will have a
deeper discussion of the findings, and it will certainly have a discussion on the
broader significance of the research.

Components of Research Reports

Research is imperative for launching a new product/service or a new feature. The

markets today are extremely volatile and competitive due to new entrants every
day who may or may not provide effective products. An organization needs to

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 make the right decisions at the right time to be relevant in such a market with
updated products that suffice customer demands.

The details of a research report may change with the purpose of research but the
main components of a report will remain constant. The research approach of the
market researcher also influences the style of writing reports. Here are seven main
components of a productive research report:

 Research Report Summary: The entire objective along with the overview of
research are to be included in a summary which is a couple of paragraphs in
length. All the multiple components of the research are explained in brief under
the report summary. It should be interesting enough to capture all the key
elements of the report.

 Research Introduction: There always is a primary goal that the researcher is

trying to achieve through a report. In the introduction section, he/she can cover
answers related to this goal and establish a thesis which will be included to strive
and answer it in detail. This section should answer an integral question: “What is
the current situation of the goal?”. After the research was conducted, did the
organization conclude the goal successfully or they are still a work in progress
– provide such details in the introduction part of the research report.

 Research Methodology: This is the most important section of the report where
all the important information lies. The readers can gain data for the topic along
with analyzing the quality of provided content and the research can also be
approved by other market researchers. Thus, this section needs to be highly
informative with each aspect of research discussed in detail. Information needs
to be expressed in chronological order according to its priority and importance.
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 Researchers should include references in case they gained information from
existing techniques.

 Research Results: A short description of the results along with calculations

conducted to achieve the goal will form this section of results. Usually, the
exposition after data analysis is carried out in the discussion part of the report.

 Research Discussion: The results are discussed in extreme detail in this section
along with a comparative analysis of reports that could probably exist in the
same domain. Any abnormality uncovered during research will be deliberated in
the discussion section. While writing research reports, the researcher will have to
connect the dots on how the results will be applicable in the real world.

 Research References and Conclusion: Conclude all the research findings along
with mentioning each and every author, article or any content piece from where
references were taken.

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 Report Format

There is no one best format for all reports. Format depends on several
relevant variables. One must employ a suitable format to create desirable
impression with clarity. Report must be attractive. It should be written
systematically and bound carefully. A report must use the format (often called
structure) that best fit the needs and wants of its readers. Normally, following
format is suggested as a basic outline, which has sufficient flexibly to meet the
most situations.

Research report is divided into three parts as:

I. First Part (Formality Part):

(i) Cover page

(ii) Title page

(iii) Certificate or statement

(iv) Index (brief contents)

(v) Table of contents (detailed index)

(vi) Acknowledgement

(vii) List of tables and figures used

(viii) Preface/forwarding/introduction

(ix) Summary report

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II. Main Report (Central Part of Report):

(i) Statement of objectives

(ii) Methodology and research design

(iii) Types of data and its sources

(iv) Sampling decisions

(v) Data collection methods

(vi) Data collection tools

(vii) Fieldwork

(viii) Analysis and interpretation (including tables, charts, figures, etc.)

(ix) Findings

(x) Limitations

(xi) Conclusions and recommendations

(xii) Any other relevant detail

III. Appendix (Additional Details):

(i) Copies of forms used

(ii) Tables not included in findings

(iii) A copy of questionnaire

(iv) Detail of sampling and rate of response

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(v) Statement of expenses

(vi) Bibliography – list of books, magazines, journals, and other reports

(vii) Any other relevant information

Key Considerations/Factors

While preparing research report, following issues must be considered:

(i) Objectives

(ii) Type of problem/subject

(iii) Nature and type of research

(iv) Audience or users of research work

(v) Size of report

(vi) Form of writing – handwritten, typed, or computerized.

(vii) Time and cost

(viii) Language

(ix) Contents of report

(x) Order of contents

(xi) Number of copies

(xii) Format – type and size of paper; lengths width, and depth of report; and

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pattern of writing including paragraph, indent, numbering, font size and type,
colouring, etc.

(xiii) Binding (for soft, and, particularly, for hard copy) – type, quality of material,
colour, etc., related issues.

Divisions and sections of a report

Broad Divisions Individual Sections

(1) Preliminary material: Title of Report Table of Contents (not always required)
Abstract/Synopsis

(2) Body of report: Introduction Literature Review (sometimes included in the

Introduction) Methodology Results Discussion Conclusion Recommendations
(sometimes included in the Conclusion)

(3) Supplementary material: References or Bibliography Appendices

1. The Preliminaries:

(i) Title page.

(ii) Foreword or preface, acknowledgements.

(ii) List of tables, charts or illustrations.

(iv) Table of contents.

2. Contents of the Report:

(i) Introduction:
The introductory part of research report should not only contain purpose of
the study, statement of the problem, hypothesis and operational definition of

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the concepts, but should also contain a description of the agency, personnel
and other aspects of research.

This part of report should contain the following:

(a) Purpose of investigation, statement of the problem, hypothesis and
operational definition of the concepts.

(b) Sponsoring agency, personnel etc.

(c) Survey of literature and related studies

(d) Time, Field of Study and materials.

(e) Scope of study and limitations, if any.

(ii) The Research procedure:

This part of research report contains the following:
(a) The study, design

(b) The universe and the organisation of sampling procedures

(c) Methods, tools and techniques employed for collection of data.

(iii). Analysis and Presentation of findings:

This part of research happens to be the significant aspect as it contains not
only the analysis of data collected but also the inferences drawn from the data
on the basis of logic or statistics. Therefore, proofs whether logical or
numerical must be shown in support of the generalization or theory that has
been drawn on the basis of investigation.

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Analysis and presentation of findings may be split into the following
heads:
(a) Nature, volume and dimension of facts.

(b) Statistical analysis of data and their presentation,

(c) Interpretation, generalization and conclusions,

(d) Summary of findings and suggestions.

3. The Reference Material:

Bibliography:
It is a list of books and articles in the following order:
(i) Name of the author—An alphabetic order of the second names and in case
of co-authors, except for the first author’s second name, the other authors’
first name occur first and then the second names etc.

(ii) Title of the book in italics, followed by the edition number, if any. In case
of article, its name is to be quoted in italics, followed by the name of the
journal/magazine; volume number in—Roman numerals and number of the
journal.

(iii) Place of publication and name of the publishers.

(iv) Year of publication.

Appendices:
Appendices such as questionnaires, interview- schedules, statistical tables etc.
not only add to the value and reliability of the research report, but, also

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present the basis on which the report has been prepared and generalizations
have been made.

Glossary of terms

Index:
It gives an alphabetically arranged detailed reference to all important matters
contained in the research reports. There may be either subject index or author
index.

4. Style of Research Report Writing:

While preparing the research report the investigator must strictly adhere to a set of
standards comprising simplicity, objectivity, application of quantitative terms,
error-free description, citations of footnotes, use of abbreviations in bibliography
or footnotes, layout of headings size and pagination.
Simplicity: The report must be creative, must have sufficient clarity in terms of
both thought and language. The sentence should be expressed in a simple concise
manner and as far as possible slang. In order to highlight the important points in an
adequate manner, long paragraphs should always be avoided and as far as
practicable each paragraph may be sub-divided into small paragraphs.
Objectivity: The report must be made free from any influence by any element of
extortion or persuasion. It should not contain any prejudice or pre-conceived
notion of the investigator and the explanations must not aim at simply convincing
the readers.
Use of Quantitative Terms: It is desirable that the researcher should use
quantitative terms like ‘less in quantity” or ‘far in number.’ He must spell out the
numbers appearing at the beginning of sentences as well as the fractions, unless

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they are combined. If the numbers involve more than three digits, commas should
be used to point off thousand of millions (i.e. 3,479; 39,814,111).

Correct Use of language: The researcher should always try to avoid spelling
mistakes, inconsistencies as well as grammatical errors. The use of a good
dictionary will be of great help in this regard. Standard rules must be followed to
prevent any error relating to punctuations. There should be a free flow of language
in the report, otherwise it will be irritating.

Chapterisation: Proper chapterisation is an essential feature of research report. A

standard report always contains chapters, sections, sub-sections, tables and
adequate charts. The term chapter should be typed in capital letter and the chapter
number should be capitalized Roman numeral. The term as well as the numbers
should be placed four spaces lower than the usual top line of the text and at the
middle of the breadth of the text.

Footnote Citations: In order to make the report more impressive and authentic,
the report writer may make use of the footnotes frequently. Footnotes may be used
to explain in the form of statements with the continuity of the material contained in
the text. The footnote citations are given at the bottom of the page. When used
serially, the footnotes are labelled.

Use of Abbreviations:
Some of the standard abbreviations in bibliography or footnotes which may be
used by the researcher are as follows:
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Col: Column , Cols: Columns , et al (et alii) : and others ,fig, figs : figure, figures

Size of Research Report: The research report should be of medium size, neither
too short nor too bulky. Whereas a concise report fails to contain all the relevant
facts and essential data, the very size of a voluminous report discourages the
readers on its first appearance one way to solve the problem of the bulky report is
to split it to two separate volumes, one for the main report and the other for
containing the appendices, tables etc.

Pagination: Although page numbers are to be indicated at each page of the report,
these are not mentioned on the pages containing each division, such as the chapter,
major sub- division, bibliography or appendix. Generally the page number is not
indicated although continuity is maintained.
The proper space meant for indicating the page number is the upper right hand
corner, one inch below the top of the page. Initially pagination is done on the final
edited copy of the manuscript by using a light pencil and thereafter the manuscript
is sent for final typing.

5. Problems of Research Report Writing:

A very common notion regarding report writing is that if the field study is perfectly
completed and other necessary endeavours for research have been made, the
researcher will not find it difficult to prepare the research report, but in reality
report writing is an uphill task which demands that the researcher will have to take
enough care to prepare the report in a clear-cut manner without any ambiguity.

The researcher should try to explain rather than convince the readers. He should try
to make such sentences which reflect the real intentions.

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 Another problem of research report relates to non-
coverage of what was originally proposed to be covered, without having any
clarification as to why the scope of study is narrowed down. Similar problem may
arise in case the scope is widened. Omission of relevant data and gap between the
tables of data and conclusions reached may at times, cause further problems in
cognizing the genuineness and authenticity of the findings.

Conclusion

A research report is a reliable source to recount details about a conducted research

and is most often considered to be a true testimony of all the work done to garner
specificities of research. In a nut shell it can be stated that writing a research report
in a simple and clear-cut manner is not at all an easy task. Actually it needs
continuous reorganization, revision, deletion of exaggeration as the initial drafts
are always considered inadequate. The researcher should always keep his mind
open to criticism so as to develop a habit of learning objectivity and thereby bring
substantial improvement through reorganization of the material

References
http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/marketing/research-report-introduction-
definition-and-report-format/48713

https://www.adelaide.edu.au/writingcentre/sites/default/files/docs/learningguide-
writingaresearchreport.pdf

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