Report Writing & Referencing

A lecture for Year 1 B.Ed studentsBy Karen DellarStudy & Learning CentreRMIT University

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A Report :

Is a structured written presentation directed to interested readers for a specific purpose, aim or request

It’s function is toGive an account of something, Answer a question Offer a solution

What is the difference between an Essay and a Report???

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Essay ReportEstablish a proposition

or responds to a question or proposition

Has linked and fluent paragraph structure

Uses fluent sentence structure to express ideas.

Investigates, presents and analyzes

information to help make decisions or account for

decisions.

Has defined sections with (sub)-headings and numbering

Uses lists and bullet points for clarity and brevity

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Essay Report

Needs to be read as a whole

Presents a writers opinion or interpretation (albeit supported with evidence.)

Is aimed at a broad academic audience

Sections are easily identified and can

be read in isolation.

Is a factual and objective presentation of data.

Has a specific audience appropriate to its purposes.

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Ideally, completely text

based

Supporting information is woven into the

text

Includes diagrams, tables

and graphs

Large amounts of supporting information are included in appendices.

Essay

Report

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The difference???

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An Effective Report is:

Appropriate to its purpose and audience Accurate Logical Clear and concise Well organized under headings

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General Structure of a Report

Transmittal document ( for business purposes) Title page Table of contents Abstract/Executive Summary Introduction Discussion Conclusions Recommendations Bibliography

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More Detailed Structure of a Report

Title Executive summary / Abstract Table of Contents 1. Introduction

1.1 Purpose of the report 1.2 Issues 1.3 Research methods 1.4 Limitations and assumptions

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Structure of a Report

2. Discussion 2.1 Literature Review

2.1.1. Issue #1 2.1.2. Issue #2

2.2 Method 2.2.1 . Procedure 2.2.2 . Sample Size

2.3 Discussion and analysis of data 2.3.1. Issue #1 2.3.2. Issue #2 2.3.3. Reliability /accuracy of data

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Structure of a Report

3. Conclusions 4. Recommendations 5. References 6. Appendices

The Assignment: The Case Study of a Child’s Literacy

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The report is about your student

Literacy Needs of C21

Child’s background

Child’s Involvement with Reading

Needs analysis of

student

Actual Reading Test and Analysis

of observations

Recommendations for student

Related to your

student

A (unique) Title

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Use literature to support what you want to say about your student

Literacy Needs of C21

Child’s background

Child’s Involvement with Reading

Needs analysis of

student

Actual Reading Test and Analysis

of observations

Recommendations for student

literature

literature

literature

literature

literature

Related to your student

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A recommended procedure

Complete all observations and analyses of student first.

Think about the overall picture of your student, the main issues, strengths or needs. With these in mind: Write up the background, observations and analyses Compile supporting material for appendices Write the Recommendations Write the Introduction

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A recommended procedure

Final compilation of reference list / bibliography

Write Abstract (if required) Insert Table of Contents

Referencing: APA Style

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You must cite a reference source when you use:

a direct quote information expressed in your own words (ie.

paraphrase) statistics diagrams, tables, graphs photos

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You do not need to cite a reference when you use:

Your own personal experience or opinionCommon knowledge (definition?)

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In-Text Referencing

DeFazio (1999) claims that referencing conventions for technological resources will become more consistent with wider use.

Conventions for referencing the internet will gain greater consistency with increased use in scholastic work. (DeFazio, 1999)

The rules for referencing sources are “formulaic and very strict” (DeFazio, 1999, p.107)

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Paragraph Example (APA)

Disadvantaged groups within society also experience inequalities in health care. Thompson (1999) states that a person’s health has a direct relationship to their social and economic standing within the community. Groups with a low socioeconomic status have poorer health than those with a high socioeconomic status (National Health Strategy, 1998). The high infant mortality rates for Indigenous Australians and the lower life expectancy for Aboriginal women (Brown, 2001) are two examples that show inequalities in health care for particular groups within the Australian community. Therefore, for health programs to be more effective, the community needs to look at …

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Other examples

Use of et al. for 3 to 5 authors of a book or journal article

Harter, Schmidt and Hayes (2002) argue that individual, group and organisation level factors are related to performance and retention.

Harter et al. (2002) also state that job satisfaction is important and is directly related to retention.

Secondary sourcesBrown and Martin (as cited in Harmon, 2002) have reported a case study of a student with differing literacy issues in his first and second languages.

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The Reference List

A new page at the end of your assignment Arranged in alphabetical order according

to author’s surname Includes all references cited in-textcited in-text

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Reference List Entry

DeFazio, T. (1999) Studying in Australia: a guide for international students, Sydney, Allen & Unwin.

Some useful APA Resources

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RMIT Referencing Sites

Quick Guide http://mams.rmit.edu.au/x3tdu4s30085.rtf

Longer Version http://mams.rmit.edu.au/szq3g615ahbdz.rtf

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APA Electronic Style Guide 2007(now available in library catalogue)

https://login.ezproxy.lib.rmit.edu.au/connect?session=sRpltsIS8Yazv9fn&url=https://login.ezproxy.lib.rmit.edu.au/login/digital/ereserve/APAguide/style_reference.pdf

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Google “APA Referencing”

http://library.curtin.edu.au/research_and_information_skills/referencing/apa.pdf

http://www.library.jcu.edu.au/LibraryGuides/apa.shtml

http://www.lib.monash.edu.au/tutorials/citing/apa.html

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The main reasons for referencing To show you have read widely on a topic &

you have identified important ideas in other writers’ research

To draw on experts to support the points you are making and hence make them more persuasive

To allow the reader to locate, check and follow up the sources used

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Plagiarism

If you do not indicate the sources of your ideas, it could appear that you are wrongfully claiming another author’s ideas or words to be your own

This is known as plagiarism

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How to avoid plagiarism

Become familiar with the American Psychological Association (APA) referencing system

Develop a system to record bibliographic information for all sources you use

Take careful notes and develop a system to distinguish:

*Text you have copied from the source *Text you have paraphrased or summarised *Your own ideas

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How to avoid plagiarism

Include APA in-text referencing (author, date) with every draftwith every draft

Compile your reference list as you write your assignment

Get into the habit of paraphrasing appropriately

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Paraphrasing Preferred Please

Lecturer’s usually prefer paraphrasing to direct quotations.

Why?

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Quotes…..

“blah, blah, blah, blah,

blah, blah, blah, blah,

blah, blah, blah, blah,

blah, blah, blah, blah,

blah, blah, blah, blah,

blah, blah, blah, blah,

blah, blah, blah, blah,”

(Thingo, 1999, p.22)

“blah, blah, blah, blah,

blah, blah, blah, blah,

blah, blah, blah, blah,

blah, blah, blah, blah,

blah, blah, blah, blah,

blah, blah, blah, blah,

blah, blah, blah, blah,”

(Thingo, 1999, p.22)

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Paraphrasing……

Shorter To the point More elegant

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Task: change this quote to a paraphrase

Smith (1999) states, “Children rely mainly on parents for gender stereotypes” (p. 12).

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SuggestionsSmith (1999) states that parents are

important gender stereotypes for children.

Parents play an important role as gender stereotypes for children (Smith, 1999).

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Paraphrasing

What strategies did you use to complete the task?