CONTENTS OF A CONTENTS OF A RESEARCH REPORTRESEARCH REPORT

Dr. Neeru Dr. Neeru SharmaSharma

Department of Home Department of Home ScienceScience

RESEARCH REPORTRESEARCH REPORTAmerican Psychological AssociationAmerican Psychological Association

• TITLE PAGETITLE PAGE• TitleTitle• Author’s nameAuthor’s name• Running HeadRunning Head• ABSTRACTABSTRACT• INTRODUCTION (no INTRODUCTION (no

heading)heading)• Statement of the problemStatement of the problem• Background/ reviewBackground/ review• Purpose and Purpose and

rationale/hypothesisrationale/hypothesis• METHODMETHOD• SubjectSubject• Apparatus or instrumentationApparatus or instrumentation• ProcedureProcedure

• RESULTSRESULTS• Tables and figuresTables and figures• Statistical presentationStatistical presentation• DISCUSSIONDISCUSSION• Support or nonsupport of Support or nonsupport of

hypohypo• Practical and theoretical Practical and theoretical

implicationsimplications• ConclusionConclusion• REFERENCESREFERENCES• APPENDIXAPPENDIX

ABSTRACTABSTRACT

• Briefly states the salient features of Briefly states the salient features of the article in 200-250 words.the article in 200-250 words.

• Briefly tells about the substantial and Briefly tells about the substantial and methodological issues involved and methodological issues involved and key conclusionskey conclusions

• Acronyms and abbreviations are Acronyms and abbreviations are excluded from abstractsexcluded from abstracts

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

• Informs the reader what the study is all aboutInforms the reader what the study is all about

• Gives nature, scope and justification of the studyGives nature, scope and justification of the study

• Theoretical importance and practical significance Theoretical importance and practical significance also shownalso shown

• Aims and objectives describedAims and objectives described

• Shows writers grasp of the contentShows writers grasp of the content

• New facts and fresh insight brought to lightNew facts and fresh insight brought to light

• At the doctorate and post doctoral levels At the doctorate and post doctoral levels originality is expectedoriginality is expected

Questions to be asked in the Questions to be asked in the endend

• Is the problem clearly stated?Is the problem clearly stated?

• Is the problem properly delimited?Is the problem properly delimited?

• Is the significance of the problem recognized?Is the significance of the problem recognized?

• Are hypotheses clearly stated and testable?Are hypotheses clearly stated and testable?

• Are assumptions, limitations, and delimitations Are assumptions, limitations, and delimitations stated?stated?

• Are important terms defined?Are important terms defined?

• What do you hope to achieve?What do you hope to achieve?

REVIEW OF LITERATUREREVIEW OF LITERATURE

• Involves thorough search from sources- Libraries, documentation Involves thorough search from sources- Libraries, documentation centers, private collections, internet, catalogues, newspapers, centers, private collections, internet, catalogues, newspapers, periodicals, magazines, bibliographies, abstracts , archives etcperiodicals, magazines, bibliographies, abstracts , archives etc

• Discus with others working in the same field and exchange notesDiscus with others working in the same field and exchange notes

• Make best use of whatever is availableMake best use of whatever is available

• Catalogues are available authorwize, subject-wise and language or Catalogues are available authorwize, subject-wise and language or regionwizeregionwize

• Going through matter make notesGoing through matter make notes

• Passages copied verbatim are placed within quotesPassages copied verbatim are placed within quotes

• Note the exact page from which copiedNote the exact page from which copied

• It is not permissible to change the original wording of material It is not permissible to change the original wording of material within inverted commaswithin inverted commas

• Paraphrasing may be done when direct quotation is not required.Paraphrasing may be done when direct quotation is not required.

• If you begin sorting and organizing your annotations by themes, issues of concern, common shortcomings a pattern would start emerging

•Develop a structure.

•Make a potential modifiable outline for your literature early,

•Footnotes and references should be complete in all respects

•References may be arranged topic wise- alphabetically or numerically

•Use reference cards.

•Be sure to pass a draft to your supervisor early on

•Be prepared to redraft two or three times.

Questions to be askedQuestions to be asked

Is it adequately covered?Is it adequately covered?

Are important findings noted?Are important findings noted?

Is it well organized?Is it well organized?

Is an effective summary provided?Is an effective summary provided?

Is the literature directly relevant to the problem and Is the literature directly relevant to the problem and hypotheses?hypotheses?

METHOD OF RESEARCHMETHOD OF RESEARCH

• Techniques used for carrying out the workTechniques used for carrying out the work

• Sample- size, location, techniques used selection, controlsSample- size, location, techniques used selection, controls

• Major demographic characteristics such as age, sex, SES Major demographic characteristics such as age, sex, SES may be includedmay be included

• Tools used for study- observation interview, experiment ,etc Tools used for study- observation interview, experiment ,etc

• Data collection- Procedure, problems encountered, pre Data collection- Procedure, problems encountered, pre testing etctesting etc

• Analysis- Method of analysis- content or statisticalAnalysis- Method of analysis- content or statistical

QUESTIONS TO BE ASKEDQUESTIONS TO BE ASKED

• Is the research design described in detail?Is the research design described in detail?

• Is it adequate?Is it adequate?

• Are the samples described in detail?Are the samples described in detail?

• Are relevant variables recognized?Are relevant variables recognized?

• Are appropriate controls provided to established Are appropriate controls provided to established experimental validity?experimental validity?

• Are data gathering instruments appropriate?Are data gathering instruments appropriate?

• Are validity and reliability of the instruments established?Are validity and reliability of the instruments established?

• Can the sample and the procedure be replicated based on Can the sample and the procedure be replicated based on the information and the references given?the information and the references given?

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONRESULTS AND DISCUSSION

• Presents the data and statistical analyses without discussing Presents the data and statistical analyses without discussing the implications of the findingsthe implications of the findings

• Individual scores or raw data are presented in single subject Individual scores or raw data are presented in single subject or very small sample size studiesor very small sample size studies

• All relevant findings are presented including those that do not All relevant findings are presented including those that do not support the hypothesis.support the hypothesis.

• Tables and figures are useful to supplement textual material.Tables and figures are useful to supplement textual material.

• They should be used when the data cannot readily presented They should be used when the data cannot readily presented in few sentences in the text.in few sentences in the text.

• Data in the text and in tables or figures should not be Data in the text and in tables or figures should not be redundantredundant

• The level of significance for the statistical analyses should be The level of significance for the statistical analyses should be presented.presented.

DISCUSSIONDISCUSSION

• Includes analysis, interpretation and meaning of findingsIncludes analysis, interpretation and meaning of findings

• Determine the implications of the study including whether the Determine the implications of the study including whether the hypotheses were supported or should be rejectedhypotheses were supported or should be rejected

• It is appropriate to discuss both theoretical implications and It is appropriate to discuss both theoretical implications and practical applicationspractical applications

• Brief discussion about limitations and proposals for future Brief discussion about limitations and proposals for future research research

• New hypotheses may be proposed if the data do not support New hypotheses may be proposed if the data do not support the original hypothesesthe original hypotheses

• Conclusions should also be included that reflect whether the Conclusions should also be included that reflect whether the original problem was better understood original problem was better understood

• Elaborate concise statements with appropriate instances, Elaborate concise statements with appropriate instances, anecdotes or cases to drive home your point anecdotes or cases to drive home your point

QUESTIONS TO BE ASKEDQUESTIONS TO BE ASKED

• Is the discussion clear and concise?Is the discussion clear and concise?

• Is the problem or hypothesis restated appropriately?Is the problem or hypothesis restated appropriately?

• Is the analyses objective?Is the analyses objective?

• Are the findings and conclusions justified by the data Are the findings and conclusions justified by the data presented and analyzed?presented and analyzed?

• Did the author generalize appropriately or too much?Did the author generalize appropriately or too much?

SUMMARYSUMMARY

• Wrap up the thingsWrap up the things

• Clinch the issue under discussionClinch the issue under discussion

• The main points from the main body starting from brief The main points from the main body starting from brief introductionintroduction

including hypotheses and objectives; methodology, and including hypotheses and objectives; methodology, and important findings may be statedimportant findings may be stated

• Their implications for policy making are drawnTheir implications for policy making are drawn

• Suggestions for future research are madeSuggestions for future research are made

• New data are not brought inNew data are not brought in

• Summary is not an abstractSummary is not an abstract

• Unlike the latter it may even refer to tables and figures in Unlike the latter it may even refer to tables and figures in the main body of the report.the main body of the report.

QUESTIONS TO BE ASKEDQUESTIONS TO BE ASKED

• Is the statistical treatment appropriate?Is the statistical treatment appropriate?

• Is the appropriate use made of tables and figures?Is the appropriate use made of tables and figures?

• Is the analysis of data relationships logical, perspective and Is the analysis of data relationships logical, perspective and objective?objective?

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

• Thank all the people who helped in carrying out the studyThank all the people who helped in carrying out the study

• Thanks are due to the respondents, community leaders etcThanks are due to the respondents, community leaders etc

• Thank the supervisor, friends and colleagues, family Thank the supervisor, friends and colleagues, family membersmembers

• Avoid name droppingAvoid name dropping

APPENDIXAPPENDIX

• Superfluous tables are given in the endSuperfluous tables are given in the end

• Tools used for the studyTools used for the study

• Your publications related to the studyYour publications related to the study

• Any other relevant information you want to share with the Any other relevant information you want to share with the audienceaudience