7. Fleshing Out
Research Needed to Be Done
Questions that arise from the project
Answering those questions
Details, details, details
8. Memo Directions
If you haven’t already, send a copy of your
memo to your partner.
If you don’t have a partner, find someone in the
class who will be your partner. Then send your
memo to that person.
Yes, you do need a partner. That’s kind of the
point of the next assignment.
9. The Report
Using the memo your partner sent you, you will
conduct research into your partner’s proposed
project.
You will gather the information your partner needs
and present that information in a report to your
partner.
You may use the bibliography your partner
produced a few weeks ago in order to do this
assignment.
Come see me during the writing assignment time if
your partner did not do a memo, proposal, both, or
cannot possibly find a partner because of a lack of
members of the class.
10. Reports
You will come into situations where you have to
report information to someone else on a subject
you did not necessarily choose.
What do reports look like?
14. Features To Help You
Does the report aim to support a practical
decision, extend knowledge, or both?
Readers will want similar information
Conventions appear in report writing
Develop the superstructure of the report
15. Questions Readers Ask
Why is your research important to us?
What were you trying to find out?
Was your research method sound?
What results did your research produce?
How do you interpret those results?
What is the significance of those results?
What do you think we should do?
16. Why Your Research?
Practical problems will want to know what
problems you will address.
Extending human knowledge want to know what
your research contributes
17. What Were You Trying?
What questions were you trying to answer in your
report?
Readers want to know these questions
18. Was Your Method Sound?
Gives readers faith in your project
Need to know your questions
Need to know your research methods
19. Results
This one should be obvious
What exactly did you find out from your
research?
20. Interpretation
Interpret the results in a way that is meaningful for
your readers
Show readers what they should take away from
your research
21. Significance
How do the results relate to the problems you
were trying to solve?
What will the results of your research mean for
expanding knowledge or for your readers?
22. Next Steps
Practical problems with practical solutions
What should your reader do after reading your
report?
Expanding knowledge should lead to future
research
30. Preparing Reports
Define your report’s objectives
Conducting Research
Planning
Drafting and Revising
31. Defining Objectives
Readers read to learn ideas of value or interest.
Develop objectives based upon the readers’
needs.
Usability objective – present information clearly
Persuasive objective – persuade readers the
information is valid
33. Understanding Context
Understand why your readers are coming to your
report
Gain a sense of the problem
Know what is already known about the project
35. Use Credible Methods
Surveys
Interviews
Running an experiment
Testing
Researching a topic
Choose a method based upon reader
expectations
36. Analyze Credibly
Pick the right kind of statistical tool
Use sound logic
Show your logic
Again, based upon reader expectations
37. Planning
Develop an organization for the report
Adopt a superstructure that makes sense
Develop a table of contents
Check with your organization before choosing a
superstructure
38. Drafting
Possible to draft before all of the research is
conducted
Sharpen your sense of what you need to find by
drafting
Allows revision before the deadline
39. Crafting - Introduction
Announcing the Topic
Include it as a key phrase in your opening
sentence
40. Crafting - Introduction
Explaining the Importance of the Research
Relevance to organizational goals.
41. Crafting - Objectives
Readers want to know your goals
State hypotheses tested
Cite sources
Overall goals > Specific goals
42. Crafting - Methods
Write to specific details
Information depends on nature of the research
Discuss every decision made planning research
Discuss questions on method
Limitations caused by method
Procedures other researchers would need to
understand your work
43. Crafting - Results
Any and all data obtained
Tables and graphs
Sentences woven between data and
interpretation of data.
44. Crafting - Discussion
Must link interpretations with results
May break these in separate sections
Refer to data and comment on it
By presenting results as prose only, can weave
into your discussion by beginning paragraphs
with general statements that serve to interpret
data.
45. Crafting - Conclusions
Explain what results mean in relation to the
questions asked in the beginning of the report
Corresponds to objectives stated
Identify the objective, then state the conclusion.
Discussion of other findings by other authors, if
necessary.
Discuss flaws and limitations
46. Crafting - Recommendation
Reader wants to know what the next steps are
Convey ideas about future research
Adjustments that should be made to conduct
better research
47. Writing Assignment
What questions will you need to answer in each
section of your report?
Write 5 objectives to be reached with your
reports.
In your paper, discuss what methods you will use
for your research. Internet research, surveys, etc.
Write these in paragraph form. At least three
paragraphs total.