composing a research report

• Research report

  A paper written about research that has already been conducted
• Composing a research report

  1. Choosing a research topic

  2. Narrowing down the topic

  3. Formulating the thesis statement

  4. Forming research questions

  5. Making an outline and a proposal

  6. Gathering data and other research information

  7. Writing the first draft

  8. Revising the draft

  9. Documenting the research report

  10. Preparing the final copy
• Choosing a research topic

  • Have genuine interest in the subject
  • Topic will benefit others
  • Sufficient reference materials available
• Sources for research topic

  • General ideas (current events, science, education, technology, social issues)
  • Personal experiences (TV viewing, interview)
  • Internet
  • Printed sources (journals, published and unpublished research articles, indices)
• Topics to avoid: controversial, highly technical, adequately developed from a single source, very recent
• Narrowing down the topic

  1. Limit or narrow subject of interest

  2. Avoid topics that are too broad or too short
• Thesis statement

  A statement that presents the central idea or main argument of the research report
• Forming research questions

  Based on the thesis statement, serve as a guide in composing the entire research report
• Making an outline and a proposal

  1. Organize the information gathered for the research

  2. Provide a clear picture of what must be included or excluded, and how to justify the thesis statement
• Types of outlines

  • Sentence outline
  • Topic outline
• Gathering data and other research information

  1. Use a range of resources (books, periodicals, Internet)

  2. Acknowledge sources to avoid plagiarism
• Writing the first draft

  1. Thread relevant ideas or information together

  2. Develop the main part of the research report (presentation and analysis of data)

  3. Use relevant notes for in-text citations and bibliography
• Parts of a research report

  • Introduction (background of the study, statement of the problem, significance of the study, scope of the study, definition of terms)
  • Research body (review of related literature, methodology, presentation and analysis of data)
  • Conclusions and recommendations
  • Bibliography
• Revising the draft

  1. Take a break, then read the paper thoroughly and critically

  2. Focus on correcting, modifying, or adding to the content, organization, and style
• Documenting the research report

  Review citation conventions and writing bibliography to avoid plagiarism
• Parts of the final copy

  • Title page
  • Acknowledgement
  • Table of contents
  • List of tables
  • List of figures
  • Chapters 1-5
  • Bibliography