Chapter 16

• The research report is a crucial means for communicating the whole project's benefits
• When people who need to use the research results have to wade through a disorganized presentation, find themselves confused by technical jargon, or find sloppiness of language or thought, they will probably discount the report and make decisions as if the project never started
• Communication Process


  The process by which one person or source sends a message to an audience or receiver and then receives feedback about the message
• Elements that Influence Successful Communication

  • The communicator
  • The message
  • The medium
  • The audience
  • Feedback
• A research report is a formal presentation and/or a written statement that communicates research results and draws appropriate conclusions following on from a research project
• Every significant research project produces a report of some kind
• Research Report


  An oral presentation or written statement of research results, strategic recommendations, and / or other conclusions to a specific audience
• For an applied market research project, the report presents the results of accomplishing the proposal's deliverables, including specific managerial recommendations
• Deliverables should be a logical conclusion of the report contents
• A basic (academic) marketing researcher writes a similar report that often takes the form of a white paper or scholarly research paper targeted for publication in a research journal
• A written research report often coincides with a formal presentation delivered in person and/or via the Internet
• Research Format


  The makeup or arrangement of parts necessary to a good research report
• The format may need adjustment to obtain the proper level of formality and to decrease the complexity of the report
• A formal type of report is usually bound in a permanent cover and may be hundreds of pages
• The research report is a crucial means for communicating the whole project's benefits
• When people who need to use the research results have to wade through a disorganized presentation, find themselves confused by technical jargon, or find sloppiness of language or thought, they will probably discount the report and make decisions as if the project never started
• Communication Process


  The process by which one person or source sends a message to an audience or receiver and then receives feedback about the message
• Elements that Influence Successful Communication

  • The communicator
  • The message
  • The medium
  • The audience
  • Feedback
• A research report is a formal presentation and/or a written statement that communicates research results and draws appropriate conclusions following on from a research project

  
• Every significant research project produces a report of some kind
• Research Report


  An oral presentation or written statement of research results, strategic recommendations, and / or other conclusions to a specific audience

  
• For an applied market research project, the report presents the results of accomplishing the proposal's deliverables, including specific managerial recommendations
• Deliverables should be a logical conclusion of the report contents
• A basic (academic) marketing researcher writes a similar report that often takes the form of a white paper or scholarly research paper targeted for publication in a research journal
• A written research report often coincides with a formal presentation delivered in person and/or via the Internet

  
• Research Format


  The makeup or arrangement of parts necessary to a good research report
• The format may need adjustment to obtain the proper level of formality and to decrease the complexity of the report
• A formal type of report is usually bound in a permanent cover and may be hundreds of pages
• In less-formal reports, parts are shorter or sometimes omitted
• The general rule is to include all the parts needed for effective communication in the particular circumstances
• Title Page


  Should state the title of the report, for whom the report was prepared, by whom it was prepared, and the date of release or presentation

  
• The title page is preceded by a title fly page, which contains only the report's title, for the most formal reports
• Letter of Transmittal


  Releases or delivers the report to the recipient in relatively formal and very formal reports
• Letter of Authorization


  Approves the project, details who has responsibility for it, and describes resources available to support it
• The table of contents should list the divisions and subdivisions of the report with page references
• If the report includes many figures or tables, a list of these should immediately follow the table of contents
• Executive Summary


  Briefly explains why the research project was conducted, what aspects of the problem were considered, what the outcome was, and what should be done
• The executive summary should be one page long or, at most, two pages
• The executive summary contains four elements: the objectives of the report, the methodology and the major results, the conclusions, and recommendations or suggestions for action based on the conclusions
• Introduction Section


  The part of the body of a research report that discusses background information and the specific objectives of the research