When writing a research report, it is important to have knowledge of your audience and their expectations.
Conventions are agreed-on procedures that help ensure the accuracy of data and findings in written research reports.
Several style guides exist, but the most commonly used and well-known guide in the field of education is the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, or APA manual.
Most universities have adopted a style that they prefer for written research reports.
Conventions of academic-style writing are agreed-on procedures that help ensure the readability and credibility of research reports. They require attention to the following:
Titles
Person and voice
Tense
Tentative versus definitive statements
Clarity
Consistency
Simplicity of language
Generally speaking, qualitative research reports are written in the first person and quantitative reports are written in the third person.
Most research reports are written in the past tense, although some sections may be written in the present tense.
Conventions of format are agreed-on procedures that provide a general structure for a typical research report.
The six main sections of any research report are as follows:
Introduction
Review of related literature
Methodology
Results
Conclusions and recommendations
References
The length of a research report will vary based on its purpose and intended audience.
Qualitative results should be presented in an unbiased manner, may appropriately include references to the researcher, should walk readers through all aspects of the study, include representative samples, and should incorporate nonessential information in appendices.
Quantitative results include the appropriate expression of quantifiable data according to guidelines in the APA manual, should report numerical data in descending order, and should use tables and figures to support results presented in the text.
The conclusions and recommendations section of a report is an opportunity for the researcher to share personal opinions and insights about the study.
Academic writing is not an easy task for everyone. Practical guidelines that can help researchers achieve their goals include the following:
Establishing a writing routine
Writing at the same time each day
Writing as if you are talking to a friend who knows nothing about your topic
Beginning with an outline and organizing your thoughts
Not worrying about spelling, grammar, and readability during the drafting stages
Remembering that a rough draft is just the first step of the writing process
