Research Report is an oral presentation or written statement of research results, strategic recommendations, and/or other conclusions to a specific audience

1. Report Preparation
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2. • “Research Report is an oral presentation or written
statement of research results, strategic recommendations,
and/or other conclusions to a specific audience”.
• “Research Report is a factual message that transmits
research results, vital recommendations, conclusions, and
other important information to the client, who in turn
bases his or her decision making on the content of the
report”.
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3. Importance of the Report
For the following reasons, the report is important parts of the research
project:
1. The research report is the product that represents the efforts of the
research team, and it may be the only part of the project that the client
will see.
2. Management decisions are guided by the report and the presentation.
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4. • Management's decision to undertake research in the future or
to use the particular research supplier again will be influenced
by the perceived usefulness of the report and the
presentation.
• Research task remains incomplete till the report is presented.
• Purpose of research is not will served unless the findings are
made known to others.
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5. Report Format
Report formats are likely to vary with the researcher, research
firm, client and nature of project.
Yet, most formal reports follow the given format-
1. Title page
2. Letter of transmittal
3. Letter of authorization
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6. 4 Table of contents
a) List of tables
b) List of graphs
c) List of appendices
d) List of exhibits
5 Executive summary
a) Objective
b) Major findings
c) Conclusions
d) Recommendations
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7. 6. Problem definition
a. Background to the problem
b. Statement of the problem
7. Research design
a. Research objectives or Information needed
b. Type of research design
c. Data collection from secondary sources
d. Data collection from primary sources
e. Scaling techniques
f. Questionnaire development and pretesting
g. Sampling techniques
h. Fieldwork
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8. 8 Data analysis
a. Methodology
b. Plan of data analysis
9 Results of the Research
10 Limitations of the Research
11 Conclusions and recommendations
12 Appendix or Exhibits
a. Questionnaires and forms
b. Statistical output details.
c. Other required support material
13 Bibliography
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9. 1. TITLE PAGE
• Title of the report must indicate the nature of the
project.
• Title page should state:
– The title of the report/subject
– For whom the report was prepared
– By whom it was prepared
– Date of release or presentation &
– Information like- address, e-mail, telephone etc.
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10. DR. AMITABH MISHRA 10
Title
Date of release or
presentation
By whom report is
prepared
For whom the report is
prepared

11. 2. Letter of Transmittal
• A formal report generally contains a letter of transmittal that
delivers the report to the client and summarizes the
researcher’s overall experience with the project.
• It does not mention the findings.
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12. DR. AMITABH MISHRA 12

13. 3. Letter of Authorization
– A letter of authorization is written by the client to
the researcher before the project starts.
– It
• Approves the project,
• Details who has responsibility for it, and
• Describes resources available to support it.
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14. 4. Table of Contents
• The table of contents lists the topics covered and the
appropriate page numbers.
• The table of contents helps the reader locate the information
in the research report.
– It list the divisions and subdivisions of the report with page references.
• If the reports includes numerous charts, graphs, and tables it
is desirable to include a list of them immediately after the
table of contents
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15. DR. AMITABH MISHRA 15
Divisions and
sub divisions
Page number

16. 5. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
• Executive summary briefly describe the
– Problem,
– The research design,
– Results and
– Recommendations.
• It Briefly explains why the research project was conducted, what
aspects of the problem were considered, what the outcome was,
and what should be done.
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17. 6. Problem definition
• This section of report-
– Gives the back ground of problem,
– Highlights the discussions with decision makers and
industry expert and
– Discusses the secondary data analysis.
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18. 7. Research design
• Research design section specify the details of how the research was
conducted.
• This section include-
a. Type of research design
b. Information needs
c. Data collection from secondary sources
d. Data collection from primary sources
e. Scaling techniques
f. Questionnaire development and pretesting
g. Sampling techniques
h. Fieldwork
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19. 8. Data analysis
• This section describe the plan of data analysis and
justify the data analysis strategy and techniques used.
• Techniques used for analysis should be described in
simple and non technical term.
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20. 9. Results
• This section is normally the largest part of the
report and comprises several part.
• The results should be presented in organized
and coherent manner.
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21. 10. Limitations & Caveats
• Every project has some limitations.
• The research projects have limitations caused
by time, budget, and other organizational
constraints.
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22. 11. Conclusions and
Recommendations
• Presenting a mere summery of statistical results is not enough.
• The researcher should interpret the results in light of the problem
being addressed/objectives to arrive at major conclusions.
• Based on results and conclusions the researcher can make
recommendations to the decision makers.
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23. 12. Appendix or Exhibits
• Appendix provide place for those report items
that do not fit in the main body of the report.
• The appendix may contain-
• Questionnaires and forms.
• Statistical output details.
• Statistical tables.
• A detailed statement of the sample design.
• Other required support material.
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24. 13. Bibliography or References
• The bibliography is sometimes called Works Cited or Works Consulted.
• “A bibliography is a list of books, articles, and other sources a researcher
use when researching a topic and writing a report.”
• Bibliography entries include:
– Author
– Title of your source
– Publication information
– Date
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25. • The main purpose of a bibliography is to give credit to other
authors whose work have been consulted in research. Another
purpose of a bibliography is to make it easy for a curious reader to
find the source researcher has used.
• The bibliography appear at the end of report.
• Entries in bibliography should be listed in alphabetical order.
• Bibliography entries must be written in a very specific format, but
that format will depend you the particular style of writing
researcher use.
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26. Guidelines/Rules /Principles
of evaluating a
Research Report
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27. The results of research must be effectively
communicated to management.
1. Adhere to the study objective.
2. Be selective (exclude any thing that is unnecessary)
3. Be objective.
4. Have a purposeful organization. (report should have uniform style
and format)
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28. 5. Write clearly. (use short, simple, unambiguous, to the point sentences, )
6. Consider the audience. (The report has to be understood by them for
whom it is written.)
7. The report should not be too technical and not too much
jargon should be used.
8. Avoid mechanical flaws. (such as-typing mistakes, incorrect grammar)
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29. Types/ Classifications
of
Report
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30. • Reports can be classified on several basis-
1. On the basis of time interval.
2. On the basis of function.
3. On the basis of relationship between reader and
writer.
4. On the basis of physical form or make-up.
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31. Classification on the basis of time interval
a) Daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual
reports.
b) Special reports (are reports prepared for some special
purposes.)
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32. Classification on the basis of function
a) Informal report (is a factual report on a particular subject & it
neither contain analysis nor conclusion)
b) Examination report ( in addition to giving facts on a particular
subject matter, it analyses these facts)
c) Analytical report (not only present the facts and analyze the data,
it draws the conclusion and if necessary make recommendation)
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33. Classification on the basis of relationship
between the reader and the writer.
a) Administrative report (is written within an organization)
b) Professional report (is submitted by out side expert to an
organization.)
c) Independent report (are generally prepared by non profit research
organization and published for the benefit of public)
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34. Classification on the basis of physical form or
make up
a) Short report or Informal report (are about 5
pages. It include brief statement of the problem, finding,
conclusions and recommendations. It omit detailed
information on research methods )
b) Long report or Formal report
a) Technical/ decision oriented report.
b) Management/Popular report.
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35. • Technical report is used where ever full report of study
required whether for record keeping or for public
dissemination. It is the report that other researchers will want
to see because it has full story of what was done & how it was
done.
• Management report are written for nontechnical managers or
clients. in such reports very few technical detail is given for
the readers.
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