Program

MBA

Semester

III

Subject Code

MB0050

Subject Name

Research Methodology

Unit Number

13

Unit Title

Research Report Writing

Lecture Number :

13

Lecture Title

Research Report Writing

Book Id

B1700

HOME

CNEXT
onfidential

Unit-13 Research Report Writing

Research Report Writing

Objectives :

Classify the various types of research reports.

Explain the process of report writing and presentation in business

research.

Discuss the key features to be kept in mind in terms of the report

format.
In this unit, we will be discussing in detail the documentation of
the research study.

PREVIOUS

HOME

CNEXT
onfidential

Unit-13 Research Report Writing

Lecture Outline

Introduction
Types of Research Reports
Report Writing: Structure of the Research Report

Report Writing: Formulation Rules for Writing the

Report
Summary
Check Your Learning
Activity

PREVIOUS

HOME

CNEXT
onfidential

Unit-13 Research Report Writing

Introduction

On completion of the research study and after obtaining the

research results, the real skill of the researcher lies in analysing

and

interpreting

the

findings

and

linking

them

with

the

propositions formulated in the form of research hypotheses at the

beginning of the study.

One cannot overemphasize the significance of a well-documented

and structured research report. Just like all the other steps in the
research process, this requires careful and sequential treatment.

It might be for an academic and theoretical purpose or might need

to be clearly spelt and linked with the business managers decision
dilemma.

PREVIOUS

HOME

CNEXT
onfidential

Unit-13 Research Report Writing

Types of Research Reports

The research report is a one-way communication of the

researchers study and analysis to the reader/manager, and thus

needs to be all-inclusive and yet neutral in its reporting.

Types of Research Reports

Brief Reports: These reports could be designed
in several ways - Working papers or basic
reports and Survey reports

Detailed reports: These are more formal and

could be academic, technical or business reports
such as - Technical reports and Business reports
5

PREVIOUS

HOME

CNEXT
onfidential

Unit-13 Research Report Writing

Report Writing: Structure of the

Research Report

PREVIOUS

HOME

CNEXT
onfidential

Unit-13 Research Report Writing

Report Writing: Structure of the

Research Report

Preliminary Section
This section mainly consists of identification information for the study conducted. It
has the following individual elements: Title page, Letter of transmittal, Letter of
authorization, Table of contents, Executive summary, Acknowledgements.

Main Report
This is the most significant and academically robust part of the report. The elements
in it are: Problem definition, Study background, Study scope and objectives,
Methodology of research.

PREVIOUS

HOME

CNEXT
onfidential

Unit-13 Research Report Writing

Report Writing: Structure of the

Research Report

Interpretations of Results and Suggested Recommendations:

This section comes after the main report and contains interpretations of
results and suggested recommendations. It presents the information in a
summarized and numerical form.
In case the report includes recommendations, they should be realistic,

workable and topically related to the industry studied.

PREVIOUS

HOME

CNEXT
onfidential

Unit-13 Research Report Writing

Report Writing: Formulation Rules

for Writing the Report

Some features of a good research study that should be kept in

mind while documenting and preparing the report:

Clear report mandate
Clearly designed methodology
Clear representation of findings
Representativeness of study finding
Command over the medium
Phrasing protocol

Simplicity of approach
Report formatting and presentation

PREVIOUS

HOME

CNEXT
onfidential

Unit-13 Research Report Writing

Report Writing: Formulation Rules

for Writing the Report

Guidelines for Presenting Tabular Data:

Most research studies involve some form of numerical data, and even
though one can discuss this in text, it is best represented in tabular form.

Table identification details

The table must have a title (1a) and an identification

number (1b). The table title should be short and usually would not include any
verbs or articles.

Data arrays
The arrangement of data in a table is usually done in an ascending manner.
This could either be in terms of time, (columnwise) or according to sectors or
categories (row-wise) or locations.

Measurement unit
The unit in which the parameter or information is presented should be clearly
mentioned.

10

PREVIOUS

HOME

CNEXT
onfidential

Unit-13 Research Report Writing

Report Writing: Formulation Rules

for Writing the Report

Spaces, leaders and rulings (SLR)

For limited data, the table need not be divided using grid lines or rulings, simple
white spaces add to the clarity of information presented and processed.

Assumptions, details and comments

Any clarification or assumption made, or a special definition required to understand the
data, or formula used to arrive at a particular figure, e.g., total market sale or total
market size can be given after the main tabled data in the form of footnotes.

Data sources
In case the information documented and tabled is secondary in nature, complete
reference of the source must be cited after the footnote, if any.

11

PREVIOUS

HOME

CNEXT
onfidential

Unit-13 Research Report Writing

Guidelines for Visual

Representations: Graphs

Similar to the summarized and succinct data in the form of tables,

the data can also be presented through visual representations in

the form of graphs.

Line and curve graphs: Usually, when the objective is to

demonstrate trends and some sort of pattern in the data, a line
chart is the best option available to the researcher.

The researcher also must take care to formulate the zero baseline
in the chart as otherwise, the data would seem to be misleading.

12

PREVIOUS

HOME

CNEXT
onfidential

Unit-13 Research Report Writing

Summary

The most important task ahead of the researcher is to document the entire
work done in the form of a well structured research report.

The orientation and structure of the report will depend on what kind of
report is being constructed. These could be brief or detailed; academic,
technical or business report.

The reports generally follow a standardized structure. The entire report can
be divided into three main sectionsthe preliminary section, the main body
and endnotes.

There must be no ambiguity in either presenting the findings or

representativeness of the findings.

Visual relief for the written can be provided through figures, tables and
graphs.

13

PREVIOUS

HOME

CNEXT
onfidential

Unit-13 Research Report Writing

Check Your Learning

1.

What are the different kind of reports available to the researcher?

Ans: Based on the size of the report, it is possible to divide the report into brief
reports and detailed reports.
2. The title page, followed by the letter of authorization, acknowledgements,
executive summary and the table of contents are found in the:
a)

Preliminary section

b)

Appendices

c)

Main report

d)

Executive summary

Ans: a)

Preliminary section

3. The referencing protocol for a footnote and bibliography is the same. (True /
False)
Ans: False
14

PREVIOUS

HOME

CNEXT
onfidential

Unit-13 Research Report Writing

Activity

Go to the library and read a research report. Now see whether it

has:
Followed the structure as you studied in this unit
Was the report format correct or incorrect in your opinion?

How was the data shown in the report- as tables, figures or charts?

15

PREVIOUS

HOME

Confidential