ACS 301

Slide 1

ACS 301November 20, 2008

Reporting Research

ACS 301

Slide 2

Key themes

• The importance of reporting research• Ways to report research• Differences between qual and quant

reporting• An example of a unique way to report

research

ACS 301

Slide 3

Why is reporting research important?

• To complete your service to:– Participants (validity)– Funders (accountability)– Partners (accountability)– Yourself (satisfaction)

• Ethical obligations

ACS 301

Slide 4

Ways To Report Research

• In writing• In pictures• In person• Online• Via third parties

ACS 301

Slide 5

A Research Project as A Story

ACS 301

Slide 6

Quantitative write-up: an example

ACS 301

Slide 7

Qualitative write-up: an example

ACS 301

Slide 8

Is there a difference between qual and quant write-ups?

“We excluded …”“We excluded …”

“We divided …”“We divided …”

ACS 301

Slide 9

Is there a difference between qual and quant write-ups?

“We excluded …”“We excluded …”

“We divided …”“We divided …”

In quantitative write-ups:

• An “external” reality is assumed

• Researcher only surfaces as hero solving problems

• Scholarly stars often evoked for credibility

• Are linear

• Use the “management metaphor” of “controlling variables”

In quantitative write-ups:

• An “external” reality is assumed

• Researcher only surfaces as hero solving problems

• Scholarly stars often evoked for credibility

• Are linear

• Use the “management metaphor” of “controlling variables”

ACS 301

Slide 10

Writing up ethnography

Realist talesRealist tales

Confessional talesConfessional tales

Impressionist talesImpressionist tales

Source: Van Maanen, J. (1988). Tales of the Field: On Writing Ethnography. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

ACS 301

Slide 11

A Longer Story

ACS 301

Slide 12

Reporting in Pictures

• Eliminate visual noise

• Accentuate difference

• To clarify, add detail

• Maximize “data ink”

• Minimize “non-data ink”

• Just stop with the pie charts!

http://www.edwardtufte.com/

ACS 301

Slide 13

Good visualization example

ACS 301

Slide 14

Reporting in Person

• Conferences: the “movie trailer” version

ACS 301

Slide 15

Reporting Via Third Parties

• Press releases• Sciencedaily.com • The Chronicle of Higher Education• Trade magazines

ACS 301

Slide 16

Reporting online is great…

• Blog it• Micro blog it• YouTube it• Facebook it• Linkedin it• Email (gasp!) it• Text it

ACS 301

Slide 17

Sharing online is even better.

ACS 301

Slide 18

Sharing online: example

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o