Writing a Report

Questions to ask

Why am I here?

Who is the reader and what do they need to know? Imagine an outside examiner with no knowledge of

your approach.

Is it clear? Get someone else to read it. Make sure it is in a logical order. Edit out any unnecessary material.

Contents

Contents page - Make it clear, logical and consistent.

Divide into sensible sections.

Bibliography – Reference using Harvard system – use library help sheets or go to http://del.icio.us/pathill .

Sections

Introduction Why am I researching this topic?

Background Context Reasons for interest

Objectives What am I hoping to achieve? What are my research questions?

Sections

How have I addressed these questions? Methodology

Quantitative or qualitative? Sample Ethical issues

Literature ReviewWhat theory is relevant?

What has been done before?

Where does my research fit in? Hypothesis

Results & Analysis

What have I found out? Quantity/quality of data Specific findings:

Tables- number and list in contents Graphs- label as Fig 1 etc –list in contents Transcripts - in appendix but quote in text

How does this relate to the theory? How does this relate to past findings?

Conclusion and evaluation

Reiterate the main findings

Evaluate methodology

Identify further research

Appendices

The reader should be able to make sense of the report without these. Anything not referred to in the text might not be read.

EDIT

Aim to finish well before deadline Leave it alone for at least 24 hours Read it through out loud or get someone else

to read it for sense Check contents page for logical order Check references and numbering Check introduction and conclusion – do they

relate clearly to what you have done? Check spelling, punctuation and grammar (see

http://mhm.hud.ac.uk/academic-skills/editing.html for more guidance)