Deck 16: Writing the Research Report

Question 1

The Title Page is part of the"front matter"of a research report.Which of the following is NOT one of the items included on the Title Page?

A)The title of the document
B)The organization/person(s)for whom the report was prepared
C)The date of submission
D)The reference to authorization

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Before a researcher begins writing,he or she must answer some questions.Which of the following is NOT one of those basic questions?

A)What is the best and most suitable visualization tool that you need?
B)What message do you want to communicate?
C)What is your purpose?
D)Who is the audience?

Answer 2

A

Question 3

A well-organized report,with appropriate headings and subheadings,will:

A)Substantially improve readability.
B)Be more likely to help win additional business.
C)Gain more attention from top management.
D)Add credibility to the overall research effort.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

The importance of the marketing research report cannot be understated;even the best research will not drive the appropriate action unless:

A)The audience understands the results and their meaning.
B)Top management reads the report in its entirety.
C)The statistics are properly presented and explained.
D)The marketing researcher is involved in presenting the results.

Question 5

Reporting all important limitations can:

A)Actually add to the researcher's chances of additional research assignments.
B)Actually add credibility to your research.
C)Help avoid legal consequences.
D)Help keep the client from making faulty decisions.

Question 6

The ________ should follow the statement of the problem.

A)letter/memo of transmittal
B)abstract/executive summary
C)conclusions/recommendations
D)listing of research objectives

Question 7

Readers need to find specific information that serves to graphically portray what is being said.This helpful information is referred to as:

A)A table of terms and definitions.
B)A list of appendices.
C)A list of tables.
D)A list of illustrations.

Question 8

What item is considered the"skeleton"of a research report and provides an overview of the most useful information,including the conclusions and recommendations?

A)Letter/memo of transmittal
B)Abstract/executive summary
C)The body
D)The conclusions/recommendations

Question 9

Citing the work of others not only allows you to avoid charges of plagiarism but also:

A)Adds importance to your message.
B)Adds credibility to your message.
C)Enhances the details of the report.
D)Demonstrates that you have access to authoritative research.

Question 10

The systematic presentation of numerical data or words in columns and rows is referred to as:

A)Figures.
B)Writing the Research Report.
C)A table.
D)A diagram.

Question 11

The time and effort expended in the research process are:

A)Always worth it if the client does follow-on studies.
B)Wasted if the report does not communicate effectively.
C)Wasted if the report does not result in increased revenue.
D)Worth it if the report results in increased corporate visibility.

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT a typical factor contained in the limitations section of a research report?

A)Constraints of time
B)The size and composition of the sample
C)Availability and qualifications of the research team
D)Biases that may have been introduced into the research process

Question 13

There are several sections of a research report.Which of the following is NOT one of the basic sections?

A)Front matter
B)Body
C)Graphs and charts
D)End matter

Question 14

Marketing research reports are ________,and you must consider both in all phases of the research process,including planning the report.

A)written for mid- and upper-level management
B)written for both paper and electronic presentations
C)primarily focused on communicating statistics and meaning of charts
D)tailored to specific audiences and purposes

Question 15

The ________ should logically present the findings of your research and may be organized around the research objectives for the study.

A)results section
B)method section
C)methodology section
D)abstract/executive summary

Question 16

If all aspects of the report are done well,the report will not only communicate properly,but also it will serve:

A)To increase corporate visibility.
B)To help increase revenue.
C)To build credibility.
D)To support upper management's objectives.

Question 17

An emerging trend in the marketing research industry is the expectation that researchers are increasingly expected to become knowledgeable about their clients' businesses and offer recommendations that have:

A)Tactical implications.
B)Revenue implications.
C)Shared risk.
D)Strategic value.

Question 18

The ________ contains an introduction to the report,an explanation of research method,a discussion of results,a statement of limitations,and a list of conclusions and recommendations.

A)letter/memo of transmittal
B)abstract/executive summary
C)body
D)conclusions/recommendations

Question 19

The primary purpose of the ________ is to orient the reader to the report and to build a positive image of the report.

A)letter/memo of transmittal
B)review of the conditions of the authorization
C)suggestions for further research
D)brief identification of the nature of the research

Question 20

Which of the following would NOT be within the general guidelines and recommendations for headings?

A)Subheadings are topic sections under headings.
B)The heading does not have to relate directly to material following it.
C)Headings is in the form of a question.
D)Headings serve as visual signposts.

Question 21

________ are visual reports designed to make key research results understood quickly and easily.

A)Videos
B)Graphs
C)Charts
D)Infographics

Question 22

Clients often request top-two box,top box,and(sometimes)bottom-two box scores.They find these:

A)More difficult to interpret than mean scores.
B)Easier to interpret than medians.
C)Easier to understand than ratios.
D)Easier to interpret than mean scores.

Question 23

Truncated graphs(having breaks in the scaled values on either axis)are:

A)An abbreviated way to present data accurately.
B)An interesting way to present difficult data.
C)Can be an acceptable way to present hard-to-understand concepts.
D)Acceptable only if the audience is familiar with the data.

Question 24

There are guidelines for improving the style of a research report.Which of the following is NOT among those guidelines?

A)Use jargon sparingly.
B)Use active voice versus passive voice.
C)Avoid changes in tense.
D)Avoid the use of strong verbs.

Question 25

When a researcher wants to introduce a set of topics and illustrate their relationships(useful when the sequence of events or topics is important),which of the following would be the most helpful visual?

A)Pie charts
B)Bar charts
C)Flow diagrams
D)Graphs

Question 26

Many marketing research firms and advertising agencies supplement their written and oral research reports with:

A)Videos.
B)Continuing mini-briefings.
C)Additional research at no-charge.
D)Focus groups.

Question 27

Which of the following is NOT one of the key elements for an oral presentation?

A)Practice the presentation
B)Identify and analyze the audience
C)Determine key points
D)Allow questions only at the conclusion

Question 28

Video footage that is gathered through ________ can be used to illustrate key takeaways from research studies.

A)socio-cultural methods
B)proprietary film databases
C)observation or ethnographic methods
D)live news broadcasts

Question 29

A faulty or misleading visual:

A)Is embarrassing.
B)Can ruin opportunities for future work.
C)Discredits the researcher's report and work.
D)Can be distracting.

Question 30

When presenting data,a researcher should:

A)Use multiple types of audiovisual media.
B)Not misrepresent the data.
C)Avoid answering detailed questions.
D)Answer pre-submitted questions only.

Question 31

The first item that every market researcher should consider when preparing his or her presentation is:

A)Determine key points the audience needs to hear.
B)Identify and analyze the audience.
C)Make sure visuals portray key points.
D)Plan a coherent ending that summarizes findings.

Question 32

Which of the following is NOT true of presenting the results of the report orally?

A)You only need one of the key people for the presentation.
B)A key is to succinctly present the information.
C)The presentation may be very formal with a number of attendees.
D)It may be accomplished through a simple conference call with the client.

Question 33

A marketing researcher should always provide visuals that:

A)Accurately demonstrate the data.
B)Are colorful and memorable.
C)Include lots of photography.
D)Include a mixture of graphs and charts.

Question 34

Which of the following is particularly useful for illustrating relative size or static comparisons?

A)Pie charts
B)Flow diagrams
C)Bar charts
D)Tables

Question 35

________ are useful to compare items over time or show correlations among items.

A)Pie charts
B)Bar charts
C)Flow diagrams
D)Tables

Question 36

Besides presenting compelling and immersive insights packaged inside a headline or two,today's information needs to reach a ________ while being accessible,consumable,and memorable.

A)narrower corporate audience
B)more targeted corporate audience
C)specific market research audience
D)broader corporate audience

Question 37

What might replace a written and oral report?

A)Using charts and graphs only
B)A documentary-style video
C)Online reporting
D)A series of oral briefings

Question 38

Alternative ways of presenting data can be helpful,but no matter what tools are used,it is:

A)Useless unless the data is in an attractive format.
B)Up to the researcher to present the data personally.
C)Up to the researcher to bring meaning to the data.
D)Useless unless the data is accompanied by an extensive bibliography.

Question 39

Visuals that translate numbers into visual displays so that relationships and trends become comprehensible are referred to as:

A)Diagrams.
B)Charts.
C)Tables.
D)Figures.

Question 40

Which of the following is NOT a suggested guideline for producing an appropriate visual?

A)Truncate complex data with which your audience is unfamiliar
B)Double and triple-check all labels,numbers,and visual shapes
C)Make sure all parts of the scale are represented
D)Report all data accurately and without misrepresentation

Question 41

Clients are less concerned about the method and analytical tools used by the researcher than they are about the relevancy of the findings to help them make decisions.

Question 42

Computer-assisted questionnaire design tools,such as SurveyMonkey or Qualtrics,often generate automatic reports,including tables and graphs,with the survey results presented in inferential statistics.

Question 43

Research updates can be disseminated on an ongoing basis to managers through regular newsletters or through:

A)Public news stories.
B)Annual reports.
C)Updates to key managers.
D)Social media tools,such as Twitter.

Question 44

Online sources are among the sources that do not require citation within a marketing research report.

Question 45

Results uncovered from a marketing research study will ultimately have little or no effect on how a company conducts its business if not:

A)Presented to key managers.
B)Shared with the sales team.
C)Disseminated throughout the organization.
D)Printed in an attractive form.

Question 46

The elements of the marketing research report can be grouped into four sections: front matter,body,end matter,and bibliography.

Question 47

All facts need to be documented within your report even if they are common knowledge or can be easily verified.

Question 48

While the marketing research report is the product that represents the efforts of the marketing research team,it is often not the only part of the project that the client will see.

Question 49

Interactive dashboards enable basic analytical tasks,such as filtering views,adjusting parameters,making quick calculations,and drilling down to examine underlying data.

Question 50

To conduct higher-level statistical tests,researchers need access to the raw data of his or her survey.

Question 51

The best research will drive the appropriate marketing action even if the audience has trouble understanding the results and their meaning.

Question 52

If a marketing research report's organization and presentation are faulty,the reader may never reach the intended conclusions.

Question 53

What tool electronically distributes marketing research reports to selected managers in an interactive format that allows users to conduct their own analyses?

A)Infographics
B)Online reporting software
C)E-marketing reports
D)Social media

Question 54

Citing the work of others not only allows the researcher to avoid charges of plagiarism but also adds credibility to his or her message.

Question 55

________ allow companies to gather and integrate data from several different sources and then exhibit the data automatically with tables,graphs,and other numerical displays.

A)Infographics
B)Videos
C)Social media
D)Dashboards

Question 56

Marketing research reports are tailored to specific audiences and purposes,and researchers must consider both in all phases of the research process,including planning the report.

Question 57

The marketing research report is a factual message that transmits research results,conclusions,vital recommendations,and other important information to the client,who in turn bases his or her decision making on the contents of the report.

Question 58

________ are part of a trend to keep results simple and actionable with written explanations reduced to their essential meanings.

A)Infographics
B)Videos
C)Charts
D)Graphs

Question 59

Many managers will not be involved in any aspect of the research process but will use the report to make business decisions.

Question 60

Which of the following is best suited for allowing users to quickly and easily see information that is presented in a simplified manner?

A)Dashboards
B)Infographics
C)Social media
D)Online research reports

Question 61

"Nice-to-know"information should not clutter the body of the report but should instead be inserted at the end for the reader who desires or requires additional information.

Question 62

An emerging trend in the marketing research industry is the expectation that researchers will perform a continuing role with their clients,but not necessarily function as consultants in those roles.

Question 63

The primary purpose of the letter/memo of transmittal is to orient the reader to the report and to build a positive image of the report.

Question 64

Research objectives should always be listed within the methods section.

Question 65

The abstract or executive summary should be very carefully written,conveying the information that is suitable for review only by top-level management.

Question 66

Reporting all important limitations can add credibility to research,but may raise questions regarding the research's structure and scope.

Question 67

Method refers to the tools of scientific investigation(and the tools used in a marketing research project are described in detail in the method section of the report).

Question 68

The title page contains four major items of information: (1)the title of the document, (2)the type of research conducted, (3)the organization/person(s)who prepared the report,and(4)the date of submission.

Question 69

The results section is the main body of the report,should logically present the findings of the research,and may be organized around the research objectives for the study.

Question 70

All tables and figures should be included in the title page,which helps the reader find specific illustrations that graphically portray the information.

Question 71

Generally,only a few people will read a traditional marketing research report in its entirety.Most will read the executive summary,conclusions,and recommendations.

Question 72

In situations in which research information will be provided in litigation,where there is certain to be an adversary,a researcher may be asked to provide an exhaustive description of the methods used in conducting the study as well as the methods that were not chosen.

Question 73

The front matter of a report consists of all pages that precede the first page of the report: the title page,letter of authorization(optional),letter/memo of transmittal,table of contents,list of illustrations,and abstract/executive summary.

Question 74

Conclusions are the outcomes and decisions researchers have reached based on his or her research results.

Question 75

The following statement is an example of methodology,"The reader should note that this study was based on a survey of graduating students at a midsized public university in the Southeast United States.Care should be exercised in generalizing these findings to other populations."

Question 76

The abstract/executive summary provides an overview of the most useful information,including the conclusions and recommendations.

Question 77

Researchers would describe their use of a probability sample for a particular study in the methodology section of their paper.In short,use methodology,not method.

Question 78

Many formal reports contain repetitions and in many lengthy reports,repetition actually enhances reader comprehension.

Question 79

The method describes,in as much detail as necessary,how the researcher conducted the research,who(or what)the research subjects were,and what tools or methods were used to achieve the objectives.

Question 80

The method's section should be detailed enough that it is clear how the data were collected but not detailed enough that it could be replicated by others.