Deck 9: Research Reports

Question 1

How do the literature review and discussion relate to each other?

Answer 1

The discussion relates the results to the literature review; in doing so, it gives meaning to the results. The results section is nothing more than what the researcher found; the discussion interprets those results in the context of the existing research summarised in the literature review.

Question 2

Where do you discuss the limitations of your study? Why?

Answer 2

Discuss limitations in the conclusions section of the report. If you don't point them out, someone else will! No research can be perfect, and by pointing out the limitations of your study you help others improve the work.

Question 3

How do the results and discussion relate to each other?

Answer 3

The discussion gives meaning to the results. It scrutinises them, interpreting them in the light of relevant theory, assessing their quality, and pointing out their implications.

Question 4

What do you think is meant by the comment 'your report must tell a story'?

Question 5

Who is a research report usually written for? In what ways does it differ from a report to a client?

Question 6

In your own words, sum up what should be included in an abstract. Why is it written to contain all this information? What is the most important aspect of an abstract's style?