Writing your report card sorting activity
- 1. Your Report: card sorting activity A report has clear sections that tell the reader: what you did why and how you did it what you found out why that is important In your groups, can you match the title of the report section with the description of what goes in it? Next, can you decide which section the sample paragraphs belong to?
- 2. Summary/Executive Summary/Abstract • An outline of the study carried out • A brief reference to previous research done in the field • A brief summary of your method • The main findings and how they relate to the study • A conclusion that may include a suggestion for further research
- 3. Introduction • The reasons for undertaking the study • Definitions of any specialised terms in the report • Assumptions or assertions which were made in the process • The scope of the investigation (what is covered and what is not) • A general outline of the structure of the report • Introducing the reader to the subject area in more detail • Presents your objectives and hypotheses • Explains the background to the problem through a literature review
- 4. Methodology/Methods • Number of participants • Apparatus or materials used • Step by step procedure of how you carried the research out • State your experimental method • Detail the kind of data you collected and how you collected it
- 5. Findings • What you have read, researched, discovered • Present an outline of what was found as a result of your study • Use summary data • Graphs • Tables • Briefly explain the results using clear headings • Do not discuss the results in this section • Never present raw data in this section
- 6. Discussion Your interpretation of the results Include • How your results prove or disprove your hypothesis • Comparison of your results with other investigations or literature • Factors which may have influenced your results • Implications of the results • A summary of the main results of the study • An interpretation of the results in relation to the aims, predictions or hypothesis • An interpretation of the results in relation to the findings of other research in the area
- 7. Conclusion • Present the main findings from the research • Restate the questions/problems that led to the preparation of the report • But don’t restate too much of the report (keep it brief) • Link back to the purpose of the report • Lead to recommendations (this can be a separate section): • Actions to be taken • Areas to explore further
- 8. Report Summary/Abstract: Patenting strategies in the German mechanical engineering industry and their relationship to company performance (Ernst, 1995) This paper systematically evaluates the patenting behaviour of a sample of 50 business firms within the German mechanical engineering industry. Based on a framework of multiple patenting indicators, four different types of patenting strategies are identified. Furthermore, the relationship between these strategies and company performance is analysed. It is shown that patent-active companies perform best for the economic performance variables used. Finally, the importance of different patenting indicators is assessed. It is found that the number of international patent applications, the rate of valid patents and highly cited patents are positively related to economic performance. Thus, a differentiated use of patent data is advisable. Materials and methodology Study outline and area Results Concluding statement Interpretation
- 9. Introduction The use of solar water heaters is rapidly increasing in both homes and businesses, as these heaters provide an environmentally friendly and cost-effective source of energy (Tian and Castillo, 2016). However, significant improvement to heating efficiency is required before solar water heaters can be used without a supplementary energy source. Various factors in the design of the water heater affect how well solar energy is converted into heat energy, and how effectively the heat is then transferred to the water. This experiment investigated two factors affecting the heating efficiency of solar water heaters: mass flow rate and collector design. Efficiency of a flat-plate collector was measured, and the effects of different methods of welding water tubes to the absorber plate were compared. Context Theory Aims and objectives
- 10. Methods How would the methods section look if you were writing up your research on the relationship between university students’ study habits and their levels of anxiety before exams? A copy of the adapted survey used in the current study is available in appendix G. The survey was re-created using a SharePoint survey form, and was hosted on the internal company intranet, accessible by a specific URL, as this was the most efficient way to distribute the survey to a large number of participants. The survey took approximately five minutes to complete per respondent (as evidenced in the pilot). The survey was secured as ‘read-only’ so that no changes could be made by any respondents, and was configured to prevent participants submitted multiple responses (and potentially skewing the data).
- 11. Methods First pour agar into six petri dishes. Then inoculate the plates with the bacteria. Then put the plates into the incubator…. Six petri dishes were prepared with agar and inoculated with the bacteria. The plates were incubated for ten hours. This method: • Uses past tense • Is clear and concise • Mentions the materials in the methods • Should be summary of the methods you used, written in paragraphs • Should be written so that others can repeat the experiment following your method • Always use past tense Your methods section will vary considerably depending on your subject and the actual research you are writing up.
- 12. Results/Findings • Present the main data, often in graphs, figures or tables • Use the past tense • Use a logical order: maybe try using your objectives as a guide • Include calculations • If there is an analysis of the errors or uncertainties, include them here
- 13. Discussion • Comment on the results you obtained • Interpret what the results mean • Identify and comment on any trends • Compare the experimental results with any predictions • Suggest explanations for unexpected results how the experiment could have been improved
- 14. Have another look at the paragraph from an example discussion. Can you identify where the following are: Suggested explanation for unexpected results Recommendation to overcome limitations Awareness of and explanation for limitations Comparison of results with hypothesis or expected results The aim of this experiment was to identify decomposition rates of leaf breakdown to establish rates of energy transfer.
- 15. It was expected that the leaves would show a far higher rate of decomposition in the shore zone, where there are more chances for sediments to rub against them. However the two zones show no significant difference in leaf breakdown, although these results are non-conclusive due to the limitations of this experiment. The two zones of leaf decomposition were physically too close, and over the incubation period reeds were observed growing close to the limnetic zone. This may have negatively affected the accuracy of the results by reducing the differences in habitat at these sites, as seen in other experiments (Jones et al. 2017). The results also had large standard deviations, possibly due to these physical constraints or human error in weighing leaves. Further studies with more diverse zones and precise procedures should be undertaken in order to explore leaf decomposition and rates of energy transfer more effectively. Comparison of results with hypothesis or expected results Suggested explanation for unexpected results Awareness of and explanation for limitations Recommendation to overcome limitations
- 16. The concentration of salicylic acid in commercially available aspirin tablets was determined through UV spectroscopy. The mean concentration from three different tablets was determined to be 301.1+/-4.36 mg per tablet, which is within commercially permitted limits. The results for individual tablets were found to be dependent on the accuracy of measurements during the process, and the purity of the other reagents. Standardised solutions might further improve the accuracy of the results. These findings show that analytical chemistry techniques such as spectrometry can be used for fast, accurate determination of compound composition. This is important in many industries, where consistency is crucial for effective use of the product, or is vital to the safety of the product. Indicates to what extent the aims of the experiment were achieved. Elaborates how the aim of experiment was achieved Summarises the main reasons for any discrepancies and recommends improvements to overcome experimental limitations Briefly recaps key findings Conclusion
Editor's Notes
- #9: When would they write this?
- #11: Just to highlight how different they can look – relate to whoever is in the room and explore how their methods tend to look. Some open, whole group Q and A on this question to get them thinking about whether their methods would have been appropriate and how they would be written up.
- #12: Emphasise that the methods and findings sections are probably ones that will vary the most across disciplines but these are some basic principles
- #13: As with methods – just to highlight – could see (if time) whether any of them of specific questions about their own. Refer back to starter activity – what should not be in here? Raw data but also discussion – So, what should be in the discussion? Check their knowledge/understanding of this before reinforcing (or developing?) their comments with the next slide
- #14: Hopefully, just to flag up what they’ve just been saying – needs critical analysis – brief Q and A on what that is.
- #15: Up to 10 minutes max including feedback – get them to explain their responses fully
- #16: Just to exemplify their own repsonses