Research writing technique

 Title.
The title of the research report should be shorter and simple yet informative. The title serves two
main functions:

1. It gives the reader some initial information about the area of research the report has covered
and it is therefore a pointer to the content of the report.

2. It is used for indexing once the document becomes official.

 Dedication.

Some authors of research reports dedicate their work to a person or persons whom they deem
special in their lives. Such persons may be a spouse, children, parents or very dear friends. A
dedication is basically a statement such as ‘’ to my children: Stephen, Fatuma’’ etc and the
author may give the reason of dedicating to that person.

 Abstract.

An abstract contains the meat of the research report. It is therefore a reflection of the salient
findings of the research study. An abstract should be placed at the front of the report preferably
after the dedication, but on the separate page. A good abstract presents the reader with the
purpose of the study, the population studied, the major results and conclusion of the study. It is
only one full page.

 Acknowledgment

 Table of content.

A table of content is like a map that guides the readers in locating various sections of the
research report. A table of contents the chapter headings, main headings and sub-headings and
the corresponding page of each in the body of the document.

 Executive summary.

A good executive summary begins with a clear and brief statement of the problem. An executive
summary is a short version or summary of the research report. The summary provides readers
with a concise and accurate picture of the entire document. The executive summary is an
economical way of communicating one’s research report.
  Introduction.

The introduction to a research has several components that include the background to the study,
the problem statement, objectives, hypotheses or research questions and limitations of the study.
The researcher should quote the existing studies and theories to support the problem statement.
Though the literature review is cited in this part of the document but it should be limited to the
most relevant and current issues.

 Literature review.

A literature review is a researcher’s critique of findings from other studies done in the related
areas. The critique should be assessment of the methodologies used in these studies, theoretical
or conceptual frameworks and the relationships or differences between the researcher’s study and
the studies reviewed. The most critical aspect of reviewing the literature on the subject is the
clear and systemic analysis of the existing studies that a researcher must engage in to identify the
missing gaps in specific area of study and hence justify the need for another study.

 Methodology.

The most important point to bear in mind when writing the methods’ section of your report is
that the details given regarding the procedures used in conducting the study should be precise
enough to enable other researchers to replicate your study. Pertinent issues discussed in this
section include the population, sample and sampling techniques, the research design, a
description of instruments or tools used to collect data, the measurement of variable and the
technique to be used in analyzing data. If hypotheses are to be tested, the researcher must state
the level of significance to be used in such test.

 Results and discussion.

The main aim of the result and discussion section is to present the results of the data analysis in a
systematic way. If the study is empirical in nature, the researcher uses statistics to summarize the
results and to make generalizations on the population. The basic principle in presenting results is
to give all evidence relevant to the research objectives and questions, if any. In quantitative
research, the researcher is sometimes expected to test hypotheses.

 Summary, conclusion and recommendations.

 References
 Appendices.

Prepared by Ustaz Noah Issa Philip

Tel: + 211 927 200 500 / +211 957 200 500.