Reporting and thesis writing – Structure and components of

scientific reports - Types of report – Technical reports and thesis –

Significance –Different steps in the preparation – Layout,
structure and Language of typical reports – Illustrations and
tables - Bibliography, referencing and footnotes - Oral
presentation – Planning – Preparation – Practice – Making
presentation – Use of visual aids - Importance of effective
communication. 4 hours
Application of results and ethics - Environmental impacts - Ethical
issues - ethical committees - Commercialization – Copy right –
royalty - Intellectual property rights and patent law – Trade
Related aspects of Intellectual Property Rights – Reproduction of
published material – Plagiarism - Citation and acknowledgement -
Reproducibility and accountability. 3 hours

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 The Process of Research

2
5

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 Reporting and thesis writing –
• After collecting data-----analyze data
• Then comes the step of ‘Interpret and report’
• Interpreting is drawing inferences
• Reporting is all about the documentation of
the entire research process---research
process of 5 steps

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 Meaning of Interpretation

• ‘Interpretation’ refers to the task of drawing

inferences from the analysis of the collected
data
• It looks at the research findings
• It does the mapping of ‘findings’ with the
‘research objectives’
• It gives a clear picture of
refinement/improvement achieved (by you)
compare to your predecessor
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 Why Interpretation?
• It is considered a basic component of research
process because of the following reasons:
1. The researcher can well understand the abstract
principle that works beneath his findings
2. He / She can ascertain the logic end of the
research
3. Continuity in research can be maintained
(concepts that can serve as a guide for future
research studies)
4. The researcher can make others to understand the
real significance of his/her research findings
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 5. The interpretations of exploratory research study
often results into hypotheses for experimental
research
6. Since an exploratory study does not have a
hypothesis to start with, the findings of such a
study have to be interpreted on a ‘post-factum’
basis
7. Such interpretation is technically described as ‘post
factum’ interpretation’.

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 Techniques of interpretation
• The task of interpretation is tough job
• It requires a great skill and ease (dexterity) on the
part of researcher
• Interpretation is an art that a researcher learns
through practice and experience
• Researcher should take the help of the guide to
accomplish important job of the research process
namely ‘the interpretation’
• The technique of interpretation involves the steps
given in the next slide:

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1. The researcher must take up the interpretation task
only after considering all relevant factors affecting
the problem…this will avoid false conclusion
2. Researcher should not be in a hurry while
interpreting results….may give 2-3 runs of conclusion
( to avoid conflicts and contradictions)
3. The entire interpretation depends on the results(or
data)…so must be careful in obtaining the genuine
data
4. The line of interpretation should be consistent
5. Extraneous information, if collected during the study
must be considered while interpreting the final
results
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 Precautions in interpretation
• Even if the data collected are correct, genuine and
proper, even if the analysis carried out is correct,
wrong interpretations might lead to inaccurate and
improper conclusions
• Therefore the job of interpretation be accomplished
systematically, slowly and in an impartial manner
• In that direction a researcher must pay attention to
the following points to make the interpretation a
meaningful exercise:
1. Researcher should be pretty much convinced about
the data collected--- appropriate, trustworthy,
consistent and adequate to depend on it
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2. Researcher should be well equipped with and must
know the correct use of statistical measures for
drawing inferences concerning his/her study
3. Researcher must always bear it in mind that the task of
interpretation and analysis are interconnected ( don’t
interpret keeping analysis in isolation)
4. Broad generalization should be avoided as the
coverage may be restricted to a particular time, area
and condition
5. Ideally in the course of a research study, there should
be constant interaction between initial hypotheses,
empirical observation and theoretical conceptions

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 Significance of report writing
• Research task remains incomplete if the report has
not been presented and /or written
• The purpose of research is not well served unless the
findings are made known to others
• The most brilliant hypothesis, well designed
conducted research study, the most striking
generalizations, findings and conclusions are of little
value unless they are effectively communicated to
others
• Research results must invariably enter the general
store of knowledge

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• There are many objectives of research
• The purpose of the research is to discover answers to
questions through the application of scientific
procedures
• The main aim of the research is to find out the truth
which is hidden and which has not been discovered
yet
• Each research study has its own specific purpose
• In general research objective is to:
1. Gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve
new insights into it (exploratory or formulative
research studies)

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2. Portray accurately the characteristics of a particular
individual, situation or a group (Descriptive
research study)
3. Determine the frequency with which something
occurs or frequency with which it is associated
with something else (diagnostic research study)
4. Test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between
variables ( hypothesis –testing research studies)
Similarly the motivation for research:
1. Desire to get a research degree ( a PhD degree)
2. Desire to get intellectual joy of doing some
creative work

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3. Desire to face the challenge in solving the unsolved
problem
4. Desire to be of service to society
• For all the above said reasons, writing research
report becomes significant (it is tedious and time
consuming….a minimum of 6 months)

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 Different steps in writing report
• Research reports are the product of slow,
painstaking, accurate inductive work
• The usual steps are:
a) Logical analysis of the subject-matter
b) Preparation of the final outline
c) Preparation of the draft
d) Rewriting and fine tuning
e) Preparation of the final draft

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 Logical analysis of the subject-matter
• It is the first step which is primarily concerned with
the development of a subject
• There are 2 ways in which a subject is developed----i)
Logically and ii) Chronologically
• The logical development is made on the basis of
analysis
• Logical treatment often consists in developing the
material from the simple possible to the most
complex structures
• Chronological development is based on a connection
or sequence in time or occurrence
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 Preparation of the final outline
• Outline is the framework (skeleton) upon which the
report is built
• The structure (body) of the works is then constructed
• The outlines are an aid to the logical organization of
the material and a reminder of the points to be
emphasized in the report

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 Preparation of the draft
• After completing the research investigation ( after
successfully completing all the 6-7 research
processes), researcher will sit down and edit his
work
• The researcher has to make the research document
in a systematic way
• He has to follow certain guide lines while preparing
the document
• Initially he makes a rough document (draft)

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 Rewriting and fine tuning…..
• It is a formal writing part of the thesis
• This is the most difficult and important part of the
thesis preparation
• The draft is a rough copy of the thesis
• This has to be fine tuned and improved by many
aspects like:
1. Organization of the report
2. Figures, equations and their numbers
3. References at the appropriate places and the
chronological order
4. The volume of the report etc,
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 Layout of the research report
• Research report must convey complete
information about the research
• Information should also be relevant to the
investigation carried out
• The layout of the report must comprise:
i) Preliminary pages
ii) The main text and
iii) The end matter

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 Preliminary pages
• Covering page comprising of ‘title’, name of the
investigator, name of the guide and the name of the
University to which the thesis is submitted for the
award of degree
• It should carry a certificate ….
• Acknowledgement in the form of ‘Preface’ or
‘foreword’
• An abstract (an abridged version of the report)
• Table of contents with the page numbers
• List of tables, figures
• List of acronyms used etc
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 Main text
• Each main section ( chapter) of the report should
begin on a new page
• The main text of the report should have the
following sections:
1. Introduction
2. Literature survey
3. The details of the methodology(ies) used for the
investigation
4. The results
5. Analysis and the conclusions drawn

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 End matter
• List of all the references in the chronological
and IEEE format
• Appendices if any
• Index

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 Types of reports
• Basically there are 2 types of reports------i) Technical
report (ii) A popular report
• A technical report is used whenever a full written
report of the study is required whether for record
keeping or for public dissemination
• A popular report is used if the research results have
policy implications

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 Technical report
• The main emphasis in the technical report is:
i) The methods employed to reach the
objectives of the research study
ii) Hypotheses/protocols/algorithms
developed to drive home the objectives
iii) The detailed presentation of the findings
including their limitations and supporting
data

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 A general outline:
1. Nature of the study: description of the general
objectives of study, formulation of the problem in
operational terms, the working hypotheses, the data
collection and the type of analysis carried out
2. Methods employed: Specific methods used in the
study and their limitations, if it is an experimental
study one has to give all the details of the set up, if it
is a simulation study, one should give the simulation
environment details etc
3. Data: Details of the primary data collected ( source,
limitation and characteristic), if secondary data are
used, their suitability to the investigation be fully
justified
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4.Analysis of data and presentation of findings: The data
has to be churned and analyzed properly, outcome of
the analysis has to be properly interpreted (increase,
decrease %s,) using tables and charts, This becomes
the heart of the findings and it consumes bulk of the
report writing
5. Summary of results: A brief review of the main findings
in 2-3 pages
6. Conclusions: A detailed summary ( starting from the
problem formulation to result interpretation) of the
research investigation and the policy implication drawn
from the results to be explained

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7. Bibliography / References: see next slides…
8.Technical appendices: Appendices be given for all
technical matters relating to questionnaire,
mathematical derivations, theory, procedures etc
9. Index: Index must be prepared and be given
invariably at the end of the report, this will have lot
of advantages for a reader to go through the report
quickly

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 Reference v/s Bibliography
• A reference list includes the details of all the
resources you have quoted or paraphrased in your
assignment.
A bibliography includes details of all the resources
you used to produce your assignment (record),
including those you did not quote or paraphrase.
• In APA Style, however, each reference cited in-text
must appear in the reference list, and each entry in
the reference list must be cited in-text.

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 Reference v/s bibliography
• A bibliography includes details of all the resources
you used to produce your assignment, including
those you did not quote or paraphrase.
• In APA Style, however, each reference cited in-text
must appear in the reference list, and each entry in
the reference list must be cited in-text.

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 APA STYLE…
• APA (American Psychological Association) style is most
frequently used within the social sciences, in order to cite
various sources.  
• This APA Citation Guide, revised according to the 6th edition of
the APA manual, provides the general format for in-text
citations and the reference page.  
• For more information, please consult the Publication Manual of
the American Psychological Association, (6th ed.).
• Select from one of the source types below to start creating the
perfect citation in APA format.
• We also have a powerful automatic APA citation generator.
• To begin just check out our APA citation generator.

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 IEEE format for references

• Go to pdf file…….IEEE_ReferenceExamples.pdf

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 Popular report
• The popular report is one which gives a emphasis on simplicity
and attractiveness
• The simplification should be sought through clear writing
• There should be minimum technical details such as
mathematical derivations and explanations
• There should be minimum use of tables, charts and other
illustrative diagrams
• Attractive layout, large print with many subheadings are some
features of this type of report
• Occasional cartoons could also be seen in between
• The main emphasis is given on practical aspects and policy
implications

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 Mechanics of writing a research report
• There are very definite and set rules which should be
followed in the actual preparations
• The following points to be followed while preparing
the report:
1. Size and physical design
2. Layout ( organization/composition)
3. Punctuation and abbreviation
4. Use of statistics, charts and graphs
5. Documentation style (line spacing, font style etc.)
6. References
7. REVA University will furnish all these details and you
have to adhere to them strictly
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 Precautions for report writing
• Research report is a medium (channel) of
communicating the research findings to the readers
of the report
• A good research report is one which does this task
efficiently and effectively
• So the report must be prepared keeping the
following precautions in view:
1. Length of the report…Long enough to cover the
subject and details but short enough to maintain
the interest

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2. The report should be able to convey the matter as
simply as possible-----this means that the report
should be written in an objective style in simple
language, avoiding words and phrases which are
ambiguous (avoid abstract terminology)
3. Interpretation of the results through tables and charts
enhances the clarity of the findings
4.The organization of the report in terms of chapters
should be meticulous
5.The report should be free from grammatical mistakes
and must be prepared with proper punctuation
6. Report should have logical end ( 2 journal papers, end
the thesis abruptly and submit the thesis)
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• Should not use the same word/phrase again and
again
• Report should be attractive in appearance, neat and
clean----figures should be legible and equations
should have the correct symbols
• It should contribute to the solution of a problem
and must add to the knowledge repository (store)
• It should contain the articles published out of the
investigation carried out
• At the end report should indicate some direction for
the extension of the investigation by other
researchers ( scope for future extension)

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• One should always keep in mind the fact that
the report writing is an art which is learnt by
practice and experience

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