a research report can be tailor made for the readers by

• Research Report: Definition, Types + [Writing Guide]

One of the reasons for carrying out research is to add to the existing body of knowledge. Therefore, when conducting research, you need to document your processes and findings in a research report. 

With a research report, it is easy to outline the findings of your systematic investigation and any gaps needing further inquiry. Knowing how to create a detailed research report will prove useful when you need to conduct research.  

What is a Research Report?

A research report is a well-crafted document that outlines the processes, data, and findings of a systematic investigation. It is an important document that serves as a first-hand account of the research process, and it is typically considered an objective and accurate source of information.

In many ways, a research report can be considered as a summary of the research process that clearly highlights findings, recommendations, and other important details. Reading a well-written research report should provide you with all the information you need about the core areas of the research process.

Features of a Research Report 

So how do you recognize a research report when you see one? Here are some of the basic features that define a research report. 

• It is a detailed presentation of research processes and findings, and it usually includes tables and graphs. 
• It is written in a formal language.
• A research report is usually written in the third person.
• It is informative and based on first-hand verifiable information.
• It is formally structured with headings, sections, and bullet points.
• It always includes recommendations for future actions. 

Types of Research Report 

The research report is classified based on two things; nature of research and target audience.

Nature of Research

• Qualitative Research Report

This is the type of report written for qualitative research . It outlines the methods, processes, and findings of a qualitative method of systematic investigation. In educational research, a qualitative research report provides an opportunity for one to apply his or her knowledge and develop skills in planning and executing qualitative research projects.

A qualitative research report is usually descriptive in nature. Hence, in addition to presenting details of the research process, you must also create a descriptive narrative of the information.

• Quantitative Research Report

A quantitative research report is a type of research report that is written for quantitative research. Quantitative research is a type of systematic investigation that pays attention to numerical or statistical values in a bid to find answers to research questions. 

In this type of research report, the researcher presents quantitative data to support the research process and findings. Unlike a qualitative research report that is mainly descriptive, a quantitative research report works with numbers; that is, it is numerical in nature. 

Target Audience

Also, a research report can be said to be technical or popular based on the target audience. If you’re dealing with a general audience, you would need to present a popular research report, and if you’re dealing with a specialized audience, you would submit a technical report. 

• Technical Research Report

A technical research report is a detailed document that you present after carrying out industry-based research. This report is highly specialized because it provides information for a technical audience; that is, individuals with above-average knowledge in the field of study. 

In a technical research report, the researcher is expected to provide specific information about the research process, including statistical analyses and sampling methods. Also, the use of language is highly specialized and filled with jargon. 

Examples of technical research reports include legal and medical research reports. 

• Popular Research Report

A popular research report is one for a general audience; that is, for individuals who do not necessarily have any knowledge in the field of study. A popular research report aims to make information accessible to everyone. 

It is written in very simple language, which makes it easy to understand the findings and recommendations. Examples of popular research reports are the information contained in newspapers and magazines. 

Importance of a Research Report 

• Knowledge Transfer: As already stated above, one of the reasons for carrying out research is to contribute to the existing body of knowledge, and this is made possible with a research report. A research report serves as a means to effectively communicate the findings of a systematic investigation to all and sundry.  
• Identification of Knowledge Gaps: With a research report, you’d be able to identify knowledge gaps for further inquiry. A research report shows what has been done while hinting at other areas needing systematic investigation. 
• In market research, a research report would help you understand the market needs and peculiarities at a glance. 
• A research report allows you to present information in a precise and concise manner. 
• It is time-efficient and practical because, in a research report, you do not have to spend time detailing the findings of your research work in person. You can easily send out the report via email and have stakeholders look at it. 

Guide to Writing a Research Report

A lot of detail goes into writing a research report, and getting familiar with the different requirements would help you create the ideal research report. A research report is usually broken down into multiple sections, which allows for a concise presentation of information.

Structure and Example of a Research Report

This is the title of your systematic investigation. Your title should be concise and point to the aims, objectives, and findings of a research report. 

• Table of Contents

This is like a compass that makes it easier for readers to navigate the research report.

An abstract is an overview that highlights all important aspects of the research including the research method, data collection process, and research findings. Think of an abstract as a summary of your research report that presents pertinent information in a concise manner. 

An abstract is always brief; typically 100-150 words and goes straight to the point. The focus of your research abstract should be the 5Ws and 1H format – What, Where, Why, When, Who and How. 

• Introduction

Here, the researcher highlights the aims and objectives of the systematic investigation as well as the problem which the systematic investigation sets out to solve. When writing the report introduction, it is also essential to indicate whether the purposes of the research were achieved or would require more work.

In the introduction section, the researcher specifies the research problem and also outlines the significance of the systematic investigation. Also, the researcher is expected to outline any jargons and terminologies that are contained in the research.  

• Literature Review

A literature review is a written survey of existing knowledge in the field of study. In other words, it is the section where you provide an overview and analysis of different research works that are relevant to your systematic investigation. 

It highlights existing research knowledge and areas needing further investigation, which your research has sought to fill. At this stage, you can also hint at your research hypothesis and its possible implications for the existing body of knowledge in your field of study. 

• An Account of Investigation

This is a detailed account of the research process, including the methodology, sample, and research subjects. Here, you are expected to provide in-depth information on the research process including the data collection and analysis procedures. 

In a quantitative research report, you’d need to provide information surveys, questionnaires and other quantitative data collection methods used in your research. In a qualitative research report, you are expected to describe the qualitative data collection methods used in your research including interviews and focus groups. 

In this section, you are expected to present the results of the systematic investigation. 

This section further explains the findings of the research, earlier outlined. Here, you are expected to present a justification for each outcome and show whether the results are in line with your hypotheses or if other research studies have come up with similar results.

• Conclusions

This is a summary of all the information in the report. It also outlines the significance of the entire study. 

• References and Appendices

This section contains a list of all the primary and secondary research sources. 

Tips for Writing a Research Report

• Define the Context for the Report

As is obtainable when writing an essay, defining the context for your research report would help you create a detailed yet concise document. This is why you need to create an outline before writing so that you do not miss out on anything. 

• Define your Audience

Writing with your audience in mind is essential as it determines the tone of the report. If you’re writing for a general audience, you would want to present the information in a simple and relatable manner. For a specialized audience, you would need to make use of technical and field-specific terms. 

• Include Significant Findings

The idea of a research report is to present some sort of abridged version of your systematic investigation. In your report, you should exclude irrelevant information while highlighting only important data and findings. 

• Include Illustrations

Your research report should include illustrations and other visual representations of your data. Graphs, pie charts, and relevant images lend additional credibility to your systematic investigation.

• Choose the Right Title

A good research report title is brief, precise, and contains keywords from your research. It should provide a clear idea of your systematic investigation so that readers can grasp the entire focus of your research from the title. 

• Proofread the Report

Before publishing the document, ensure that you give it a second look to authenticate the information. If you can, get someone else to go through the report, too, and you can also run it through proofreading and editing software. 

How to Gather Research Data for Your Report  

• Understand the Problem

Every research aims at solving a specific problem or set of problems, and this should be at the back of your mind when writing your research report. Understanding the problem would help you to filter the information you have and include only important data in your report. 

• Know what your report seeks to achieve

This is somewhat similar to the point above because, in some way, the aim of your research report is intertwined with the objectives of your systematic investigation. Identifying the primary purpose of writing a research report would help you to identify and present the required information accordingly. 

• Identify your audience

Knowing your target audience plays a crucial role in data collection for a research report. If your research report is specifically for an organization, you would want to present industry-specific information or show how the research findings are relevant to the work that the company does. 

• Create Surveys/Questionnaires

A survey is a research method that is used to gather data from a specific group of people through a set of questions. It can be either quantitative or qualitative. 

A survey is usually made up of structured questions, and it can be administered online or offline. However, an online survey is a more effective method of research data collection because it helps you save time and gather data with ease. 

You can seamlessly create an online questionnaire for your research on Formplus . With the multiple sharing options available in the builder, you would be able to administer your survey to respondents in little or no time. 

Formplus also has a report summary too l that you can use to create custom visual reports for your research.

Step-by-step guide on how to create an online questionnaire using Formplus  

• Sign into Formplus

In the Formplus builder, you can easily create different online questionnaires for your research by dragging and dropping preferred fields into your form. To access the Formplus builder, you will need to create an account on Formplus. 

Once you do this, sign in to your account and click on Create new form to begin. 

• Edit Form Title : Click on the field provided to input your form title, for example, “Research Questionnaire.”
• Edit Form : Click on the edit icon to edit the form.
• Add Fields : Drag and drop preferred form fields into your form in the Formplus builder inputs column. There are several field input options for questionnaires in the Formplus builder. 
• Edit fields
• Click on “Save”
• Form Customization: With the form customization options in the form builder, you can easily change the outlook of your form and make it more unique and personalized. Formplus allows you to change your form theme, add background images, and even change the font according to your needs. 
• Multiple Sharing Options: Formplus offers various form-sharing options, which enables you to share your questionnaire with respondents easily. You can use the direct social media sharing buttons to share your form link to your organization’s social media pages.  You can also send out your survey form as email invitations to your research subjects too. If you wish, you can share your form’s QR code or embed it on your organization’s website for easy access. 

Conclusion  

Always remember that a research report is just as important as the actual systematic investigation because it plays a vital role in communicating research findings to everyone else. This is why you must take care to create a concise document summarizing the process of conducting any research. 

In this article, we’ve outlined essential tips to help you create a research report. When writing your report, you should always have the audience at the back of your mind, as this would set the tone for the document. 

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A Guide to Clear and Effective Communication for Research

Clear, concise and direct written communication is essential for compiling and sharing background research effectively. This makes your writing accessible, engaging and informative for the reader. But, how exactly can you achieve this type of written communication? In this article, we’ll share tips and tools to ensure your writing is clear, concise, direct and considers your reader’s perspective.

The need to communicate research summaries and findings is not limited to academia. In the workplace and beyond, being able to share research in an easy-to-access and digestible format is important for teams to collaborate effectively. Ideally, good written communication is clear, direct and concise. Being both clear and direct makes it obvious to the reader what they’re expected to take away, and the next steps they can take. 

For example, an industry research report might point to a need for changes in sales or marketing strategy. A clear and direct report would make this obvious to the reader, instead of assuming they would be able to come to that conclusion simply using the information given. Likewise, concise communication allows you to hold the reader's attention so they can digest the message you’re conveying. If the reader gets lost in lengthy explanations, and unnecessary context, they’re less likely to understand your message or gain value from your information. 

Define Your Message 

The first step to clear and direct writing is knowing what you want to say. Before you write, take some time to think and plan. You can produce a rough outline, mindmap and even a more structured framework for complex pieces of writing. Being able to define the core message or take away gives the end point that you need to build up to. It can be tempting to dive straight into writing once you have all the research. However, this can get messy and cause you to stray from the main point. By taking the time to stop writing and start thinking, you’ll save time and produce higher quality, focused writing. 

If you need a starting point, genei is the ideal tool to use. Genei will produce AI summaries, keyword lists, and document outlines for research articles, web pages and pdfs. This information can act as an outline for your own work. Or, provide a framework for you to begin making notes and organising your thoughts in genei’s notepad. You can plan more effectively using detailed research summarises alongside your own notes. For more genei guidance, check out our use case guides , and articles.  

Know Your Reader

Often, we know what we want to say and feel our writing is clear enough. This doesn’t necessarily mean our writing is accessible, engaging or actionable for the reader. Tailoring your writing to your reader is easier if you have pre-defined the core message or desired result. Then, it’s important to understand the reader. Why are they reading this? What’s in it for them? How much do they know about the given topic? You can make some assumptions about what you think they’re likely to know. While not all of this information will be relevant, this gives a starting point for focusing on the reader, rather than yourself. 

Tips for Clear, Concise and Direct Written Communication

Good written communication is often the result of careful and focused editing. This is why getting that first draft down is so important. Your first draft can be messy, and might even be part of that initial planning process. Now, you have content to reorganise, review and remove as needed. It’s far easier to make meaningful edits that improve the quality of your writing when you have the content down. Trying to write a perfect piece from the start is time consuming and likely to have the opposite effect. Editing your first draft allows you to actively review the structure, clarity and simplicity of your writing. During editing, you can consider the following writing tools and tips: 

Paraphrasing

Sometimes it can be difficult to digest and share the complex ideas of another. It might feel easier to use their complex terms, or stick to the structure of their idea. However, this can lead to your writing lacking clarity. Paraphrasing allows you to reshare another’s work in your own words while preserving the original meaning. This means you can tailor research findings to your audience , and still not stray from the original message. 

Summarising

Concise writing is important for holding the reader’s attention. You can keep written content concise by providing a summarised overview of key findings, main points, and even your own work. This will keep your readers engaged while still communicating the necessary context. For industry research reports, it’s ideal to end with a 3-4 sentence summary of the entire report. This highlights how important summarising can be in business communication, and is an essential skill for clear and concise writing. 

Good written communication follows a logical, easy to follow structure. For certain documents or reports, there may already be an industry standard for their structure. Be sure to follow these recommendations - standards ensure the relevant information has been covered. However, structure also applies to how information is organised within sections and paragraphs. Is it clear how these findings led to your conclusion? Have you included the relevant context before sharing a key insight? A good structure will make your writing impactful, and engaging. Your reader will feel informed as they progress, and be able to relate to the insights or conclusions provided.

A key aspect of good structure within a document, section or paragraph is getting to the point. If you propose your key point in the middle of your writing, you might lose the reader. Sharing the main point early on means the reader knows what to expect next, and are prepared to expand their understanding of the point made. You can be more direct by using short focused sentences or summaries. This ensures your reader is getting the key points and your message has been clarified well.  

Be Concise 

If you want to hold your readers attention, or produce effective summaries, you need to be concise. This can also be important for meeting tight word counts. To make your writing concise, you can use the short form of words and phrases. For example, concept instead of conceptualise, or however rather than ‘on the other hand’. You can also work on sentence length and structure. Short sentences that start with the subject are ideal for concise writing. Finally, actively focusing on one point at a time can improve the conciseness of your writing. For more tips on concise word choices, see this guide . 

Take the Reader's Perspective 

You can pinpoint revisions or edits for your writing by comparing your initial writing goals with the actual written result. This is a great way to ensure that you’re on track with the subject matter. But, this doesn’t guarantee that your writing is ideal for the reader. Research has shown that writers who can take their reader’s perspective are able to communicate their ideas more effectively. This highlights that you need to consider what you’ve written from the reader’s point of view. Even if you considered the reader beforehand, you might not have been consistent with this when writing. 

To do this, it can be easiest to share your work with a colleague or friend. Feedback is an effective way to refine your writing. You can also take a break from the work and come back later to proofread. While proofreading, consider whether the structure is logical for the reader, or the language is accessible. Think about what you would take away from your report if you didn’t have the relevant background knowledge. 

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Home » Research Report – Example, Writing Guide and Types

Research Report – Example, Writing Guide and Types

Table of Contents

Research Report

Definition:

Research Report is a written document that presents the results of a research project or study, including the research question, methodology, results, and conclusions, in a clear and objective manner.

The purpose of a research report is to communicate the findings of the research to the intended audience, which could be other researchers, stakeholders, or the general public.

Components of Research Report

Components of Research Report are as follows:

Introduction

The introduction sets the stage for the research report and provides a brief overview of the research question or problem being investigated. It should include a clear statement of the purpose of the study and its significance or relevance to the field of research. It may also provide background information or a literature review to help contextualize the research.

Literature Review

The literature review provides a critical analysis and synthesis of the existing research and scholarship relevant to the research question or problem. It should identify the gaps, inconsistencies, and contradictions in the literature and show how the current study addresses these issues. The literature review also establishes the theoretical framework or conceptual model that guides the research.

Methodology

The methodology section describes the research design, methods, and procedures used to collect and analyze data. It should include information on the sample or participants, data collection instruments, data collection procedures, and data analysis techniques. The methodology should be clear and detailed enough to allow other researchers to replicate the study.

The results section presents the findings of the study in a clear and objective manner. It should provide a detailed description of the data and statistics used to answer the research question or test the hypothesis. Tables, graphs, and figures may be included to help visualize the data and illustrate the key findings.

The discussion section interprets the results of the study and explains their significance or relevance to the research question or problem. It should also compare the current findings with those of previous studies and identify the implications for future research or practice. The discussion should be based on the results presented in the previous section and should avoid speculation or unfounded conclusions.

The conclusion summarizes the key findings of the study and restates the main argument or thesis presented in the introduction. It should also provide a brief overview of the contributions of the study to the field of research and the implications for practice or policy.

The references section lists all the sources cited in the research report, following a specific citation style, such as APA or MLA.

The appendices section includes any additional material, such as data tables, figures, or instruments used in the study, that could not be included in the main text due to space limitations.

Types of Research Report

Types of Research Report are as follows:

Thesis is a type of research report. A thesis is a long-form research document that presents the findings and conclusions of an original research study conducted by a student as part of a graduate or postgraduate program. It is typically written by a student pursuing a higher degree, such as a Master’s or Doctoral degree, although it can also be written by researchers or scholars in other fields.

Research Paper

Research paper is a type of research report. A research paper is a document that presents the results of a research study or investigation. Research papers can be written in a variety of fields, including science, social science, humanities, and business. They typically follow a standard format that includes an introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion sections.

Technical Report

A technical report is a detailed report that provides information about a specific technical or scientific problem or project. Technical reports are often used in engineering, science, and other technical fields to document research and development work.

Progress Report

A progress report provides an update on the progress of a research project or program over a specific period of time. Progress reports are typically used to communicate the status of a project to stakeholders, funders, or project managers.

Feasibility Report

A feasibility report assesses the feasibility of a proposed project or plan, providing an analysis of the potential risks, benefits, and costs associated with the project. Feasibility reports are often used in business, engineering, and other fields to determine the viability of a project before it is undertaken.

Field Report

A field report documents observations and findings from fieldwork, which is research conducted in the natural environment or setting. Field reports are often used in anthropology, ecology, and other social and natural sciences.

Experimental Report

An experimental report documents the results of a scientific experiment, including the hypothesis, methods, results, and conclusions. Experimental reports are often used in biology, chemistry, and other sciences to communicate the results of laboratory experiments.

Case Study Report

A case study report provides an in-depth analysis of a specific case or situation, often used in psychology, social work, and other fields to document and understand complex cases or phenomena.

Literature Review Report

A literature review report synthesizes and summarizes existing research on a specific topic, providing an overview of the current state of knowledge on the subject. Literature review reports are often used in social sciences, education, and other fields to identify gaps in the literature and guide future research.

Research Report Example

Following is a Research Report Example sample for Students:

Title: The Impact of Social Media on Academic Performance among High School Students

This study aims to investigate the relationship between social media use and academic performance among high school students. The study utilized a quantitative research design, which involved a survey questionnaire administered to a sample of 200 high school students. The findings indicate that there is a negative correlation between social media use and academic performance, suggesting that excessive social media use can lead to poor academic performance among high school students. The results of this study have important implications for educators, parents, and policymakers, as they highlight the need for strategies that can help students balance their social media use and academic responsibilities.

Introduction:

Social media has become an integral part of the lives of high school students. With the widespread use of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat, students can connect with friends, share photos and videos, and engage in discussions on a range of topics. While social media offers many benefits, concerns have been raised about its impact on academic performance. Many studies have found a negative correlation between social media use and academic performance among high school students (Kirschner & Karpinski, 2010; Paul, Baker, & Cochran, 2012).

Given the growing importance of social media in the lives of high school students, it is important to investigate its impact on academic performance. This study aims to address this gap by examining the relationship between social media use and academic performance among high school students.

Methodology:

The study utilized a quantitative research design, which involved a survey questionnaire administered to a sample of 200 high school students. The questionnaire was developed based on previous studies and was designed to measure the frequency and duration of social media use, as well as academic performance.

The participants were selected using a convenience sampling technique, and the survey questionnaire was distributed in the classroom during regular school hours. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and correlation analysis.

The findings indicate that the majority of high school students use social media platforms on a daily basis, with Facebook being the most popular platform. The results also show a negative correlation between social media use and academic performance, suggesting that excessive social media use can lead to poor academic performance among high school students.

Discussion:

The results of this study have important implications for educators, parents, and policymakers. The negative correlation between social media use and academic performance suggests that strategies should be put in place to help students balance their social media use and academic responsibilities. For example, educators could incorporate social media into their teaching strategies to engage students and enhance learning. Parents could limit their children’s social media use and encourage them to prioritize their academic responsibilities. Policymakers could develop guidelines and policies to regulate social media use among high school students.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, this study provides evidence of the negative impact of social media on academic performance among high school students. The findings highlight the need for strategies that can help students balance their social media use and academic responsibilities. Further research is needed to explore the specific mechanisms by which social media use affects academic performance and to develop effective strategies for addressing this issue.

Limitations:

One limitation of this study is the use of convenience sampling, which limits the generalizability of the findings to other populations. Future studies should use random sampling techniques to increase the representativeness of the sample. Another limitation is the use of self-reported measures, which may be subject to social desirability bias. Future studies could use objective measures of social media use and academic performance, such as tracking software and school records.

Implications:

The findings of this study have important implications for educators, parents, and policymakers. Educators could incorporate social media into their teaching strategies to engage students and enhance learning. For example, teachers could use social media platforms to share relevant educational resources and facilitate online discussions. Parents could limit their children’s social media use and encourage them to prioritize their academic responsibilities. They could also engage in open communication with their children to understand their social media use and its impact on their academic performance. Policymakers could develop guidelines and policies to regulate social media use among high school students. For example, schools could implement social media policies that restrict access during class time and encourage responsible use.

References:

• Kirschner, P. A., & Karpinski, A. C. (2010). Facebook® and academic performance. Computers in Human Behavior, 26(6), 1237-1245.
• Paul, J. A., Baker, H. M., & Cochran, J. D. (2012). Effect of online social networking on student academic performance. Journal of the Research Center for Educational Technology, 8(1), 1-19.
• Pantic, I. (2014). Online social networking and mental health. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 17(10), 652-657.
• Rosen, L. D., Carrier, L. M., & Cheever, N. A. (2013). Facebook and texting made me do it: Media-induced task-switching while studying. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(3), 948-958.

Note*: Above mention, Example is just a sample for the students’ guide. Do not directly copy and paste as your College or University assignment. Kindly do some research and Write your own.

Applications of Research Report

Research reports have many applications, including:

• Communicating research findings: The primary application of a research report is to communicate the results of a study to other researchers, stakeholders, or the general public. The report serves as a way to share new knowledge, insights, and discoveries with others in the field.
• Informing policy and practice : Research reports can inform policy and practice by providing evidence-based recommendations for decision-makers. For example, a research report on the effectiveness of a new drug could inform regulatory agencies in their decision-making process.
• Supporting further research: Research reports can provide a foundation for further research in a particular area. Other researchers may use the findings and methodology of a report to develop new research questions or to build on existing research.
• Evaluating programs and interventions : Research reports can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of programs and interventions in achieving their intended outcomes. For example, a research report on a new educational program could provide evidence of its impact on student performance.
• Demonstrating impact : Research reports can be used to demonstrate the impact of research funding or to evaluate the success of research projects. By presenting the findings and outcomes of a study, research reports can show the value of research to funders and stakeholders.
• Enhancing professional development : Research reports can be used to enhance professional development by providing a source of information and learning for researchers and practitioners in a particular field. For example, a research report on a new teaching methodology could provide insights and ideas for educators to incorporate into their own practice.

How to write Research Report

Here are some steps you can follow to write a research report:

• Identify the research question: The first step in writing a research report is to identify your research question. This will help you focus your research and organize your findings.
• Conduct research : Once you have identified your research question, you will need to conduct research to gather relevant data and information. This can involve conducting experiments, reviewing literature, or analyzing data.
• Organize your findings: Once you have gathered all of your data, you will need to organize your findings in a way that is clear and understandable. This can involve creating tables, graphs, or charts to illustrate your results.
• Write the report: Once you have organized your findings, you can begin writing the report. Start with an introduction that provides background information and explains the purpose of your research. Next, provide a detailed description of your research methods and findings. Finally, summarize your results and draw conclusions based on your findings.
• Proofread and edit: After you have written your report, be sure to proofread and edit it carefully. Check for grammar and spelling errors, and make sure that your report is well-organized and easy to read.
• Include a reference list: Be sure to include a list of references that you used in your research. This will give credit to your sources and allow readers to further explore the topic if they choose.
• Format your report: Finally, format your report according to the guidelines provided by your instructor or organization. This may include formatting requirements for headings, margins, fonts, and spacing.

Purpose of Research Report

The purpose of a research report is to communicate the results of a research study to a specific audience, such as peers in the same field, stakeholders, or the general public. The report provides a detailed description of the research methods, findings, and conclusions.

Some common purposes of a research report include:

• Sharing knowledge: A research report allows researchers to share their findings and knowledge with others in their field. This helps to advance the field and improve the understanding of a particular topic.
• Identifying trends: A research report can identify trends and patterns in data, which can help guide future research and inform decision-making.
• Addressing problems: A research report can provide insights into problems or issues and suggest solutions or recommendations for addressing them.
• Evaluating programs or interventions : A research report can evaluate the effectiveness of programs or interventions, which can inform decision-making about whether to continue, modify, or discontinue them.
• Meeting regulatory requirements: In some fields, research reports are required to meet regulatory requirements, such as in the case of drug trials or environmental impact studies.

When to Write Research Report

A research report should be written after completing the research study. This includes collecting data, analyzing the results, and drawing conclusions based on the findings. Once the research is complete, the report should be written in a timely manner while the information is still fresh in the researcher’s mind.

In academic settings, research reports are often required as part of coursework or as part of a thesis or dissertation. In this case, the report should be written according to the guidelines provided by the instructor or institution.

In other settings, such as in industry or government, research reports may be required to inform decision-making or to comply with regulatory requirements. In these cases, the report should be written as soon as possible after the research is completed in order to inform decision-making in a timely manner.

Overall, the timing of when to write a research report depends on the purpose of the research, the expectations of the audience, and any regulatory requirements that need to be met. However, it is important to complete the report in a timely manner while the information is still fresh in the researcher’s mind.

Characteristics of Research Report

There are several characteristics of a research report that distinguish it from other types of writing. These characteristics include:

• Objective: A research report should be written in an objective and unbiased manner. It should present the facts and findings of the research study without any personal opinions or biases.
• Systematic: A research report should be written in a systematic manner. It should follow a clear and logical structure, and the information should be presented in a way that is easy to understand and follow.
• Detailed: A research report should be detailed and comprehensive. It should provide a thorough description of the research methods, results, and conclusions.
• Accurate : A research report should be accurate and based on sound research methods. The findings and conclusions should be supported by data and evidence.
• Organized: A research report should be well-organized. It should include headings and subheadings to help the reader navigate the report and understand the main points.
• Clear and concise: A research report should be written in clear and concise language. The information should be presented in a way that is easy to understand, and unnecessary jargon should be avoided.
• Citations and references: A research report should include citations and references to support the findings and conclusions. This helps to give credit to other researchers and to provide readers with the opportunity to further explore the topic.

Advantages of Research Report

Research reports have several advantages, including:

• Communicating research findings: Research reports allow researchers to communicate their findings to a wider audience, including other researchers, stakeholders, and the general public. This helps to disseminate knowledge and advance the understanding of a particular topic.
• Providing evidence for decision-making : Research reports can provide evidence to inform decision-making, such as in the case of policy-making, program planning, or product development. The findings and conclusions can help guide decisions and improve outcomes.
• Supporting further research: Research reports can provide a foundation for further research on a particular topic. Other researchers can build on the findings and conclusions of the report, which can lead to further discoveries and advancements in the field.
• Demonstrating expertise: Research reports can demonstrate the expertise of the researchers and their ability to conduct rigorous and high-quality research. This can be important for securing funding, promotions, and other professional opportunities.
• Meeting regulatory requirements: In some fields, research reports are required to meet regulatory requirements, such as in the case of drug trials or environmental impact studies. Producing a high-quality research report can help ensure compliance with these requirements.

Limitations of Research Report

Despite their advantages, research reports also have some limitations, including:

• Time-consuming: Conducting research and writing a report can be a time-consuming process, particularly for large-scale studies. This can limit the frequency and speed of producing research reports.
• Expensive: Conducting research and producing a report can be expensive, particularly for studies that require specialized equipment, personnel, or data. This can limit the scope and feasibility of some research studies.
• Limited generalizability: Research studies often focus on a specific population or context, which can limit the generalizability of the findings to other populations or contexts.
• Potential bias : Researchers may have biases or conflicts of interest that can influence the findings and conclusions of the research study. Additionally, participants may also have biases or may not be representative of the larger population, which can limit the validity and reliability of the findings.
• Accessibility: Research reports may be written in technical or academic language, which can limit their accessibility to a wider audience. Additionally, some research may be behind paywalls or require specialized access, which can limit the ability of others to read and use the findings.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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A guide through your research publication journey

Whether you are an early career researcher writing your first journal article or later in your career, one thing is certain, all journal articles are different. The first step to writing a research paper is knowing what is expected for a successful publication. 

You must make sure you perfect your research article to meet publishing standards, then navigate the submission and peer review process. Read on for guidance on how to turn your paper into its best version, to maximize your chances of getting published.  

Choose the right service for the next step in your journey

Click the icons to learn more about the support available at each stage of the publication process.

Don’t forget, you can choose these services even if you aren’t submitting your paper to a Taylor & Francis journal.

How to choose the journal for publication  

This is an important first step before writing your article because it means you can tailor your work to your target journal. By having a preferred journal in mind, you can write confidently to their specification and audience. This will help save you time and effort during the submission process.

Tips for choosing the right journal: 

Conduct desk research and speak to colleagues and supervisors 

Try tools like our Journal suggester , which reviews your abstract and pairs it with suitable journals

Familiarize yourself with the content of relevant journals, and their aims and scope statements 

Know the journal audiences 

We’ve created a free guide to walk you through all the things to consider when you’re looking for the best journal for your research. Download it today.

Open access publishing

Choosing to publish your research open access (OA) makes it freely and permanently available online. Your peers will be able to read and build upon your research. 

Many researchers also see OA publishing as an opportunity to boost the impact of their work. Funders and institutions may now also require research to be published open access. 

Benefits of choosing open access: 

Increase the visibility and readership of your research  

Demonstrate societal impact  

Share your work freely 

Comply with some funder mandates

Get your OA questions answered with this useful guide  then choose open access with Taylor & Francis. 

How to write a good research paper 

Make sure you have selected the journal you want to submit to before writing your paper. This will affect the style, structure, and audience you are writing for. Choosing the journal before writing your paper also means you can tailor your work to build on research that’s already published.

Read the journal’s instructions for authors (IFAs)  to understand what they’re looking for in papers submitted to them. These are sets of requirements that help guide authors to construct their article in the correct way and prepare it for submission.

The journal’s IFAs will tell you exactly what editors expect to see and the processes to follow. This will make sure there are no problems during production if your article is accepted.

Article formatting guide 

Your research subject, focus, journal choice and any other consideration can affect the type of article you write. The best way to know how to structure your article is to study your target journal. 

Formatting your research paper in the right structure can be a time-consuming task and at times frustrating. Consider using  experts in manuscript formatting  to help you along the way.  

Adding this service before submission will mean you don’t have to worry about meeting the journal’s guidelines while writing your research. Experienced editors will make sure your journal article is consistent, matching your article to your target journal’s IFAs.

If you’re working on formatting your article yourself, check if your target journal uses a  formatting template  or offers  format-free submissions . 

How to assess the quality of a journal article

There are some basic criteria to determine whether your article is of excellent quality. Writing an effective article is important but here are more qualities to consider:

• The article is suitable for the journal by checking its aims and scope  
• Your  manuscript meets the style guidelines  in the instructions for authors, such as word count, language clarity, and format  
• It meets  international standards of scholarly English,  free of grammatical, spelling, and other common language errors  
• The manuscript structure and technical inputs such as  figures and charts comply with your target journal’s specific requirements   
• Authors’ work is properly cited in your manuscript to  avoid accidental plagiarism  

Making your submission and navigating editorial process 

Once you’ve written and polished your research paper, it’s time to take the next step – submitting to your chosen journal. If it passes an initial desk assessment, it’ll then go through the peer review process. 

Make sure your paper was prepared for submission by reviewing the journal’s IFAs and policies. Check your format to make sure it aligns to the journal’s specified style guide.  

Then write an effective cover letter. This is your opportunity to create interest on your research. You can highlight to the journal editor what makes your research new and important. Also state how your research is a perfect fit for the journal you are submitting to. 

Make sure you:  

Follow the key points of your journal guidelines that apply to your submission   

Proofread your manuscript for inaccuracies and technical flaws to  eliminate major reasons for rejection   

Acknowledge sources of ideas through proper citation to  avoid accidental plagiarism   

Have subject-specific experts review your manuscript with  suggestions for improvement  

Ready to submit?

Our submission checklist will help you make sure you’re prepared.

Resubmit with confidence

Get help addressing reviewer’s comments with our Rapid Technical Review service.

What to expect after you submit

It is common for editors and reviewers to have suggestions on how to improve your research paper. Revisions are an extremely common part of the peer review process so be prepared to handle them effectively.

Straightforward recommendations require minor changes. Others may require extensive changes before your journal article can be accepted for publication.

Make sure all reviewer and editor comments are discussed in your revisions. You don’t have to act on all the suggestions that are made if you disagree. Just make sure you include an explanation for anything you have chosen to leave when you resubmit.

Real world research impact

There are important challenges to consider when pursuing your research career. Funding support, the journey to publication, uncertainty about your research future, and more.  

To overcome these challenges, it is increasingly important for you to make your accomplishments stand out. You need to promote interest by communicating your research in easy-to-understand and shareable formats that will help explain its effect in the real world.  

Tips to get your research noticed

Increase the visibility of your research by showing the impact of your work to the world.

Wide interest by communicating your research with easy-to-understand language.

Attract and increase readership with an eye-catching representation of your research.

Communicate your research to a wider audience with an engaging story.

Why researchers trust us

“I chose Taylor & Francis Editing Services because it was very useful and added advantages for me. It made my manuscript more understandable in terms of language”. Dr Kalendar Arikan , Department of Biology Education Hacettepe University

How to Engage the Attention of the Reader in Your Research Paper

Good research, backed up by structured and attractively presented content created specifically for the target audience makes for an engaging article, which is bound to be read and cited often!

Every writer wants to make sure that the attention of the reader is not wavered. That is why we have provided some writing advice and tips that will help to engage the attention of your readers. Making the reader read your entire paper is key to being a successful writer. A reader completes reading the whole paper only when it grabs his attention. There are several aspects that are critical to capturing the attention of the reader and maintaining a high level of engagement throughout the length of the article. An author has to strike the right balance between several different and at times conflicting considerations for this purpose. The content of the article should be characterized by accurate language and expression to maximize impact.

The title should grab the attention of the reader and describe in a few words what the article is about. It is the title that piques the interest of the reader in the topic. The title is the first thing that the reader will read before deciding whether or not to read the entire article.

Abstract and Keywords

Choose keywords most appropriate to your work. The abstract should summarize and highlight all aspects of the article, motivate the reader to venture further into the article, and be limited to the word count specified by the journal. Remember that there may be many readers who will read only the abstract (this may be partly due to the fact most journals provide free access to abstracts).

Introduction

The introduction should be written such that it states the novelty and impact of the research and outlines the approach adopted in pursuit of the goals. It provides the readers with the initial impression of the overall quality of your work. A well-written and engaging introduction will encourage your readers to read further.

Experimental Section

The methods section should describe the experimental design and materials used in the study. Find a balance between keeping this section short and finding a way to include all relevant information. There should be enough detail so that the experiment can be replicated.

This section is the easiest section to write because here you only state the results of the study. Graphs and tables can be included if there is too much data to include in the text.   Only write the data here but do not discuss the significance.

The discussion should provide a detailed interpretation of the results. It should be supported by schematic diagrams, images,or graphs wherever necessary. Artwork should conform to journal specifications. Here discuss the implication of the results in the study field, advantages and limitation of the study, and scope of the research in future.

The conclusion is the final part of the main text, tying together your entire research. It is a brief synopsis of the overall impact of the study and its significance within the specified field or beyond should be persuasively delineated. Possible future research directions should be mentioned.

References/Bibliography

References are extremely essential to give credit to other researchers and to avoid plagiarism. It is important to adhere to the specifications of the target journal.

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TAILORING SCIENTIFIC COMMUNICATIONS FOR AUDIENCE AND RESEARCH NARRATIVE

For success in research careers, scientists must be able to communicate their research questions, findings, and significance to both expert and nonexpert audiences. Scientists commonly disseminate their research using specialized communication products such as research articles, grant proposals, poster presentations, and scientific talks. The style and content of these communication products differ from language usage of the general public and can be difficult for nonexperts to follow and access. For this reason, it is important to tailor scientific communications to the intended audience to ensure that the communication product achieves its goals, especially when communicating with nonexpert audiences. This article presents a framework to increase access to research and science literacy. The protocol addresses aspects of communication that scientists should consider when producing a scientific communication product: audience, purpose, format, and significance (research narrative). The factors are essential for understanding the communication scenario and goals, which provide guidance when tailoring research communications to different audiences.

I. INTRODUCTION:

The impact of scientific research relies on the communication of discoveries among members of the research community. Sharing research—allowing other researchers to critique and build upon it—is a fundamental part of the scientific research process. Over time, however, scientific communications have become so specialized that they are primarily accessible only to experts in a given field. Scientists working in other fields and nonexperts alike can find typical scientific communication products (research articles, grant applications, poster presentations, and research talks) difficult to understand. To reach nonexpert audiences, scientists must be able to communicate in a variety of settings, media, and for a variety of different audiences.

This article provides an overview of the different audiences that scientists are likely to encounter in their careers and considerations for communicating with each of them. A general strategy or protocol is presented to tailor scientific communications according to three key factors of any communication scenario: the audience, the purpose, and the format. In addition to these factors, the sequence and selection of information is equally important for communicating the significance of the research. Concepts from narrative storytelling are also presented to help scientists identify and communicate the significance of research to the intended audience.

Evolution of Contemporary Scientific Discourse

Scientific vocabulary is rich in technical terms and jargon that is not commonly used by the general population. As recently as the nineteenth century, scientists used language and communication formats that would have been recognizable to educated nonexperts from a wide variety of fields and professions. Since that time, however, communication practices within scientific research fields have become different from the common language usage of the general public in both content and style. Scientific documents, such as research articles, grant proposals, and poster presentations, follow a logic that, while familiar to other scientists, can be difficult for nonexpert audiences to follow, properly access, and utilize. As a result, a communication gap has formed between the scientific community and the general public. In some cases, such as climate research and vaccine safety, this communication gap contributes to increased skepticism about scientific research findings and even mistrust of scientists and the scientific process.

The communication gap exists not only between scientists and the public, but also among scientists from different research fields. Investments in scientific research expanded greatly after World War II, resulting in increased numbers of individual scientists, subdisciplines, and specialized discourses used within each field. Today, scientific communications (specifically peer-reviewed research articles) have become specialized to the point that a “form that was as readable as the average newspaper has, in some fields, become a jungle of jargon that even those familiar with the territory struggle to understand” ( Knight, 2003 , p. 376). Because research articles and talks are the primary way that scientists disseminate their research, and because scientific research is increasingly interdisciplinary, this can create a barrier between researchers working in different scientific fields.

Communication Skills for Success in Science

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommend that Ph.D.-level scientists should be able to “communicate, both orally and in written form, the significance and impact of a study or body of work to all STEM professionals, other sectors that may utilize the results, and the public at large” ( Leshner & Scherer, 2018 , p. 107). To accomplish this, scientists must be able to move fluently between different audiences (STEM professionals, other sectors, and the public) and communication forms (written and oral), while highlighting the significance and impact of their research. For example, Dr. Neville Sanjana demonstrates how a discussion of CRISPR can be modified to tailor both technical language and level of detail to five different audiences: a 7 year-old, a 14 year-old, a college student, a grad student, and a CRISPR expert ( WIRED, 2017 ). The protocol presented in this article is a step-by-step guide for tailoring research significance to these audiences and can be used to create any scientific communication product.

II. Three Key Factors in Science Communication: Audience, Purpose, and Format

There are three key factors to consider when approaching a scientific communication scenario: the audience, the purpose, and the format of the communication product ( Alley, 1996 ,p. 3–7). The interaction between these three factors guides the communication strategy by focusing on who will receive it, why you are communicating, and how you will communicate (see Figure 1 ). Whether you are working in a primarily oral, written, or visual format, it is helpful to analyze the communication scenario as the first step in creating the communication product. Ask yourself three questions:

Analyzing the interaction of audience, purpose, and format of a scientific communication is the first step in tailoring scientific presentations and communications to different audiences.

• Who will receive the communication and in what setting? — This question will help you to create a profile of your audience.
• What is the purpose of the communication and what do you want it to accomplish? — This question helps to establish the goal of your communication product.
• Will the communication product be oral, written, visual (or some combination) and what constraints does this format impose? — This question helps to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your format.

Carefully analyze these factors prior to composing and deliving your scientific communication product. Taking time to understand the communication scenario at the outset allows you to create a framework to guide each decision that must be made along the way. Use this protocol throughout the composition and revision process to ensure that you are tailoring your scientific communication correctly. Each factor is examined in more detail below and a checklist is provided at the end of the article.

Consider Audience

The audience is the most important factor to consider when tailoring scientific communications. The audience’s response to your communication is the metric determining whether the communication meets its goal. For example, if you aim to instruct a motivated group of high school students but they cannot follow the presentation you have prepared, then your communication product will not have achieved its goal. For this reason, it is important to keep the audience in mind while composing your communication and to view the communication product through their eyes and ears to the extent possible. This helps you focus on the reception of the communication and align it with your intentions.

Creating a profile of your audience will help to guide the choices you will make while creating the communication product. To do this, imagine the people you want to communicate with and answer the questions below.

• Who will receive this communication?
• How and where will they receive the communication?
• What do they know about the subject?
• Why are they motivated to receive the communication?

If you are unsure how to answer any of these questions, then you will need to do more research on your audience. This can include talking to individuals who represent your intended audience, reading or watching the media this audience frequently encounters, or talking to colleagues who are familiar with the audience. Speaking directly to members of the audience is the preferred method, because it allows you to get feedback on draft communications and tailor them to your target audience in real time.

Each audience has distinct interests and motivations for receiving scientific communications. These can be influenced by audience characteristics such as primary language, demographics, interest in science, etc. Understanding the level of scientific expertise of the audience is one of the most important characteristics to consider. Are they experts in your scientific field, experts in another scientific field, or nonexperts? Audiences may also be a combination of experts and nonexperts. Table 1 categorizes some common audiences of scientific communications according to levels of expertise: researchers, publishers, funders, conference organizers, students, policy-makers, journalists, and business people. Understanding their level of expertise in the field is a first step toward tailoring the communication for the intended audience or audiences.

Example Audiences Categorized by Level of Scientific Expertise

Tailoring scientific communications to expert or nonexpert audiences requires a variety of adjustments to content and style. Choosing the correct level of detail and method for presenting data are both important considerations. Expert audiences will expect the greatest level of detail and most comprehensive presentation of data in order to critique the research and understand its implications for the field. Nonexpert audiences may respond better to a simplified version of the research that focuses clearly on significance and impact but sacrifices some detail. At the level of vocabulary, it is important to choose words that are familiar to the audience. An audience of expert scientists will benefit from the use of technical terms and jargon, which function as short-hand within the field; these same words will alienate the general public and may be unfamiliar to scientist from other disciplines. Tailoring the content and language to the needs and interests of your audience ensures that you do not talk over the heads of lay people or talk down to experts; both will interfere with audience engagement and your communication aim.

Consider Purpose

The second factor to consider when tailoring your scientific communication is your purpose or goal for communicating with the audience. Scientists use communication products to achieve a variety of aims. They instruct individuals and groups that want to learn about their research. They inform peers, policy-makers, and journalists of their discoveries. They critique the research of peers and indicate new research that is needed to advance the field. They persuade grant reviewers and editors to fund and publish their work, respectively. They persuade patent agents and business people that their discoveries have commercial potential. They may persuade and recruit members of the general population to engage with their research or even enter scientific training and careers. To identify the purpose of your scientific communication product, answer the questions below.

• Why are you creating this scientific communication?
• What challenge or problem does this communication respond to?
• What do you want the scientific communication product to accomplish?

By responding to these questions, you articulate your own motivations for the scientific communication and the outcome you hope to achieve. In other words, you identify the need for the communication and your metrics for success.

Consider Format

The third factor to consider when tailoring scientific communications to different audiences is the format, medium, or genre of the communication product. Select a format that fits your communication needs while allowing the audience to engage optimally with the scientific content you want to present. Table 2 summarizes common scientific communication genres and formats. When selecting a format, consider the types of communications and media that your audience is likely to encounter in a normal day. Think about what your audience reads (academic journals and posters, newspapers, magazines, and social media), watches (television, videos, and films), and listens to (radio, music, and podcasts). Whether you are writing, speaking, creating a video, or engaging in another form of communication, the format imposes constraints on the communication scenario and informs the style and content.

Common Science Communication Genres and Formats

If you have flexibility in your format, answer these questions to help identify the best medium or genre for your communication product:

• What is the best format, medium, or genre to reach the intended audience?
• Which communication format am I best prepared to work in?

Written, oral, and visual formats each have inherent strengths and weaknesses. For example, a live talk can maximize interactions with the audience, allowing the speaker to establish rapport, check for comprehension, and respond to questions. The audience also has the opportunity to incorporate visual information such as the speaker’s body language and slides or other visual aids. A pre-recorded video presentation provides the benefits of the visual and oral formats, like the live talk, but would not facilitate audience interactions. The live talk relies on consistent attention from audience members to follow the flow of information; those who become distracted are likely to miss information and may have difficulty re-engaging with the presentation. Choose the best format for your audience and purpose, then keep strengths and weaknesses in mind while creating the communication product.

Once the format has been selected, answer these questions to identify how the format will affect the content and style:

• What constraints does the format impose?
• Is the format primarily written, oral, visual, or a combination of these?

Audiences expect communication products to adhere to common characteristics of the genre or format. Newspaper readers will look for headlines to orient themselves and select articles to engage with. Podcast listeners will identify the beginnings and endings of episodes in response to familiar theme music or other regular audio features. Scientists expect journal articles to present information in a particular sequence (abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion, conclusion, and references). While the common features of the genre and readers’ expectations place constraints on the scientific communication product, they also help audiences quickly orient themselves to the format and more deeply engage with the scientific content. Understand the constraints of the format and work within them to create a communication product that responds to the needs of your audience while achieving your communication goals.

III. Significance: Telling the Story of Your Research

Significance refers to the difference that your research makes in the world. To have significance or impact, research must change the current state of the field by answering a question, solving a problem, or filling a gap in existing knowledge. When you communicate the significance of your research, you tell the story of the impact it can have on the world. A story, in its most basic and fundamental form, describes a scenario that changes in some important way over a period of time: “The story always involves temporal sequences … [and] at least one modification of a state of affairs” ( Prince, 2003 , p. 59). These defining aspects of time and transformation are what distinguish stories from other modes of communication and align well with the goals and process of scientific inquiry. Scientific research seeks to observe changes within experimental contexts in the interest of discovering new knowledge and solving problems. The change observed, as well as its implications and applications, point to the significance and impact of the research. Therefore, to identify the significance of your research, find the story.

Storytelling for Scientists

It is worth stating explicitly that scientific stories are not fiction. Rather, the story emerges from the interpretation of novel data produced through rigorous experimental design. Environmental scientist Dr. Joshua Schimel explains that “[t]o tell a good story in science, you must assess your data and evaluate the possible explanations—which are most consistent with existing knowledge and theory? The story grows organically from the data and is objective, dispassionate, and fully professional” ( Schimel, 2012 , p. 9). Science stories are driven by the question or research problem addressed. The story emerges from the relationship between the research question and the novel data.

The temporal characteristic is equally important. When it comes to communicating the story of your research, there are two different sequences at work. The sequence of experiments that you perform and observations that you make contribute to the lab notebook information sequence (see Figure 2 ). This sequence catalogs the details of the scientific discovery, however, this linear documentation of time, effort, and resources does not communicate the significance and story of the research in a compelling way. To highlight the research story, it is necessary to construct another sequence, the research story information sequence (see Figure 3 ), which highlights significance by connecting novel experimental data to the question or problem that motivates the research. A compelling research narrative necessarily skips over some details, like failed experiments, in order to concretely illustrate the connection between question and novel data.

A detailed lab notebook is essential for future research reproducibility; however, this sequence of information does not tell a very interesting story for either experts or nonexperts.

A research story selects and sequences information to highlight the significance of the research: how new knowledge emerges from the relationship between the question asked and novel data.

Significance and Audience

We have seen how tailoring science communications to a variety of audiences can affect the content and style of the communication product. Different audiences require appropriate language and level of detail. Likewise, scientific communication products should highlight the significance and impact of the research as seen through the lens of the intended audience. Like the content and style of any scientific communication, the message of research significance should be tailored to the interests and perspective of the audience. For example, the discovery of a new molecular structure or pathway may be significant within a narrow research field, but it will likely need to be placed within broader context and implications for human health or medicine to seem important to the general public.

IV. Checklist for Tailoring Scientific Communications to a Variety of Audiences

Use this checklist to tailor your scientific communications to different audiences. Steps 1–4 provide guidelines to prepare and organize your communication product. Step 5 is intended to aid with getting feedback on your communication product for revision.

• Why am I creating this scientific communication?
• What do I want the scientific communication product to accomplish?
• What is the significance of the research for this audience?
• What is the research story information sequence?
• Is the language and level of detail right for the audience?
• Does the format meet the communication goals?
• Does the communication product highlight the significance of the research?

V. CONCLUSION:

Effective scientific communication requires careful analysis of the communication scenario and ability to highlight the research significance in narrative form. The protocol presented here is a starting point to develop a scientific communication practice for both expert and nonexpert audiences. These strategies may help increase access to scientific research among a wide range of populations—expert and nonexpert alike. By analyzing the audience, purpose, and format of your communications, you prepare to tailor scientific communications to the target audience and scenario. By highlighting the research narrative, you emphasize the potential impact that the research can make in the world. This framework provides a structure for self-analysis and revision for any scientific communication scenario, and accounts for variations in style, content, and narrative that are necessary to tailor scientific communications to any audience.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

I would like to thank all of my science communication students at Washington University in St. Louis; your questions and feedback motivated me to connect narrative theory concepts to science communication instruction. Portions of this work were supported by NIH grant #3T32GM008151-34S1.

LITERATURE CITED:

• Alley M. (1996). The craft of scientific writing (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Springer. [ Google Scholar ]
• Knight J. (2003). Scientific Literacy: Clear as Mud . Nature 423 , 376–378. 10.1038/423376a. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Leshner A, & Scherer L. (Eds.). (2018). Graduate STEM Education for the 21 st Century . Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. 10.17226/25038. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Prince G. (2003). Dictionary of Narratology . Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press. [ Google Scholar ]
• Schimel J. (2012). Writing Science: How to write papers that get cited and proposals that get funded . New York, NY: Oxford University Press. [ Google Scholar ]
• WIRED. (2017). Biologist explains one concept in 5 levels of difficulty-CRISPR . WIRED . Retrieved from https://youtu.be/sweN8d4_MUg

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The audience of a technical report—or any piece of writing for that matter—is the intended or potential reader or readers. For most technical writers, this is the most important consideration in planning, writing, and reviewing a document. You “adapt” your writing to meet the needs, interests, and background of the readers who will be reading your writing. In reality, the lack of audience analysis and adaptation is one of the root causes of most of the problems you find in professional, technical documents—particularly instructions where it surfaces most glaringly.

Note: Once you’ve read this chapter on audiences, try using the audience planner . You fill in blanks with answers to questions about your audience and then e-mail it to yourself and, optionally, to your instructor. Use the audience planner for any writing project as a way of getting yourself to think about your audience in detail.

Types of audiences

One of the first things to do when you analyze and audience is to identify its type (or types—it’s rarely just one type). The common division of audiences into categories is as follows:

• Experts: These are the people who know the business or organization (and possibly the theory and the product) inside and out. They designed it, they tested it, they know everything about it. Often, they have advanced degrees and operate in academic settings or in research and development areas of the government and technology worlds.
• Technicians: These are the people who build, operate, maintain, and repair the items that the experts design and theorize about. Theirs is a highly technical knowledge as well, but of a more practical nature.
• Executives: These are the people who make business, economic, administrative, legal, governmental, political decisions about the products of the experts and technicians. Executives are likely to have as little technical knowledge about the subject as nonspecialists. For many of you, this will be the primary audience for your report.
• Nonspecialists: These readers have the least technical knowledge of all. They want to use the new product to accomplish their tasks; they want to understand the new power technology enough to know whether to vote for or against it in the upcoming bond election. Or, they may just be curious about a specific technical matter and want to learn about it—but for no specific, practical reason. Chances are, these readers will represent your secondary audience.

Audience analysis

It’s important to determine which of the four categories just discussed represent your potential audience(s), but that’s not the end of it. Audiences, regardless of category, must also be analyzed in terms of characteristics such as the following:

• Background—knowledge, experience, training: One of your most important concerns is just how much knowledge, experience, or training you can expect in your readers. If you expect some of your readers to lack certain background, do you automatically supply it in your document? Consider an example: imagine you are writing a guide to using a software product that runs under Microsoft Windows. How much can you expect your readers to know about Windows? If some are likely to know little about Windows, should you provide that information? If you say no, then you run the risk of customers getting frustrated with your product. If you say yes to adding background information on Windows, you increase your work effort and add to the page count of the document (and thus to the cost). Obviously, there’s no easy answer to this question—part of the answer may involve just how small a segment of the audience needs that background information.
• Needs and interests: To plan your document, you need to know what your audience is going to expect from that document. Imagine how readers will want to use your document; what they will demand from it. For example, imagine you are writing a manual on how to use a new smartphone—what are your readers going to expect to find in it? Imagine you are under contract to write a background report on global warming for a national real estate association—what do readers want to read about; and, equally important, what do they not want to read about?
• Other demographic characteristics: And of course there are many other characteristics about your readers that might have an influence on how you should design and write your document—for example, age groups, type of residence, area of residence, gender, political preferences, and so on.

Audience analysis can get complicated by at least two other factors: mixed audience types for one document, wide variability within audience, and unknown audiences.

• More than one audience: You are likely to find that your report is for more than one audience. For example, it may be seen by technical people (experts and technicians) and administrative people (executives). What should you do in this case? You can either write all the sections so that all the audiences of your document can understand them. Or you can write each section strictly for the audience that would be interested in it, then use headings and section introductions to alert your audience about where to find relevant information in your report.
• Wide variability in an audience: You may realize that, although you have an audience that fits into only one category, its background varies widely. This is a tough one—if you write to the lowest common denominator of reader, you are likely to end up with a cumbersome, tedious book-like report that will turn off the majority of readers. However, if you don’t write to that lowest level, you lose that segment of your readers. What should you do? Most writers go for the majority of readers and sacrifice that minority that needs more help. Others put the supplemental information in appendixes or insert cross-references to beginners’ books.

Adapting your writing to meet your audience’s needs

Once you’ve analyzed your audience, how do you use this information? How do you keep from writing something that may potentially still be incomprehensible or useless to your readers? Draft your document with your audience’s needs in mind, but remember that writing can be refined over many drafts. With each subsequent draft, think more carefully about your readers, and revise and edit your document so that you make technical information more understandable for nonspecialist audiences. The lists below are some of the ways you can adapt your writing to your audience’s needs.

The following “controls” have mostly to do with making technical information more understandable for nonspecialist audiences and is information you will refine as you begin to put your final report together. However, it is a good idea to be aware of your audience’s needs even in the early stages of your report drafting.

Provide the right information

Add information readers need to understand your document. Check to see whether certain key information is missing—for example, a critical series of steps from a set of instructions; important background that helps beginners understand the main discussion; definition of key terms.

Omit information your readers do not need. Unnecessary information can also confuse and frustrate readers—after all, it’s there so they feel obligated to read it. For example, you can probably chop theoretical discussion from basic instructions.

Change the level of the information you currently have. You may have the right information but it may be “pitched” at too high or too low a technical level. It may be pitched at the wrong kind of audience—for example, at an expert audience rather than a technician audience. This happens most often when product-design notes are passed off as instructions.

Add examples to help readers understand. Examples are one of the most powerful ways to connect with audiences, particularly in instructions. Even in a non-instructional text, for example, when you are trying to explain a technical concept, examples are a major help—analogies in particular.

Change the level of your examples. You may be using examples but the technical content or level may not be appropriate to your readers. Homespun examples may not be useful to experts; highly technical ones may totally miss your nonspecialist readers.

Guide your reader through your writing

Change the organization of your information. Sometimes, you can have all the right information but arrange it in the wrong way. For example, there can be too much background information up front (or too little) such that certain readers get lost. Sometimes, background information needs to be consolidated into the main information—for example, in instructions it’s sometimes better to feed in chunks of background at the points where they are immediately needed.

Strengthen transitions. It may be difficult for readers, particularly nonspecialists, to see the connections between the main sections of your report, between individual paragraphs, and sometimes even between individual sentences. You can make these connections much clearer by adding transition words and by echoing key words more accurately. Words like “therefore,” “for example,” “however” are transition words—they indicate the logic connecting the previous thought to the upcoming thought. You can also strengthen transitions by carefully echoing the same key words. A report describing new software for architects might use the word software several times on the same page or even in the same paragraph. In technical prose, it’s not a good idea to vary word choice—use the same words so that people don’t get any more confused than they may already be.

Write stronger introductions—both for the whole document and for major sections. People seem to read with more confidence and understanding when they have the “big picture”—a view of what’s coming, and how it relates to what they’ve just read. Therefore, write a strong introduction to the entire document—one that makes clear the topic, purpose, audience, and contents of that document. And for each major section within your document, use mini-introductions that indicate at least the topic of the section and give an overview of the subtopics to be covered in that section.

Create topic sentences for paragraphs and paragraph groups. It can help readers immensely to give them an idea of the topic and purpose of a section (a group of paragraphs) and in particular to give them an overview of the subtopics about to be covered. Road maps help when you’re in a different state!

Craft effective sentences

Change sentence style and length. How you write—down at the individual sentence level—can make a big difference too. In instructions, for example, using imperative voice and “you” phrasing is vastly more understandable than the passive voice or third-personal phrasing. For some reason, personalizing your writing style and making it more relaxed and informal can make it more accessible and understandable. Passive, person-less writing is harder to read—put people and action in your writing. Similarly, go for active verbs as opposed to be verb phrasing. All of this makes your writing more direct and immediate—readers don’t have to dig for it. And obviously, sentence length matters as well. An average of somewhere between 15 and 25 words per sentence is about right; sentences over 30 words are to be mistrusted.

Edit for sentence clarity and economy. This is closely related to the previous “control” but deserves its own spot. Often, writing style can be so wordy that it is hard or frustrating to read. When you revise your rough drafts, put them on a diet—go through a draft line by line trying to reduce the overall word, page, or line count by 20 percent. Try it as an experiment and see how you do. You’ll find a lot of fussy, unnecessary detail and inflated phrasing you can chop out.

Make your document visually appealing

Add and vary graphics. For nonspecialist audiences, you may want to use more graphics—and simpler ones at that. Graphics for specialists are more detailed, more technical. In technical documents for nonspecialists, there also tend to be more “decorative” graphics—ones that are attractive but serve no strict informative or persuasive purpose at all.

Break text up or consolidate text into meaningful, usable chunks. For nonspecialist readers, you may need to have shorter paragraphs. Maybe a 6- to 8-line paragraph is the usual maximum. Notice how much longer paragraphs are in technical documents written for specialists.

Add cross-references to important information. In technical information, you can help nonspecialist readers by pointing them to background sources. If you can’t fully explain a topic on the spot, point to a section or chapter where it is.

Use headings and lists. Readers can be intimidated by big dense paragraphs of writing, uncut by anything other than a blank line now and then. Search your rough drafts for ways to incorporate headings—look for changes in topic or subtopic. Search your writing for listings of things—these can be made into vertical lists. Look for paired listings such as terms and their definitions—these can be made into two-column lists. Of course, be careful not to force this special formatting, and don’t overdo it.

Use special typography, and work with margins, line length, line spacing, type size, and type style. For nonspecialist readers, you can do things like making the lines shorter (bringing in the margins), using larger type sizes, and other such tactics. Typically, sans-serif fonts, such as Ariel, are useful for online readers. Serif fonts, such as Time New Roman, are useful for print texts.

By now you should be able to see that many of the decisions you make as a technical writer depend on who will read your report. From content, to language, to layout, every aspect of your communication must keep your reader’s needs in mind.

We will spend time later in our course expanding our discussion of audience when the time comes to put your report together. At that time, we will discuss document design–an important consideration that can help tremendously in making your document professional and easy to read.

Chapter Attribution Information

This chapter was derived from the following sources.

• Online Technical Writing by David McMurrey – CC: BY 4.0

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Audience Analysis Copyright © 2015 by Annemarie Hamlin, Chris Rubio, Michele DeSilva is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Research Paper or Report? Exploring the Differences.

This article seeks to explore the differences between a research paper and a report, two genres of academic writing which are commonly used but sometimes confused. By examining the key features of each type, this article aims to help readers understand when it is appropriate to use one or the other in order to produce an effective piece of work. This discussion will draw on evidence from existing literature as well as case studies in order to provide insight into both forms of written communication and their relative benefits for different tasks. Furthermore, potential areas for further research will be identified throughout this analysis with a view towards informing future projects on related topics.

I. Introduction

The Differences Between Research Papers and Reports When writing academic papers, one of the most important elements is to understand the type of document that needs to be produced in order for it to meet all requirements. The two main categories are research paper and report. Though there may be some similarities between them, these documents have several distinct differences as well.

• A research paper generally has an argument or hypothesis at its core and relies heavily on external sources to support its findings.
• A report , however, presents information without attempting any interpretation or analysis.

. In addition to this fundamental difference, other distinguishing features exist between a research paper versus a report:

• Research Paper: [1] It usually consists of multiple chapters which build upon each other; [2] typically requires extensive background reading; [3] often uses primary sources such as interviews or surveys; [4] commonly involves data collection methods like experiments.

. For contrastive purposes, a report :[1] Is more concise than a research paper;[2]. Typically draws from secondary sources like books instead of primary ones such as interviews.;[3]; Generally does not involve data collection but rather distills existing knowledge about the topic into an organized format.[4]. Presentation quality matters less since facts are what matter most. Therefore reports can have shorter sentences with fewer linking words used throughout compared to those found in research papers . All these components highlight how different both forms of written work can be even though they share many similarities when looking solely at their titles

II. Traditional Reports vs Research Papers: Definitions and Key Differences

Traditional Reports

A traditional report is an informational document that provides insight into a given subject, including findings and solutions to problems associated with it. These documents are typically used in the professional world, such as corporate or government settings, where they can provide valuable information for decision-making purposes. Generally speaking, these reports rely on research from multiple sources of data and use objective language to communicate their message clearly and concisely.

• Written primarily for external stakeholders.
• Compiled using various qualitative or quantitative data from internal resources.

Research Papers On the other hand, research papers delve much deeper into a particular topic than traditional reports do. Unlike the former which uses mostly existing evidence to make observations about a given issue ,the latter involves collecting primary source materials through surveys , interviews , experiments etc., analyzing them thoroughly before making conclusions . Research papers therefore tend be more comprehensive when compared to regular reports , often taking weeks (if not months ) of hard work by both researcher(s) involved. Focuses on creating new knowledge via original study . Usually intended for academic readership instead of external audiences . Consequently this distinction between regular reporting versus extensive researching results in key differences between them ; most notably one involving time spent gathering data – while traditionally collected facts form basis of regular ones ,research paper require spending far more amount time digging up unique information pertinent only towards itself . The relevance research paper vs report thus becomes quite clear : choosing either depends largely upon purpose behind its creation whether solving an immediate problem or uncovering groundbreaking ideas!

III. Factors to Consider when Deciding Between a Report or Paper

Time and Research Requirement

Before deciding between a research paper or report, consider the time needed to complete each one. Reports typically require less research as they are shorter in length, though longer reports may require more investigation than a standard essay. Depending on the assignment guidelines and topic of study for either option, it is important to take into account both how much time you have available as well as what kind of research needs to be conducted for that type of project. For example, writing a complex research paper vs report may take several weeks whereas an investigative or informational report can usually be finished within two days.

Organization and Presentation Style

The purpose behind your work should also influence which form you choose when considering whether to write up a research paper vs report. . In most cases, essays will focus heavily on analysis while reports offer summaries based off current knowledge related to the particular field being studied. If there is an existing format required by the professor then this should guide your decision-making process; however if no specific style has been asked for then organizing ideas logically with clear headings could make either approach appropriate depending upon scope of material covered in content section.

• Research Papers: : lengthy documents describing observations about one specific subject including detailed explanations supported by evidence from outside sources.
• Reports: : concise overviews providing summaries or presentations of data from experiments/studies (often used by professionals).

IV. Outlining the Writing Process for Each Type of Document

Research Paper vs Report

When composing any document, the writing process is essential to ensure that it will be effective in conveying its message. The specific steps and techniques needed for a research paper differ from those used when creating a report, as each type of document requires different strategies for ensuring accuracy and clarity.

• Research Papers : When writing a research paper, it’s important to focus on developing an argument or thesis that can be explored through scholarly sources. After coming up with an initial idea or hypothesis around which the entire paper should revolve, writers should then gather evidence by conducting primary source research (such as interviews) or secondary source research (by reviewing published material). This information should then be organized into logical categories so that they become easier to address throughout the body of the paper.
• Reports : In contrast to a research paper, reports are typically created after having already conducted extensive analysis on either qualitative data (personal observations/interviews) or quantitative data (statistics). Reports generally involve far less in terms of academic exploration since all necessary details have likely been gathered before beginning composition; rather than using evidence within their written work like one would do while crafting a research essay., authors must instead learn how best format existing knowledge into clear paragraphs.

Overall,, regardless if producing a detailed report about past events ore constructing thorough empirical arguments for readership review — employing sound outlining procedures during prewriting stages improves both precision & overall success rates significantly when preparing documents such as these two types—research papers versus reports .

V. Formatting Guidelines for Reports and Research Papers

When writing research papers and reports, there are certain formatting guidelines that should be followed to ensure the highest quality of work is produced. Research Paper vs Report : A research paper provides a comprehensive review of relevant literature on a specific topic. It is based on an in-depth analysis of the findings from academic sources, usually presenting an argument with supporting evidence for the topics discussed. On the other hand, a report consists primarily of facts and figures related to its subject matter without offering any arguments or perspectives drawn from these data points. Reports often take the form of summaries or analyses made after conducting primary research such as surveys or interviews among others.

It is important to consider both style guides like APA when formatting either type document:

• Include clear headings
• Ensure all fonts are consistent throughout.

. Additionally for research papers it’s recommended include footnotes (or endnotes) which can help add credibility to your source material by indicating where you found additional information about your content. For reports , charts and graphs can be used effectively making sure they accurately convey results collected through primary methods such as interviews/surveys etc.. Furthermore tables will also help demonstrate quantitative data in concise formats providing key insights at quick glance without overloading readers with too much text. Research Paper vs Report : When comparing them both it’s important understand their differences so that you can use each format correctly when producing documents whether professionally or academically.

VI. Choosing Appropriate Sources When Writing a Report or Paper

Research Paper vs Report: When writing a research paper, the primary goal is to thoroughly investigate an area of interest in order to increase understanding and knowledge about it. In contrast, when writing a report, the main purpose is typically to present facts concisely for a specific audience or reader rather than expounding on them. This can involve summarizing data from multiple sources or condensing longer text into shorter summaries.

• When choosing sources for either type of document, students should consider both credibility and relevance.

For research papers specifically, selecting credible scholarly resources such as peer-reviewed journal articles is important as they offer greater depth and accuracy than other materials may provide; this helps ensure reliable findings that can be further explored by future researchers if desired. Additionally relevant sources are crucial regardless of the project’s focus—for example studying 19th century American literature necessitates using documents written during that period instead of 21st century works regarding those topics.

• In addition to considering credibility and relevance when looking at potential source material for any academic task (research paper vs report), taking time to read through each source critically before referencing it ensures only quality information gets included in one’s work.

VII. Conclusion

Main differences between research paper and report Research papers tend to require more of an in-depth analysis than reports. Research typically requires studying a variety of sources, such as books, journal articles, and online resources. The resulting information is then used to draw conclusions and explain how the results can be applied to the real world.

In contrast, reports are generally shorter documents that focus on presenting findings quickly without providing too much background or detail. Reports often use charts or graphs for illustration rather than relying solely on words for explanation.

• One key difference between research paper vs report is that a research paper will contain primary data collected by the researcher himself.
• A research paper often discusses complex topics with supporting evidence while a report focuses more on describing details clearly.
• The structure of a research paper follows traditional academic writing standards while reports should follow specific guidelines set by their organization.

It’s important to note that both formats serve different purposes: A well-written research paper provides valuable insight into relevant issues while concisely written reports can be easier to digest due its clarity compared with in-depth analyses found within longer papers . When determining whether you need a report or a full length scholarly article it helps if you understand some fundamental differences between them like those highlighted above: content type , formatting , and overall purpose. English: In conclusion, this article has explored the differences between a research paper and report. We have seen that each style of writing is used for different purposes and audiences, requiring varied levels of detail in order to effectively communicate its intended message. Research papers are primarily academic documents designed to advance scholarly knowledge on a particular subject while reports tend to be more practical works intended to inform or influence decision-makers. Ultimately, when choosing between these two styles of writing it is important to consider both the purpose of your document as well as who will be reading it.

Report Writing

Home  >  report writing, we create a comprehensive research report.

Surveys provide a wealth of decision-making information, but the results must be presented in the right format, introducing the survey findings from different perspectives.

The written research report is a continuation of the work the Data Analytics team does in excel, only with more synthesis analysis and it brings the information together in a holistic and easily digestible way. The value of such a report is more than obvious.

Research Analysts write a report that includes detailed summaries of each question, key findings of the survey, highlighted areas of interest, etc. A typical research report is twenty-pages long. Customers who have paid for this service once, continue to see the value and are often permanent users.

You will see not only the statistics, but what the statistics mean also. Let’s say, for example, a Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) survey shows 81% of customers like the new jacket your company created, but supporting data shows customers also think it’s overpriced compared to similar jackets on the market. We see most comparable products are $10 less than yours, but your jacket keeps customers warmer in lower temperatures. In this situation, our report explains a new marketing initiative that focuses on the jacket’s ability to keep customers warmer, which differentiates it from competitors and justifies the additional cost to customers. That’s the insight that stemmed from the survey results.

​ This Research Report excerpt image is from three sections of an actual research report (snippets from sections). The full richness of a report can be furnished upon request.