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Writing the Report

• First Draft: Should be Revised, pruned and

polished

•

Language should be simple, unambiguous andfree from grammatical errors.

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Visual aids

• In the discussion section use graphics to

represent:

•

oncepts: !o depict non"ph#sical, conceptualthings and their relationships

• $b%ects &photographs, dra'ings, diagrams(

• )umbers &tables,bar charts, pie charts, linegraphs(

• Words : *e# definitions and e+amples are put

in a bo+ 'ith 'ords.

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)eed for visual representation

• When to use

• When #ou have a mass of statistics and

comple+ ideas to be presented• !e+t and illustrations are complementar# in

technical reports.

• Visual communication has more impact thanverbal communication.

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Wh#

• -rouses interest and focus on essentials

• Leads the reader to uic/er comprehension

•

Supports and reinforces #our 'ords• Save time and effort in e+planation and

interpretation

• 0+plains the data in much lesser space

• 1a/es #our description vivid and e#e"catching

•

Renders a professional flavour to #our report

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2o'

• 3rovide neat, accurate and self"contained

illustration

•

hoose illustration proper to the data.• Label them completel#

• Integrate each illustration 'ith the te+t.

• 0stablish a balance bet'een the verbal and

the visual.

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!#pes of Illustrations

• !ables

 – Dependent

 –

Independent – 3hrase

&-dvantages and Disadvantages(

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• Figures

 – 4raphs &Line, 5ar, 3ie, Scatter, 3ictorial, -rea(

 –

harts &$rgani6ation harts, Flo' harts( – 1aps

 – 3hotographs

 – Dra'ing and Diagrams

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4raphs

• -+is Label

• *e#s

•

Figure !itle• ite the source of information

• ross"references

• Documentation

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Revising,0diting and 3roofreading

• !he first draft is revie'ed for the follo'ing:

• -ccurac# of Facts

•

larit# of 0+pressions• $verall $rgani6ation

• -deuac# and appropriateness of the

contents to meet the set ob%ec#ives

• 0ffectiveness in e+pression

•

4rammatical accurac#

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-c/no'ledgement

• !han/s are due to7

• $ur sincere appreciation to

•

We o'e a lot to7• 1ere than/s in fe' 'ords 'ould be highl#7

• Inadeuate to e+press m# sincere than/s to7

• I am e+tremel# grateful to7

• 1# heartfelt than/s are due to7

• I ac/no'ledge 'ith than/s the support

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Difference bet'een -bstract and

Summar#• -bstract• 0ssence of the report

•

8"9 of the report• 1ore relevant in

specialist"to"

specialistcommunication

• Information is

ualitative

• Summar#

• 0ntire report in a

nutshell

• 9";

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Supplementar# 3arts

• -ppendices

• 5ibliograph# &References=Sources=Wor/s

ited(• Footnotes or 0ndnotes

• 4lossar#

• Inde+

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Investigating the Sources of

Information• Librar# Search• 3ersonal $bservation&ontrolled and

>ncontrolled(• Intervie's&Interaction or conversation 'ith a

purpose to collect primar# information

directl# from an e+pert(• !elephonic Intervie'

• ?uestionnaires &Seuencing and Sampling(

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3reparing ?uestions for Intervie's

• $pen"ended uestions

• lose"ended uestions

•

Restatement uestions

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4uidelines for preparing uestions

• 3repare about 8< uestions for a @< min

intervie'.

•

3repare uestions 'ith adeuate focus on thetopic

• !hin/ about seuence

•

-s/ intelligent, smart uestions

• >se a mi+ of uestion t#pes

• 0dit #our uestions

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-dvantages and Disadvantages

• 3rovides ualitative

data

•

0nables #ou toobserve the

reactions of the

respondent

• 0fficient if set of

uestions is read#

• 0+pensive and time

consuming

•

-s the ans'ers aredetailed and not in

tabular form, #ou

ma# find the anal#sis

difficult.

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?uestionnaires

• !o collect data from a large number of people

scattered over a 'ide geographical area.

•

!o secure information on behaviourcharacteristics.

• !o gather opinion on attitudes

•

!o obtain facts

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4uidelines to prepare a

uestionnaire• -s/ uestions relevant to #our stud#• 3rovide clear instructions on ho' to fill the

uestionnaire

• *eep the uestionnaire short and eas# to ans'er

• Formulate uestions that provide easil# tabulated or

anal#sed ans'ers

• -void leading uestions

• -s/ onl# one thing at a time

•

3re"test the uestionnaire

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?uestion !#pes

• $pen" ended uestions

• lose"ended uestions

•

1ultiple hoice t#pe• Ran/ing t#pe uestions

• Short ans'er t#pe

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• Seuencing &logical or ps#chological(

• Sampling &!#pes and Si6e(

•

!#pes: – Random

 – Stratified

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overing Letter

• It accompanies the uestionnaire. Its contents

are:

•

3urpose of the stud#• 5rief description of the uestionnaire

• 4eneral instructions pertaining to the

uestions• Reuest to fill in and return the form

• -ssurance of confidentialit# and follo'"up

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-dvantages and Disadvantages

• -dvantages

• Less e+pensive than

the other methods

• Specific segments of

population can be

reached

• 1ore reliable than

intervie's

•

5ias of the

• Disadvantages

• !here ma# be

difficult# in securing

replies

• $ften uestions ma#

be inadeuatel#

ans'ered or

unans'ered

•

Difficult to get