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Unit 12: Research Report Writing
Information that would be useful to special categories of readers but is not of interest to the Notes
average reader can be included in annexes as well.
Examples of information that can be presented in annexes are:
• tables referred to in the text but not included in order to keep the report short;
• lists of hospitals, districts, villages etc. that participated in the study;
• questionnaires or check lists used for data collection.
Never start writing without an outline. Make sure that all sections carry the headings and
numbers consistent with the outline before they are word-processed. Have the outline visible
on the wall so everyone will be aware immediately of any additions or changes, and of
progress made.
Did u know? Prepare the first draft of your report double-spaced with large margins so
that you can easily make comments and corrections in the text.
Have several copies made of the first draft, so you will have one or more copies to work on
and one copy on which to insert the final changes for revision.
12.2 Style and Layout
(1) Style of writing
Remember that your reader:
• Is short of time
• Has many other urgent matters demanding his or her interest and attention
• Is probably not knowledgeable concerning ‘research jargon’
Therefore the rules are :
• Simplify. Keep to the essentials.
• Justify. Make no statement that is not based on facts and data.
• Quantify when you have the data to do so. Avoid ‘large’, ‘small’; instead, say ‘50%’, ‘one
in three’.
• Be precise and specific in your phrasing of findings.
• Inform, not impress. Avoid exaggeration.
• Use short sentences.
• Use adverbs and adjectives sparingly.
• Be consistent in the use of tenses (past or present tense). Avoid the passive voice, if
possible, as it creates vagueness (e.g., ‘patients were interviewed’ leaves uncertainty as
to who interviewed them) and repeated use makes dull reading.
• Aim to be logical and systematic in your presentation.
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