Academic reports

Avoid using description wherever possible and pay special attention to academic referencing.

Elements of an academic research report:

Abstract, - written last as this must include a flavour of results, dont repeat phrases from the main text. If we dont get the readers interest in the short abstract, they are unlikely to read the rest of the report. Introduction, - must immediately grab the readers attention, often by a dramatic statement of the problem or situation to be researched. Background, - usually starts with a broad picture and gradually refines it to the narrow focus of the research (a filter) Literature review, - if needed. Research objective and method justification, - Every section including this one should follow logically from the previous one and lead naturally to the next. So, for example, the literature review section should end with a direction for the primary research, which is then picked up in the research method section. Findings, try to offer the findings of your research in as pure a form as possible. It means finding a way to present the data so the characteristics of the data are clear to the reader, without interpreting the data, so that the reader is dependent on your view and cannot see the data for themselves. Visual methods such as charts and tables can summarise and present data effectively, but not pages and pages of them which soon cause overload. Discussion and analysis, this is the real test of ability to synthesize what you found in the literature review and in your primary research and to pull out from that synthesis what seem to you to be the most important points. It is not a place to put any description. Writing should be clear but intense all sentences must add value. Conclusions, not just a summary of what you found and have already said in the analysis, the conclusions section should step back a little and take an objective view of the outcomes theoretical and practical from the whole project there should be no new references at this stage, but a clearly persuasive account of what has been achieved Recommendations. may be detailed and practical or may simply urge further research in an area which has been uncovered by your research. Where practical suggestions are made, they must be feasible, not blue sky ideas. Preferably there should be suggestions about how they could be taken forward sometimes with a tabular implementation plan. Appendices. In an academic piece of work, the appendices are there for two possible reasons: a) to add information to the main text where word length or focus did not allow their inclusion or b) to maintain a complete record of relevant information, particularly for the future use of this document. Keep appendices to a minimum.