PROJECT REPORT ON

( Research Report )

M. Com PART – II SEMESTER IV

Submitted by

( Akash Shah )

ROLL NO. ( 113 )

Under the guidance of

Prof. Dr. Mrs. Suchitra Kumar

Submitted to

UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI

In partial fulfillment of the required for the award of degree

Master of Commerce – Business Management

GURU NANAK KHALSA COLLEGE OF ARTS, COMMERCE & SCIENCE

Nathalal Parekh Marg, Matunga (E), Mumbai – 400 019

2014-15

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CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the project titled “Research Report” is true and satisfactory work done by

Akash Shah , M. Com Part – II, Semester – IV, Roll no. 113. The project report is submitted to

the University of Mumbai in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the award of the degree of

M. Com Part – I, for the academic year 2013-14.

__________________________ ____________________________

Signature of the Project Guide Signature of the External Examiner(Prof. Dr. Mrs. Suchitra Kumar)

__________________________ _____________________________

Signature of the Co-ordinator Signature of the Principal

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

At the outset, I am thankful to the University of Mumbai for offering the project in the syllabus. I

would like to thank the Principal Dr. Ajith Singh of the College for giving me the opportunity for

pursuing M. Com Part – I Semester – I programme from the esteemed College.

I would like to thank our M. Com programme Co-ordinator, Prof. Sameer Velankar for providing

us the necessary help and support in carrying out our project work.

I would like to thank my project guide, Prof. Dr. Mrs. Suchitra Kumar in giving me the valuable

guidance and suggestions in completion of my project work. It would not have been possible for

me to complete the task without their help and guidance.

I must mention my hearty gratitude towards other faculties, my family, and friends who

supported me to go ahead with the project.

I hereby acknowledge all those who directly or indirectly helped me to draft the project

report.

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DECLARATION

I( Akash Shah ) of GURU NANAK KHALSA COLLEGE OF ARTS, COMMERCE &

SCIENCE pursuing M. Com Part – II specialization in Business Management hereby declare

that I have completed the project on ( Research report ) in the academic year 2014-15 for the

Semester - IV programme.

The information submitted is true and original to the best of my knowledge.

Signature of the Student,

( Akash Shah )

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Meaning and Definition

A document prepared by an analyst or strategist who is a part of the investment research team in a stock brokerage or investment bank. A research report may focus on a specific stock or industry sector, a currency, commodity or fixed-income instrument, or even on a geographic region or country. Research reports generally, but not always, have "actionable" recommendations (i.e. investment ideas that investors can act upon).

Research reports are produced by a variety of sources, ranging from market research firms to in-house departments at large organizations. However, in the investment industry, the term usually refers to "sell side" research, or investment research produced by brokerage houses. Such research is disseminated to the institutional and retail clients of the brokerage that produces it. Research produced by the "buy side," which includes pension funds, mutual funds and portfolio managers, is usually for internal use only and is not distributed to external parties.

Business reports are documents that present data and information to specific readers. Examples include data from customer service reviews, presentations of new marketing and promotion approaches, or a financial plan for the annual budget. There are numerous types of business report formats, but credible and effective reports often have similar sections that present the material in standardized ways.

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ESSENTIALS OF GOOD RESEARCH REPORT

The essential characteristics of a good research report are stated as follows:

1. Informative:

The research reports must be informative. The research reports must provide

adequate information to the concerned authorities to take appropriate decisions.

Inadequate information may not facilitate proper decision-making on the part of

the management.

2. Clarity:

The report must be written in simple and lucid language. The reader should find no

difficulty in understanding the contents of the report. The reader should be able to

understand the contents in the first reading itself. Technical language may be used

in exceptional cases. Ambiguous (confusing) words and phrases should be avoided

in the reports.

3. Concise:

The report must be written briefly. Maximum information must be provided in

minimum words. As far as possible lengthy reports must be avoided. This is

because, lengthy reports are often confusing and they require a lot of time for the

reader to note the contents.

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4. Accuracy:

The report should contain accurate facts and figures. This is because, the managers

base their decisions on the facts and figures of the reports. If the reports are

inaccurate or contain wrong facts and figures, then it will lead to poor decisions.

5. Reliability:

A good report must be reliable. The information in the report must be collected

from reliable sources. While collecting information for the purpose of preparing

reports, care must be taken to check the validity and genuineness of the source.

Reports must not contain outdated data. If reports are based on secondary sources,

the researcher must check the genuineness of the data.

6. Objectivity:

The report must be objective. It must contain only objective facts and figures. The

reports must not be biased or subjective. The reports must not be influenced by

personal bias of the researcher. Personal bias adversely affects the decision-

making. Therefore research reports must be objective, especially in the case of

commercial research.

7. Logical Arrangement:

The research report must be written in a systematic manner. The different parts of

the report must be arranged in logical sequence as follows:

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• Title of the report

• Table of contents or index

• Introduction of research problem

• Methodology used in conducting research

• Findings of the research

• Limitations of research, if any

• Conclusions

• Recommendations

• Appendix

• Bibliography.

• Signature of the reporter/Chairman of the research committee.

8. Secrecy:

Certain report findings must be kept secret. For instance, a committee may be set

up to look after malpractices of a certain manager. The committee members should

not leak out the findings. The report findings must be strictly provided only to the

top management.

9. Timely Submission of Reports :

Certain reports must be submitted within a particular time limit. For instance,

committee report must be submitted within the time limit so as to take suitable

action.

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10. References:

The report should quote references of the source from which the information is

obtained or collected. Again, reference has to be made to the authority which has

appointed the committee to report, procedure followed by the committee while

collecting and reporting data, and so on.

11. Impersonal Style:

The report must be drafted in an impersonal style. The report should be written in

third person such as "The committee recommends.." However, certain reports can

be written in the first person, such as " I recommend ... "

12. Proper Format:

The report must be written in a suitable format. The report must be divided into

paragraphs, preferably numbered and be given a suitable heading for each

paragraph. The report must also contain a suitable title.

13. Signature and Date:

A report should be dated and signed by the Chairman of the Committee or the

presenter of the report.

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Types of Research Report

There are various types of research report. The types of research report are as

follows: -

1. Technical Report:

This is a comprehensive report of a technical research. It is primarily meant for

academic or professional community such as scientists, engineers, doctors,

research scholars, etc. This report covers all aspects of research such as:

Statement of research problem

Time frame of the research.

Area of research

Resources used for conducting research

Techniques of data collection and analysis, etc.

This report consists of several parts or elements such as:

Introduction to the research problem

Methodology used to conduct research

Findings of research

Limitations of research, if any.

Conclusions and Recommendations, etc.

The technical report is written in technical language. It follows a specified pattern

and consists of several sections with proper headings and paragraphs.

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2. Popular Report:

It is designed for executives and other non-technical users. The reader is more

interested in knowing:

• Findings of the research

• Conclusions

• Recommendations.

While writing this report, certain essentials must be followed:

Concise and clarity

Accuracy of data

Reliability of data

Objectivity and not biased.

Logical arrangement of different parts of report, etc.

This type of report is meant for commercial and social research because it is meant

for non-technical people, especially executives in a commercial organisation.

3. Interim Report:

When there is long time gap between data collection and presentation of final

report, the study may lose its importance. Therefore, the sponsor may also lose

interest in the research and/or research report. Therefore, in such situation, the

researcher may present interim report. The interim report may contain the first

analysis of the problem and the final analysis of certain aspects that have been

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completely analysed. This type of report enables the sponsoring authority to take

decisions without waiting for the full report.

4. Summary Report:

It is generally prepared for the use of general public. This report is desirable for

any study whose findings are of general interest. It is written in non-technical and

simple language. It contains a brief reference to the objectives of the research,

findings and conclusions. It is a short report of two or three pages. For instance, a

study may be conducted to find out the impact of globalisation on employment.

The study maybe based on professionals and executives. The study may indicate

that professionals and executives work for longer hours in a week 60 to 70 hours -

to meet deadlines. This results in burnout which causes stress related problems.

5. Research Abstract:

This is a summary of technical report. Technical students like engineering,

medicine, etc., usually prepare it on the eye of submitting their thesis. Its copies are

sent to the university, which in turn provides to the examiners or referees invited to

evaluate the thesis.

The research abstract contains:

Statement of the research problem

Objective of the study

Methodology used

Overview of the research

Summary of the results of the study.

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The research abstract enables the examiner or referee to conduct viva-voce and

award the M.Phil/PhD degree.

6. Research Article:

This is designed for publication in a professional journal. If a study has two or

more important aspects that can be discussed independently, it is advisable- to

write two articles rather than to include in a single article.

A research article must be clearly written in concise and clear language. It must be

logically arranged as follows:

Statement of the research problem

Objectives of research

Methodology used to conduct research

Findings

Conclusions

Recommendation

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STEPS IN RESEARCH REPORT WRITING

The report must be effectively drafted. The researcher must follow the general

guidelines for drafting a good report. The following are the steps in writing a

research report:

1. Planning for Writing Research Report:

The researcher must plan for writing the research report. Planning involves the

following aspects:

Length or number of pages of the report.

Format of drafting the report

Drafting style, preferably impersonal style.

Objectives of research report.

Language of the research report.

Quality of paper used for report.

Colours - only black/white, or coloured printing.

2. Definition of Target Audience:

The researcher must define the target readers. Target readers can be:

In the case of academic research -. the guide and the referee, and also

general readers.

In commercial research - top management.

In social research - sponsoring authority and the general public.

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The researcher should understand the nature of target readers, whether they

understand the technical language, whether they have enough time to go through a

detailed report, etc.

3. Proper Format:

The report must be written in a suitable format. The report must be divided into

paragraphs, preferably numbered and be given a suitable heading for each

paragraph. The report must also contain a suitable title.

4. Logical Arrangement:

The report must be written in a systematic manner. The ideas or views or findings

must be arranged in a logical sequence to ensure coherence. Related paragraphs -or

ideas must be written in successive paragraphs. The different parts of the report

must be arranged in the following order. First the title of the report, followed by a

brief introduction, then the procedure adopted in collecting data, then the findings

and recommendations and finally the date and signature of the reporter or

Chairman of the reporting Committee.

5. Proper Drafting:

The report must be drafted in an impersonal style. The report should be written in

third person such as “The committee recommends..” However, certain reports can

be written in the first person, such as “I recommend..”

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6. Approval:

In case of academic research, the report may require approval from the guide. If

required, the guide may ask for changes or modifications. Therefore, it is always

better to show a rough draft to the guide rather than the final draft. This can save a

lot of time, money and effort with special reference to printing and binding.

In the case of social research, the report needs to be approved by the sponsoring

authority, and in the case of commercial research, the report needs to be approved

by the top management.

7. Redrafting:

The researcher may redraft the report as per the directions of the guide in the case

of academic research. In case of commercial and social research, the researcher on

his' own may make corrections, wherever required or on the basis of advice give by

some experts.

8. Printing and Binding:

The report must be properly printed and binded. Wherever required, charts, tables

must be shown in different formats and colours. The research report must be of

appropriate size or length. Normally, the research report is printed on A-4 size

paper.

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9. Submission of Report:

The report must be submitted within a certain deadline. For instance, certain

reports must be submitted within a particular time limit, especially in the case of

commercial research activity. If the research reports are delayed, then the

management may not be able to take the right decisions, and the situation may

become worse than before.

The research report must be submitted to the appropriate authority:

Commercial research - to the top management.

Academic research - to the university/referee.

Social research - to the sponsoring authority.

10. Feedback:

The researcher must obtain feedback to find out whether the report is accepted. If

accepted then whether decisions are taken by the concerned authority. If so,

whether, the decisions have solved the problem or generated benefits. Proper

feedback is vital so as to ensure proper research activity in future.

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Structure of a Research Report

The main features of a report are described below to provide a general guide. These should be used in conjunction with the instructions or guidelines provided by your department.

Title Page

This should briefly but explicitly describe the purpose of the report (if this is not obvious from the title of the work). Other details you may include could be your name, the date and for whom the report is written.

Geology of the country around Beacon Hill, LeicestershireAngus Taylor

2 November 2004

(Example of a title page)

Terms of Reference

Under this heading you could include a brief explanation of who will read the report (audience) why it was written (purpose) and how it was written (methods). It may be in the form of a subtitle or a single paragraph.

A report submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for Course GL456, Department of Geology, University of Leicester.

(Example of terms of reference)

Summary (Abstract)

The summary should briefly describe the content of the report. It should cover the aims of the report, what was found and what, if any, action is called for. Aim for about 1/2 a page in length and avoid detail or discussion; just outline the main points. Remember that the summary is the first thing that is read. It should provide the reader with a clear, helpful overview of the content of the report.

Exposure of rocks belonging to the Charnian Supergroup (late Precambrian) were examined in the area around Beacon Hill, north Leicestershire. This report aims to

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provide details of the stratigraphy at three sites - Copt Oak, Mount St. Bernard Abbey and Oaks in Charnwood. It was observed that at each of these sites, the Charnian Supergroup consists mainly of volcaniclastic sediments (air-fall and ash-flow tuffs) interbedded with mudstones and siltstones. These rocks show features that are characteristic of deposition in shallow water on the flanks of a volcano (e.g. welding and alteration of ignimbrites). Further studies are required to understand depositional mechanisms and to evaluate the present-day thickness of individual rock units.

(Example of a summary (abstract))

Contents (Table of Contents)

The contents page should list the different chapters and/or headings together with the page numbers. Your contents page should be presented in such a way that the reader can quickly scan the list of headings and locate a particular part of the report. You may want to number chapter headings and subheadings in addition to providing page references. Whatever numbering system you use, be sure that it is clear and consistent throughout.

Introduction

The introduction sets the scene for the main body of the report. The aims and objectives of the report should be explained in detail. Any problems or limitations in the scope of the report should be identified, and a description of research methods, the parameters of the research and any necessary background history should be included.

In some reports, particularly in science subjects, separate headings for Methods and Results are used prior to the main body (Discussion) of the report as described below.

Methods

Information under this heading may include: a list of equipment used; explanations of procedures followed; relevant information on materials used, including sources of materials and details of any necessary preparation; reference to any problems encountered and subsequent changes in procedure.

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Results

This section should include a summary of the results of the investigation or experiment together with any necessary diagrams, graphs or tables of gathered data that support your results. Present your results in a logical order without comment. Discussion of your results should take place in the main body (Discussion) of the report.

Discussion

The main body of the report is where you discuss your material. The facts and evidence you have gathered should be analysed and discussed with specific reference to the problem or issue. If your discussion section is lengthy you might divide it into section headings. Your points should be grouped and arranged in an order that is logical and easy to follow. Use headings and subheadings to create a clear structure for your material. Use bullet points to present a series of points in an easy-to-follow list. As with the whole report, all sources used should be acknowledged and correctly referenced.

Conclusion

In the conclusion you should show the overall significance of what has been covered. You may want to remind the reader of the most important points that have been made in the report or highlight what you consider to be the most central issues or findings. However, no new material should be introduced in the conclusion.

Appendices

Under this heading you should include all the supporting information you have used that is not published. This might include tables, graphs, questionnaires, surveys or transcripts. Refer to the appendices in the body of your report.

In order to assess the popularity of this change, a questionnaire (Appendix 2) was distributed to 60 employees. The results (Appendix 3) suggest the change is well received by the majority of employees.

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Bibliography

Your bibliography should list, in alphabetical order by author, all published sources referred to in your report. There are different styles of using references and bibliographies. Texts which you consulted but did not refer to directly could be grouped under a separate heading such as 'Background Reading' and listed in alphabetical order using the same format as in your bibliography.

Acknowledgements

Where appropriate you may wish to acknowledge the assistance of particular organisations or individuals who provided information, advice or help.

Glossary of Technical Terms

It is useful to provide an alphabetical list of technical terms with a brief, clear description of each term. You can also include in this section explanations of the acronyms, abbreviations or standard units used in your report.

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Footnotes

The footnote takes the form of a superscripted number, just after a paraphrased piece of information. Subsequently, a cross-reference to this number is inserted at the bottom of the same page.

Footnotes are useful, as providing helpful supplementary information and citations at the bottom of a page of text. Typically, editors will suggest that parenthetical information be put into footnotes as a way of keeping the flow of the matter intact. Used judiciously, the footnote can be a helpful addition to a text or a quick way to cite a quotation. If you are using footnotes, the common convention is to insert a full citation, including author, year and the title of the book, followed by the page number. Afterwards, the surname of the author and the page number is sufficient.

A footnote is a notation at the bottom of the page in a printed document. Footnotes are usually presented in smaller print than the dominant text, and they are used for a variety of purposes. The “foot” part refers to the fact that the notation is located in the “footer” or “bottom” of the document. A similar concept is the endnote, a note which is provided at the end of a document, rather than at the bottom of a specific page.

When a text has these notes, they are indicated with various symbols or superscript numbers. The asterisk symbol, *, is a common symbol, but a variety of symbols including daggers, †, may be used. In a text with a lot of notes, numbers are usually used to indicate them, so the reader can keep track of what is going on. Endnotes are typically indicated with numbers, to make it easier for people to look them up.

Different style manuals have different rules about using footnotes, and it is important to follow style guidelines when submitting material for publication. Because the practice can get very complicated, most style guidelines devote at least a few pages to the procedure. Some people avoid using the notes at all, while others relish them because they provide a great degree of freedom when they are used well.

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Advantages of Using Footnotes

Readers interested in reviewing the footnote can just glance down the page

to find what they are looking for.

A footnote immediately connects the reader to the citation or your specific

thought, concept, or idea related to the text.

Footnotes are automatically included when printing 'off specific pages.

Disadvantages of Using Footnotes

Footnotes can clutter up the page and, thus, negatively impact the overall

look of the page. If-there are multiple columns or charts or tables below only

a small segment of text that includes a footnote, then you must decide where

the footnotes should appear.

If the footnotes are lengthy, there's a risk they could dominate the page,

although this issue is considered acceptable in legal scholarship.

Considerations:

The researcher/writer needs to keep in mind when considering using footnotes in

the research paper:

1. Footnotes are numbered consecutively throughout a research paper, except for

those notes accompanying special material (e.g., figures, tables, charts, etc.).

Numbering of footnotes are "superscript". They can follow all punctuation

marks except dashes. In general, to avoid interrupting the continuity of the text,

footnote numbers are placed at the end of the sentence, clause or phrase

containing the quoted or paraphrased material.

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2. Depending on the writing style used, footnotes may take the place of a list of

resources cited in the research paper or they may represent non-bibliographic

items, such as comments or observations, followed by a separate list of

references to the sources cited and arranged alphabetically by the author's last

name.

3. In general, the use of footnotes is now considered outdated and has been

replaced by endnotes, which are much easier to place in the research paper,

even with the advent of word processing programs. However, some disciplines,

such as law and history, still predominantly utilize footnotes. An endnote is a

note citing a particular source or making a brief explanatory comment placed at

the end of a research paper.

What is Bibliography

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A bibliography is a list of all of the sources you have used in the process of researching your work. In general, a bibliography should include:

1. the authors' names 2. the titles of the works 3. the names and locations of the companies that published your copies of the

sources 4. the dates your copies were published 5. the page numbers of your sources (if they are part of multi-source volumes)

When certain portions of the research report are based on published sources, the

use of bibliography section is required to list the sources or publications which the

researcher has referred. Generally, the bibliography should include:

The name of the author(s)

The title of the book/article.

The name of the publisher/journal.

The year of publication.

The page numbers where the article or matter appears.

Bibliography comprises the last section of the report. It comes after the appendix.

Appendix contains the tables, questionnaire, and other relevant material of the

research.

The bibliography contains the source of every reference used in the research report.

Bibliography provides authenticity regarding the source of the data. The reader of

the report can refer the article or source for additional reference, if required.

Types of Bibliography

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Bibliography is of different types:

Bibliography of works cited which contains only the items referred.

Selected bibliography lists the items which the researcher/writer thinks are

primary interest to the reader.

Annotated bibliography gives brief description of each item.

Purposes of Footnotes/Bibliography

Footnotes and bibliography serves several purposes:

1. To acknowledge indebtedness of the source: This acknowledgement is

necessary when an exact quotation is used or when a passage of another writer

is paraphrased. Common facts of general knowledge require no citation.

2. To amplify or clarify the ideas or information presented in the

text: The footnotes used for this purpose are called content footnotes. They are

used to clarify thoughts or concepts presented in the text without complicating

the presentation. These notes may include explanatory material, technical

details, incidental comments, additional information and the like. Of course,

value and significant facts, and directly relevant ideas should not be transferred

to footnotes, but should be included in the text itself.

3. To establish the validity of evidence: All-important statements. Off act

must be supported by evidence of their validity. Reference is given in footnotes

to the source of such evidence.

4. To refer the source of information: It helps the reader to further refer

sources of information on the subject under discussion.

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5. To give the original version of material: Footnotes supports the

authenticity of material used for research by taking reference to the original

material.

AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION (APA)

APA citation style refers to the rules and conventions established by the American Psycho

logical Association for documenting sources used in a research paper. APA style requires both

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in-text citations and a reference list. For every in-text citation there should be a full citation in the

reference list and vice versa.

The examples of APA styles and formats listed on this page include many of the most common

types 0 f sources used in academic research. For additional examples and more detailed

information about APA citation style, refer to the Publication Manual of the American

Psychological Association and the APA Style Guide to Electronic References.

Also, for automatic generation of citations in appropriate citation style, use a bibliographic

citation management program such as Refworks or EndNote. You can find more information on

this in our Citation Management page.

Reference Citations in Text

In APA style, in-text citations are placed within sentences and paragraphs so that it is clear what information is being quoted or paraphrased and whose information is being cited.

Examples:

Works by a Single Author

The last name of the author and the year of publication are inserted in the text at the

appropriate point.

from theory on marketing tricks (Vaz, 2014)

If the name of the author or the date appear as part of the narrative, cite only missing

information in parentheses.

Vaz (2014) posited that

Works by Multiple Authors

When a work has two authors, always cite both names every time the reference occurs in the

text. In parenthetical material join the names with an ampersand (&).

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as has been shown (Vaz & Nair, 2014)

In the narrative text, join the names with the word "and."

as Vaz and Nair (2014) demonstrated

When a work has three, or more authors, cite all authors the first time the reference occurs.

Vaz, Nair, Vaz (2014) found

In all subsequent citations per paragraph, include only the surname of the first author followed

by "et a1." (Latin for "and others") and the year of publication.

Vaz et al. (2014) found

Reference List

References cited in the text of a research paper must appear in a Reference List or

bibliography. This list provides the information necessary to identify and retrieve

each source.

Order: Entries should be arranged in alphabetical order by authors' last names.

Sources without authors are arranged alphabetically by title within the same list.

Authors: Write out the last name and initials for all authors of a particular work.

Use an ampersand (&) instead of the word "and" when listing multiple authors of a

single work. e.g. Vaz, M., & Nair, M.

Titles: Capitalize only the first word of a title or subtitle, and any proper names

that are part of a title.

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Pagination: Use the abbreviation p. or pp. to designate page numbers of articles

from periodicals that do not use volume numbers, especially newspapers. These

abbreviations are also used to designate pages in encyclopedia articles and chapters

from edited books.

Indentation: The first line of the entry is flush with the left margin, and all

subsequent lines are indented (5 to 7 spaces) to form a "hanging indent".

Underlining vs. Italics: It is appropriate to use italics instead of underlining for

titles of books and journals.

Two additional pieces of information should be included for Works Accessed

Online.

Internet Address: A stable Internet address should be included and should

direct the reader as close as possible to the actual work. If the work has a digital

object identifier (DOI), use this. If there is no DOI or similar handle, use a, stable

URL. If the URL is not stable, as is often the case with online newspapers and

some subscription-based databases, use th7 home page of the site you retrieved the

work from.

Date: If the work is a finalized version published and dated, as in the case of a journal article, the date within the main body of the citation is enough. However, if the work is not dated and/or is subject: to change, as in the case of an online encyclopedia article, include the date that you retrieved the information.

Examples:

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Articles in journals, magazines, and newspapers

References to periodical articles must include the following elements: author(s), date of

publication, article title, journal title, volume number, issue number (if applicable), and page

numbers.

Books

References to an entire book must include the following elements: author(s)or editor(s), date of

publication, title, place of publication, and the name of the publisher.

Dissertations

References for dissertations should include the following elements: author, date of publication,

title, and institution (if you accessed the manuscript copy from the university collections). If

there is a UMI number or a database accession number, include it at the end of the citation.

Essays or chapters in edited books

References to an essay or chapter in an edited book must include the following elements: essay

or chapter authors, date of publication, essay or chapter title, book editor(s), book title, essay or

chapter page numbers, place of publication, and the name of the publisher.

Encyclopedias or dictionaries and entries in an encyclopedia

References for encyclopedias must include the following elements: author(s) or editor(s), date of

publication, title, place of publication, and the name of the publisher. For sources accessed

online, include the retrieval date as the entry may be edited over time.

Research reports and papers

References to a report must include the following elements: author(s), date of publication, title,

place of publication, and name of publisher. If the issuing organization assigned a number (e.g.,

report number, contract number, or monograph number)io the report, give that number in

parentheses immediately after the title. If it was accessed online, include the URL.

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Audio-visual media

References to audio-visual media must include the following elements: name and function of the primary contributors (e.g., producer, director), date, title, the medium in brackets, location or place of production, and name of the distributor. If the medium is indicated as part of the retrieval ID, brackets are not needed.

MODERN LANGUAGE ASSOCIATION (MLA)

The Modern Language Association (MLA) establishes values for acknowledging

sources used in a research paper. MLA citation style uses a simple two-part

parenthetical documentation system for citing sources: Citations in the text of a

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paper point to the alphabetical Works Cited list that appears at the end of the paper.

Together, these references identify and credit the sources used in the paper and

allow others to access and retrieve this material.

Citing Sources in the Text -

In MLA style, writers place references to sources in the paper to briefly identify

them and enable readers to find them in the Works Cited list. These parenthetical

references should be kept as brief and as clear as possible.

The writer needs to give only the information needed to identity a source.

Usually the author's last name and a page reference would suffice.

Place the parenthetical reference as close as possible to its source Insert the

parenthetical reference where a pause would natural occur, preferably at the

end of a sentence.

Information in the parenthesis should complement, not repeat information

given in the text. If you include an author's name a sentence, you do not

need to repeat it in your parenthetic statement.

The parenthetical reference should precede the punctuation mark that

concludes the sentence, clause, or phrase that contains the cited material.

CHICAGO MANUAL STYLE (CMS)

Te Chicago Manual of Style (abbreviated in writing as CMS or CMOS (the version

used on its website), or, by some speakers as Chicago) is a style guide for

American English published since 1906 by the University of Chicago Press.

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It is "one of the most widely used and respected style guides in the United States".

CMS deals with aspects of editorial practice, from American English grammar and

use to document preparation. The Chicago Manual of Style includes chapters

relevant to publishers of books and journals. It is used widely by academic and

some trade publishers, as well as editors and authors who are required by those

publishers to follow it.

Chicago style offers writers a choice of several different formats. It invites the

mixing of formats, provided that the result is clear and consistent. For instance, the

fifteenth edition of The Chicago Manual of Style permits the use of both in-text

citation systems and/or footnotes or endnotes, including use of "content notes"; it

gives information about in-text citation by page number (such as MLA style) or by

year of publication (like APA style); it even provides for variations in styles of

footnotes and endnotes, depending on whether the paper includes a full

bibliography at the end.

In August 2010, the sixteenth edition was published simultaneously in the

hardcover and online editions for the first time in the Manual's history. In a

departure from the trademark red-orange cover, the sixteenth edition featured a

robin's-egg blue dust jacket. The sixteenth edition features "music, foreign

languages, and computer topics (such as Unicode characters and URLs)". It also

offers expanded recommendations for 'producing electronic publications; including

web-based content and e-books. An updated appendix on production and digital

technology demystifies the process of electronic workflow and offers a primer on

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the use of XML markup; it also included a revised glossary includes a host of

terms associated with electronic and print publishing.

Documentation Systems:

The Chicago Manual of Style presents two basic documentation systems:

Notes and Bibliography

Author-Date.

Choosing between the two often depends on subject matter and the nature of

sources cited, as each system is favored by different groups of scholars. The notes

and bibliography style is preferred by many in the humanities, including those in

literature, history, and the arts. This style presents bibliographic information in

notes and, often, a bibliography. It accommodates a variety of sources, including

esoteric ones less appropriate to the author-date system.

The author-date system has long been used by those in the physical, natural, and social sciences. In this system, sources are briefly cited in the text, usually in parentheses, by author's last name and date of publication. The short citations are amplified in a list of references, where full bibliographic information is provided.

Bibliography

yourstory.in/

bx.businessweek.com/social-entrepreneurship/

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www. muhammadyunus .org/

www.wikipedia.com

http://unilearning.uow.edu.au/report/4b.html

http://www.sddu.leeds.ac.uk/online_resources/business_writing/page_05.htm

Mananan Prakashan “ Research Methodology”

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