*RESEARCH REPORT WRITING FORMAT AS PER NSPP MANUAL

Civil Services Academy

Every report is custom-made, yet some conventions of format*

Your report must show two important things:You have identified a worthwhile problem or question which has not been previously answered, and thenYou have solved the problem or answered the question.

*Format of the Paper

Research paper is generally divided into five distinct parts:

PreliminariesIntroductionTextConclusion and RecommendationsNotes and Bibliography

*Preliminaries:

I).Title page must include:

Type of paper (SYNDICATE/GRP)Name of the InstituteNumber and description of the Course for which the paper is writtenTitle of the paperName and designation of the authorUndertakingSignature and date of submission of the paperName and designation of Faculty Advisor

*II).Preface follows the title page it must include:

Help of your Faculty AdvisorFacultyExperts interviewed or consultedInstitutions/Libraries, Archives, etc

*III).Dedication, if any

Normally, dedication is not necessary for a paperGenerally reserved for theses, book-length studies, or booksIV).Abstract/Executive Summary one page only (a few hundred words), summing up the aim and objectives of the study, method/s employed, and main findings and conclusion

*V).Glossary of Terms must be restricted to those terms or concepts which are not common knowledge and thus need some explanation.

Very very brief one or two lines for each termPreferably not more than one page in all

*VI).Table of Contents the main titles of various parts/Sections (if need be sub-Sections) of the paper, with exact page numbersMust be in capital lettersNote:Roman numerals for all pages of thepreliminaries

*IntroductionIntroductory a few introductory paras on the subject leading up to the precise topic of the studyIt should set the stage for the formulation of the Statement of the Problem

*Statement of the Problem the most important element of a research paper. It must clearly and concisely state the research problem, that is:What is it that you wish to study?What do you want to find out?What is the question/s or hypothesis/hypotheses that you intend to test and validate?What do you hope to prove or establish?One sharp, focused para essentially two paras maximum, if hypotheses/questions asked

*Significance and Scope of the Study

It must highlight the importance of the studyIs there really any need or justification for it?What will be the parameters or scope of the study

*III)Review of the LiteratureThere must be a critical review of literature on the subject of study to show that:You are with the current thinking and debate on the subject, andthere is an ample justification for the present studyAn appraisal of some important sources (four/five important writers or schools of thought on the subject) should suffice

*MethodsMust clearly indicate the methods selected for research descriptive, analytical, qualitative, quantitative, or some other method or a combination of methodsMust also indicate the kind of data used documents, interviews, questionnaires, etc

*Outline of the paperFinally, you must, in a descriptive form, present the outline/plan of your paper, divided into Sections (and, if necessary, sub-Sections)

You must indicate contents of discussion in each Section of the paper, one by one, till your Conclusion

Note:Arabic numerals will start with the Introduction, till the end of the paper, i.e, Bibliography

*3.TextAll Sections, sub-Sections of the paper will constitute the main text (or main body of the paper). This is merely for the purpose of classification. Otherwise, Introduction is also part of the text.

The text must have a coherent structure and development and must build your arguments, supported by facts, around your Statement of the Problem Text must have organizational balance between different Sections and sub-Sections of the paper

*4.Conclusion and RecommendationsThe Conclusion must clearly demonstrate that an answer/s to the question/s or hypothesis/hypotheses formulated in the Statement of Problem has been found.

It must bring the whole discussion to a logical end.It must summarize the main findings of the studyIt must suggest possibilities for further work

*The Recommendations should be based on a careful assessment of the ideas and data used in the study (and not outside it)

The Recommendations should be substantive, realistic and practical Should not be a wish list Poor recommendations mar the quality of otherwise good research paper

*Spatial ArrangementsSuggested space for different parts of the paper is as follows:

Introduction all of it, starting from the Introductory to the Outline of the paper Approx. 15-20%Text Sections and sub-Sections Approx. 60-65%Conclusion and recommendations Approx. 10% (More space for the Conclusion)Notes and Bibliography As required. Preferably not exceeding 10%

*Composition: Font and SpacingStandard Font Type is Times New Roman, and font size is 12, with 1.5 spacing for the text (normally, it is double-spaced)Notes font size is 10 (footnotes or endnotes) and should be single-spacedBibliography font size is 10 and should be single-spaced

*INTRODUCTIONStatement of the ProblemSignificance and Scope of the Study Review of the Literature MethodsOutline

SECTION-1 TitlePage number?-------

---------CONTENTS

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SECTION- 1 TitleSECTION 2 Title SECTION 3 Title

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Page number?

-------------------------------

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-----------

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*Notes and Bibliography must strictly follow the Turabian/Chicago Manual of Style this is the adopted Style of the Civil Services AcademyNote:Notes, whether footnotes or endnotes, should be numbered consecutively for the whole paperNotes and Bibliography

*Footnotes and Endnotes: Required to cite sources of data To give credit where it rightfully belongsTo furnish an opportunity to readers and researchers to access those sources for verificationTo provide basis for further research and analysis

*Use of Notes: Notes are an important source for the facts or interpretation of factsNotes may indicate a similar position of another writerNotes may suggest a different (indeed opposite) position of another writerNotes may explain or elaborate the discussion given in the textNotes may suggest further avenues for research on the subject

*Bibliography: A complete (or selective) list of all the sources cited or consulted in researchA classification of sources, based on Primary and Secondary data, including documents, books, journals, magazines, newspapers, and internetAn index of the depth and detail of the present research but also a forerunner of studies in the future

*

Inter-disciplinary Manuals:

Some manuals of style are inter-disciplinary in nature, covering a variety of disciplines in Social Sciences Research

The two most important manuals are:

University of Chicago, Chicago Manual of StyleKate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses and Dissertations

Both manual are published by the University of Chicago Press, and are, for all practical purposes, one and the same. Turabian follows the Chicago Manual of StyleAdopted Manual of Style at the Civil Services Academy is Turabian

*CSA Plagiarism PolicyPlagiarism is using the ideas or work of others without acknowledgement and presenting them as your own. CSA Policy:It is cheating, so unacceptableIf turnitins similarity index is beyond 25 % Zero mark would be awarded

*

*Preliminary Outline of the Paper

Present an outline/plan of the paper, based on the Statement of the Problem, with all its related questions to b and validation answered in paperThe Outline should be divided into Sections and sub-Sections, with numbers given to each Section and sub-Section in a sequenceOnly Introduction and Conclusion will not be numbered

*Start writing the First Draft of the paper (starting with Introduction, but minus the ConclusionFirst draft is a rough draft

Focus on ideas/argumentsTry to develop clear, concise arguments (data could always be added as you go along with the revision of draft (s) )Make sure that the arguments are interrelated and harmonious

*Revise the Draft, and write Conclusion and RecommendationsConclusion is an echo of the IntroductionMake sure that its key words or phrases/concepts match and complement those in your IntroductionState your conclusion with confidence and authority Dont introduce a new idea in your ConclusionIf possible, call for further research in an area of significance related to your Statement of the Problem

*RecommendationsRecommendations should always be:RealisticPracticableViableNot a wish listThey should indicate clear and convincing implementation mechanisms

*Finalize Introduction to the Revised Draft

Revise and develop the Introduction carefully to complement the discussion, analysis and findings in the Main Text and ConclusionThe whole paper must be harmonious in harmony with all its constituent partsCheck your notes footnotes/endnotes carefully (Turabian Manual)

*This is your First Draft, ready to be submitted to your Faculty AdvisorSubmit through e-Mail and in time

*Revise the First Draft of the paper in the light of the comments of your Faculty Advisor, ensuring:Conceptual clarityCoherence and consistency in argumentsObjective empirical evidence to support the discussionLogical flow of information and discussion between different parts/sections of the paper

*Add a comprehensive Bibliography at the end of the paper after Conclusion and RecommendationsThe Word Count of the paper ends with the BibliographyFollow Turabian both for your Notes and Bibliography

*Revise the Draft in the light of the comments of Faculty Advisor. In addition, please make sure that your paper does not suffer from the following negatives:Inconsistencies;Oversimplification;Overgeneralization;Personal biases; andCliches, flowery or flippant style

*Add Executive Summary One page onlyA concise summary of the paperExplain what your research has been all about?How have you pursued it?What methods have you employed?What have been the major outcomes?

*This is the Final paper, ready to be submitted to your Faculty Advisor Submit through e-Mail and 5 hard signed copies properly bound to Addl. Director (P&R) simultaneously.Syndicate Research Paper (SRP) which is Not submitted on time, 5 marks would be deducted for each day