t22 research report writing
TRANSCRIPT
Research Report Writing
By Rama Krishna Kompella
The Marketing Research Report
• Marketing research report: a factual message that transmits research – results, – vital recommendations, – conclusions, and – other important information – To aid in decision making on the content of the
report
Objectives of Marketing Research Reports
• To effectively communicate findings of the marketing research project
• To provide interpretations of the findings in the form of sound and logical recommendations
• To illustrate credibility of the research project• To serve as a future reference document for
strategic or tactical decisions
Topics to IncludeResearch objectives
Research questions
Literature review
Research methods
Findings
Interpretation and summary
Conclusion and recommendations
Enhancing Credibility
Accuracy BelievableProfessionally
organized
Levels of Readers
• Readers who will read only the executive summary
• Readers who will read the summary and the findings
• Readers who will read the entire report and appendix
Preparation Hints
• Make an outline of all major points–support with details in their proper position
• Use short, concise sentences and paragraphs• Say exactly what you intend to say–do not leave the
reader “grasping” for more information• Select working that is consistent with the
background and knowledge of the reader• Rewrite and rewrite–this will force you to remove
clutter and critically evaluate the document for errors
Components of the Methods and Procedures Section• The research design used (exploratory,
descriptive and/or causal)• Types of secondary data included in the
study• Data collection procedures and
administration• Sampling and sampling processes
A Simple Readable Results of Frequencies
A Simple Bar Chart
A Pie Chart
A Bar Chart Displaying Multiple Thematically Related Means
Bar Chart Portraying a Crosstab
Correlations of Item Ratings
Displaying Regression Findings
Illustration of Conclusions
Illustration of Recommendations
Common Problems in Preparing Report
• Lack of data interpretation• Unnecessary use of multivariate statistics• Emphasis on packaging instead of quality• Lack of relevance• Placing too much emphasis on a few statistics
Guidelines for Preparing Visual Presentation
• Begin with a slide showing 1) title of presentation, 2) speaker’s name, 3) client identity, 4) research firm
• Include slides that explain research objectives, question, methods, and sample description
• Highlight the research findings• Conclude with recommendations, conclusions,
and research implications
Organizing the Written Report
• Abstract/executive summary: skeleton of your report
• Body: bulk of the report, including introduction, explanation of method, discussion of results, statement of limitations, and a list of recommendations and conclusions
Organizing the Written Report
• Method describes in detail how the research was conducted, who (or what) the subjects were, and what methods were used to achieve the objectives
• Methodology refers to the science of determining appropriate methods to conduct research.
• Method refers to the tools used in a scientific investigation.
• Use method, not methodology!
Organizing the Written Report
• Results present the findings of the research.
• Limitations may focus on, but not limited to, time, money, personnel, and size of population.
Organizing the Written Report
• Conclusions are the outcomes and decisions you have reached based on your research results.
• Recommendations are suggestions for how to proceed based on the conclusions.
• The end matter contains information that the reader may need to refer to for further reading but that is not essential to reporting the data.
Following Guidelines and Principles for the Written Report
• Headings indicate the topic of each section.• Subheadings should divide that information
into segments.• Visuals are tables, figures, charts, diagrams,
graphs, and other graphic aids.
A Tip to Make You a Better Writer…Use Subheadings!
• TITLE• FIRST-LEVEL HEADING• Second-Level Heading• Third-Level Heading• Fourth-Level Heading.• Fifth-Level Heading – part of the sentence
Style
• Stylistic devices can make the difference in whether or not your reader gets the message as you intended it.– Examples:
• A good paragraph has one main idea…• Capitalize on white space.
Plagiarism
• Plagiarism refers to presenting the work of others as your own and is a serious offense.– If you are in doubt, document!
Format for Marketing Research Reports
• Title page• Table of contents• Executive summary
– Research objectives– Statement of method– Key findings– Conclusion/
recommendations• Introduction
• Research methods and procedures
• Data analysis and findings
• Conclusions and recommendations
• Limitations• Appendices
Questions?