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Writing the Report
• First Draft: Should be Revised, pruned and
polished
•
Language should be simple, unambiguous andfree from grammatical errors.
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Visual aids
• In the discussion section use graphics to
represent:
•
oncepts: !o depict non"ph#sical, conceptualthings and their relationships
• $b%ects &photographs, dra'ings, diagrams(
• )umbers &tables,bar charts, pie charts, linegraphs(
• Words : *e# definitions and e+amples are put
in a bo+ 'ith 'ords.
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)eed for visual representation
• When to use
• When #ou have a mass of statistics and
comple+ ideas to be presented• !e+t and illustrations are complementar# in
technical reports.
• Visual communication has more impact thanverbal communication.
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Wh#
• -rouses interest and focus on essentials
• Leads the reader to uic/er comprehension
•
Supports and reinforces #our 'ords• Save time and effort in e+planation and
interpretation
• 0+plains the data in much lesser space
• 1a/es #our description vivid and e#e"catching
•
Renders a professional flavour to #our report
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2o'
• 3rovide neat, accurate and self"contained
illustration
•
hoose illustration proper to the data.• Label them completel#
• Integrate each illustration 'ith the te+t.
• 0stablish a balance bet'een the verbal and
the visual.
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!#pes of Illustrations
• !ables
– Dependent
–
Independent – 3hrase
&-dvantages and Disadvantages(
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• Figures
– 4raphs &Line, 5ar, 3ie, Scatter, 3ictorial, -rea(
–
harts &$rgani6ation harts, Flo' harts( – 1aps
– 3hotographs
– Dra'ing and Diagrams
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4raphs
• -+is Label
• *e#s
•
Figure !itle• ite the source of information
• ross"references
• Documentation
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Revising,0diting and 3roofreading
• !he first draft is revie'ed for the follo'ing:
• -ccurac# of Facts
•
larit# of 0+pressions• $verall $rgani6ation
• -deuac# and appropriateness of the
contents to meet the set ob%ec#ives
• 0ffectiveness in e+pression
•
4rammatical accurac#
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-c/no'ledgement
• !han/s are due to7
• $ur sincere appreciation to
•
We o'e a lot to7• 1ere than/s in fe' 'ords 'ould be highl#7
• Inadeuate to e+press m# sincere than/s to7
• I am e+tremel# grateful to7
• 1# heartfelt than/s are due to7
• I ac/no'ledge 'ith than/s the support
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Difference bet'een -bstract and
Summar#• -bstract• 0ssence of the report
•
8"9 of the report• 1ore relevant in
specialist"to"
specialistcommunication
• Information is
ualitative
• Summar#
• 0ntire report in a
nutshell
• 9";
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Supplementar# 3arts
• -ppendices
• 5ibliograph# &References=Sources=Wor/s
ited(• Footnotes or 0ndnotes
• 4lossar#
• Inde+
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Investigating the Sources of
Information• Librar# Search• 3ersonal $bservation&ontrolled and
>ncontrolled(• Intervie's&Interaction or conversation 'ith a
purpose to collect primar# information
directl# from an e+pert(• !elephonic Intervie'
• ?uestionnaires &Seuencing and Sampling(
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3reparing ?uestions for Intervie's
• $pen"ended uestions
• lose"ended uestions
•
Restatement uestions
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4uidelines for preparing uestions
• 3repare about 8< uestions for a @< min
intervie'.
•
3repare uestions 'ith adeuate focus on thetopic
• !hin/ about seuence
•
-s/ intelligent, smart uestions
• >se a mi+ of uestion t#pes
• 0dit #our uestions
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-dvantages and Disadvantages
• 3rovides ualitative
data
•
0nables #ou toobserve the
reactions of the
respondent
• 0fficient if set of
uestions is read#
• 0+pensive and time
consuming
•
-s the ans'ers aredetailed and not in
tabular form, #ou
ma# find the anal#sis
difficult.
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?uestionnaires
• !o collect data from a large number of people
scattered over a 'ide geographical area.
•
!o secure information on behaviourcharacteristics.
• !o gather opinion on attitudes
•
!o obtain facts
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4uidelines to prepare a
uestionnaire• -s/ uestions relevant to #our stud#• 3rovide clear instructions on ho' to fill the
uestionnaire
• *eep the uestionnaire short and eas# to ans'er
• Formulate uestions that provide easil# tabulated or
anal#sed ans'ers
• -void leading uestions
• -s/ onl# one thing at a time
•
3re"test the uestionnaire
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?uestion !#pes
• $pen" ended uestions
• lose"ended uestions
•
1ultiple hoice t#pe• Ran/ing t#pe uestions
• Short ans'er t#pe
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• Seuencing &logical or ps#chological(
• Sampling &!#pes and Si6e(
•
!#pes: – Random
– Stratified
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overing Letter
• It accompanies the uestionnaire. Its contents
are:
•
3urpose of the stud#• 5rief description of the uestionnaire
• 4eneral instructions pertaining to the
uestions• Reuest to fill in and return the form
• -ssurance of confidentialit# and follo'"up
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-dvantages and Disadvantages
• -dvantages
• Less e+pensive than
the other methods
• Specific segments of
population can be
reached
• 1ore reliable than
intervie's
•
5ias of the
• Disadvantages
• !here ma# be
difficult# in securing
replies
• $ften uestions ma#
be inadeuatel#
ans'ered or
unans'ered
•
Difficult to get