Chapter-7-Writing-a-research-report(ppt文档).ppt

Chapter 7 Writing a research report/paperHuang YingI.Why a report or paper?nTo let the general public know our research findings.nWe can display our research findings in multiple ways:posters,oral presentations(PowerPoint slides),papers.II.Seven sections of a quantitative research papern There are six sections of a research report:title,abstract,introduction,method,results,discussion,and references.2.1 TitlenUse the fewest possible words that adequately describe the contents of the paper.nThe title should predict and describe the content of the paper as accurately as possible.nLength of the title:as concise as possible.nTitles often contain waste words,which appear right at the start of the title,such as“Studies on”,“Investigations on”,and“Observations on”.An opening A,An,or The is also a“waste”word.nAvoid question titles.Note:The title is a label rather than a complete sentence with the usual subject,verb,object arrangement.The following title could be unacceptable,though some journals do permit a title to be a sentence:Oct-3 is a maternal factor required for the first mouse embryonic division(Cell 64:1103,1991).nAnalysis:unacceptable on two grounds.First,the verb(is)is a waste word,in that it can be readily deleted without affecting comprehension.Second,inclusion of the is results in a title that now seems to be a loud assertion.It has a dogmatic ring to it because we are not used to seeing authors present their results in the present tense.nDont use abbreviations and jargon.Titles should almost never contain abbreviations,chemical formulas,proprietary(rather than generic)names,jargon,and the like.2.2 AbstractThe Abstract should n1)state the principal objectives and scope of the investigation,n(2)describe the methods employed,n(3)summarize the results,and n(4)state the principal conclusions.nMost abstracts are between 80-150 words.nThe Abstract should be typed as a single paragraph.(Some medical journals now run“structured”abstracts consisting of a few brief paragraphs.)nWriting key words:nKeywords are usually nouns,not verbs.nFour or six keywords are the average.nKeywords usually come from the title and/or the abstract.2.3 IntroductionnThe introduction should contain a review of the research literature that is relevant to the current investigation.nIn addition,specifically,the APA Publication Manual suggests that writers:(1)state why the problem is important,(2)link the research method to be used to the area of inquiry,and(3)describe the theoretical implications of the proposed investigation.n At the end of the introduction,the hypotheses of a quantitative study should be stated.2.4 Methodn This is the how-to section.n In most cases,the method portion of a paper has subsections.The first subsection is usually labeled Participants.n The second subsection is often labeled Materials or Apparatus.n The final subsection is usually called Procedure.2.5 ResultsnThe results that you report should be direct tests of the hypotheses that you stated earlier.n Because the research has already occurred when the manuscript is written,the method and the results sections are written in the past tense.2.6 Discussion/Conclusionn The discussion usually begins with a brief narrative summary of the support(or lack of support)for the hypotheses.n The discussion section is also where you acknowledge the limitations of your study.n Another component of the discussion section is the suggestion of avenues for future research.n Perhaps the most important section of the discussion is the exploration of the implications of your research findings.nNote:Some papers do not have the section of Conclusion.But this is not to say that they do not have a conclusion at all.nOr the other way around,they have the section of Conclusion,but they do not have a conspicuous section called Discussion.2.7 ReferencesnEvery research paper includes a reference section or bibliography that provides complete and accurate citations of all sources mentioned in the paper.nNote that the dirty and monotonous work of formatting references can be done by using some professional tools such as Endnote or Reference Manager,and the like.III.Presenting your qualitative research in a written report n Abstract:The abstract serves the same functions and includes the same essential information in the write-up of both qualitative and quantitative research studies.n nIntroduction:The introduction of a qualitative project should include a review of the relevant literature,similar to the introduction of a quantitative study.n Method:Identify and describe the qualitative methodology and techniques used in your study.nFor example,the methodology might be ethnography and the technique might be observation.n Data Analysis and Interpretation:The results of a qualitative study are presented in a section labeled “Data Analysis and Interpretation”or some variation on that theme.n Conclusion:The final section of a qualitative report may be labeled “Discussion,”“Conclusion,”“Implications,”“Recommendations,”or “Applications,”depending on the nature of the research,the audience for the report,and the purpose the research report will ultimately serve.IV.Style and tonenStyle refers to the types of words chosen by the writer and the length and form of sentences or paragraphs used.nTone is the writers attitude or relation toward the subject matter.n Research reports have a formal and succinct style.nThe tone expresses distance from the subject matter;it is professional and serious.nAvoid moralizing and flowery ery language.The goal is to inform,not to advocate a position or entertain.V.PlagiarismnPlagiarism is using others ideas and words without clearly acknowledging the source of that information.nTo avoid plagiarism,you must give credit whenever you use:Fanother persons idea,opinion,or theory;Fany facts,statistics,graphs,drawingsany pieces of informationthat are not common knowledge;Fquotations of another persons actual spoken or written words;or Fparaphrase of another persons spoken or written words.nHow to recognize unacceptable and acceptable paraphrases:nLook at the ORIGINAL text,from page 1 of Lizzie Borden:A Case Book of Family and Crime in the 1890s by Joyce Williams et al.:(see next page)nThe rise of industry,the growth of cities,and the expansion of the population were the three great developments of late nineteenth century American history.As new,larger,steam-powered factories became a feature of the American landscape in the East,they transformed farm hands into industrial laborers,and provided jobs for a rising tide of immigrants.With industry came urbanization the growth of large cities(like Fall River,Massachusetts,where the Bordens lived)which became the centers of production as well as of commerce and trade.nHeres an UNACCEPTABLE paraphrase that is plagiarism:nThe increase of industry,the growth of cities,and the explosion of the population were three large factors of nineteenth century America.As steam-driven companies became more visible in the eastern part of the country,they changed farm hands into factory workers and provided jobs for the large wave of immigrants.With industry came the growth of large cities like Fall River where the Bordens lived which turned into centers of commerce and trade as well as production.nThe preceding passage is considered plagiarism for two reasons:the writer has only changed around a few words and phrases,or changed the order of the originals sentences.the writer has failed to cite a source for any of the ideas or facts.nIf you do either or both of these things,you are plagiarizing.nThis paragraph is also problematic because it changes the sense of several sentences(for example,steam-driven companies in sentence two misses the originals emphasis on factories).nHeres an ACCEPTABLE paraphrase:Fall River,where the Borden family lived,was typical of northeastern industrial cities of the nineteenth century.Steam-powered production had shifted labor from agriculture to manufacturing,and as immigrants arrived in the US,they found work in these new factories.As a result,populations grew,and large urban areas arose.Fall River was one of these manufacturing and commercial centers(Williams 1).nThis is acceptable paraphrasing because the writer:accurately relays the information in the original uses her own words.lets her reader know the source of her information.nHeres an example of quotation and paraphrase used together,which is also ACCEPTABLE:Fall River,where the Borden family lived,was typical of northeastern industrial cities of the nineteenth century.As steam-powered production shifted labor from agriculture to manufacturing,the demand for workers transformed farm hands into industrial laborers,and created jobs for immigrants.In turn,growing populations increased the size of urban areas.Fall River was one of these hubs which became the centers of production as well as of commerce and trade(Williams 1).nThis is acceptable paraphrasing because the writer:records the information in the original passage accurately.gives credit for the ideas in this passage.indicated which part is taken directly from her source by putting the passage in quotation marks and citing the page number.Assignmentn1.Give your comments on the following titles and revise them if necessary.n1)On learning foreign languages and cultural background teachingn2)Developing computer internet and the spread of culture and informationn3)Inputting cross-cultural information for more effective English teaching by means of inputting cross-cultural communication in general college English teachingn4)Is literature useless in TOEFL?n5)Innovation and the materials revolutionFinal ExamnWrite a report on a survey of CUMT students attitudes towards university students smoking(70%).nRequirements:(1)This report is required to be written in a complete paper format,i.e.including Title,Abstract(no less than 80 words),Key words(three to five),Introduction,Method,Results,and Conclusion;n(2)The total length of the paper is no less than 800 words;n(3)The paper should have a cover as attached in the Microsoft Word document.n(4)Do not plagiarize.n(5)Only printed hard copies(A4 size)are accepted.n(6)Appendix your questions or questionnare at the end of your paper,if they are very long.nDeadline:no late than April 23,2012.