Mechanism of Report Writing

Writing a research report or paper requires careful attention to detail and adherence to a specific set of rules. These guidelines ensure that the paper is clear, organized, and professional. The report must follow a logical sequence, and the format should be decided upon in advance to maintain consistency throughout the document.

1. Size and Physical Design of the Paper

The research report should be prepared on standard-sized paper, typically 8.5 × 11 inches, ensuring a uniform presentation. If handwritten, use black or blue-black ink, and if typed, ensure the content is double-spaced. Regardless of the medium, ensure the following margin specifications are adhered to:

• Left margin: At least 1.5 inches to allow for binding.
• Right margin: At least 0.5 inches.
• Top and bottom margins: 1 inch each.

Maintaining neatness and legibility is crucial. If typing the manuscript, avoid single-spacing, except for long quotations or footnotes.

2. Procedure in Writing the Report

Writing a research report involves following well-established steps, starting from the definition of the research problem to the final draft of the report. These steps are vital to ensure that the research is thorough, and each should be scrupulously followed to maintain quality and accuracy. These steps include problem formulation, literature review, research design, data collection, data analysis, and interpretation of results. The method and structure must align with the type of research and its objectives.

3. Layout of the Report

The layout of a research report depends on the nature of the research problem and objectives. It typically includes sections such as:

• Title page: Contains the title, author’s name, and institutional affiliation.
• Abstract: A brief summary of the research objectives, methodology, findings, and conclusions.
• Introduction: Describes the background, purpose, and scope of the research.
• Methodology: Discusses the research design, methods of data collection, and analysis.
• Results: Presents the findings of the research in an organized manner.
• Discussion: Explores the significance of the findings and how they relate to the research question.
• Conclusion: Summarizes the research and suggests further areas of study.
• Bibliography: A list of the sources used in the report.
• Appendix: Any additional materials such as tables or data that support the research.

4. Treatment of Quotations

Quotations should be included in the body of the text and placed within quotation marks. If a quotation is longer than four or five lines, it should be single-spaced, indented, and not enclosed in quotation marks. This helps differentiate the quotation from the rest of the text while maintaining clarity.

5. Footnotes

Footnotes serve two main purposes: to identify sources for quotations or references in the text and to provide supplementary information that does not fit within the body of the research. The following rules apply to footnotes:

• Position: Footnotes should appear at the bottom of the page where the reference is made, separated by a half-inch line.
• Numbering: Each chapter should start footnote numbering from 1, and the number should appear slightly above the line, both in the text and at the bottom of the page.
• Spacing: Footnotes should be single-spaced but separated by a double space from each other.
• Content: Footnotes may include citations, explanations, or cross-references. It is important to use them sparingly, only when necessary for clarification or acknowledgment of sources.

6. Documentation Style

The first reference to a source in the footnotes must include all relevant information to allow for proper citation. The documentation format generally follows these guidelines:

• For single-volume works:

  • Author’s name in normal order (first name followed by last name).
  • Title of the work, italicized or underlined.
  • Place of publication, publisher’s name, and the year of publication.
  • Page number(s).

Example: John Gassner, Masters of the Drama, New York: Dover Publications, 1954, p. 315.

• For multivolume works:

  • Author’s name.
  • Title of the work, italicized.
  • Volume number.
  • Place and date of publication.
  • Page number(s).

• For articles in periodicals:

  • Author’s name.
  • Title of the article, enclosed in quotation marks.
  • Name of the periodical, italicized.
  • Volume number, issue number, and date of publication.
  • Page number(s).

• For works in collections or anthologies:

  • Author of the original work.
  • Title of the work.
  • Name of the editor or compiler.
  • Publication details, including place, date, and page numbers.
• Second-hand quotations:

When citing a source that quotes another author, acknowledge both. Example: J.F. Jones, Life in Polynesia, p. 16, quoted in History of the Pacific Ocean Area by R.B. Abel, p. 191.

• Multiple authorship:

If there are more than two authors, use “et al.” or “and others” after the first author’s name.

7. Use of Statistics, Charts, and Graphs

Effective use of statistical data and graphical representations is key to clarifying complex information. Tables, bar charts, line graphs, and pie charts should be well-labeled, self-explanatory, and relevant to the research. These tools provide clarity and improve understanding by summarizing large amounts of data visually.

8. Final Draft

After completing the rough draft, a thorough revision is essential. The report should be clear, grammatically correct, and logically coherent. Having a colleague review the report can be highly beneficial in identifying unclear or disorganized sections. Pay close attention to sentence structure, ensuring that ideas are expressed accurately and that points flow logically from one to another.

9. Bibliography

A bibliography should be appended to the report, listing all sources consulted during the research. Each entry should be formatted according to the citation style followed in the report, and the sources should be listed in alphabetical order by the author’s last name.

10. Preparation of the Index

An index should be prepared at the end of the report to help readers easily locate specific topics, concepts, or authors mentioned in the text. The index should be arranged alphabetically and include references to the page numbers where the terms appear.