EAPP Notes on Types of Reports PDF

**EAPP NOTES\ ** **LESSON 1: TYPES OF REPORTS** **SURVEY REPORT** -provides a formal record of a survey research -used to respond to questions that have been raised, to take care of issues that have been presented, to survey needs and objectives,to decide if explicit goals have been met, to set...

**EAPP NOTES\ ** **LESSON 1: TYPES OF REPORTS** **SURVEY REPORT** -provides a formal record of a survey research -used to respond to questions that have been raised, to take care of issues that have been presented, to survey needs and objectives,to decide if explicit goals have been met, to set up baselines against which future correlations can be made, to investigate slants across time, and for the most part, to depict what exists, in what sum, and in what setting\ -*Isaac and Michael (1997)* **THREE MAJOR PARTS** -Pate (n.d.) 1. Preliminary-title page, table of contents, abstract 2. Main Text- introduction, methodology, results, discussion, conclusion 3. Supplementary- recommendation, glossary, references, appendix **STRUCTURE OF SURVEY REPORTS** **Title Page** - includes the title of report, name of author/student, organization/course, and date **Table of Contents** - contains a list of the contents of the report including its page numbers **Executive Summary/ Abstract** - where context, background and purpose should be indicated **Introduction** - where context, background and purpose should be indicated **Methodology** - includes research design, population of the study, locale of the study, scope and delimitation, data gathering tool/s, data gathering procedure and treatment of data and/or experimental procedures **Results/ Findings** - where findings/results, visual data (E.g. graphs, tables etc.) are presented - provides a clear, factual, and informative findings and presents clearly labelled graphs and tables **Discussion** - where interpretation and analysis of results are presented - highlights results with both statistical and practical significance **Conclusion** - where the summary of findings is presented **Recommendations** - indicates the action plan for recommendations if required **Glossary** - presents operational definition of technical terms **References or Bibliography** - where list of cited references are presented **Appendix** - where attachments such as surveys, questionnaires etc. are presented **FIELD REPORT** -describes the observation of people, places, and/or events and analyzes the observation data to identify and categorize common themes in relation to the research problem underpinning the study (Flick, 2018) -content represents the researcher's interpretation of meaning found in data that have been gathered during one or more observational events **STRUCTURE OF FIELD REPORTS** **Introduction** - research problem - specific objectives of the research - important theories or concepts in the study - review of pertinent literature related to the research **Description of Activities** - details of what happened in the observation - description of what was observed - background information about the setting of observation - important objects that are present that help contextualize the observation - record of factual data about the day - the beginning and ending time of each observation - background and demographic information about the individuals being observed **Interpretation and Analysis** - analysis and interpretation of the data gathered - no speculation or manipulation of data to fit to the theoretical framework **Conclusion and Recommendation** - brief recap of the entire study - reiteration of the importance or significance of the observations - recommendations - no new information added - problems encountered and limitations of the study **Appendix** - information that is not essential to explaining the findings, but supports your analysis - figures/tables/charts/graphs of results, statistics, pictures, maps, drawings, or, if applicable, transcripts of interviews **References** - sources consulted and obtained while writing the field report **LABORATORY REPORT** -provides a record of results of investigation, research, or testing done in the laboratory ROLES 1. Provide a record of the experiments and raw data included in the report 2. Provide sufficient information to produce or extend the data 3. Analyze data for conclusions and recommendation based on the experiment **Title page** - name and student ID number - title with a precise description of the focus of the report **Abstract** - beginning of the report - summary which includes: - the problem and its importance - the experiment - the method - most important results - significance **Introduction** - background or scope of study **Materials and Methods** - explains the procedure of the experiment - cites the equipment models and sizes, amounts of things, sizes of trials and - numbers of samples, etc. **Results** - results of the experiment - uses an equation editor with correct mathematical symbols if the results involve numbers and equations - clearly labelled figures, tables and graphs **Discussion** - analysis and interpretation of the results, showing how these relate to the scope of the study - conclusions about how the results confirm, verify, or support the hypothesis, or refute, negate, or contradict it' **Conclusion** - Explain any broader implications of study/experiment. - Suggest further research that could be done to expand the work. **References** - An alphabetized list of all of sources, **Definition, Objectives, and General Guidelines in Writing a Report** **Report** "**Report**" is derived from the Latin word "**reportare**" which means carry back. Therefore, a report is a description of a thing or an event carried back to someone who was not present in the given setting. A report is an **[organized statement of facts]** about a particular subject written by one person after an independent inquiry or investigation with or without the presentation of opinions or recommendations. ***"A report is an orderly and objective presentation\ of information that helps in decision making and problem solving".*** ***--- Agarrawal (n.d.)*** **[Reports may include the following:]** - The systematic record of ordered events - Simplification of the implication of events - Assessment of the facts of research - Discussion of the outcomes of a course of action - References - Conclusions **PURPOSES OF REPORTS** 1. **Report as a means of internal communication** - A report acts as an effective means of communication within the organization. [It provides feedback to employees.] - It is prepared for the information and guidance of others connected with the matter / problem. 2. **Report facilitates decision making and planning** - Report provides reliable data which can be used in the planning and decision-making process. - It acts as a treasure house of reliable information for long term planning and decision making. 3. **Report discloses unknown information** - Reports provide information which may not be known previously. The committee members collect data, draw conclusions and provide information which will be new to all concerned parties. Even new business opportunities are visible through unknown information available in the reports. **LESSON 2: ABC'S OF TECHNICAL WRITING** Turner (2020) enumerates these features of writing to [simplify] the challenge of academic writing. **A -- Accuracy** - Reports present an **[adequate information]** in various aspects. - To achieve this, you have to give **[right information and findings]** in our writing. Make sure that you give accurate reporting of findings; accurate presentation of facts and accurate representation of findings, in accordance with the methods used. **B - Brevity** - **[Conciseness]** - Making the documents as **[short as possible.]** Sentences must be short consisting of 15 to 20 words with only one idea expressed in each sentence. **C -- Clarity** - It is effective to use **[familiar vocabulary]** and **[constructions]**. When it is needed to use some jargons, make sure to be ready with a simple explanation. - **[Consistency]** in terminology, abbreviations and presentations of figures, tables and illustrations should be achieved. - Consider using **[tables]**, **[figures]**, **[graphs]**, illustrations to demonstrate your point. - Using **[active voice]**, reasonable sentence length, and wise use of specialized terms, are ways to achieve simplicity in writing. - It is simply the use of **[simple language]** to convey meaning. - Consider also the **[logical progression]** of a report. Focus on the thought and not on the verbosity of writing. - Is it free of grammatical mistakes, concise and easy to read? - Do the sections follow on logically from each other? - Is each point supported with evidence or data? - Are the conclusions and recommendations persuasive? - Are all the sources correctly referenced? - Have you kept to the report objective or brief **LESSON 3: Understanding Questionnaires in Survey Research** **Questionnaires** Questionnaire is the most commonly used tool to generate data (Aspiras, 2016). Sometimes called survey form. It refers to paper and pencil data gathering method by letting the subject or respondents complete the questionnaire before the researcher or his representative collects**.** **What should I ask myself** What do I need to know about my research topic or subject? Why do I need to know it? What will happen after I administer this questionnaire? **Examples** **OPEN-ENDED** Directions: Please answer the following questions: 1\. Give your opinion on the issue of Anti-Terrorism Law. 2\. What are its advantages? 3\. What are its disadvantages? **CLOSE-ENDED** - Likert Scale - Dichotomous - Multiple Choice - Ranking or ordinal-scale question - Filter or Contingency question a. **Likert Scale** b. **Dichotomous** c. **Multiple Choice** d. **Ranking or ordinal-scale question** e. **Filter or Contingency question** **Do's** - Give clear introductions and instructions - Keep question structure simple - Ask one question at a time - Maintain a parallel structure for all questions - Define terms before asking the questions - Be explicit about the period of time being referenced by the question - Provide a list of acceptable responses to closed questions - Ensure that response categories are both exhaustive and mutually exclusive - Label response categories with words rather than numbers - Ask for number of occurrences, rather than providing response categories such as often, seldom, never - Save personal and demographic questions for the end of the survey. **DoNT's** - Use jargon or complex phrases - Frame questions in the negative - Use abbreviations, contractions, or symbols - Mix different words for the same concept - Use "loaded" words or phrases - Combine multiple response dimensions in the same question - Give the impression that you are expecting a certain response (leading questions) - Bounce around between topics and periods - Insert unnecessary graphics or mix many font styles and sizes - Forget to provide instructions for returning the complete survey **TYPES OF QUESTIONS** **1. Leading question:** **Example 1:** How awesome is the product? Fixed: How would you rate this product? **Example 2 :** What problems do you have with the design team? Fixed: How likely are you to recommend working with the design team? ***[Fixing Leading question:]** When writing your list of survey questions, phrase your questions objectively, and provide answer scales with equally balanced negative and positive options.* **2. Loaded question:** **Example 1:** Where do you enjoy drinking beer? Required qualifying information: That the customer drinks beer **Example 2:** How often do you exercise twice a day? Required qualifying information: That the customer exercises, and that they exercise twice a day ***[Fixing a loaded question]*** *Don't make unfounded assumptions. Make sure you're qualified to ask the question, skip the question if it's irrelevant, or provide an answer option that the customer can use to tell you that the scenario isn't applicable to them to avoid survey question bias.* **3. Double-barreled question:** **Example 1:** Was the product easy to find and did you buy it? Fixed example (part 1): The store made it easy for me to find the product. Fixed example (part 2): Did you buy a product from our company during your last visit? **Example 2:** How would you rate the training and onboarding process? Fixed onboarding example (part 1): How would you rate the training materials? Fixed onboarding example (part 2): How would you rate the onboarding process? ***[Fixing double-barreled questions:]*** *Ask one question at a time. Don't overcomplicate.* **4. Question with jargon:** **Example 1:** The product helped me meet my OKRs. Fixed: The product helped me meet my goals. **Example 2:** How was face-time with your customer support rep? Fixed: How would you rate your experience with \[team member\]? ***[Fixing a question with jargon]*** *Proofread and remove all confusing languages. Acronyms are a telltale sign that your survey may contain jargon.* **5. Double negatives** **Examples of double negative words:** No/not with "un-" prefix words (also in-, non-, and mis-) No/not with negative adverbs (scarcely, barely, or hardly) No/not with exceptions (unless + except) **Example 1:** Was the facility not unclean? Fixed: How would you rate the cleanliness of the facility? **Example 2:** I don't scarcely buy items online. Fixed: How often do you buy items online? **Example 3:** The website isn't easy to use unless I use the search bar. Fixed: The website made it easy for me to find what I was looking for. ***[Fixing double negatives]*** *Two negatives make a positive, in the sense that they cancel each other out. To correct a double negative, rephrase the question using the positive or neutral version of the phrase.* **6. Poor answer scale options** **a. Sync the answer scale back to the question:** If you ask "How satisfied" someone is, use the word "satisfied" in your answer scale. If you're using a smiley face survey, ask your customers how happy they are. **Example:** How easy was it to login to the company website? Answer: Yes \| No Fixed answer scale: The login prompt made it easy for me to log in. Answer scale: 1 -- Strongly disagree \| 2 \| 3 \| 4 \| 5 -- Agree **b. Proofread for mutually exclusive answer options** Proofread the options to make sure they're logical and don't overlap. Example 1: How often do you check your email in a day? Overlapping answer options: A. 0-1 time \| B. 1-2 times \| C. 2-3 times \| D. More than 3 times Example 2: : What device do you usually use to check your email? Overlapping answer options: A. Computer \| B. Mobile Phone \| C. Tablet \| D. iPad **c. Cover all the likely use cases** For multiple choice questions, ensure your answer choices cover all the likely use cases, or provide an "Other" option. If your customers are constantly choosing "Other," it's a sign that you're not covering your bases. **c. Cover all the likely use cases** For multiple choice questions, ensure your answer choices cover all the likely use cases, or provide an "Other" option. If your customers are constantly choosing "Other," it's a sign that you're not covering your bases. ***[Fixing answer scales]*** *Read through your questions and answers, and take your survey for a test run. Make sure your answers directly correspond to the questions you're asking, and that your answer options don't overlap.* **LESSON 4: ARGUMENTS** **What is an argument?** - is a claim of proposition put forward along with reasons or evidence supporting it **Parts of an Argument:** **ASSERTION** -is usually a simple statement (claim or proposition) such as: - "Television news is boring." - "Tomato soup is better than grilled cheese sandwiches." **REASONING** - is the "because" part of an argument or the premise - supports the assertion/proposition - answers the question, "Why did you say that?", as in the following examples: - "Television news is boring because it doesn't talk about issues that are relevant to me." - "Tomato soup is better than a grilled cheese sandwich because it is more nutritious." **EVIDENCE** - supports reasoning - must relate to the reason and must be enough or sufficient to support the reason. - "Television news is boring because it doesn't talk about issues that are relevant to me. For example, I never see stories about the issues that kids deal with every day." **What is a strong evidence?** A strong evidence is accurate, convincing, and relevant to the argument at hand. It comes from a credible source, and it truly supports the reason it is supposed to prove (Alida D. n.d.). **KINDS OF EVIDENCES** **Statistical** - every time you use numbers to support a main point, you're relying on statistical evidence to carry your argument. - *[Examples:]* - Numbers gleaned from your own research or surveys you have conducted - Numbers from personal experience if you have sources to support them **Testimonial** - is a person\'s testimony offered to prove the truth of the matter asserted - is obtained by conducting interviews, focus groups, surveys, or written assertions - Examples: - Direct interviews with experts in your topic - Quotes from an expert's book, paper, or newspaper editorial **Analogical** -uses a comparison of things that are similar to draw an analogy *[Examples:]* A peer-reviewed study that is similar in many ways to the topic in your essay An expert opinion about something very similar to your topic **Anecdotal** based on accounts and narratives when storytelling is involved, anecdotal evidence is being used. *[Examples:]* Interviews with someone who tells a story related to your thesis A personal experience related to your topic **Finding Evidence to Support an Argument** **Assertion** - Social media addiction is a growing problem that has significant negative consequences for individuals and society. **Reason** - One of the most significant negative impacts of social media addiction is its psychological effects. **Evidence** - Studies have shown that excessive social media use is linked to increased levels of anxiety, depression, and loneliness (Twenge et al., 2018). Moreover, the blue light emitted by screens can disrupt sleep patterns, leading to fatigue, irritability, and difficulty concentrating (Cheung et al., 2012). **Things to Keep in Mind in Presenting Arguments** According to Excelsior College **1. Present your thesis statement or main idea clearly.** Example: "University athletes should be compensated for their service to the university, as it is difficult for these students to procure and hold a job with busy academic and athletic schedules" (Branson, 2018). *[Remember that your main argument should be ]* *[introduced alongside with your thesis statement.]* **2. Provide the highlights of your evidence.** Simply focus on the key points of evidence from your research. You do not have to dig into the small details; just emphasize the main point of your evidence. **3. Address the opposition.** - Addressing the opposition depends upon your goals and the arguments you are making. You may construct counterclaims that would destroy the opposition's arguments. Counterclaims are claims to rebut accusations against your standpoint. CLAIM: Baguio City should not accept tourists in the middle of a pandemic. COUNTERCLAIM: If Baguio City continues not to accept tourists, the livelihood of the people that depends on tourists will be at risk. Instead of no tourists at all, the City Government should devise stronger protocols to control the spread of the virus. **4. Cite your sources.** - This will make your arguments and the whole paper look sound and credible. **LESSON 5: FALLACIES IN AN ARGUMENT** **Analysis of an Argument** **[Parts]** - **Claim**- writer's position on a problem or issue - **Support-** reasons and evidence to help justify claim - **Counterargument-** brief argument negating objections other side will raise **Strategies for Evaluating Argument** - **Check the claim-** do the reasons actually support the claim? - **Examine the evidence-** from trustworthy source? enough? - **Look for logic-** fallacies/ are there errors? - **Consider the counterargument-** how strong are the objections? **Logical Fallacies-**\ sound good, but don't actually make sense **TYPES OF LOGICAL FALLACIES** **[Glittering Generalities]-** sounds good, no concrete argument Types of Propaganda and How to Use It for Your Business in 2021 **[Hasty Generalization]-** conclusions from too little evidence  **[Post Hoc] (or false cause)-** because B comes after A, A caused B **[Slippery Slope]-** claim a dire chain reaction will happen, with little evidence  **[Weak Analogy]-** comparing 2 things that are not relevantly alike A cartoon of a penguin with thought bubble Description automatically generated **[Straw Man]-** set up weak; different version of opponents' argument, then take down  **[Red Herring]-** going off on a tangent from argument to distract Pin page **[False dichotomy]** (either-or)- makes it look like there are only 2 choices, one of them bad  **[Ad Hominen]** (name-calling)- attack the other person instead of the issue Birds sitting on a bird feeder Description automatically generated