Report Writting

Dr Charulata
Writing a Marketing Research Report
1. The Research Report
2. Objectives of the Research Report
3. Elements of the Written Report
The Research Report

• What is the Research Report

• A research report is an oral or written presentation to management
detailing a research project's objectives, methodology, findings, and
recommendations.
Objectives of the Research Report

• Objectives
• The objective of a research report is to provide a clear, accurate and
complete report of the research project. It should help clarify the
research issues so management can use the findings as an aid to
decision-making.
Elements of the Written Report

While the elements of actual reports may vary slightly, a basic research
report has three sections:
• Section I:     Introduction
• Section II:   Body of the Report
• Section III: Appendices
Elements of the Written Report

The outline of a standard written research report.

• Introduction
• Title
• Authorization letter
• Table of Contents
• Executive Summary
Elements of the Written Report

The outline of a standard written research report.

• Body of the report
• Introduction
• Background
• Methodology
• Findings
• Limitations
• Conclusions
• Recommendation
Elements of the Written Report

The outline of a standard written research report.

• Appendices
• Questionnaire / Data Collection Forms
• Data Tables
• Calculations
• Bibliography
Elements of the Written Report
• Introduction
• Title
• Title of the research project
• Names, titles, firm, and contact information of the person who authorized and directed the project for the client
• Names, titles, firm, and contact information of the people who prepared the report
• Release date of the report
• Authorization letter / Transmittal letter
• The letter serves as proof that the report was sent to the client. It:
• States the specific subject of the report
• Identifies the names of the people who authorized the project
• Outlines key findings
• Highlights recommendations
• Outline the limitations of the report
• Reports any discrepancies that might exist between the approved proposal and the final project
• Thanks the client for the opportunity of conducting this research
• Table of Contents
• Executive Summary
Elements of the Written Report
• Introduction
• Table of Contents
• The table of contents is based on the final outline of the report. It includes a list of the
report's sections and sub-sections, and their respective page numbers.
• Executive Summary
• The executive summary is a short synopsis of the research report. Includes:
• The name of the study
• The names of the people who prepared the study
• The name of the client who authorized the study
• Date of the report
• Introductory statement that defines the research objectives and research question
• Methodology
• Key findings
• Conclusions and indicated actions
• Limitations of the research
Elements of the Written Report
• Body of the report
• Introduction
• This section of the report reviews the objectives of the research. It summarizes the
research proposal and highlights any changes to the research design that were agreed to
after the client approved the proposal. Please Note: It is highly unprofessional for market
researchers to change the research design without getting their client's expressed
approval. 
• Background
• This section covers a review of the literature and secondary research. And, if relevant,
this section cites primary research sponsored by the client on similar issues.
• In the case of Exploratory Research, this section lists the research questions. With
Descriptive or Causal Research, the null and alternate hypotheses are spelled out.
Elements of the Written Report
• Body of the report
• Methodology
• This is the most technical section of the research report. It includes the following sections:
• Research Design:
This includes a statement of the type of research conducted: Exploratory, Descriptive, or Causal. Secondary research
sources are mentioned along with a description of how primary data were collected. And, the authors should include a
rationale for why the research design is appropriate for achieving the research objectives and answering the research
questions. In an appendix, the authors of the report include any discussion guides, questionnaires or observation forms.
• Sample Design:
This section includes:
• A statement defining the population of interest and the sampling frame[1]
• Sampling units included in the study
• The sampling method used
• The size of the selected sample
• The response rate achieved
• Data Collection and Fieldwork: This section reviews how the fieldwork was conducted. It states the number and types
of fieldworkers, how they were trained and supervised, and how the accuracy of their work was verified.
• Statistical Analysis:
• A review of the statistical methods employed in the analysis. This section provides a rationale for these methods, but
the actual analysis is not presented.
Elements of the Written Report
• Body of the report
• Findings
• The findings section is the longest part of the research report. It is where the results of
the study are reported in detail. This section should include supporting tables and
graphs. Tables and graphs make the report easier to read and more memorable. To avoid
overwhelming the reader, the findings should refer the reader to the detailed data,
which should be in an appendix.
• Limitations
• No research design is perfect; they all have their limitations. Good researchers always
state the limitations of their research. 
• Conclusions & Recommendation
• After the findings are presented, the researchers present their conclusions and
recommendations, including conducting further research.
Elements of the Written Report
• Presentation
• Tables and Charts
Elements of the Written Report
• Presentation
• Tables and Charts
Elements of the Written Report
• Presentation
• Tables and Charts
Elements of the Written Report
• Presentation
• Tables and Charts
Elements of the Written Report
• Presentation
• Tables and Charts
• https://www.driveresearch.com/market-research-company-blog/4-tip
s-for-a-better-market-research-report-presentation
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