A RESEARCH REPORT IS AN OBJECTIVE ESSAY reporting on your research findings. It is NOT an argument to persuade people to protect baby seals or tax cigarettes; it is NOT a passionate response to the destruction of your favorite rain forest or the fall of your favorite team. It is NOT a plea for or against gun control, capital punishment, or the legalization of marijuana.

The task is to ask a question, read relevant, current articles to get information about the subject, perhaps interview an expert or two on the subject, and write about the answers to your original question that you have discovered in your reading. This writing should be done in a clear, objective manner, aided by clear, relevant visuals. Above all, a research report should be useful to other people.

This project is NOT intended to be a technical manual (we have a separate course for that) or a set of directions or a list of data. You will pose a problem, investigate it, taking careful notes as you read, and then organize your findings into a coherent essay that explains what you have been investigating, what you have found, and what recommendations, if any, you can make.

You may discover that your original question cannot be answered, at least not by you, because it would require too much technical expertise, or you may find that your question cannot be answered, because the answer is not known. These are both perfectly valid conclusions to your paper, so long as you show how carefully you have proceeded and document why the question cannot be answered.

For example, there was an article in the Washington Post about whether the war against cancer is being won or lost ( Rick Weiss, "How Goes the War on Cancer?" Health February 14, 1995: 12, 16, 18).

There was no simple answer to that question, because the data were ambiguous and more work needed to be done. Or, to put it another way, the answer was that there was not yet an answer. And this is a perfectly valid answer, so long as it is supported by data and analysis.

THE REPORT itself should start with an overview and introduction to the problem; the body of the paper should explore the problem and possible solutions; and the conclusion should review the main points covered in the report and draw any conclusions that seem relevant to you.

THE REQUIRED LENGTH is from 1500 to 2000 words. This is the equivalent of six to eight typed, double-spaced pages of text. However, since you will post this report on a web forum, do not double space the actual report. This does not include extra pages for an outline, index, bibliography, or whatever, nor pages you may add as an appendix to include extra information, tables or other visuals.

AT LEAST ONE RELEVANT VISUAL is required for this report. You do not have to be an artist; a graph, table or chart will do just fine. You may use a relevant visual from your reading, so long as you cite its sources in your paper. Remember, if you make a copy of a visual, be sure that your audience can read it clearly, or it is of no use. The key is relevance--a visual should add to the text, be fully discussed in the text, and help the reader to take in information at a glance. Don't waste space on a picture that does not add to the text or the reader's understanding of your topic.

Each visual must be labeled, referred to in your text, and discussed thoroughly in the text. In short, it must be a meaningful part of the overall paper.

DOCUMENTATION is the biggest problem many students have with this project. You MUST use a parenthetic note for each idea or piece of information, showing where you found it. Start by reading the Chapter on "Recording and Documenting Research Findings, Lannon:

9th ed. 662-697

You may use either MLA or APA documentation style, but be consistent with whichever you select.

Never go for longer than one paragraph before noting the source(s) for the information in that paragraph. The basic idea is: if you didn't know it before you read it, then you must use a note to show where you read (or heard) it.

Each note should indicate the last name of the author and either the date of the publication, if you paraphrase your source (Lannon, 2000) or the page number, if it is a direct quotation (Lannon, 575). For an alternative source of information on how to document, go to the Grammar and Editing Page.

A COMPLETE WORKS CITED OR REFERENCE LIST belongs at the end of the paper. This should include all the print sources and interviews you either quoted from or paraphrased.  This list should be alphabetized by the last name of the author. See Lannon, Appendix A for information on preparing such a list.

THE PURPOSE OF THE DRAFT is to let me see what you are doing, before it is too late for you to revise it. This is the time to catch problems, not when I read the final version.

When you have completed the entire draft, be sure to label it as a draft. Then, go to Blackboard and select Communication and then Discussion Board.  Then select the Forum for Research Report Draft and Final. Select Add New Thread to open a message box.  Paste your draft into the box and click on submit.

The final polished version of the Research Report cannot be submitted until after I have approved and returned your draft version with suggestions. NO RESEARCH REPORT WILL BE GRADED UNLESS I HAVE ALREADY READ AND RESPONDED TO THE DRAFT.

RESEARCH REPORT DRAFT GRADING

Weight: The draft is worth 5% of your final grade.

Grading Criteria:

• Has appropriate, approved topic, plan and outline;
• Has reasonably complete content;
• Is well organized;
• Is neatly word processed;
• Includes a complete list or works cited or reference list;
• Uses parenthetic documentation for all sources;
• Has at least one relevant, clear visual;
• Is approximately 1500 to 2000 words long;
• Uses reasonably correct English mechanics;
• Follows all directions.

Grading Scale: the draft will receive from 1 to 50 points depending on how well it meets the above criteria.

REVISING YOUR RESEARCH REPORT:

When you receive your Research Report back from me, carefully read over my remarks and ask me questions if any of my comments do not make sense to you or seem unclear. Then, revise your Research Report to make it as perfect as you possibly can. Be sure to go over your report using the Checklists for Consistency and Correctness on the Grammar and Editing Page, before turning in the revised report.

When you have completed the entire revision, be sure to label it as a Final Research Report. Then, go to Blackboard and select Communication and then Discussion Board.  Select the Forum for Research Report Draft and Final. Then, select Add New Thread to open a message box.  Paste your Final Research Report  into the box and click on submit.

RESEARCH REPORT GRADING:

Weight: The Research Report is worth 20% toward your course grade, to a maximum of 200 points.

Grading Criteria:

• Includes a statement of audience and purpose;
• Is clear and well-focused;
• Demonstrates comprehension of the subject matter;
• Presents that subject matter in a way that is useful to the intended audience, and for the intended purpose;
• Includes a complete list of works cited or reference list;
• Uses parenthetic documentation for all sources;
• Uses at least one relevant, clear visual;
• Has a logical plan of organization
• Uses adequate, correct and appropriate English;
• Is typed, neat, easy to read, well-formatted, uses white space appropriately, and is between 1500 and 2000 words long.

Grading Scale: the Final Research Report will receive from 1 to 200 points, depending on how well it meets the above criteria.

No research report will be graded until it has been submitted to me as a draft and returned to you for revision. You must include the draft with my comments along with the final version.

Remember to keep a copy of everything you submit.

 

(c) Diane Thompson:12/3/1998; updated: 05/14/2005