Research Methods For Business Students: 8 Edition

Research Methods for Business Students
8th edition
Chapter 14
Writing and presenting your
project report
Copyright © 2019, 2016, 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter you should be able to:
14.1 understand the issues about which you need to be concerned when
undertaking writing for your project report;
14.2 evaluate different ways to structure your project report;
14.3 differentiate between a project report and a consultancy report;
14.4 adopt an appropriate and accessible writing style for your report;
14.5 write a project report focused on meeting the necessary
assessment criteria;
14.6 write a reflective account of your research project;
14.7 plan a presentation of your project report using either slides or a
poster.
Introduction
• Some of you may view the process of writing your project report and
presenting it orally as an exciting prospect.
• However, it is more likely that you will approach this stage of your research
with some fear.
• Writing about your work is the most effective way of clarifying your
thoughts. Writing should not be seen as the last stage of your research but,
thought of as something that is continuous throughout the research process.
• Writing is a powerful way to learn. Most teachers will tell you that the best
way to learn is to teach.
• You have to explain a highly complex set of ideas and findings to an audience
that you must assume has little or no knowledge of your subject.
• Universities today want reports (like thesis) as well as some journal articles
from your research.
Copyright © 2019, 2016, 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 3
Hints to assist with writing (1 of 2)
• Creating time for your writing.

• Write when your mind is fresh.
• Find a regular writing place.
• Create a structure for your writing.
• Set goals and achieve them.
Hints to assist with writing (2 of 2)
• Finish a writing session on a high point and provide a link to a

new session.
• Commence a new writing session by reviewing your previous
session.
• Ensure you keep earlier versions and back-up copies of your
work.
• Get friends to read your work.
Ways to structure your project report
• Linear-analytic approach.
• Comparative approach.
• Chronological approach.
• Theory-building approach.
• Suspense approach.
Traditional project report structure
‘Logico-deductive approach…
1. Abstract 6. Discussion
2. Introduction 7. Conclusions
3. Literature Review 8. References
4. Method 9. Appendices
5. Findings/Results
Figure 14.1
Using a matrix in the planning of the
content for the results and conclusions
chapters
Characteristics of alternative structures
• This discussed structure is used for many projects and thesis
• It is not to suggest that there is a specific way to structure your report when
you use a particular strategy.
• Instead we look at the implications of using different strategies for
structuring your project report, dissertation or thesis.
• The strategies whose implications we consider are
• Action Research,
• Case Study,
• Ethnography,
• Grounded Theory
• Narrative Research.
• The implications of using these strategies may affect the structure of a project
report, dissertation or thesis.
• It may lead you to use a report structure that is different to the traditional one
or to use a report form that appears to be the same as or similar to the
traditional structure, but where some sections within it are constructed
differently.
Characteristics of alternative structures
• Action Research,
• Action Research is very different to traditional, deductive research. This
is likely to have implications for your project report.
• Case Study,
• The purpose, nature and analysis of, and approach to, case study
research is likely to affect the structure of your project report.
• Ethnography,
• Many ethnographies published in academic journals broadly reflect the
structural outline of the traditional structure.
• Grounded Theory
• It is possible to write up a Grounded Theory research project using the
traditional structure
• Narrative Research.
• Writing up a Narrative Research project may take a number of forms.
Unless a particular form such as the traditional structure is prescribed,
you might write up your study rather than being told how to do this.
Categories of ethnographic writing
Traditional consultancy report structure
1. Executive summary;
2. Introduction;
3. Background and method;
4. Results/Findings;
5. Recommendations;
6. References:
7. Appendices.
Developing an appropriate writing style.
Ensure:
• Write simple sentences;
• Avoid jargon;
• Beware of using large numbers of quotations from the literature;
• Check your spelling and grammar;
• Avoid using common grammatical errors.
Table 14.2 (1 of 2)
Ten common grammatical errors
Source: Developed from Day (1998: 160)
Table 14.2 (2 of 2)
Ten common grammatical errors
Source: Developed from Day (1998: 160)
Giving the presentation
• Think about whether you would prefer to sit or stand at the
presentation.
• Consider how you will deal with difficult questions.
• Avoid jargon.
• Check the room before the presentation to ensure you have
everything you need, you are happy and familiar with the layout,
and all the equipment is working.
Planning and preparing your poster
• Title;
• Summary;
• Short introduction including key literature;
• Aim and objectives/research question;
• Methodology;
• Findings/Results;
• Discussion and/or Conclusions.
Figure 14.2
Poster outlining
a research project
© Chaiyatorn Limapornvanich 2018, reproduced with permission
Summary
• Writing is a powerful way of clarifying your thinking.
• Writing is a creative process, which needs the right conditions if
it is to produce successful results.
• Your project report should have a clear structure that enables you
to develop a clear storyline.
• The structure you use should be suitable for your research
strategy.
• Spelling and grammatical errors should be avoided.
• Presentations using slides or a poster should be carefully
structured and purposeful, and it will help to practise it
beforehand.

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Research Methods for Business Students

• Creating time for your writing.

• Finish a writing session on a high point and provide a link to a

Source: Developed from Day (1998: 160)

Source: Developed from Day (1998: 160)

© Chaiyatorn Limapornvanich 2018, reproduced with permission

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