Chapter 16 Communicating Research Results: Research Report, Oral Presentation, and Research Follow-Up

LEARNING OUTCOMES After studying this chapter, you should be able to Discuss the research report from the perspective of the communications process Define the parts of a research report following a standard format Describe how to give an effective oral presentation. Discuss the importance of Internet reporting and research follow-up

Insights from the Communications Model Communication Process The process by which one person or source sends a message to an audience or receiver and then receives feedback about the message. Elements that Influence Successful Communication The communicator The message The medium The audience Feedback

The Report in Context Research Report An oral presentation or written statement of research results, strategic recommendations, and/or other conclusions to a specific audience. For a small project, a short oral or written report on the results may be all that is needed. Extensive projects may involve many written documents, interim reports, a long final written report, and several oral presentations. In addition, technical materials may be posted on an organization’s Intranet.

EXHIBIT 16.1 Adapting Report Format to Required Formality

The Parts of the Report Title page should state: the title of the report The title should give a brief but complete indication of the purpose of the research project. Addresses and titles of the preparer and recipient may also be included. for whom the report was prepared by whom it was prepared date of release or presentation

The Parts of the Report (cont’d) Letter of Transmittal Releases or delivers the report to the recipient in relatively formal and very formal reports. Letter of Authorization Approves the project, details who has responsibility for it, and describes resources available to support it. Table of Contents Should list the divisions and subdivisions of the report with page references. Is based on the final outline of the report, but it should include only the first-level subdivisions.

EXHIBIT 16.2 Sample Letter of Transmittal Source: Adapted from David M. Robinson, Writing Reports for Management Decisions (Columbus, OH: Merrill, 1969), p. 340. Reprinted with permission.

The Parts of the Report (cont’d) The Summary Briefly explains why the research project was conducted, what aspects of the problem were considered, what the outcome was, and what should be done. The Body Introduction section—discusses background information and the specific objectives of the research.

The Parts of the Report (cont’d) The Body (cont’d) Research methodology section—describes the structure and technical procedures of the project. It may an appendix or glossary of technical terms. Research design Sample design Data collection and fieldwork Analysis Results section— presents the findings of the project. It includes tables, charts, and an organized narrative.

The Parts of the Report (cont’d) The Body (cont’d) Conclusions and recommendations section—provides opinions based on the results and suggestions for action. The conclusions and recommendations should be presented in this section in more detail than in the summary, and the text should include justification as needed. The Appendix Contains material that is too technical or too detailed to go in the body—includes materials of interest only to some readers or subsidiary materials not directly related to the objectives.

The Oral Presentation Oral Presentation A spoken summary of the major findings, conclusions, and recommendations, given to clients or line managers to provide them with the opportunity to clarify any ambiguous issues by asking questions. Keys to effective presentation: Preparation (rehearsal) Adapting to the audience Not lecturing or reading to the audience Use graphic aids effectively Speaking effectively and convincingly

The Research Follow-Up Recontacting decision makers and/or clients after they have had a chance to read over a research report in order to determine whether additional information or clarification is necessary.

Key Terms and Concepts Communication process Research report Report format Introduction section Research methodology section Results section Conclusions and recommendations section Graphic aids Oral presentation Research follow-up

CASE EXHIBIT 16.1–1 Selected Information about the Sample Source: Joseph Turow, Lauren Feldman, and Kimberly Meltzer, “Open to Exploitation: American Shoppers Online and Offline,” APPC report, June 2005, p. 15, downloaded at http://www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org.

CASE EXHIBIT 16.1–2 Responses to Selected Knowledge Questions *When the numbers do not add up to 100%, it is because of a rounding error. Boldface type indicates the correct answer. Source: Joseph Turow, Lauren Feldman, and Kimberly Meltzer, “Open to Exploitation: American Shoppers Online and Offline,” APPC report, June 2005, p. 20, downloaded at http://www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org. Accessed April 5, 2006.

CASE EXHIBIT 16.1–3 Responses to Selected Attitude Questions *When the numbers do not add up to 100%, it is because of a rounding error. Source: Joseph Turow, Lauren Feldman, and Kimberly Meltzer, “Open to Exploitation: American Shoppers Online and Offline,” APPC report, June 2005, p. 22, downloaded at http://www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org. Accessed April 7, 2006.

CASE EXHIBIT 16.1–4 Predicting Knowledge Score from Selected Demographics *Significance <0.001 level. Source: Joseph Turow, Lauren Feldman, and Kimberly Meltzer, “Open to Exploitation: American Shoppers Online and Offline,” APPC report, June 2005, p. 29, downloaded at http://www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org. Accessed April 6, 2006.