Chapter 6: THE EFFICIENT WAY TO PRODUCE YOUR FINAL REPORT

Abstract:

A big hurdle for many researchers is often to get started with their research report. However, by using Work Database, all the detail of your work will have been stored in a logical structure. If you choose, Report Writer can use the headings, information and references of your Work Database to create the first draft of your report.

This chapter also gives some tips on report writing for the first-time researcher. We have found that researchers in all fields have found these suggestions useful in producing a quality research report.


1. What is the value of a well-written report?

Even for consulting research projects, the final report is one of the most important means by which a research project is evaluated. A poorly written report is no way to please a client. Furthermore, the researcher won’t derive the maximum benefit or acknowledgement that his/her work may deserve. Doing good work is one thing, presenting it in a clear and coherent manner is another.

On the other hand, the researcher’s work is worth very little if it is not published. This is the only way your discoveries, insights or observations can impact on others and even live for posterity. An interesting example is that of the philosopher, Aristotle. (He seems to crop up everywhere!)

In BC371, he observed a very large comet and reported his observations.¹ In 1880, German astronomer Heinrich Kreutz,¹ realised that the family of comets passing very close to the sun were in fact pieces of Aristotle’s original comet! Aristotle’s observations therefore helped Kreutz more than 2000 years later.

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