Xã hội học - Writing and presenting the research

Writing and Presenting the ResearchSamuel K. Frimpong (PhD)Outline presentationGetting started with writingStructuring approachesOrganizing the project report’s contentDeveloping an appropriate writing styleMeeting the assessment criteriaOral presentation of the reportIntroduction Anxiety with the writing process Much of the anxiety with writing is rooted in the experience we have of writing.In our education much of our writing has been little more than rehashing the ideas of others. This has taught us to think of writing as a boring, repetitive processSome of us are impatient.We are unwilling to devote the time and energy (and inevitable frustration) that is needed for writingWriting should not be seen as the last stage of your research but thought of as something that is continuous throughout the research process.Getting started with writingCreate time for your writingIt requires sustained concentrationMake sure that you have time for writing allocated in your diaryWrite when you mind is freshFind a regular writing placeSet goals and achieve themUse of word processing (vs. writing on paper)Word processing enables use to amend copies attempts. Word processing enables you to keep updating your project report as you develop new ideas or become dissatisfied with old ones.Getting started with writingGenerate a planit essential to construct a plan before you start writing It is essential to get your ideas into some form of order at the outset. It gives encouragement to start writingFinish the writing session on a high pointDo not leave a complex section half completed since it will be difficult to pick up next time around.Getting started with writingGet friends to read your workAsk your friend to be constructively critical. Your friend must be prepared to tell you about things in the text that are not easy to understand by pointing out omissions, spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors.Structuring your project reportUse the institutional requirementOrganising the project report’s contentChoosing a titleThe title should match with the content of the reportIt should be devoid of redundant words Tell a clear storyYour storyline (your central argument or thesis) should be clear, simple and straightforward.Format for developing a story lineOrganising the project report’s contentPreviewing and summarising chaptersDescribe how the chapter is to contribute to answering the research questionAt the end of each chapter it is useful to provide a brief summary of the content of the chapter and a very brief indication of how this content links to the following chapter. Tables and graphicsBoth numerical and non-numerical data can be presented in tables or figuresWriting a consultancy reportSome key questions to consider in writing consultancy report includes the following: What information does management expect?With what level of detail?How much knowledge does management already have?What purpose will the report be used?; who will read it? What key messages and recommendations do you want to impart? Writing a consultancy reportThe structure could vary but basically involves the following: Executive summaryIntroductionResultsConclusionsRecommendationsWriting a consultancy reportThe executive summary is likely to be the part of the report on which managers will concentrateIt is important that it can stand alone and that it contains real information, including hard facts and figuresThe executive summary should make the recommendations clear and include their implications, values and costsThe executive summary should be short (no more than two pages) and designed to get your main message across.The consultancy reportAvoid long words, complicated language, multitude of acronyms and abbreviations. If it is necessary to use complex technical terms, make sure you provide a glossary in the appendixIt is more appropriate to use the first person in the consultancy reportLanguage like ‘it was found’, ‘it is estimated’, ‘it is recommended’ does not sound more professionalIt simply depersonalizes the report and makes it less accessibleDeveloping an appropriate writing styleClarity and simplicityWrite simple sentencesA simple rule to adopt is: one idea – one sentenceAvoid the use of jargons Beware of using large numbers of quotations from the literatureDeveloping an appropriate writing styleCheck your spelling and grammarPreserve anonymity of your respondentsThe need for continual revisionDo not think of your first draft as the last. Be prepared to rewrite the report several times until you think it is the best you can do.The oral examinationFailing to prepare for your presentation is preparing to fail.Use visual aids to enhance the understanding of your audience and lend your presentation professionalism.Remember: tell them what you’re going to say, say it, then tell them what you’ve said.