Research Report Guide A Guide for BA634 Students .docx

Research Report Guide
A Guide for BA634 Students
Table of Contents
The Research Report 4
Chapter 1- Background/Introduction (3 – 4 pages) 4
Introduction 4
Problem Statement and Purpose of Research 4
Relevance and Significance 4
Research Questions 5
Barriers and Issues 5
Chapter 2 - Review of the Literature (6-8 pages) 5
Chapter 3 - Approach/Methodology (1 - 2 pages) 5
Chapter 4: Findings, Analysis, and Summary of Results (2 - 4
pages) 5
Chapter 5: Conclusions (2 - 4 pages) 5
References 6
Research Report Structure 6
Front Matter 6
Chapter 1 through 5 (12 pages): 6
Back Matter: 6
Document Preparation – Form and Style 6
References and Citations 7

Margins 7
Line Spacing 7
Paragraph Spacing 7
Page Numbering 7
Type Style 8
Title Page8
The Abstract 8
Chapter Title, Heading 1, Heading 2 8
Tables and Figures in the Text Body 9
Appendix 9
Additional Resources 9
Sample First Page of Table of Contents 10
Sample Reference List 11
The Research Report
The Research Report serves as the deliverable towards partial
completion of the requirement for BA634. The requirement of
your research is expected to be built and constitutes the five-
chapter model. This document is not intended to be a one-time
or static document. The Research Report needs to be at least 14
pages and is written in the past and present tense, as
appropriate.
The Research Report should be a complete and concise
document that establishes your credentials as a relative expert
in the domain of your study. In all cases, a good understanding
of the specific domain will be necessary for the successful
completion of your study. It is vital that you stay current in the
literature germane to the study you are conducting and update
the chapters accordingly.
The following is the general structure of the Research
ReportChapter 1- Background/Introduction (3 – 4 pages)
In this section, present enough information about the proposed
work so that the reader understands the general context or
setting. It is also helpful to include a summary of how this
document is organized. Introduction

This section introduces the reader to the structural content of
your Research Report Problem Statement and Purpose of
Research
In this section, present a concise statement of a research-worthy
problem to be addressed (i.e., why the work should be
undertaken – don’t state “it was a requirement of the
professor”). Follow the statement of the problem with a well-
supported discussion of its scope and nature. The discussion of
the problem should include: what the problem is, why it is a
problem, how the problem evolved or developed, and the issues
and events leading to the problem. Your problem statement must
be clear, concise, to the point and able to be articulated in no
more than three sentences.Relevance and Significance
This section provides the necessary support for both the
problem statement of your study. Consider the following
questions and support your discussion by citing the research
literature:
· Why is there a problem? What groups or individuals are
affected?
· How far-ranging is the problem and how great is its impact?
What’s the benefit of solving the problem?
· What has been tried without success to correct the situation?
Why weren’t those attempts successful?
· What are the consequences of not solving the problem?
· How does the goal of your study address the research problem
and how will your proposed study offer promise as a resolution
to the problem?
· How will your research add to the knowledge base?
· What is the potential for generalization of your results?
· What is the potential for original work? Research Questions
In this section you will define the research questions you expect
to answer in your finding / results / conclusion sections. The
research question(s) must be directly related to the problem
statement and introduce the reader to their respective
relationships. The answers to the research question(s) need to
be either qualitative or quantitative.Barriers and Issues

In this section, identify how the problem is inherently difficult
to solve. You should also show how the solution you propose
are difficult to obtain (unlike a book report). You should show
the study you propose is of adequate difficulty to warrant a
successful grade assignment. Chapter 2 - Review of the
Literature (6-8 pages)
In this section, it is important to clearly identify the major areas
on which you will need to focus your research in order to build
a solid foundation for your study in the existing body of
knowledge. The literature review is the presentation of quality
literature in a particular field that serves as the foundation and
justification for the research problem, research questions or
hypothesis, and methodology. You will develop a more
comprehensive review of the literature as part of your report.
Chapter 3 - Approach/Methodology (1 - 2 pages)
Describe how you plan to address your research problem and
accomplish your stated goal. List the major steps that must be
taken to accomplish the goal and include a preliminary
discussion of the methodology and specific research methods
you plan to implement. Although specific details are not
required at this point, you must provide adequate discussion of
the general process you will follow to implement your research
methodology. Chapter 4: Findings, Analysis, and Summary of
Results (2 - 4 pages)
Chapter 4 includes an objective description and analysis of the
findings, results or outcomes of the research. Limit the use of
charts, tables, figures to those that are needed to support the
narrative. Most of these illustrations can be included as part of
the Appendixes.
The following topics are intended to serve as a guide:
· Data analysis
· Findings & discussion
· Analysis
· Summary of results & discussion Chapter 5: Conclusions (2 -
4 pages)
· Conclusions - Clearly state the conclusions of the study based

on the analysis performed and results achieved. Indicate by the
evidence or logical development the extent to which the
specified objectives have been accomplished. If the research has
been guided by hypotheses, make a statement as to whether the
data supported or rejected these hypotheses. Discuss alternative
explanations for the findings, if appropriate. Delineate
strengths, weaknesses, and limitations of the study.
· Implications - Discuss the impact of the work on the field of
study and its contributions to knowledge and professional
practice. Discuss implications for future research.
· Recommendations - Present recommendations for future
research or for changes in research methods or theoretical
concepts. As appropriate, present recommendations for changes
in academic practice, professional practice, or organizational
procedures, practices, and behavior.References
Follow the most current version of APA to format your
references. However, each reference should be single-spaced
with a double space between each cited entry. Make sure that
every citation is referenced and every reference is cited.
Research Report Structure
Notes:
· White space added to the report will negatively affect the final
grade of your report. Do not add extra space to your document
in an effort to extend the page count.Front Matter
· The front matter includes the following:
· Title Page
· Abstract
· Table of Contents
· List of Tables
· List of Figures Chapter 1 through 5 (12 pages): Back Matter:
· The back matter includes the following:
· Appendixes
· References Document Preparation – Form and Style
Form and style guidelines for a Research Report serve a number
of purposes: to ease adaptation of the document for publication
in whole or part, to ensure a level of professional appearance,

and ease the burden on the readers of the document by
presenting material in a logical, consistent fashion.
Nevertheless, form and style guidelines should not be
burdensome for Peer Reviewer or Professor. The bulk of the
effort in developing and mentoring a Research Report should
certainly be directed toward the quality of the thoughts being
presented, not the appearance of that presentation.
The current edition of the Publication Manual of the American
Psychological Association serves as the primary guide for
format and style. Since that manual focuses primarily on
publication in journals, some exceptions are necessary for a
Research Report. The Research Report guidelines are amplified
with examples of:
· Title Page (Appendix A)
· Table of Contents (Appendix E)
· List of Tables (Appendix F)
· List of Figures (Appendix G)
· First Page of a Chapter (Appendix H)
· Appendix Pages (Appendix I)
· Reference List (Appendix J)
References and Citations
One of the most important tasks in writing a Research Report is
to reference other works and sources in the text body. You must
provide a formal reference citation for each idea or statement
taken from the work of an individual or organization. Failure to
provide a reference citation, when one is appropriate, is
plagiarism, which is a violation of the university’s Code of
Student Conduct and Academic Responsibility. An act of
plagiarism will subject the student to disciplinary action
including suspension or expulsion from the university. Always
err on the side of caution when writing any formal paper. As
you conduct your work, keep accurate records that indicate
which portions of your Research Report are not your own words
and ideas. If you attempt to do this as an afterthought, you run
the risk of losing the source of the information and committing
plagiarism. Reference citations in the text should use the

author-date citation system specified in the current edition of
the Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association. All reference citations must be listed
alphabetically in the References section at the end of the
document, again following the format specified in the current
edition of the Publication Manual of the American
Psychological Association. However, each reference should be
single-spaced with a double space in between each entry. Make
sure that every citation is referenced and every reference is
cited. Margins
The left-hand margin must be 1.5 inches (4 cm.). Margins at the
right, top, and bottom of the page should be 1.0 inch. (See
exception for chapter title pages below.) The Research Report
text must be left-aligned (leaving a ragged right edge). Line
Spacing
Double-spacing is required for most of the text in documents
submitted during the Research Report process. Pages for the
abstract, acknowledgments, and parts of the table of contents,
however, must be single-spaced in the Research Report. Single-
spacing also can be used for table titles and headings, figure
captions, references in a reference list (but double-spacing is
required between references in the list), footnotes, and long
quotations. Long quotations may be indented five spaces.
Judicial triple can improve appearance and readability and is
appropriate after chapter titles, before major subheadings,
before footnotes, and before and after tables in the text;
however, avoid open white spaces. Paragraph Spacing
The text of the document is double-spaced. There should be no
extra spaces between paragraphs in sections; however, indent
the first line of paragraphs five spaces (1/2 inch). Chapters must
begin on new pages. Page Numbering
Page numbers for the front matter, starting with the Table of
Contents, should be lowercase roman numerals, centered at the
bottom of the page. All pages following the front matter should
have page numbers in Arabic numerals in the upper right-hand
corner. The page order and numbering for the front matter is:

1. Title page is page i, but the page number is not printed.
2. Approval Signature page is page ii, but the page number is
not printed.
3. Abstract is page iii but the page number is not printed.
4. Acknowledgements is page iv and not to exceed one page.
The page number is not printed.
5. Table of Contents is page v and the page number is printed,
bottom center.
6. List of Tables (only present if the document contains tables)
is given the next page number in sequence, printed bottom
center.
7. List of Figures (only present if the document contains
figures) is given the next page number in sequence, printed
bottom center.
Type Style
For body text, you should use 12-point Times New Roman. Text
for the cover page may be larger but should not exceed 14-point
size. Text for the chapter title text should be 14-point size. Be
consistent in your use of typefaces throughout the document. Do
not use a compressed typeface or any settings on your word
processor that would decrease the spacing between letters or
words. Sans serif typefaces such as Helvetica or Arial may be
used for relatively short blocks of text such as chapter headings
and captions but should be avoided in long passages of text as
they impede readability. Title Page
Every document that is submitted, from the Research Report,
must have a title page. The title page includes the exact title of
the Master’s Thesis, date of submission, your name, and name
of the department which the report is submitted. Use the format
of the Sample Research Report Title Page provided in Appendix
A. The Abstract
The abstract (see Appendix es C) is single spaced. An abstract
is a stand-alone document and therefore, should not include
citations because it would then need references. Note that the
abstract must be fewer than 200 words. Chapter Title, Heading

1, Heading 2
It is preferred that Research Report contain no more than three
levels of headings in the body text. All headings should have
only the first letter of each word capitalized except that non-
major words shorter than four letters have no capital letters. See
Appendix H for a sample page for a first page of a chapter.
Instructions for heading levels follow:
Level 1: Chapter Title
This heading starts two inches from the top of the page, is
centered on the page, and is set in 14point type. The first line
contains the chapter number (e.g., Chapter 4). The second line
is blank. The third line displays the chapter title, is centered on
the page, and is set in 14-point type.
Level 2: Heading 1
Start heading 1 at the left margin of the page, four spaces (i.e.,
two returns when your document is set for double-spacing)
down from the title, set in bold 12-point type. Double-space
(one return) to the subheading body text. Indent the first line of
the body text five spaces.
Level 3: Heading 2
Start the heading 2 at the left margin of the page, double-spaced
(i.e., one return when your document is set up for double-
spacing) from the subheading, set in 12-point italics. Double-
space (one return) to the sub-subheading body text. Indent the
first line of the body text five spaces. Tables and Figures in
the Text Body
Charts, graphs, diagrams, figures, and summary tables that
significantly enhance reading of the Research Report should be
placed in the text body. Only include material in the text body
that is needed by the reader to understand the point(s) you are
trying to make. Other material should be placed in Appendixes.
Tables that summarize large amounts of data are best placed at
the end of the Master’s Thesis. If you have included data in
your text related to some point, then the full table containing
such data belongs in an Appendix. When using tables and

figures in the body of the paper, remember that the horizontal
center of the body is not at the center of the paper. It is 0.25” to
the right of center due to the 1.5” left binding margin. All tables
and figures that are less than body width must be centered
properly. Samples of a table and figure appear in Appendixes L
and M.
Appendix
Place in appropriate appendices all analytical tables, evaluation
instruments, and other material important in the determination,
evaluation, analysis, and description of your research that is not
contained in the text body (see section above). Use an Appendix
to present material that supplements the text or may be of
interest to readers but is too detailed or distracting for inclusion
in the main body of the text. Surveys, evaluation instruments,
original data, complicated mathematical tables, new computer
programs, computer printouts, and data collection forms are
examples of materials that are most appropriately appended. Do
not exclude material that would be necessary for another
researcher to replicate your work and that is not available
elsewhere. Include copies of IRB permission from the
sponsoring organization and from the study site. Present copies
of all letters and e-mails that allow you to use and modify
materials belonging to others. If appropriate, you may use a
titled cover sheet for an Appendix. Additional Resources
American Psychological Association (2010). Publication manual
of the American Psychological Association. (6th ed.).
Washington, D.C.: Author.
Bolker, J. (1998). Writing your Research Reportin fifteen
minutes a day: A guide to starting, revising, and finishing your
doctoral thesis. New York, NY: Henry Holt Publishing.
Kiernan, V (2005). Writing Your Dissertation with Microsoft
Word. MattilyPublishing, Alexandria, Virginia
Sample First Page of Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Abstract iii
List of Tables (if necessary) viii (your actual page number may

be different)
List of Figures (if necessary) ix (your actual page number may
be different)
Chapters
1. Introduction
· Statement of the Problem to Be Investigated 1
· Goal to Be Achieved 2
· Relevance and Significance 4
· Barriers and Issues 7
· etc.
2. Review of the Literature
· The theory and research literature specific to the topic 17
· etc.
3 . Methodology
· Research Methods Employed 35
· etc.
4. Findings, Analysys, Results,
· Findings 78
· Analysis 91
· Results
5. Conclusions, Implications, and Recommendations
· Results 102
· Conclusions 108
· Implications 123
· etc.
Appendices
A. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 140
B. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 148
C. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 155 etc.
Reference List 198
Note: Count and print the number of this page centered here in
lowercase Roman.
Sample Reference List

American Psychological Association (2010). Publication manual
of the American Psychological Association. (6th ed.).
Washington, D.C.: Author.
Bolker, J. (1998). Writing your Research Reportin fifteen
minutes a day: A guide to starting, revising, and finishing your
doctoral thesis. New York, NY: Henry Holt Publishing.
Kiernan, V (2005). Writing Your Dissertation with Microsoft
Word. MattilyPublishing, Alexandria, Virginia

6
A fallacy is an error in reasoning or thinking. It is important to
understand and spot fallacies in our own arguments as well as
others. This is a component of Critical Thinking.
Common Fallacies
1. How can anyone seriously believe in evolution? I certainly
don’t. How can you take seriously a theory that claims humans
are just monkeys with less hair and that our ancestors were
apes?
This commits the Straw Man fallacy. Evolutionary theory just
doesn't claim that humans are monkeys with less hair. That's a
vast oversimplification of the theory, hence you've created a
'straw' version of the original theory.
2. A recent study showed that students who cram immediately
before examinations usually get lower grades than those who do
not. Well, I certainly won’t make that mistake this term. I’m not
even going to open a book during the exam period.
The student seems to be under the impression that because
cramming tends to come before having a bad grade, it's the
cause of the bad grade. But that's not correct, what causes the

bad grades is putting yourself in a position such that you need
to cram. Once you've done that you might as well cram as it
will minimize the damage that not working all term does. The
student has assumed that because a particular thing (i.e.,
cramming) tends to come before bad grades, it's the cause of the
bad grades. Thus, the student is committing a causal fallacy (in
particular, the post hoc fallacy).
3. If you don't get to bed early, you'll be too tired to do well on
the GRE tomorrow. If that happens, you won't get accepted into
a decent graduate school. You’ll end up a washed-out alcoholic
living in a trash-bin.
This is a pretty clear instance of the slippery slope fallacy.
Many 'if-then' claims are made here (and some others seem to
be assumed), that together make a very weak case for the
ultimate conclusion of the argument.
4. Two weeks after they put fluoride in St. John’s water I got
sick. I had a fever and couldn’t keep solid food down. So, I
switched to drinking bottled water and I recovered in a day or
so. That fluoridated water is dangerous stuff.
This is another instance of a causal fallacy (again, a post-hoc
fallacy). Just because the fluoridation of the water preceded the
headache and the headache cleared up after he stopped drinking
fluoridated water, we can't assume that the fluoride caused the
headache. We'd need much better evidence than that.
5. War is the only way of stopping Saddam Hussein. After all,
sanctions haven’t worked at all.
This seems to assume a false dichotomy, i.e., it seems to assume
that the only options are war or sanctions. But what about
diplomacy or other possibilities? In other words, the argument
assumes that the possibilities of sanctions and war exhaust all
the possibilities, but they don't. As such it commits the fallacy
of false dichotomy.

6. If the police knew that Bobo had a motive for the crime then
he would be a suspect. But the police do not know that Bobo
had a motive, therefore he's not a suspect.
Notice that the first sentence doesn't say 'Bobo would only be a
suspect if the police knew he had a motive for the crime.' As
such, we can't conclude that because they don't know this, he's
not a suspect. There may be other reasons to consider him one.
The argument has the form:
P1: If A then B
P2: It is not the case that A
C: It is not the case that B
As such, it commits the fallacy of denying the antecedent.
7. Undemocratic societies kill the human spirit. The reason is
clear: unless the people have the power in their society, the
human spirit withers.
This is a pretty standard instance of begging the question. The
conclusion seems to be that undemocratic societies kill the
human spirit, but the only reason we are given to believe this is
essentially that same conclusion in different terms.
8. Darwin's theory of evolution is just that, a theory. Theories
are just speculation with no evidence behind them. We don't
want our children to learn theories with no evidence behind
them, so we shouldn't allow the theory of evolution to be taught
in school.
This commits the fallacy of equivocation. We do sometimes use
the word 'theory' to mean a speculation with little or no
evidence behind it, but that's not the way we're using the word
when we describe the theory of evolution as a theory. Hence, a
word is being used in 2 quite distinct ways here, but the arguer
is acting as though he is using the word consistently throughout
the argument.
9. Anyone who teaches philosophy is an obnoxious freak, so

that obnoxious freak over there must be a philosophy teacher.
This affirms the consequent. Even if it is true that all
philosophy teachers are obnoxious freaks, it doesn't follow that
all obnoxious freaks are philosophy teachers.
Another way of expressing the argument is:
P1: If you teach philosophy then you are an obnoxious freak.
P2: The person is an obnoxious freak.
C: That person must teach philosophy.
But that argument is invalid for the reason mentioned above.
10. What Peter Singer said about us needing to give more to
charity can't be right. After all, Singer is just another one of
those obnoxious freaks.
This is a case of a clear ad hominen fallacy. Singer's argument
isn't attacked here, Singer is.
11. A trendy treatment coming out right now, suggests that you
can lose weight by drinking apple cider vinegar. Everyone’s
doing it. I’m going to start this tomorrow.
This is an example of newness,jumping on the bandwagon/peer
pressure, falling prey to the argument of newness or that
everyone is doing something.
12. A study found 50 Japanese participants lived longer just by
eating fresh fish every day. I’m sure that could work with
African American men living in Florida.
This is a case of overgeneralizing. What works for one study
means that it worked for one study. Findings from research need
to accumulate and studies need to be done on different groups
of people to suggest effectiveness.
13. Dr. Offenheimer is a leading scientist at Duke University, so
certainly we need to pay attention to what he says.
This is an instance of believing in something based
on authority, title, and/or expertise, etc.
14. I think we should cancel our trip with Aardvark air, I just
read a review by a woman, who said it was a terrible airline.
This is an example of making a decision based on a single case,
an anecdote, or a very small sample size.

CT Exercise
Review each practice scenario and determine if it contains a
fallacy and if so, which fallacy is it an example of?
1. Dr. Ernie Lichtenstein presented a new treatment for
adolescent Depression last night. He was so thorough, organized
and very dynamic. What an amazing presenter. I’m thinking of
trying his approach with one of my adolescent clients.
2. The Clinical Director from the New Hope agency was
mentioning that a new version of EMDR has come out with
promising results. Apparently, a study with 30 participants in
Australia found a reduction in trauma symptoms with middle
age adults. You might want to try this with your clients.
3. I know that there are no studies showing evidence for ABC
therapy’s effectiveness, but my years of clinical experience and
gut instinct tell me differently.
4. I think we need to exercise caution when we listen to Dr.
Sanchez. I know she has accumulated research evidence on
Bipolar disorder, but she is rather weird.
5. I just read an article on Facebook about Dementia and I
think we should consider starting a program here for patients.
6. Did you notice that the presenter never defined the terms he
was talking about, even when asked directly? I think I need to
hear more about this before I try that medication.
7. If we don’t get this client into services now, she could really
hurt herself, and if that happens we both could be fired.
8. How could anyone take the Psychodynamic theory seriously
at this time? Are we really to believe that we’re all running
around with ids and superegos fighting, with our egos trying to
mediate?
Scoring:
Compare your answers to those below. Give yourself one point
for each correct identification of a fallacy and another point if
you correctly identified which fallacy it was.
1. Fallacy- Newness and/or authority

2. Fallacy- overgeneralization
3. Fallacy- single case and/or your own authority
4. Fallacy- ad hominen
5. Fallacy- single case and/or overgeneralizing
6. Not a fallacy
7. Fallacy- Slippery slope
8. Fallacy- Straw man
Provide your total score to your Instructor with an answer to the
following question.
Think of a time when you committed a thinking fallacy and
describe the situation and what fallacy you fell victim to.

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