"Writing the Report and Dissemination" powerpoint presented as part of the MA Research Sessions in 2010-11 and 11/12

1. Writing the report and
dissemination
Dr. Ian Terrell

2. There are three major audiences for the report
for you to consider
• 1. The Academic Audience for Assessment of the
module.
• 2. Disseminating the Research to Practitioners,
Stakeholders and others.
• 3. Publication.

3. 1. The Academic Audience for Assessment of
the module.
For this audience you will need to recognise the following:
• Suggested structures (format and structure examples in
coming slides)
• Writing to Assessment Criteria
• Using an assessment criteria checklist.
• Following Module Guide Instructions for action enquiry,
dissertation or other
• Writing an abstract
• Use of standard "Harvard" referencing system

4. 1. The Academic Audience for Assessment of
the module (contd.)
Further Suggestions:
• Formal Research often uses the third person (e.g. The
Research involved.......)
• Uses the past tense.
• Link sections by introductions that say what went before and
what happens in the section following (signposting).
• Link sections with conclusions that summarise what has
happened in the section.
• Be consistent over headings and sub headings (and sub
headings)

5. Format of Dissertations
Format:
• Clearly signposted and easy to locate
• Contents
• Headings
• Subheadings
• Paragraphs
• Spacing
• Margins
• Footer
• Page Numbers
• Professional
• Structured
• Ordered

6. Format of dissertation (contd.)
Genre:
• "Formal but personal"
• Title so you know what it is about
• Statistical
• Analytical
• Multiple methods of presenting data
• When to be formal and when to be personal

7. Format of dissertation (contd.)
Focus:
• Clear focus
• Keep it focused
• Reinforce the focus
• Questioning
• Analysing data
• Research
• Evaluation
Examples :
• ICT use
• Assessment for learning
• Evaluation of Implementation Projects
• Black pupils in secondary schools

8. Format of dissertation (contd.)
Audience:
• Teachers/Senior management Primary school.
• Teachers/Secondary Ks3/College
• Teachers/Assessment Coordinators
• Educationalists

9. Dissertation Structure
This is one possible structure for the dissertation, it is not a
template and you may wish to vary your work to make it more
appropriate for your research. The total word count should be
around 18,000 words so the suggested number of words for
each section is an approximation!
Abstract - 300 words
Introduction - 1000 words
•needs and justification for the research
•context,
Professional Autobiography - 500 words
•experiences
•beliefs and values
•possible bias

10. Dissertation Structure (contd.)
A Review of the literature - 6000 words
• How far the literature answers the research question
• Towards an initial conceptual model
• The remaining research questions

11. Dissertation Structure (contd.)
Methodology and Methods - 5000 words
• What is this research as an activity?
• Knowledge creation in the research
• Truthfulness in the Research
• Beliefs and values
• Power, Involvement and the Research Process
• The importance of context in small scale case studies
• Generalising from the Research
• Social Construction
• Ethics
Data collection - methods and justification
Data analysis - methods and justification

12. Dissertation Structure (contd.)
The results, analysis, explanation and
discussion - 6000 words
• Description of the Data
• Analysis and explanation of the data
• Towards a new conceptual model
• Self evaluation of the research findings
• Discussion
• Conclusion - 500 words

13. Criteria Checklist
• Click on the link below and open the criteria
checklist document:
http://midwhebonline.org.uk/research/research-ma

14. Writing an abstract
Guidance on writing an abstract
An abstract is a short summary ( about 300 words)
giving an outline of
• 1. The focus of the enquiry or problem and why it is
important or justified as a topic.
• 2. The method, procedures or approach used to explore this.
• 3. The key result or finding of the enquiry.
• 4. Main conclusion and implication.
• For an example see:
http://midwhebonline.org.uk/research/research-materials/the-rep

15. 2. Disseminating the Research to Practitioners,
Stakeholders and others.
Consider a version for other audiences, for example:
• Executive summary format (example on next slide)
• The 30 second read brochure.
• Putting on the web. (YouTube, Wesite, facebook, Blog etc)

17. 3. Publication
Consider sending a version to a journal. Select the journal from
practice based or research journals. Each journal will have
details for authors and you will not get published unless you
comply. Write to the journals style and content.
S
See for example :
•Sage Online
•Taylor Francis