Q1 Discuss the reasons for writing a good research report ?

(15)
Good information is important in order to;
1. Understand the context in which the project is taing p!ace.
". Understand the causes and effects of the issue that is #eing addressed.
$. Understand what others are doing in order to a%oid dup!ication and to wor
together if appropriate.
&. 'nsure that response taes into account a!! factors and is the most appropriate and
effecti%e for the situation.
5. Understand how the context is changing( the response can address potentia! future
needs or pre%ent pro#!ems from arising.
). *ustif+ the cause of action to our organi,ation #eneficiaries( donors and others we
are woring with.
-. .earn form past successes and mistaes.
/. 0ro%ide good e%idence for the report.
1esearch ena#!es us to find out the facts a#out the need. 2his wi!! he!p us to now
how #est to address it. 1esearch in%o!%es ta!ing to peop!e or accessing written
information.
2horough research shou!d !oo at socia!( technica!( economic( en%ironmenta! and
po!itica! factors. 2his might he!p to identif+ new staeho!ders and riss to the project.
3onsider 2he 4o!!owing
1. 2he areas histor+.
". Geograph+( c!imate( en%ironment( e.g main features( maps( communication( area(
seasona! pro#!ems.
$. 0opu!ation mem#ers( age and sex profi!e.
&. 5ocia! s+stems and structures re!igious di%isions( status of women( socia!
institutions
5. 0o!itics6 !oca! po!itica! hierarchies( effects of centra! go%ernment( e.g sta#i!it+(
po!icing on food prices.
). 1e!igion and wor!d %iew6 re!igious #e!iefs( groups and churches.
-. 3u!ture6 norms and practices( other cu!tura! groups in the area( !anguages.
/. .i%ing condition6 t+pes of housing( water and sanitation.
7. 'conomics6 sauce of income( crops !andho!ding( a%erage dai!+ wage.
18. 'ducation6 schoo!s( !iterac+ rates
11. 9ea!th6 morta!it+ rates( causes of death and i!!ness( !oca! hea!th ser%ices.
1". 5er%ices and de%e!opment program e.g :G;s and 3ommunit+ pre%ious
experience.
Q". a) Discuss the se%era! 3omponents a research report (15)
1. <ntroduction.
". =ac ground
$. 0ro#!em statement
&. 1esearch o#jecti%es
5. 1esearch Question (;ptiona!) >1esearch 9+pothesis
). *ustification of 1esearch
-. 5cope of 1esearch
/. !iterature 1e%iews>3onceptua! 4ramewor
7. 1esearch methodo!og+
18. .ate presentation and ?na!+sis 2echni@ues
11. 3onc!usions
1". 1eferences
1$. 2ime 5ca!e
1&. =udget
Q" a) Discuss the genera! 3omponents of a research report. (15 mars)
1. 5tatement of the pro#!em
". 1esearch @uestions
$. 2opics
&. ;#jecti%es
5. 9+pothesis
). .iterature re%iew
-. De!imitations
/. .imitations
7. Data ana!+sis
18. Discussion of resu!ts
11. 1ecommendations and fina!!+
1". 3onc!usion
Q$ a) what is a !iterature re%iew?
#) Ahat are the sources of !iterature re%iew?
3) Discuss #rief!+ fi%e major issues that shou!d #e addressed in the !iterature re%iew.

a) What is literature review?
A description, critical analysis and evaluation of what other
key authors/researchers have written and or researched on
in the area/ topic or research problem.
A critical summary of research on the topic of interest often
prepared to put a research problem into context or as basis
for an implementation of a project.
omprehensive search of recent relevant literature.
!he critical review that forms the foundation on which your
research is built.
!he selection of available documents "both published and
unpublished on the topic, which contain information, ideas,
data and evidence written from a particular stand point to
ful#ll certain views on the nature of the topic and how it is to
be investi$ated, and the e%ective evaluation of these
documents in relation to the research bein$ proposed.
Q$ #) Ahat are the sources of a !iterature re%iew?
5e%era! sources
a) &rimary sources of literature
'irst occurrence(
)eports
onference proceedin$
*issertation thesis
+npublished thesis
ompany reports
,arket research reports
-o. publications
+npublished manuscripts "letters, memos)
,emos and committee minutes
b) /econdary sources
5cho!ar!+ academic artic!es
4ormu!as( periodica!s( seria!s( maga,ines
'dited no refereed journa!s
1efereed journa!s6 authentic6 e.g. journa! of management studies.
0rofessiona! journa! B exercise caution. 2he+ contain news as we!! as detai!ed
artic!es.
.iterature from ear!ier research
=oos
;ther Go, reports B po!ic+ documents( ?cts
:ewspapers
c) !ertiary /ources
0ncyclopedias
1ndices
Abstracts
* 2 )oms
1nternet
atalo$
*ictionaries
3iblio$raphies
itation 1ndices
d) !he 1nternet
e) !akin$ notes
3) Discuss #rief!+ fi%e major issues that shou!d #e addressed in !iterature re%iew
4) *evelop a deeper understandin$ of the problem, its context and
major components.
5) &rovides some back$round knowled$e to your research
investi$ations and other objectives 2 $ivin$ a more scholarly
research.
6) 1dentity and $ain insi$ht into the theoretical perspective of the
problem and trends that have emer$ed.
7) ,inimi.e risks8 reachin$ dead ends, e%ort wastin$ and error
activities that are directed towards approaches that have been
discarded by previous researchers.
9) -enerates comprehensive knowled$e for researchers to proceed
until conference. 2 /timulates and aid in $eneratin$ new ideas
based on other researcher:s experiences.
;) <elp you further re#ne your research =uestions and objectives.
>) 1dentify theories, ideas and results/data with which you may
use/test or compare and evaluate your data.
?) !o discover explicit recommendations for further research.
@) &rovide insi$ht into research strate$ies and methodolo$ies that
may be appropriate to your own research =uestions and
objectives.