TECHNICAL WRITING [UWB20302] Findings Mdm Siti Aisyah binti Akiah

(1) Processing Data (2) Writing Findings (3) Writing Discussion (4) Presenting Data Findings

WHAT: Converting raw data (collected information) into meaningful statements WHEN: After the data collection has been completed WHY The raw data that have been organised could provide answers to the research questions HOW: - Manually (using data sheets) - Using computer (using a spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel or database file of a statistical package e.g. SPSS) * For big number of respondents, it is advisable to give codes for responses to quantitative-type questions TYPES OF DATA: –Q–Quantitative (e.g. numbers, statistics) –Q–Qualitative (e.g. descriptions, explanations)

Record Categorise Organise Tables Graphs Charts Illustrate Data Processing (Con’t)

Table 4.1: Sample Data Sheet Done Manually Note: HP = hand phone Organising Data – Record & Categorise

Table 4.2: Sample Database File Using Microsoft Excel Organising Data – Record & Categorise (Con’t)

Table 4.3: Sample Datasheet Using Coding System Organising Data – Record & Categorise (Con’t)

Gender HP Service Provider Total TalktimeAircomLemonRing Male2305 Female2125 Total44210 Table 4.4: Gender versus HP Service Providers Note: HP = hand phone Illustrating Data – Using Table

Figure 4.1: HP Service Providers versus Gender Illustrating Data – Using Graph

Figure 4.2: Gender versus Types of HP Service Provider Illustrating Data – Using Graph (Con’t)

Illustrating Data – Using Chart

Writing Findings Section One of the most important sections of your report Discoveries based on facts, data or responses from the respondents Interpretation of frequencies in the illustrations that describe the data The most common statistics used to present the quantitative data are percentages, frequency counts, and averages Example:

Organising Findings Type AType B Findings / Results Topic 1 Topic 2 Topic 3 Topic 4 Discussion Topic 1 Topic 2 Topic 3 Topic 4 Topic 1 Findings / Results Discussion Topic 2 Findings / Results Discussion Topic 3 Findings / Results Discussion Topic 4 Findings / Results Discussion

Strategies in Writing Discussion Section 1.Explain the findings 2.Compare the findings 3.Evaluate the findings 4.Infer from the findings

Explain the findings – give reasons for the result Example: Based on Figure 3, the results clearly show that most of the students who took part in the survey preferred the prepaid plan. Only a small fraction of the students used the post-paid plan as opposed to those who used the prepaid plan. The result were predictable as the respondents were all students, and the prepaid plan seemed to be the most suitable plan to cater for the needs of the students as they paid for what they used only. While there were a handful of students from wealthy families, the majority of the students simply could not afford the post-paid plan.

Compare the findings – with other research within the same field Example: It can be summarised that SMS was the most popular means of communication among students of higher learning institutions. This trend was very much expected as students live on a strict budget. This was similar to the findings of another study conducted by Param et. al. (2003) at Universiti Barat Malaysia which found that SMS was the primary reason why students owned a handset.

Evaluate the findings – provide an assessment of the findings Example: Better coverage of certain service providers means that service is available over a wider coverage. One of the service providers claimed that its cellular network offered a more stable and wider coverage in most parts of Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak compared to the other service providers. This claim seemed to have found credibility among the students in most institutions of higher learning. However, there was no way of verifying this claim as there had been no studies conducted on the network coverage of all service providers in the country. As such, the responses by the students on the better coverage of one service provider seemed to be based on hearsay.

Infer from the findings – develop your viewpoints and ideas based on the facts and results Example: The traffic information was the least attractive peripheral service provided by the hand phone service provider among the respondents. This was expected as the university was situated far from the busy metropolitan area. Apart from that, many of the students lived in the campus and did not need traffic information to go to their classes. As such, traffic information may not be useful to them.