NTUT Writing Week 8 “The Experimental Research Report”

Typical Sections of the Experimental Research Report

Before Reading A Complete Report:  Take a good look at the following questions :  1. How many major sections does this experimental research report contain? Which major section does not have a heading?  2. What kind of information does each major section contain? Do any major sections have more than one kind of information ? Which ones?  3. How does the format of this report compare with the general model ?  Take a good look at the following questions :  1. How many major sections does this experimental research report contain? Which major section does not have a heading?  2. What kind of information does each major section contain? Do any major sections have more than one kind of information ? Which ones?  3. How does the format of this report compare with the general model ?

Complete Report: An Example

More Warm-Up Questions:  ** Formulating a Research Question : As the basis on which the study is planned & carried out.  A researcher interested in studying the effect of industrial pollution might formulate a question like the following:  “What are the effects of increased concentrations of sulfuric acid in the atmosphere on production of grain sorghum?” Or  “Do increased concentrations of sulfuric acid in the atmosphere lead to significant decreases in the production of grain sorghum?”  ** Formulating a Research Question : As the basis on which the study is planned & carried out.  A researcher interested in studying the effect of industrial pollution might formulate a question like the following:  “What are the effects of increased concentrations of sulfuric acid in the atmosphere on production of grain sorghum?” Or  “Do increased concentrations of sulfuric acid in the atmosphere lead to significant decreases in the production of grain sorghum?”

 ** Formulating a Hypothesis : a statement of expected results.  A hypothesis based on the research question in the previous section might look like this:  “Abnormally high concentrations of sulfuric acid in the atmosphere have no effect on the production of grain sorghum.”  **When the hypothesis is stated in a negative way, it is called the null hypothesis. The purpose of the experiment is to determine whether the hypothesis can be rejected or not.  ** Formulating a Hypothesis : a statement of expected results.  A hypothesis based on the research question in the previous section might look like this:  “Abnormally high concentrations of sulfuric acid in the atmosphere have no effect on the production of grain sorghum.”  **When the hypothesis is stated in a negative way, it is called the null hypothesis. The purpose of the experiment is to determine whether the hypothesis can be rejected or not.

In-Class Drills: Research Question & Hypothesis  Based on the previous report on microcomputers in teaching, can you locate:  1. Research Questions :  2. Hypothesis:  3. Are the hypotheses stated as null hypotheses ? (Yes or No?)  ** In many journal articles the hypotheses are not often stated explicitly, as they are in this article.**  Based on the previous report on microcomputers in teaching, can you locate:  1. Research Questions :  2. Hypothesis:  3. Are the hypotheses stated as null hypotheses ? (Yes or No?)  ** In many journal articles the hypotheses are not often stated explicitly, as they are in this article.**

**Add Headings Where They Are Appropriate**

Postscript  1. How is your paper similar to or different from the typical structure?  2. What research questions are you trying to answer?  3. What hypotheses can you formulate to answer your research questions?  4. In what ways do you structure your paper so as to make it both an in-depth analysis and an easy read?  1. How is your paper similar to or different from the typical structure?  2. What research questions are you trying to answer?  3. What hypotheses can you formulate to answer your research questions?  4. In what ways do you structure your paper so as to make it both an in-depth analysis and an easy read?