1. Presentation of Findings
Writing Your Research

2. Review of Assignment 3 Components Background/ Introduction
Problem Statement
Literature Review
Theoretical Framework
Logical Structure
Research Questions/ Objectives/ Hypotheses

3. Assignment 3 Cont’d Procedures Reliability and Validity
Research Design
Population and Sample
Methodologies (Two)
Data Collection Instruments
Reliability and Validity

4. Importance of Presenting
Results must be communicated- properly- or research is wasted.
Rayward, past editor of Library Quarterly says there is
“a serious professional and academic obligation to report what [we] discover… the contributions of dissertations and reports to professional knowledge is not complete until they are published as either articles or books.”

6. Proper Presentation
Effective use of language (see Elements of Style, Strunk & White) includes:
Proper Grammar and spelling (forget spellcheck)
Three C’s: Clear, Concise, Coherent
Active voice preferred
Avoid personal pronouns (and overuse of the “the author”)

7. Central Arguments -Creswell
Questions to frame your presentation:
What do we need to better understand your topic?
What do we know little about in terms of your topic?
What do you propose to study?
What has already been learned or reported in this area?
What are the setting and the people that you will study?

8. Central Arguments -Adapted from Creswell
What methods do you plan to use to provide data?
How will you analyze the data?
How will you validate your findings?
Does your study present any ethical issues?
Does your study present any special limitations?
What is the practicability and value of the proposed study?

9. Four Considerations
Content
Structure
Style
Readership

10. Basic Considerations Audience Length Aim of Report
Your intended audience (academics, employers, colleagues…)
Outlets for publication and their general readership
Length
For publication, roughly 25 pages.
Aim of Report
Exploration, Description, Explanation?
Clarify distinctions between findings (facts), statistical inferences, personal inferences, projections.
Identify the computations, statistics, etc. that support conclusions.

11. Organization of Report
Background/ Introduction
Problem Statement
Literature Review
Research Questions
Procedures (Research Design, Methodology)
Findings
Discussion
Conclusion

12. General Guidelines Include all necessary information
Full research design, methodology, analysis
Be specific about how and why you draw the conclusions you do so readers can logically follow
Acknowledge limitations
Integrate supplementary information fully (tables, charts, figures)

13. General Guidelines Cont’d
Develop an outline
Allow for flexibility in developing ideas, especially with qualitative data. Data may need to be organized and reorganized. Ideas will be continually refined as patterns emerge
Good writing is like good teaching: Tell them what you’re going to tell them; Tell them; Tell them what you told them.

14. Special Considerations for Publication
Become familiar with publications
Know their “typical” audience
Know their “typical” article- style, topic, etc.
Select appropriate outlets for your material
Carefully review submission guidelines
Be prepared to revise
Most common complaint of editors is that authors seem unfamiliar with the journals to which they submit.

15. References
Babbie, E. (2005). The basics of social research. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing.
Gorman, G.E. & Clayton, P. (2005). Qualitative research for the information professional: A practical handbook. London: Facet Publishing.