One of the reasons for carrying out research is to add to the existing body of knowledge. Therefore, when conducting research, you need to document your processes and findings in a research report.
With a research report, it is easy to outline the findings of your systematic investigation and any gaps needing further inquiry. Knowing how to create a detailed research report will prove useful when you need to conduct research.
A research report is a well-crafted document that outlines the processes, data, and findings of a systematic investigation. It is an important document that serves as a first-hand account of the research process, and it is typically considered an objective and accurate source of information.
In many ways, a research report can be considered as a summary of the research process that clearly highlights findings, recommendations, and other important details. Reading a well-written research report should provide you with all the information you need about the core areas of the research process.
So how do you recognize a research report when you see one? Here are some of the basic features that define a research report.
The research report is classified based on two things; nature of research and target audience.
This is the type of report written for qualitative research . It outlines the methods, processes, and findings of a qualitative method of systematic investigation. In educational research, a qualitative research report provides an opportunity for one to apply his or her knowledge and develop skills in planning and executing qualitative research projects.
A qualitative research report is usually descriptive in nature. Hence, in addition to presenting details of the research process, you must also create a descriptive narrative of the information.
A quantitative research report is a type of research report that is written for quantitative research. Quantitative research is a type of systematic investigation that pays attention to numerical or statistical values in a bid to find answers to research questions.
In this type of research report, the researcher presents quantitative data to support the research process and findings. Unlike a qualitative research report that is mainly descriptive, a quantitative research report works with numbers; that is, it is numerical in nature.
Also, a research report can be said to be technical or popular based on the target audience. If you’re dealing with a general audience, you would need to present a popular research report, and if you’re dealing with a specialized audience, you would submit a technical report.
A technical research report is a detailed document that you present after carrying out industry-based research. This report is highly specialized because it provides information for a technical audience; that is, individuals with above-average knowledge in the field of study.
In a technical research report, the researcher is expected to provide specific information about the research process, including statistical analyses and sampling methods. Also, the use of language is highly specialized and filled with jargon.
Examples of technical research reports include legal and medical research reports.
A popular research report is one for a general audience; that is, for individuals who do not necessarily have any knowledge in the field of study. A popular research report aims to make information accessible to everyone.
It is written in very simple language, which makes it easy to understand the findings and recommendations. Examples of popular research reports are the information contained in newspapers and magazines.
A lot of detail goes into writing a research report, and getting familiar with the different requirements would help you create the ideal research report. A research report is usually broken down into multiple sections, which allows for a concise presentation of information.
This is the title of your systematic investigation. Your title should be concise and point to the aims, objectives, and findings of a research report.
This is like a compass that makes it easier for readers to navigate the research report.
An abstract is an overview that highlights all important aspects of the research including the research method, data collection process, and research findings. Think of an abstract as a summary of your research report that presents pertinent information in a concise manner.
An abstract is always brief; typically 100-150 words and goes straight to the point. The focus of your research abstract should be the 5Ws and 1H format – What, Where, Why, When, Who and How.
Here, the researcher highlights the aims and objectives of the systematic investigation as well as the problem which the systematic investigation sets out to solve. When writing the report introduction, it is also essential to indicate whether the purposes of the research were achieved or would require more work.
In the introduction section, the researcher specifies the research problem and also outlines the significance of the systematic investigation. Also, the researcher is expected to outline any jargons and terminologies that are contained in the research.
A literature review is a written survey of existing knowledge in the field of study. In other words, it is the section where you provide an overview and analysis of different research works that are relevant to your systematic investigation.
It highlights existing research knowledge and areas needing further investigation, which your research has sought to fill. At this stage, you can also hint at your research hypothesis and its possible implications for the existing body of knowledge in your field of study.
This is a detailed account of the research process, including the methodology, sample, and research subjects. Here, you are expected to provide in-depth information on the research process including the data collection and analysis procedures.
In a quantitative research report, you’d need to provide information surveys, questionnaires and other quantitative data collection methods used in your research. In a qualitative research report, you are expected to describe the qualitative data collection methods used in your research including interviews and focus groups.
In this section, you are expected to present the results of the systematic investigation.
This section further explains the findings of the research, earlier outlined. Here, you are expected to present a justification for each outcome and show whether the results are in line with your hypotheses or if other research studies have come up with similar results.
This is a summary of all the information in the report. It also outlines the significance of the entire study.
This section contains a list of all the primary and secondary research sources.
As is obtainable when writing an essay, defining the context for your research report would help you create a detailed yet concise document. This is why you need to create an outline before writing so that you do not miss out on anything.
Writing with your audience in mind is essential as it determines the tone of the report. If you’re writing for a general audience, you would want to present the information in a simple and relatable manner. For a specialized audience, you would need to make use of technical and field-specific terms.
The idea of a research report is to present some sort of abridged version of your systematic investigation. In your report, you should exclude irrelevant information while highlighting only important data and findings.
Your research report should include illustrations and other visual representations of your data. Graphs, pie charts, and relevant images lend additional credibility to your systematic investigation.
A good research report title is brief, precise, and contains keywords from your research. It should provide a clear idea of your systematic investigation so that readers can grasp the entire focus of your research from the title.
Before publishing the document, ensure that you give it a second look to authenticate the information. If you can, get someone else to go through the report, too, and you can also run it through proofreading and editing software.
Every research aims at solving a specific problem or set of problems, and this should be at the back of your mind when writing your research report. Understanding the problem would help you to filter the information you have and include only important data in your report.
This is somewhat similar to the point above because, in some way, the aim of your research report is intertwined with the objectives of your systematic investigation. Identifying the primary purpose of writing a research report would help you to identify and present the required information accordingly.
Knowing your target audience plays a crucial role in data collection for a research report. If your research report is specifically for an organization, you would want to present industry-specific information or show how the research findings are relevant to the work that the company does.
A survey is a research method that is used to gather data from a specific group of people through a set of questions. It can be either quantitative or qualitative.
A survey is usually made up of structured questions, and it can be administered online or offline. However, an online survey is a more effective method of research data collection because it helps you save time and gather data with ease.
You can seamlessly create an online questionnaire for your research on Formplus . With the multiple sharing options available in the builder, you would be able to administer your survey to respondents in little or no time.
Formplus also has a report summary too l that you can use to create custom visual reports for your research.
In the Formplus builder, you can easily create different online questionnaires for your research by dragging and dropping preferred fields into your form. To access the Formplus builder, you will need to create an account on Formplus.
Once you do this, sign in to your account and click on Create new form to begin.
Always remember that a research report is just as important as the actual systematic investigation because it plays a vital role in communicating research findings to everyone else. This is why you must take care to create a concise document summarizing the process of conducting any research.
In this article, we’ve outlined essential tips to help you create a research report. When writing your report, you should always have the audience at the back of your mind, as this would set the tone for the document.
Connect to Formplus, Get Started Now - It's Free!
You may also like:
In this article, you’ll learn about different assessment tools to help you evaluate performance in various contexts
In this article, we will discuss a number of chrome extensions you can use to make your research process even seamless
Learn how to write problem statements before commencing any research effort. Learn about its structure and explore examples
Simple guide on ethnographic research, it types, methods, examples and advantages. Also highlights how to conduct an ethnographic...
Collect data the right way with a versatile data collection tool. try formplus and transform your work productivity today..
.pdf version of this page
This review covers the basic elements of a research report. This is a general guide for what you will see in journal articles or dissertations. This format assumes a mixed methods study, but you can leave out either quantitative or qualitative sections if you only used a single methodology.
This review is divided into sections for easy reference. There are five MAJOR parts of a Research Report:
1. Introduction 2. Review of Literature 3. Methods 4. Results 5. Discussion
As a general guide, the Introduction, Review of Literature, and Methods should be about 1/3 of your paper, Discussion 1/3, then Results 1/3.
Section 1 : Cover Sheet (APA format cover sheet) optional, if required.
Section 2: Abstract (a basic summary of the report, including sample, treatment, design, results, and implications) (≤ 150 words) optional, if required.
Section 3 : Introduction (1-3 paragraphs) • Basic introduction • Supportive statistics (can be from periodicals) • Statement of Purpose • Statement of Significance
Section 4 : Research question(s) or hypotheses • An overall research question (optional) • A quantitative-based (hypotheses) • A qualitative-based (research questions) Note: You will generally have more than one, especially if using hypotheses.
Section 5: Review of Literature ▪ Should be organized by subheadings ▪ Should adequately support your study using supporting, related, and/or refuting evidence ▪ Is a synthesis, not a collection of individual summaries
Section 6: Methods ▪ Procedure: Describe data gathering or participant recruitment, including IRB approval ▪ Sample: Describe the sample or dataset, including basic demographics ▪ Setting: Describe the setting, if applicable (generally only in qualitative designs) ▪ Treatment: If applicable, describe, in detail, how you implemented the treatment ▪ Instrument: Describe, in detail, how you implemented the instrument; Describe the reliability and validity associated with the instrument ▪ Data Analysis: Describe type of procedure (t-test, interviews, etc.) and software (if used)
Section 7: Results ▪ Restate Research Question 1 (Quantitative) ▪ Describe results ▪ Restate Research Question 2 (Qualitative) ▪ Describe results
Section 8: Discussion ▪ Restate Overall Research Question ▪ Describe how the results, when taken together, answer the overall question ▪ ***Describe how the results confirm or contrast the literature you reviewed
Section 9: Recommendations (if applicable, generally related to practice)
Section 10: Limitations ▪ Discuss, in several sentences, the limitations of this study. ▪ Research Design (overall, then info about the limitations of each separately) ▪ Sample ▪ Instrument/s ▪ Other limitations
Section 11: Conclusion (A brief closing summary)
Section 12: References (APA format)
About research rundowns.
Research Rundowns was made possible by support from the Dewar College of Education at Valdosta State University .
Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.
The primary objective of a research report is to communicate the results of a research study to a wider audience, including other researchers, policymakers, and practitioners. Research reports play a crucial role in advancing knowledge and understanding in various fields of study. They provide a detailed and accurate account of the research process and outcomes, and they serve as a reference source for future research.
The structure of a research report typically follows a standard format. The introduction sets the context and background for the research and outlines the research questions or objectives. The literature review provides an overview of existing research on the topic and identifies gaps in the literature that the research aims to address. The methodology section describes the research design and methods used to collect and analyze data. The results section presents the findings of the study, often using tables, charts, and graphs. The discussion section interprets and contextualizes the findings and compares them to previous research. Finally, the conclusion summarizes the key findings and implications of the research, highlighting any limitations and recommendations for future research.
A research report can take various forms, depending on the field of study and the research question. For example, it may be a quantitative or qualitative report, a literature review report, or a case study report. A research report should be clear, concise, and objective regardless of the form.
Research reports are essential for various reasons. First, they provide a detailed and accurate account of the research process and outcomes, which can inform policy and practice in various settings. Second, research reports contribute to the development of knowledge and understanding in a particular field or discipline. They provide a reference source for other researchers in the field, and they can inspire new research questions and directions. Finally, research reports are a crucial component of academic and professional careers. They demonstrate research skills, expertise, and contributions to the field.
Writing a research report can be a challenging task, but it is a crucial component of academic and professional research. An excellent research report should be clear, concise, and well-structured, with a focus on presenting accurate and objective findings. Here are some tips for writing an excellent research report:
A research report is a vital tool in disseminating research results to academic, professional, and public audiences. It provides a detailed analysis of the research problem, research questions, methodology, findings, and conclusions. Research reports are crucial in advancing knowledge and understanding in various fields of study, informing policy and practice, and contributing to academic and professional careers.
What is scholarly communication, literature review, patent: an overview, thesaurus construction and its role in indexing, what are bibliometrics, what is content analysis.
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.
Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.
Section 1- Evidence-based practice (EBP)
Components of a research report.
Partido, B.B.
Elements of research report
Introduction | What is the issue? |
Methods | What methods have been used to investigate the issue? |
Results | What was found? |
Discussion | What are the implications of the findings? |
The research report contains four main areas:
Formalized Curiosity for Knowledge and Innovation Copyright © by partido1. All Rights Reserved.
Understanding research reports, financial analyst research reports, research report impact, conflicts of interest.
James Chen, CMT is an expert trader, investment adviser, and global market strategist.
A research report is a document prepared by an analyst or strategist who is a part of the investment research team in a stock brokerage or investment bank . A research report may focus on a specific stock or industry sector, a currency, commodity or fixed-income instrument, or on a geographic region or country. Research reports generally, but not always, have actionable recommendations such as investment ideas that investors can act upon.
Research reports are produced by a variety of sources, ranging from market research firms to in-house departments at large organizations. When applied to the investment industry, the term usually refers to sell-side research, or investment research produced by brokerage houses.
Such research is disseminated to the institutional and retail clients of the brokerage that produces it. Research produced by the buy-side, which includes pension funds, mutual funds, and portfolio managers , is usually for internal use only and is not distributed to external parties.
Financial analysts may produce research reports for the purpose of supporting a particular recommendation, such as whether to buy or sell a particular security or whether a client should consider a particular financial product. For example, an analyst may create a report in regards to a new offering being proposed by a company. The report could include relevant metrics regarding the company itself, such as the number of years they have been in operation as well as the names of key stakeholders , along with statistics regarding the current state of the market in which the company participates. Information regarding overall profitability and the intended use of the funds can also be included.
Enthusiasts of the Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH) might insist that the value of professional analysts' research reports is suspect and that investors likely place too much confidence in the conclusions such analysts make. While a definitive conclusion about this topic is difficult to make because comparisons are not exact, some research papers do exist which claim empirical evidence supporting the value of such reports.
One such paper studied the market for India-based investments and analysts who cover them. The paper was published in the March 2014 edition of the International Research Journal of Business and Management. Its authors concluded that analyst recommendations do have an impact and are beneficial to investors at least in short-term decisions.
While some analysts are functionally unaffiliated, others may be directly or indirectly affiliated with the companies for which they produce reports. Unaffiliated analysts traditionally perform independent research to determine an appropriate recommendation and may have a limited concern regarding the outcome.
Affiliated analysts may feel best served by ensuring any research reports portray clients in a favorable light. Additionally, if an analyst is also an investor in the company on which the report is based, he may have a personal incentive to avoid topics that may result in a lowered valuation of the securities in which he has invested.
Research report: introduction, definition and report format.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
“Research report is a research document that contains basic aspects of the research project”.
Mostly, research work is presented in a written form. The practical utility of research study depends heavily on the way it is presented to those who are expected to act on the basis of research findings. Research report is a written document containing key aspects of research project.
Research report is a medium to communicate research work with relevant people. It is also a good source of preservation of research work for the future reference. Many times, research findings are not followed because of improper presentation. Preparation of research report is not an easy task. It is an art. It requires a good deal of knowledge, imagination, experience, and expertise. It demands a considerable time and money.
1. In simple words:
Research report is the systematic, articulate, and orderly presentation of research work in a written form.
2. We can also define the term as:
Research report is a research document that contains basic aspects of the research project.
3. In the same way, we can say:
Research report involves relevant information on the research work carried out. It may be in form of hand-written, typed, or computerized.
There is no one best format for all reports. Format depends on several relevant variables. One must employ a suitable format to create desirable impression with clarity. Report must be attractive. It should be written systematically and bound carefully. A report must use the format (often called structure) that best fit the needs and wants of its readers. Normally, following format is suggested as a basic outline, which has sufficient flexibly to meet the most situations.
Research report is divided into three parts as:
I. First Part (Formality Part):
(i) Cover page
(ii) Title page
(iii) Certificate or statement
(iv) Index (brief contents)
(v) Table of contents (detailed index)
(vi) Acknowledgement
(vii) List of tables and figures used
(viii) Preface/forwarding/introduction
(ix) Summary report
II. Main Report (Central Part of Report):
(i) Statement of objectives
(ii) Methodology and research design
(iii) Types of data and its sources
(iv) Sampling decisions
(v) Data collection methods
(vi) Data collection tools
(vii) Fieldwork
(viii) Analysis and interpretation (including tables, charts, figures, etc.)
(ix) Findings
(x) Limitations
(xi) Conclusions and recommendations
(xii) Any other relevant detail
III. Appendix (Additional Details) :
(i) Copies of forms used
(ii) Tables not included in findings
(iii) A copy of questionnaire
(iv) Detail of sampling and rate of response
(v) Statement of expenses
(vi) Bibliography – list of books, magazines, journals, and other reports
(vii) Any other relevant information
While preparing research report, following issues must be considered:
(i) Objectives
(ii) Type of problem/subject
(iii) Nature and type of research
(iv) Audience or users of research work
(v) Size of report
(vi) Form of writing – handwritten, typed, or computerized.
(vii) Time and cost
(viii) Language
(ix) Contents of report
(x) Order of contents
(xi) Number of copies
(xii) Format – type and size of paper; lengths width, and depth of report; and pattern of writing including paragraph, indent, numbering, font size and type, colouring, etc.
(xiii) Binding (for soft, and, particularly, for hard copy) – type, quality of material, colour, etc., related issues.
2544 Accesses
The objective of the chapter is to provide the conceptual framework of the research and research process and draw the importance of research in social sciences. Various books and research papers were reviewed to write the chapter. The chapter defines ‘research’ as a deliberate and systematic scientific investigation into a phenomenon to explore, analyse, and predict about the issues or circumstances, and characterizes ‘research’ as a systematic and scientific mode of inquiry, a way to testify the existing knowledge and theories, and a well-designed process to answer questions in a reliable and unbiased way. This chapter, however, categorizes research into eight types under four headings, explains six steps to carry out a research work scientifically, and finally sketches the importance of research in social sciences.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Institutional subscriptions
Adams, G. R., & Schvaneveldt, J. D. (1991). Understanding research methods . Addison-Wesley Longman Ltd.
Google Scholar
Adams, G., & Schvaneveldt, J. (1985). Obtaining Data: Questionnaire and Interview. Understanding research methods (pp. 199–229). Longman.
Adams, S. (1975). Evaluative research in corrections: A practical guide. US Department of Justice, Law Enforcement Assistance Administration, National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice.
Aminuzzaman, S. M. (1991). Introduction to social research . Bangladesh publishers.
Ary, D., Jacobs, L. C., & Sorensen, C. K. (2010). Introduction to research in education (8th ed.). Wardsworth.
Best, J. W., & Kahn, J. V. (1986). Research in education (5th ed.). Prentice Hall.
Bhattacherjee, A. (2012). Social science research: Principles, methods, and practices . University of South Florida.
Black, T. R. (1993). Evaluating social science research: An introduction . Sage.
Borg, W. R., & Gall, M. D. (1963). Educational research: An introduction . David McKay Company.
Burns, A. C. (2006). Marketing research. Pearson Education.
Connaway, L. S., & Powell, R. R. (2010). Basic research methods for librarians . ABC-CLIO.
Cresswell, J. W. (2008). Educational research: Planning, conducting and evaluating qualitative and quantitative research (4th ed.). Merrill & Prentice Hall.
Gebremedhin, T. G., & Tweeten, L. G. (1994). Research methods and communication in the social sciences . ABC-CLIO.
Ghosh, B. N. (1985). Scientific method and social research . Stwiling Publishers/Advent Books Division.
Given, L. M. (Ed.). (2008). The Sage encyclopaedia of qualitative research methods . Sage publications.
Greenwood, D. J., & Levin, M. (2007). Introduction to action research: Social research for social change (2 nd ed.). SAGE publications.
Herr, K., & Anderson, G. L. (2014). The action research dissertation: A guide for students and faculty . Sage publications.
Kerlinger, F. N. (1964). Foundation behavioural approach . Rinehart & Winston.
Kothari, C. R. (2004). Research methodology: Methods and techniques . New Age International (P) Limited Publishers.
Kumar, R. (2011). Selecting a method of data collection’. Research methodology: a step by step guide for beginners (3 rd ed.). Sage.
Leedy, P. D. (1981). How to read research and understand it . Macmillan.
Leedy, P. D., & Ormrod, J. E. (2015). Practical research: planning and design (11th ed.). Global Edition.
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (2020). Merriam-Webster. Retrieved April 25, 2020 from www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/research
Mishra, D. S. (2017). Handbook of research methodology: A Compendium for scholars & researchers . Educreation Publishing.
Narayana, P. S., Varalakshmi, D., Pullaiah, T., & Rao, K. S. (2018). Research methodology in Zoology. Scientific Publishers.
Oxford Learner’s Online Dictionaries (2020). Oxford University Press. Retrieved April 25, 2020 from www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/research_1?q=research
Polansky, N. A. (Ed.). (1960). Social work research: methods for the helping professions . University of Chicago Press.
Selltiz, C., Wrightsman, L. S., & Cook, S. W. (1976). Research methods in social relations . Holt.
Smith, V. H. (1998). Measuring the benefits of social science research (Vol. 2, pp. 01–21). International Food Policy Research Institute.
Somekh, B., & Lewin, C. (2004). Research Methods in the Social Sciences . Sage Publications.
Suchman, E. (1968). Evaluative Research: Principles and Practice in Public Service and Social Action Programs . Russell Sage Foundation.
Download references
Authors and affiliations.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), Dhanmondi, Dhaka, 1209, Bangladesh
Kazi Abusaleh
Community Mobilization Manager, Winrock International, Dhaka, 1212, Bangladesh
Akib Bin Anwar
You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar
Correspondence to Kazi Abusaleh .
Editors and affiliations.
Centre for Family and Child Studies, Research Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
M. Rezaul Islam
Department of Development Studies, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Niaz Ahmed Khan
Department of Social Work, School of Humanities, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
Rajendra Baikady
Reprints and permissions
© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
Abusaleh, K., Anwar, A.B. (2022). Research: Meaning and Purpose. In: Islam, M.R., Khan, N.A., Baikady, R. (eds) Principles of Social Research Methodology. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-5441-2_2
DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-5441-2_2
Published : 27 October 2022
Publisher Name : Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN : 978-981-19-5219-7
Online ISBN : 978-981-19-5441-2
eBook Packages : Social Sciences
Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:
Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.
Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative
Policies and ethics
Home Market Research
The search for knowledge is closely linked to the object of study; that is, to the reconstruction of the facts that will provide an explanation to an observed event and that at first sight can be considered as a problem. It is very human to seek answers and satisfy our curiosity. Let’s talk about research.
Content Index
What are the characteristics of research.
Quantitative methods, 8 tips for conducting accurate research.
Research is the careful consideration of study regarding a particular concern or research problem using scientific methods. According to the American sociologist Earl Robert Babbie, “research is a systematic inquiry to describe, explain, predict, and control the observed phenomenon. It involves inductive and deductive methods.”
Inductive methods analyze an observed event, while deductive methods verify the observed event. Inductive approaches are associated with qualitative research , and deductive methods are more commonly associated with quantitative analysis .
Research is conducted with a purpose to:
There are three main purposes:
LEARN ABOUT: Descriptive Analysis
LEARN ABOUT: Best Data Collection Tools
Here is a comparative analysis chart for a better understanding:
Approach used | Unstructured | Structured | Highly structured |
Conducted through | Asking questions | Asking questions | By using hypotheses. |
Time | Early stages of decision making | Later stages of decision making | Later stages of decision making |
It begins by asking the right questions and choosing an appropriate method to investigate the problem. After collecting answers to your questions, you can analyze the findings or observations to draw reasonable conclusions.
When it comes to customers and market studies, the more thorough your questions, the better the analysis. You get essential insights into brand perception and product needs by thoroughly collecting customer data through surveys and questionnaires . You can use this data to make smart decisions about your marketing strategies to position your business effectively.
To make sense of your study and get insights faster, it helps to use a research repository as a single source of truth in your organization and manage your research data in one centralized data repository .
Research methods are broadly classified as Qualitative and Quantitative .
Both methods have distinctive properties and data collection methods .
Qualitative research is a method that collects data using conversational methods, usually open-ended questions . The responses collected are essentially non-numerical. This method helps a researcher understand what participants think and why they think in a particular way.
Types of qualitative methods include:
Quantitative methods deal with numbers and measurable forms . It uses a systematic way of investigating events or data. It answers questions to justify relationships with measurable variables to either explain, predict, or control a phenomenon.
Types of quantitative methods include:
LEARN MORE: Descriptive Research vs Correlational Research
Remember, it is only valuable and useful when it is valid, accurate, and reliable. Incorrect results can lead to customer churn and a decrease in sales.
It is essential to ensure that your data is:
Gather insights
Review your goals before making any conclusions about your study. Remember how the process you have completed and the data you have gathered help answer your questions. Ask yourself if what your analysis revealed facilitates the identification of your conclusions and recommendations.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR SOFTWARE FREE TRIAL
Jun 17, 2024
Jun 12, 2024
Jun 11, 2024
A research report is a concise document that summarizes the findings, methods, and conclusions of a research study or investigation. There are various types of research reports available for different purposes.
It typically includes details on the research question, methodology, data analysis, and results, providing a structured and informative account of the research process and outcomes.
Limitations, key highlights.
1. technical or scientific reports.
Technical and scientific reports communicate research findings to experts and professionals in a particular field.
Start Your Free Data Science Course
Hadoop, Data Science, Statistics & others
Characteristics:
Popular reports are designed for a general audience and aim to inform, educate, or entertain on a wide range of topics.
Survey reports include data collected through surveys and focus on presenting insights and opinions on specific issues or questions.
Market research reports provide insights into consumer behavior, market trends, and industry analysis.
Case study reports focus on an in-depth examination of a single entity, often to explore complex, real-life situations.
Analytical research reports involve a deep analysis of data to uncover patterns, trends, or relationships.
Literature review reports provide an overview of existing research on a specific topic, highlighting gaps and trends.
Experimental research reports involve controlled experiments to test hypotheses and determine if the results support or reject the hypothesis.
Descriptive research reports aim to provide a comprehensive picture of a phenomenon, group, or situation. They seek to answer the “what” and “how” questions.
Exploratory research reports are conducted when there is little prior knowledge about a subject. They aim to identify key variables and research questions.
Explanatory research reports seek to understand the relationships between variables and explain why certain phenomena occur.
Policy or white papers aim to inform policymakers, stakeholders, and the public about specific issues and recommend actions.
These are some common components you must know while writing different types of research reports.
1. Title Page:
2. Abstract: Add a concise summary of the research, including the research question or objective, methodology, key findings, and implications. Typically, it should be no more than 150-250 words.
3. Table of Contents: Include a list of sections and subsections with page numbers.
4. List of Figures and Tables: If your research includes numerical data, add all the statistics and tables along with their corresponding page numbers. It is similar to a table of contents for quantitative data.
5. List of Abbreviations and Symbols: Include any abbreviations or symbols you have used in the report and their meanings.
6. Introduction:
7. Literature Review:
8. Methodology:
9. Results:
10. Discussion:
11. Conclusion:
12. References: Include a list of all the sources cited in your report in a standardized citation style (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago).
Let us see an example of a research report.
Research Report: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Labor Market
This research study explores the profound changes occurring in the labor market due to the increasing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. The study examines the potential benefits and challenges AI poses for the workforce, job displacement, and the skills required in the future job market.
Introduction, literature review, methodology.
The introduction section provides an overview of the research topic. It explains the significance of studying the impact of AI on the labor market, outlines the research questions, and previews the structure of the report.
The literature review section reviews existing research on the effects of AI on employment and the labor market. It discusses the different perspectives on whether AI will create new jobs or lead to job displacement. It also explores the skills and education required for the future workforce.
This section explains the research methods used, such as data collection methods, sources, and analytical techniques. It outlines how data on AI adoption, job displacement, and future job projections were gathered and analyzed.
The results section presents the key findings of the study. It includes data on the extent of AI adoption across industries, job displacement rates, and projections for AI-related occupations.
The discussion section interprets the results in the context of the research questions. It analyzes the potential benefits and challenges AI poses for the labor market, discusses policy implications, and explores the role of education and training in preparing the workforce for the AI era.
In conclusion, this research highlights the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on the labor market. While AI brings opportunities for innovation and efficiency, it also presents challenges related to job displacement and workforce adaptation. Preparing for this evolving job landscape is crucial for individuals and policymakers.
Given below are various types of research reports writing that researchers and organizations use to present findings, progress, and other information.
Outlines a plan for a project or research for approval or funding. | Research proposal submitted to study the impact of climate change on local ecosystems. | |
Generated at regular intervals to provide project updates. | Weekly sales reports summarizing product sales figures. | |
Detailed, structured reports often used in academic, scientific, or business settings. | Formal business report analyzing a company’s financial performance for the year. | |
Less structured reports for quick internal communication. | Email summarizing key takeaways from a team meeting. | |
Concise documents offering a brief overview of a specific topic. | A one-page summary of customer feedback from a product launch. | |
Comprehensive reports with in-depth analysis and information. | 100-page research report on the effects of a new drug on a medical condition. | |
Focus on data analysis and provide insights or recommendations. | Market research report analyzing consumer behavior trends and recommending marketing strategies. | |
Convey information without providing analysis or recommendations. | Report detailing the steps of a manufacturing process for new employees. | |
Flow within the organizational hierarchy, moving up or down. | Report from a department manager to the company’s vice president on department performance. | |
Sent between individuals or departments at the same organizational level. | Report from one project manager to another project manager in a different department. | |
Created and distributed within an organization for internal purposes. | Internal audit report examining the company’s financial records for compliance. | |
Prepared for external audiences, such as clients, investors, or regulators. | A publicly traded company publishes an annual report for shareholders and the general public. |
Here is why the different types of research reports are important.
Listed below are some limitations of different types of research reports.
Different types of research reports are important for sharing knowledge, making smart choices, and moving forward in different areas of study. It’s vital for both researchers and those who use research to grasp the different kinds of reports, what goes into them, and why they matter.
Q1. Are research reports the same as research papers? Answer: Research reports and research papers share similarities but have distinct purposes and structures. Research papers are often more academic and can vary in structure, while research reports are typically more structured and cater to a broader audience.
Q2. How do I choose the right type of research report for my study? Answer: The choice of research report type depends on your research goals, audience, and the nature of your study. Consider whether you are conducting scientific research, market analysis, academic research, or policy analysis, and select the format that aligns with your objectives.
Q3. Can research reports be used as references in other research reports? Answer: Yes, research reports can be cited and used as references in other research reports as long as they are credible sources. Citing previous research reports adds depth and credibility to your work.
This article lists all the types of research reports available for research methodologies. We have also included its format, example, and several report-writing methods. For similar articles, you can check the following articles,
*Please provide your correct email id. Login details for this Free course will be emailed to you
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy .
Forgot Password?
This website or its third-party tools use cookies, which are necessary to its functioning and required to achieve the purposes illustrated in the cookie policy. By closing this banner, scrolling this page, clicking a link or continuing to browse otherwise, you agree to our Privacy Policy
Explore 1000+ varieties of Mock tests View more
Submit Next Question
🚀 Limited Time Offer! - 🎁 ENROLL NOW
Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.
Methodology
Published on June 7, 2021 by Shona McCombes . Revised on November 20, 2023 by Pritha Bhandari.
A research design is a strategy for answering your research question using empirical data. Creating a research design means making decisions about:
A well-planned research design helps ensure that your methods match your research objectives and that you use the right kind of analysis for your data.
Step 1: consider your aims and approach, step 2: choose a type of research design, step 3: identify your population and sampling method, step 4: choose your data collection methods, step 5: plan your data collection procedures, step 6: decide on your data analysis strategies, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about research design.
Before you can start designing your research, you should already have a clear idea of the research question you want to investigate.
There are many different ways you could go about answering this question. Your research design choices should be driven by your aims and priorities—start by thinking carefully about what you want to achieve.
The first choice you need to make is whether you’ll take a qualitative or quantitative approach.
Qualitative approach | Quantitative approach |
---|---|
and describe frequencies, averages, and correlations about relationships between variables |
Qualitative research designs tend to be more flexible and inductive , allowing you to adjust your approach based on what you find throughout the research process.
Quantitative research designs tend to be more fixed and deductive , with variables and hypotheses clearly defined in advance of data collection.
It’s also possible to use a mixed-methods design that integrates aspects of both approaches. By combining qualitative and quantitative insights, you can gain a more complete picture of the problem you’re studying and strengthen the credibility of your conclusions.
As well as scientific considerations, you need to think practically when designing your research. If your research involves people or animals, you also need to consider research ethics .
At each stage of the research design process, make sure that your choices are practically feasible.
Discover proofreading & editing
Within both qualitative and quantitative approaches, there are several types of research design to choose from. Each type provides a framework for the overall shape of your research.
Quantitative designs can be split into four main types.
Type of design | Purpose and characteristics |
---|---|
Experimental | relationships effect on a |
Quasi-experimental | ) |
Correlational | |
Descriptive |
With descriptive and correlational designs, you can get a clear picture of characteristics, trends and relationships as they exist in the real world. However, you can’t draw conclusions about cause and effect (because correlation doesn’t imply causation ).
Experiments are the strongest way to test cause-and-effect relationships without the risk of other variables influencing the results. However, their controlled conditions may not always reflect how things work in the real world. They’re often also more difficult and expensive to implement.
Qualitative designs are less strictly defined. This approach is about gaining a rich, detailed understanding of a specific context or phenomenon, and you can often be more creative and flexible in designing your research.
The table below shows some common types of qualitative design. They often have similar approaches in terms of data collection, but focus on different aspects when analyzing the data.
Type of design | Purpose and characteristics |
---|---|
Grounded theory | |
Phenomenology |
Your research design should clearly define who or what your research will focus on, and how you’ll go about choosing your participants or subjects.
In research, a population is the entire group that you want to draw conclusions about, while a sample is the smaller group of individuals you’ll actually collect data from.
A population can be made up of anything you want to study—plants, animals, organizations, texts, countries, etc. In the social sciences, it most often refers to a group of people.
For example, will you focus on people from a specific demographic, region or background? Are you interested in people with a certain job or medical condition, or users of a particular product?
The more precisely you define your population, the easier it will be to gather a representative sample.
Even with a narrowly defined population, it’s rarely possible to collect data from every individual. Instead, you’ll collect data from a sample.
To select a sample, there are two main approaches: probability sampling and non-probability sampling . The sampling method you use affects how confidently you can generalize your results to the population as a whole.
Probability sampling | Non-probability sampling |
---|---|
Probability sampling is the most statistically valid option, but it’s often difficult to achieve unless you’re dealing with a very small and accessible population.
For practical reasons, many studies use non-probability sampling, but it’s important to be aware of the limitations and carefully consider potential biases. You should always make an effort to gather a sample that’s as representative as possible of the population.
In some types of qualitative designs, sampling may not be relevant.
For example, in an ethnography or a case study , your aim is to deeply understand a specific context, not to generalize to a population. Instead of sampling, you may simply aim to collect as much data as possible about the context you are studying.
In these types of design, you still have to carefully consider your choice of case or community. You should have a clear rationale for why this particular case is suitable for answering your research question .
For example, you might choose a case study that reveals an unusual or neglected aspect of your research problem, or you might choose several very similar or very different cases in order to compare them.
Data collection methods are ways of directly measuring variables and gathering information. They allow you to gain first-hand knowledge and original insights into your research problem.
You can choose just one data collection method, or use several methods in the same study.
Surveys allow you to collect data about opinions, behaviors, experiences, and characteristics by asking people directly. There are two main survey methods to choose from: questionnaires and interviews .
Questionnaires | Interviews |
---|---|
) |
Observational studies allow you to collect data unobtrusively, observing characteristics, behaviors or social interactions without relying on self-reporting.
Observations may be conducted in real time, taking notes as you observe, or you might make audiovisual recordings for later analysis. They can be qualitative or quantitative.
Quantitative observation | |
---|---|
There are many other ways you might collect data depending on your field and topic.
Field | Examples of data collection methods |
---|---|
Media & communication | Collecting a sample of texts (e.g., speeches, articles, or social media posts) for data on cultural norms and narratives |
Psychology | Using technologies like neuroimaging, eye-tracking, or computer-based tasks to collect data on things like attention, emotional response, or reaction time |
Education | Using tests or assignments to collect data on knowledge and skills |
Physical sciences | Using scientific instruments to collect data on things like weight, blood pressure, or chemical composition |
If you’re not sure which methods will work best for your research design, try reading some papers in your field to see what kinds of data collection methods they used.
If you don’t have the time or resources to collect data from the population you’re interested in, you can also choose to use secondary data that other researchers already collected—for example, datasets from government surveys or previous studies on your topic.
With this raw data, you can do your own analysis to answer new research questions that weren’t addressed by the original study.
Using secondary data can expand the scope of your research, as you may be able to access much larger and more varied samples than you could collect yourself.
However, it also means you don’t have any control over which variables to measure or how to measure them, so the conclusions you can draw may be limited.
As well as deciding on your methods, you need to plan exactly how you’ll use these methods to collect data that’s consistent, accurate, and unbiased.
Planning systematic procedures is especially important in quantitative research, where you need to precisely define your variables and ensure your measurements are high in reliability and validity.
Some variables, like height or age, are easily measured. But often you’ll be dealing with more abstract concepts, like satisfaction, anxiety, or competence. Operationalization means turning these fuzzy ideas into measurable indicators.
If you’re using observations , which events or actions will you count?
If you’re using surveys , which questions will you ask and what range of responses will be offered?
You may also choose to use or adapt existing materials designed to measure the concept you’re interested in—for example, questionnaires or inventories whose reliability and validity has already been established.
Reliability means your results can be consistently reproduced, while validity means that you’re actually measuring the concept you’re interested in.
Reliability | Validity |
---|---|
) ) |
For valid and reliable results, your measurement materials should be thoroughly researched and carefully designed. Plan your procedures to make sure you carry out the same steps in the same way for each participant.
If you’re developing a new questionnaire or other instrument to measure a specific concept, running a pilot study allows you to check its validity and reliability in advance.
As well as choosing an appropriate sampling method , you need a concrete plan for how you’ll actually contact and recruit your selected sample.
That means making decisions about things like:
If you’re using a probability sampling method , it’s important that everyone who is randomly selected actually participates in the study. How will you ensure a high response rate?
If you’re using a non-probability method , how will you avoid research bias and ensure a representative sample?
It’s also important to create a data management plan for organizing and storing your data.
Will you need to transcribe interviews or perform data entry for observations? You should anonymize and safeguard any sensitive data, and make sure it’s backed up regularly.
Keeping your data well-organized will save time when it comes to analyzing it. It can also help other researchers validate and add to your findings (high replicability ).
On its own, raw data can’t answer your research question. The last step of designing your research is planning how you’ll analyze the data.
In quantitative research, you’ll most likely use some form of statistical analysis . With statistics, you can summarize your sample data, make estimates, and test hypotheses.
Using descriptive statistics , you can summarize your sample data in terms of:
The specific calculations you can do depend on the level of measurement of your variables.
Using inferential statistics , you can:
Regression and correlation tests look for associations between two or more variables, while comparison tests (such as t tests and ANOVAs ) look for differences in the outcomes of different groups.
Your choice of statistical test depends on various aspects of your research design, including the types of variables you’re dealing with and the distribution of your data.
In qualitative research, your data will usually be very dense with information and ideas. Instead of summing it up in numbers, you’ll need to comb through the data in detail, interpret its meanings, identify patterns, and extract the parts that are most relevant to your research question.
Two of the most common approaches to doing this are thematic analysis and discourse analysis .
Approach | Characteristics |
---|---|
Thematic analysis | |
Discourse analysis |
There are many other ways of analyzing qualitative data depending on the aims of your research. To get a sense of potential approaches, try reading some qualitative research papers in your field.
If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.
Statistics
Research bias
A research design is a strategy for answering your research question . It defines your overall approach and determines how you will collect and analyze data.
A well-planned research design helps ensure that your methods match your research aims, that you collect high-quality data, and that you use the right kind of analysis to answer your questions, utilizing credible sources . This allows you to draw valid , trustworthy conclusions.
Quantitative research designs can be divided into two main categories:
Qualitative research designs tend to be more flexible. Common types of qualitative design include case study , ethnography , and grounded theory designs.
The priorities of a research design can vary depending on the field, but you usually have to specify:
A sample is a subset of individuals from a larger population . Sampling means selecting the group that you will actually collect data from in your research. For example, if you are researching the opinions of students in your university, you could survey a sample of 100 students.
In statistics, sampling allows you to test a hypothesis about the characteristics of a population.
Operationalization means turning abstract conceptual ideas into measurable observations.
For example, the concept of social anxiety isn’t directly observable, but it can be operationally defined in terms of self-rating scores, behavioral avoidance of crowded places, or physical anxiety symptoms in social situations.
Before collecting data , it’s important to consider how you will operationalize the variables that you want to measure.
A research project is an academic, scientific, or professional undertaking to answer a research question . Research projects can take many forms, such as qualitative or quantitative , descriptive , longitudinal , experimental , or correlational . What kind of research approach you choose will depend on your topic.
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
McCombes, S. (2023, November 20). What Is a Research Design | Types, Guide & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved June 18, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/research-design/
Other students also liked, guide to experimental design | overview, steps, & examples, how to write a research proposal | examples & templates, ethical considerations in research | types & examples, get unlimited documents corrected.
✔ Free APA citation check included ✔ Unlimited document corrections ✔ Specialized in correcting academic texts
Home » Research Process – Steps, Examples and Tips
Table of Contents
Definition:
Research Process is a systematic and structured approach that involves the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data or information to answer a specific research question or solve a particular problem.
Research Process Steps are as follows:
This is the first step in the research process. It involves identifying a problem or question that needs to be addressed. The research question should be specific, relevant, and focused on a particular area of interest.
Once the research question has been identified, the next step is to conduct a literature review. This involves reviewing existing research and literature on the topic to identify any gaps in knowledge or areas where further research is needed. A literature review helps to provide a theoretical framework for the research and also ensures that the research is not duplicating previous work.
Based on the research question and literature review, the researcher can formulate a hypothesis or research objectives. A hypothesis is a statement that can be tested to determine its validity, while research objectives are specific goals that the researcher aims to achieve through the research.
This step involves designing a research plan and methodology that will enable the researcher to collect and analyze data to test the hypothesis or achieve the research objectives. The research plan should include details on the sample size, data collection methods, and data analysis techniques that will be used.
This step involves collecting and analyzing data according to the research plan and methodology. Data can be collected through various methods, including surveys, interviews, observations, or experiments. The data analysis process involves cleaning and organizing the data, applying statistical and analytical techniques to the data, and interpreting the results.
After analyzing the data, the researcher must interpret the findings and draw conclusions. This involves assessing the validity and reliability of the results and determining whether the hypothesis was supported or not. The researcher must also consider any limitations of the research and discuss the implications of the findings.
Finally, the researcher must communicate the results of the research through a research report, presentation, or publication. The research report should provide a detailed account of the research process, including the research question, literature review, research methodology, data analysis, findings, and conclusions. The report should also include recommendations for further research in the area.
The research process is an iterative one, and it is important to review and revise the research plan and methodology as necessary. Researchers should assess the quality of their data and methods, reflect on their findings, and consider areas for improvement.
Throughout the research process, ethical considerations must be taken into account. This includes ensuring that the research design protects the welfare of research participants, obtaining informed consent, maintaining confidentiality and privacy, and avoiding any potential harm to participants or their communities.
The final step in the research process is to disseminate the findings and apply the research to real-world settings. Researchers can share their findings through academic publications, presentations at conferences, or media coverage. The research can be used to inform policy decisions, develop interventions, or improve practice in the relevant field.
Following is a Research Process Example:
Research Question : What are the effects of a plant-based diet on athletic performance in high school athletes?
Step 1: Background Research Conduct a literature review to gain a better understanding of the existing research on the topic. Read academic articles and research studies related to plant-based diets, athletic performance, and high school athletes.
Step 2: Develop a Hypothesis Based on the literature review, develop a hypothesis that a plant-based diet positively affects athletic performance in high school athletes.
Step 3: Design the Study Design a study to test the hypothesis. Decide on the study population, sample size, and research methods. For this study, you could use a survey to collect data on dietary habits and athletic performance from a sample of high school athletes who follow a plant-based diet and a sample of high school athletes who do not follow a plant-based diet.
Step 4: Collect Data Distribute the survey to the selected sample and collect data on dietary habits and athletic performance.
Step 5: Analyze Data Use statistical analysis to compare the data from the two samples and determine if there is a significant difference in athletic performance between those who follow a plant-based diet and those who do not.
Step 6 : Interpret Results Interpret the results of the analysis in the context of the research question and hypothesis. Discuss any limitations or potential biases in the study design.
Step 7: Draw Conclusions Based on the results, draw conclusions about whether a plant-based diet has a significant effect on athletic performance in high school athletes. If the hypothesis is supported by the data, discuss potential implications and future research directions.
Step 8: Communicate Findings Communicate the findings of the study in a clear and concise manner. Use appropriate language, visuals, and formats to ensure that the findings are understood and valued.
The research process has numerous applications across a wide range of fields and industries. Some examples of applications of the research process include:
The purpose of the research process is to systematically and scientifically investigate a problem or question in order to generate new knowledge or solve a problem. The research process enables researchers to:
Here are some tips for the research process:
Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer
There’s a widespread understanding that managing corporate culture is key to business success. Yet few companies articulate their culture in such a way that the words become an organizational reality that molds employee behavior as intended.
All too often a culture is described as a set of anodyne norms, principles, or values, which do not offer decision-makers guidance on how to make difficult choices when faced with conflicting but equally defensible courses of action.
The trick to making a desired culture come alive is to debate and articulate it using dilemmas. If you identify the tough dilemmas your employees routinely face and clearly state how they should be resolved—“In this company, when we come across this dilemma, we turn left”—then your desired culture will take root and influence the behavior of the team.
To develop a culture that works, follow six rules: Ground your culture in the dilemmas you are likely to confront, dilemma-test your values, communicate your values in colorful terms, hire people who fit, let culture drive strategy, and know when to pull back from a value statement.
Start by thinking about the dilemmas your people will face.
The problem.
There’s a widespread understanding that managing corporate culture is key to business success. Yet few companies articulate their corporate culture in such a way that the words become an organizational reality that molds employee behavior as intended.
How to fix it.
Follow six rules: Ground your culture in the dilemmas you are likely to confront, dilemma-test your values, communicate your values in colorful terms, hire people who fit, let culture drive strategy, and know when to pull back from a value.
At the beginning of my career, I worked for the health-care-software specialist HBOC. One day, a woman from human resources came into the cafeteria with a roll of tape and began sticking posters on the walls. They proclaimed in royal blue the company’s values: “Transparency, Respect, Integrity, Honesty.” The next day we received wallet-sized plastic cards with the same words and were asked to memorize them so that we could incorporate them into our actions. The following year, when management was indicted on 17 counts of conspiracy and fraud, we learned what the company’s values really were.
The Pew Research Center has revised a report after it received criticism for saying a majority of Black Americans believe “racial conspiracy theories” about U.S. institutions.
In the report released June 10 titled “Most Black Americans Believe Racial Conspiracy Theories About U.S. Institutions,” Pew detailed “the suspicions that Black adults might have about the actions of U.S. institutions based on their personal and collective historical experiences with racial discrimination.” Survey respondents highlighted issues such as discrimination in the medical field, incarceration, and guns and drugs in Black communities.
The report’s initial title prompted swift backlash from critics who said “racial conspiracy theories” implied that Black Americans’ distrust of U.S. institutions is irrational and without historical context. The report made brief mention of the Tuskegee syphilis experiment , a medical scandal that fueled distrust in medical institutions.
JustLeadershipUSA, a social justice organization, was one of the most vocal critics of the report, calling it “ shockingly offensive ” for labeling Black Americans’ distrust over well-substantiated discrimination as conspiracy theories.
Two days later, Pew officials marked the report as being under revision and acknowledged that using the phrase “racial conspiracy theories” was not the best choice.
“The comments were so thoughtful,” Neha Sahgal, vice president of research at Pew Research Center, said of the criticism. Sahgal said leaders at Pew “paid attention to what people were trying to tell us.”
“Upon reflection, we felt that this editorial shorthand detracted from the findings of this report, which we maintain are hugely important at this time in our country,” Sahgal said. “We have since revised the report. We have taken accountability for using a shorthand that was inappropriate.”
Pew released the revised report Saturday with a new title: “ Most Black Americans Believe U.S. Institutions Were Designed To Hold Black People Back .” The updated report includes a new headline, additional context and direct quotes from respondents.
“This is very important and an excellent update to correct those errors in the original version,” DeAnna Hoskins, president of JustLeadershipUSA, said. “But why didn’t you do that from the beginning?”
Before Pew’s acknowledgement and revisions, one person wrote in a post on X : “This new Pew report on Black belief in ‘conspiracy theories’ is interesting, but I take issue with the ‘CT’ label bc of how it lumps in well-substantiated truths alongside bunk like Q*Anon and flat earth.”
There are well-documented episodes of discrimination and targeting throughout the nation’s history, from the Tuskegee experiment to exclusion of Black Americans from New Deal programs and government targeting of civil rights and Black Power leaders under COINTELPRO .
“We have to ask: Why would the people at the Pew Research Center call the opinion of the vast majority of Black Americans—which is rooted in facts, history, and lived experience—a ‘conspiracy theory,’ when it is actually a reality?” Hoskins wrote in a statement on the organization’s website.
In an interview with NBC News, Hoskins said it was irresponsible of Pew to equate Black people’s concerns with conspiracy theories at such a politically turbulent time in the country.
“We’re talking about election fraud, we’re talking about QAnon — you were throwing us into that,” Hoskins said of Pew.
The report states that most Black Americans believe U.S. institutions fall short “when it comes to treating Black people fairly.” More than 60% of Black Americans surveyed cited prison, political and economic systems as just some of the institutions intentionally designed to “hold Black people back, either a great deal or a fair amount.”
“Black Americans’ mistrust of U.S. institutions is informed by history, from slavery to the implementation of Jim Crow laws in the South, to the rise of mass incarceration and more,” the updated report states. “Several studies show that racial disparities in income , wealth , education , imprisonment and health outcomes persist to this day.”
Char Adams is a reporter for NBC BLK who writes about race.
Every generation has its own “golden age” of travel, often defined by the widespread adoption of new technology—from the jet engine of the 1950s that drastically reduced travel times to the dot-com period of the 1990s that allowed customers to build their dream itineraries online. Today, a new era of digitally enabled travel is upon us. Advances in artificial intelligence (AI), including generative AI (gen AI), and machine learning (ML) are equipping the industry to reimagine what it means to plan, book, and experience travel. This surge of innovation sets the stage for travel companies to rethink how they interact with customers, develop products and services, and manage operations.
Advances in technology have also transformed consumers’ expectations. Since 2013, time spent on digital devices has grown by 70 percent, and this trend only accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic as online interactions increasingly replaced in-person contact. 1 Based on data from U.S. Census Bureau and Statista. See State of travel 2023 , Skift Research, July 21, 2023. However, traditional travel is unique in that it is an inherently human-centric experience. The industry, therefore, has an opportunity—perhaps even a duty—to define what travel will look like in the digital age.
Most travel companies aim to provide exceptional service and deliver the perfect trip. But, instead of ease, excitement, and delight, travel operators too often fall short of meeting baseline expectations of timing and quality. In fact, nearly 80 percent of American travelers experienced at least one travel-related problem in the first half of 2023. 2 Lane Gillespie, “Survey: 77% of travelers plagued by travel problems amid booming season; more than half saw higher prices,” Bankrate, July 10, 2023.
In the 2021 report, Rebooting customer experience to bring back the magic of travel , McKinsey and Skift Research found that leisure travelers were eager to get back to the sky, water, and road—so much so, that they were often willing to overlook customer-service issues and inconveniences. Customer satisfaction ratings at the time were high, even in a period of intense disruption when negative sentiment was on the rise. 3 Rebooting customer experience to bring back the magic of travel , a joint report from McKinsey and Skift Research, September 2021.
Today, that window of acceptance may have passed. Customer expectations are rising, and tolerance is wearing thin. Despite this, people still aspire to travel and, according to McKinsey’s ConsumerWise Sentiment Survey, nearly a third of consumers intend to “splurge” on travel expenses in the next three months. 4 McKinsey ConsumerWise Global Sentiment Survey, August 2023, n=4,000. Through both established and new technologies, companies have the opportunity to keep the aspiration to travel alive by closing the persistent gap between the promise and reality of travel.
While larger companies may have more resources to develop in-house capabilities, a robust ecosystem of service providers makes new technologies accessible to companies of all sizes. According to McKinsey Digital estimates, companies that holistically address digital and analytics opportunities throughout their organizations have the potential to see a 15 to 25 percent earnings improvement.
A new report , The promise of travel in the age of AI , produced by McKinsey and Skift Research offers use cases and success stories that detail how technologies are being used, drawing from interviews with executives at 17 companies across five types of travel business. It explores how companies apply advanced data science to better understand and serve customers, delves into how digital and analytics tools can improve products and services, and examines how new technologies augment workforce capabilities and unlock operational capacity. This article highlights some key findings.
Know your customers like you know your friends
Over the past two decades, the variety and volume of customer data that travel companies can capture has increased dramatically; new tools and technologies such as AI-powered assistants are only accelerating this trend. However, this data is often difficult to process and does not always paint a full picture of the customer. Companies may turn to third-party sources to complete their understanding—combining and distilling commercial, operational, financial, and behavioral inputs. Robust marketing technologies can then help distinguish the “signal” from the “noise” in the data to better predict customer behavior.
Having gained a clear and comprehensive understanding, companies can create customer segments to guide how they interact with and serve different customers. Depending on the data available and the analytics capabilities at hand, segmentation can range from grouping customers into segments based on a single macro characteristic (e.g., business versus leisure) to individual “segments of one,” known as hyper-segmentation.
Drilling down to segments of one can enable hyper-personalization, which is broadly defined as the ability to uniquely tailor touchpoints to an individual customer’s needs, preferences, and behaviors. At its core, hyper-personalization is not only about increasing conversion rates, but about providing the customer with an end-to-end experience adapted to their specific context. Considering the level of personalization that is becoming the norm in many aspects of daily life, companies are adopting an ongoing test-and-learn approach to ensure their offers and actions resonate with customers’ rising expectations.
Hyper-personalization can also help companies rebuild trust if operations have gone wrong. Personalized communication reassures customers that they are at the forefront of the company’s mind and instills confidence that a thoughtful recovery plan is in place. For example, companies may share real-time status updates in moments of disruption and provide tailored solutions, or even proactive compensation, to ensure customers feel individually taken care of.
Design your products to surprise and delight
Recent advances are pushing the boundaries of what technology can accomplish. Nothing illustrates this better than the meteoric rise of AI platforms like ChatGPT which garnered one million users in only five days. 5 Steve Mollman, “ChatGPT gained 1 million users in under a week. Here’s why the AI chatbot is primed to disrupt search as we know it,” Yahoo News, December 9, 2022. While this pace of adoption may feel unsettling, it provides an impetus for companies to reimagine their product design and delivery using AI and digitization.
Historically, capabilities such as language, creativity, and aesthetic judgment—once considered uniquely human—could not be scaled through technology. AI, particularly gen AI, offers a new way to augment and scale these capabilities with the potential for enormous benefits: according to McKinsey research , generative AI has the potential to unlock between $2 trillion and $4 trillion in annual value across industries. 6 The economic potential of generative AI: The next productivity frontier , McKinsey, June 14, 2023. In the travel context, gen AI could take the form of a digital assistant that interacts with customers throughout the journey. It can provide personalized trip itineraries during discovery and booking, offer tailored recommendations based on preferences and real-time constraints during the trip, and help resolve unexpected disruptions.
However, AI is only part of the answer. Established digital technology also helps companies deliver on commitments made to customers. Many of these digital assets and tools rely on common systems and capabilities, making them widely attainable—freeing up staff to provide better face-to-face services and build relationships through the human touch. Several such applications can boost guest satisfaction and reduce points of friction in hotels, including guest apps, digital check-ins, digital room keys, and in-room tech. The magnitude of these individual tools is amplified when seamlessly integrated together, making it easier for customers to use digital applications throughout their hotel stay.
Empower your workforce to follow through on promises made
An engaged and productive workforce enables the delivery of experiences and products that satisfy customers. However, the travel industry faces structural labor hurdles and high turnover which makes attracting, training, and retaining top talent challenging. Fortunately, the industry can enhance and scale the capacity of its existing workforce by equipping the frontline with the right tools at the right time. This can free up employees to focus on the things they enjoy most and that make the travel industry tick: quality personal interactions with customers, in essence, the human touch.
Two promising opportunities to improve workforce and operational performance through technology stand out across the travel industry: augmenting frontline capacity and upskilling talent.
In the travel industry today, complex decisions still rely on human expertise and outdated technology such as greenscreen or rudimentary interfaces. This leads to a best-guess approach, the risk of negative outcomes, and a steep learning curve. Travel companies are developing new tools for the frontline to process complex inputs and help guide “day-of” decision making. For example, advanced simulation models such as digital twins allow companies to conduct rapid “what-if” analyses and provide real-time guidance to the frontline.
According to McKinsey research , new technology, including gen AI, is also shortening training times for new hires while rapidly upskilling the existing workforce. For instance, virtual and augmented reality are used to simulate real-life scenarios to prepare frontline employees to hit the ground running, and gen-AI-enabled "teaching assistants” provide personalized coaching based on individual performance. 7 “ The organization of the future: Enabled by gen AI, driven by people ,” McKinsey, September 19, 2023.
Checklist for the age of ai.
Some travel companies are already successfully deploying digital technology, AI, and ML to reshape how they interact with customers, develop and deliver products and services, and manage people and operations. They’ve taken the following actions—are you on track?
General considerations
We believe this is a moment of optimism for the industry. Between reclaiming its historical share of GDP, benefiting from the ongoing corporate travel recovery, and catering to consumer demand for unique experiences, the stage is set for travel’s accelerated growth. Looking ahead, travel is forecasted to grow at an average of 5.8 percent a year through 2032—more than double the expected growth rate of the overall economy (at 2.7 percent a year). 8 “Travel & Tourism sector expected to create nearly 126 million new jobs within the next decade,” World Travel & Tourism Council, April 21, 2023.
This does not mean that travel companies can simply sit back and reap the benefits. Existing and new technologies provide an avenue for companies to capture their share of the industry’s anticipated growth by resetting how they interact with customers, deliver products and services, and empower their workforce. Fortunately, there are a growing number of ways—build, buy, or partner—to help companies get started. The only wrong move is no move.
Susann Almasi is an associate partner in McKinsey’s Carolinas office, Alex Cosmas is a partner in the New York office, Sam Cowan is a consultant in the Minneapolis office, and Ben Ellencweig is a senior partner in the Stamford office.
The authors wish to thank Skift’s Pranavi Agarwal, Seth Borko, and Wouter Geerts as well as McKinsey’s Marisa Ancona, Danielle Bozarth, Vik Krishnan, Nina Lind, Elena Patel, Alessandra Powell, Jules Seeley, and Nirva Vassa, for their contributions to this article.
Related articles.
MEMBERSHIP PROGRAMS
MEDIA BRANDS
New York Law Journal
The Legal Intelligencer
New Jersey Law Journal
Content Source
Content Type
About Us | Contact Us | Site Map
Advertise | Customer Service | Terms of Service
FAQ | Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2021 ALM Global, LLC.
All Rights Reserved.
Thomson Reuters said that their internal testing showed a lower hallucination rate compared to the study, and welcomed the opportunity to work with Stanford to explore creating AI benchmarks.
June 04, 2024 at 06:18 PM
5 minute read
Artificial Intelligence
Legal Tech Reporter
Thank you for sharing.
After pushback following Stanford’s research study “Hallucination-Free? Assessing the Reliability of Leading AI Legal Research Tools,” for what many saw as comparing apples to oranges—between Thomson Reuters’ (TR) Ask Practical Law and LexisNexis’ Lexis+ AI—the researchers released an updated study on May 30.
This time, they included results from AI-Assisted Research on Westlaw Precision , TR’s flagship, generative AI-powered legal research solution that is more comparable to Lexis+ AI than Ask Practical Law.
Benefits of a digital membership.
Register Now
Already have an account? Sign In Now
*May exclude premium content
By Cheryl Wilson Griffin, Legal Tech Consultants
By Rhys Dipshan
By Marianna Wharry
Trending stories.
Daniel Abebe to Become First Black Dean of Columbia Law School
Brian W. Blomain, Attorney at Marshall Dennehey, Dies at 29
Ex-Judge Fights New Jersey Judiciary, Seeks Chief Justice's Testimony
Parker McCay Leader, Brown & Connery Partner Face Racketeering Indictments Alongside George Norcross
As New Chair Takes Reins of Winston, He Wants to Do Things a Little Differently
The American Lawyer
Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates P.C. 75 Ponce De Leon Ave NE Ste 101 Atlanta , GA 30308 (470) 294-1674 www.garymartinhays.com
Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone 2 Oliver St #608 Boston , MA 02109 (857) 444-6468 www.marksalomone.com
Smith & Hassler 1225 N Loop W #525 Houston , TX 77008 (713) 739-1250 www.smithandhassler.com
Presented by BigVoodoo
The Daily Report is honoring those attorneys and judges who have made a remarkable difference in the legal profession.
Consulting Magazine identifies consultants that have the biggest impact on their clients, firms and the profession.
The National Law Journal Elite Trial Lawyers recognizes U.S.-based law firms performing exemplary work on behalf of plaintiffs.
The Princeton office of Epstein Becker & Green is seeking an associate to join its Litigation practice. Candidates should have a minim...
Summary Description: Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis seeks a Law Librarian to manage the Firm s information research services and library...
Nutley Law firm concentrating in plaintiff's personal injury for plaintiff seeks an Attorney with three or more years of experience in New J...
Professional Announcement
Don't miss the crucial news and insights you need to make informed legal decisions. Join Legaltech News now!
Already have an account? Sign In
You are accessing a machine-readable page. In order to be human-readable, please install an RSS reader.
All articles published by MDPI are made immediately available worldwide under an open access license. No special permission is required to reuse all or part of the article published by MDPI, including figures and tables. For articles published under an open access Creative Common CC BY license, any part of the article may be reused without permission provided that the original article is clearly cited. For more information, please refer to https://www.mdpi.com/openaccess .
Feature papers represent the most advanced research with significant potential for high impact in the field. A Feature Paper should be a substantial original Article that involves several techniques or approaches, provides an outlook for future research directions and describes possible research applications.
Feature papers are submitted upon individual invitation or recommendation by the scientific editors and must receive positive feedback from the reviewers.
Editor’s Choice articles are based on recommendations by the scientific editors of MDPI journals from around the world. Editors select a small number of articles recently published in the journal that they believe will be particularly interesting to readers, or important in the respective research area. The aim is to provide a snapshot of some of the most exciting work published in the various research areas of the journal.
Original Submission Date Received: .
Find support for a specific problem in the support section of our website.
Please let us know what you think of our products and services.
Visit our dedicated information section to learn more about MDPI.
Research on price formation based on resource optimization allocation, share and cite.
Feng, Y.; Liu, S. Research on Price Formation Based on Resource Optimization Allocation. Sustainability 2024 , 16 , 5129. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16125129
Feng Y, Liu S. Research on Price Formation Based on Resource Optimization Allocation. Sustainability . 2024; 16(12):5129. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16125129
Feng, Yan, and Shulin Liu. 2024. "Research on Price Formation Based on Resource Optimization Allocation" Sustainability 16, no. 12: 5129. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16125129
Article access statistics, further information, mdpi initiatives, follow mdpi.
Subscribe to receive issue release notifications and newsletters from MDPI journals
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Research reports are recorded data prepared by researchers or statisticians after analyzing the information gathered by conducting organized research, typically in the form of surveys or qualitative methods. A research report is a reliable source to recount details about a conducted research. It is most often considered to be a true testimony ...
Thesis is a type of research report. A thesis is a long-form research document that presents the findings and conclusions of an original research study conducted by a student as part of a graduate or postgraduate program. It is typically written by a student pursuing a higher degree, such as a Master's or Doctoral degree, although it can also ...
A research report is a collection of contextual data, gathered through organized research, that provides new insights into a particular challenge (which, for this article, is business-related). Research reports are a time-tested method for distilling large amounts of data into a narrow band of focus. Their effectiveness often hinges on whether ...
A research report is an end product of research. As earlier said that report writing provides useful information in arriving at rational decisions that may reform the business and society. The findings, conclusions, suggestions and recommendations are useful to academicians, scholars and policymakers.
A research report is a well-crafted document that outlines the processes, data, and findings of a systematic investigation. It is an important document that serves as a first-hand account of the research process, and it is typically considered an objective and accurate source of information.
A research report is a publication that reports on the findings of a research project. [1] Research reports are produced by many sectors including industry, education, government and non-government organizations and may be disseminated internally, or made public (i.e. published) however they are not usually available from booksellers or through ...
Abstract. This guide for writers of research reports consists of practical suggestions for writing a report that is clear, concise, readable, and understandable. It includes suggestions for terminology and notation and for writing each section of the report—introduction, method, results, and discussion. Much of the guide consists of ...
There are five MAJOR parts of a Research Report: 1. Introduction 2. Review of Literature 3. Methods 4. Results 5. Discussion. As a general guide, the Introduction, Review of Literature, and Methods should be about 1/3 of your paper, Discussion 1/3, then Results 1/3. Section 1: Cover Sheet (APA format cover sheet) optional, if required.
THE RESEARCH REPORT. This chapter gives attention to two primary topics, both of which present information about research reports. The first part deals with the many valuable things that can be found in research reports beyond the obvious—the results. In the second part we discuss what a research report is and what it is not.
A research report is a vital tool in disseminating research results to academic, professional, and public audiences. It provides a detailed analysis of the research problem, research questions, methodology, findings, and conclusions. Research reports are crucial in advancing knowledge and understanding in various fields of study, informing ...
Write up a state-of-the-art research report. Understand how to use scientific language in research reports. Develop a structure for your research report that comprises all relevant sections. Assess the consistency of your research design. Avoid dumbfounding your reader with surprising information.
Research Reports. Research reports present the results of formal investigations into the properties, behavior, structures, and principles of material and conceptual entities. Almost any physical phenomenon or concept may be investigated in a research framework. ... Problem definition: the rigorous reduction of the inquiry to a narrow question ...
Use the section headings (outlined above) to assist with your rough plan. Write a thesis statement that clarifies the overall purpose of your report. Jot down anything you already know about the topic in the relevant sections. 3 Do the Research. Steps 1 and 2 will guide your research for this report.
The research report contains four main areas: Introduction- What is the issue? What is known? What is not known? What are you trying to find out? This sections ends with the purpose and specific aims of the study. Methods- The recipe for the study. If someone wanted to perform the same study, what information would they need?
Simply, a research paper/report is a systematic write up. on the findings of the study including methodologies, discussion, conclusions etc. following a definite. style. T he resea rch report ...
Research is defined as a meticulous and systematic inquiry process designed to explore and unravel specific subjects or issues with precision. This methodical approach encompasses the thorough collection, rigorous analysis, and insightful interpretation of information, aiming to delve deep into the nuances of a chosen field of study.
Research Report: A research report is a document prepared by an analyst or strategist who is a part of the investment research team in a stock brokerage or investment bank . A research report may ...
Definitions: 1. In simple words: Research report is the systematic, articulate, and orderly presentation of research work in a written form. 2. We can also define the term as: Research report is a research document that contains basic aspects of the research project. 3. In the same way, we can say:
1. As an investigative process, it originates with a question. It attempts to satisfy an unanswered question that is in the mind of a researcher. 2. Research demands a clear articulation of a goal, and a clear statement of the problem is a pre-condition of any research. 3.
Research is the careful consideration of study regarding a particular concern or research problem using scientific methods. According to the American sociologist Earl Robert Babbie, "research is a systematic inquiry to describe, explain, predict, and control the observed phenomenon. It involves inductive and deductive methods.".
Comprehensive reports with in-depth analysis and information. 100-page research report on the effects of a new drug on a medical condition. Analytical. Focus on data analysis and provide insights or recommendations. Market research report analyzing consumer behavior trends and recommending marketing strategies.
A research design is a strategy for answering your research question using empirical data. Creating a research design means making decisions about: Your overall research objectives and approach. Whether you'll rely on primary research or secondary research. Your sampling methods or criteria for selecting subjects. Your data collection methods.
Definition: Research Process is a systematic and structured approach that involves the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data or information to answer a specific research question or solve a particular problem. ... or publication. The research report should provide a detailed account of the research process, including the research ...
A research design is defined as the overall plan or structure that guides the process of conducting research. It is a critical component of the research process and serves as a blueprint for how a study will be carried out, including the methods and techniques that will be used to collect and analyze data.
A research agenda centered around improving the definition could focus on the key definition elements articulated in the report: attribution to infection, time, clinical features, equity, functional impairment, exclusions and alternative diagnoses, biomarkers and laboratory criteria, and risk factors.
The Problem. There's a widespread understanding that managing corporate culture is key to business success. Yet few companies articulate their corporate culture in such a way that the words ...
By Char Adams. The Pew Research Center has revised a report after it received criticism for saying a majority of Black Americans believe "racial conspiracy theories" about U.S. institutions ...
A new report, The promise of travel in the age of AI, produced by McKinsey and Skift Research offers use cases and success stories that detail how technologies are being used, drawing from interviews with executives at 17 companies across five types of travel business. It explores how companies apply advanced data science to better understand ...
New Results and Aftermath. Stanford's researchers found that Westlaw's AI-Assisted Research tool hallucinated nearly twice as often as Lexis+ AI—with Lexis+ AI hallucinating 17% of the time ...
Global economic growth has weakened under the guidance of equilibrium price theory, which focuses on price competition. Therefore, developing a price formation mechanism that aligns with sustainable economic development is imperative. Based on a scientific definition of the boundaries of the constituent factors of wealth creation, this paper proposes a price formation mechanism centered on ...