Final Report Format
Summary Information
Title Page ▪ Title of report (to reflect your research question)
▪ Student name
▪ Course/subject (HUSV 326)
▪ Date due (May 3, 2019)
Table of Contents Shows the sections of the report and page numbers
Each section should begin on a new page, and be titled as follows:
1. Executive Summary
2. Research Question & Process Outline
3. Introduction
4. Annotated bibliography & Summary
5. Literature review (table format)
6. Discussion
7. References (all references should be included here – annotated bibliography and literature review)
Executive Summary ▪ An executive summary is a thorough overview of your research report, that
synthesizes key points for its readers, preparing them to understand the report’s
overall content. It is a separate, stand-alone document of sufficient detail and clarity
to ensure that the reader can completely understand the contents of the full report.
Conclusions and recommendations should be clearly stated. In-text citations are
required.
▪ Page Length: 1 page
Research Question & Process Outline
▪ State the research question you have been working on this semester.
▪ Include your edited process outline
Introduction ▪ Your introduction should focus on background information to put your research
question into context with the known (published) research literature on the topic. ▪ Your introduction should clearly:
• Outline the context, background and purpose of your research question
• Define terms and set limits of the research (what is already known?)
▪ Allow the reader to easily identify the ‘what, how, why’ of your research question
Final Report Format
Annotated Bibliography
▪ You must have a minimum of 5 primary research articles – you can have any number of other types of resources (popular articles, websites, review articles etc…)
▪ All articles in your introduction must be listed in your annotated bibliography
Literature Review ▪ The literature review is focused on addressing your research question, and
therefore should not include articles from your annotated bibliography (this focused
on introductory information i.e. what is already known) ▪ Prepare your literature review in table format
▪ Your literature review should contain a minimum of 10 primary, peer reviewed research articles
▪ Include the literature search tracker table Discussion ▪ Discuss the information and data you have discovered from the articles in your literature review.
▪ Here you are focused on addressing your research question by collating and
synthesizing the information you have found from the articles.
▪ Your discussion should conclude with a conclusion section – here you reiterate the
key findings as they relate to your research question, and provide informed
recommendations.
References ▪ In-text citations in APA format
▪ A full reference list should include all articles referred to in your report (this includes
your annotated bibliography, and your literature review) ▪ Your reference list is to be in APA format
Final Report Format
General Information
1) 12 font size, 1.5 spacing, with 1-inch margins, (top, bottom, right, and left).
2) Do not use the “Center” or “Justify” feature for spacing within the text.
3) Have a running head in the upper left side of the header and page number such as 1 in the upper
right part of the header. Make sure the running head is included on each page.
4) Include a title page that includes; your name, title of paper, course number, due date.
5) Do not use symbols such as ‘&’, write in full (and) within the main text. This symbol can be used
when citing two or more authors within text (Jones & Smith, 2010).
6) If you add a graphics or charts give each a figure number, numbered consecutively as it appears in
the text. Include the figure number and figure legend directly beneath the image or graph.
7) If you include a table, each table should be numbered consecutively as it appears in the text. The
table number and legend is included above the table.
8) Spell out acronyms the first time the reader is presented with it: Mothers Against Drunk Drivers
(MADD). Once the reader knows the meaning of the acronym, you can continue the acronym, MADD
throughout paper.
9) Avoid starting a sentence using a numeral; spell it out (Twenty percent, not 20%)
10) Proof read carefully for spelling and grammatical errors
11) Do not use direct quotes
Final Report Format
Citing Information
1) Cite using APA format.
2) Do not put all in-text citations at the end of the paragraph unless the entire paragraph is from
that/those authors.
3) Check the correct citation format for journal articles, multiple author journal articles, books, websites, reports etc…
4) The reference page should be 1.5 spaced, hanging indent format
5) The references cited in the text and the references page must match. If you cite an article in the
body of your paper, you must have it listed on your reference page, and if listed on the reference page
it must be cited in the body of your report.
Content Information
1) Remember you are the expert. Write the paper as if the reader knows nothing about the topic. Use active voice.
2) Make sure what you have written directly relates to your research question
3) Let the reader know when you have changed topics, you can use these techniques; a) Use a new
paragraph when changing topics, and / or b) Use bridging / transitional sentences when you change
the subject so the reader knows you have moved on to another topic
4) Break very long paragraphs into shorter ones by topic or enumeration.
5) The conclusions should not contain any new information – you are only concluding the information
found from your literature review, that pertains to your research question.
Final Report Format
6) Check for missing or duplicated words or phrases in your writing.
7) Check punctuation.
8) Check the proper use of plurals and possessives.
9) Paraphrase information into your own words, do not use direct quotes
Before your final submission
1) Let your paper “cool” for 24 hours. Read it aloud to make sure it says what you want it to say.
2) For more information on APA formatting:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/media/pdf/20090212013008_560.pdfhttp://owl.english.purdue.edu/media/pdf/20090212013008_560.pdf
- Summary Information
- General Information
- Citing Information
- Content Information
- Before your final submission