Writing the Report

Title Page

• Title of report (remember to use capital letters for main words)

• Author’s name/s

• Year of publication

Contents Page

• Include sections of the report with headings

• Sub-headings (where applicable)

• Use appropriate page numbers

Abstract

The abstract is written LAST. This is because the Abstract outlines the purpose of the research, provides a summary of the report and outlines the main findings. The abstract also includes some recommendations for future research into your chosen area. This should be no more than a couple of paragraphs (approximately 300 words).

• Brief summary or description of the research

• Introduce the project and its objectives

• Outline research methods used (primary and secondary)

• Highlight the outcomes and recommendations of the research

Example Abstract

A critical examination into how the Generation Y, Generation X and Baby Boomers differ in their values, attitudes and lifestyles. Interviews were the appropriate methodology chosen to obtain primary data and six people from each generation were interviewed, and therefore there were eighteen participants. The main findings include that Generation Y have more objective perspectives than other generations did at their age, Generation X was only generation whose attitudes towards life had been or were starting to become negative and that Baby Boomers were actually found to be the most materialistic generation. Other general observations include the age each generation has got married/wishes to get married has increased and that despite living in a digital age, no majority of any generation, particularly the younger ones, spent a large proportion of their money on technology. As a result, it was recommended that workplaces introduce informative workshops to promote better understanding among generations to enhance group well-being and minimise inter-generational conflict.

Acknowledgements

• A list or paragraph detailing those who have contributed to the research - naming and list their contributions

Introduction

• Write approximately 500 words which includes:

• An outline of the background to the topic – provide details of your investigation, why it is relevant, incidence in Australia (include statistics)

• Write a detailed paragraph linking your topic to CAFS (you may need to consult your syllabus to find the relevance). Make sure you use CAFS terminology such as wellbeing, individuals, groups, etc. Give specific examples to support your justification.

Methodology

Include a detailed paragraph on each:

1. Primary data collection

Include methodologies used (survey, interviews)

Include specific details (how many, where they were distributed)

Include your sampling method (eg convenience, random) and reason for choosing it

Mention CAFS terminology throughout (eg quantitative and qualitative)

2. Secondary data collection

Mention how you collected your three sources….name places visited. Eg Pacific Hills Christian School Library, any other library (eg Galston Library). Mention type of sources; eg journals, books, internet

• You should mention strategies used to ensure you were an ethical researcher. Consider things like privacy, bias....

• You could mention how you increased the validity or reliability of your results

Literature Review

This section should contain information about your secondary articles. It should be approximately 2000 words in length and should be written in essay format.

All research should begin with review existing resources so that the researcher can learn from the work of others and focus on what needs to be researched

Using the secondary data you have collected about your research topic, you need to analyse the information presented. This means you need to show links (comparison) between researcher’s ideas, finding similarities and differences in their findings.

Things you will need to discuss include:

• Summary of the relevant information found in the different resources

• Discussion of how the information relates to the IRP

• Quotes which are relevant to your topic – referenced appropriately

• Statistics – current and Australian

• An evaluation of the usefulness of the resource

All articles must be referenced and included in your bibliography.

Referencing:

Plagiarism involves taking and passing off someone else’s thoughts, writing or findings as one’s own. It is a form of cheating and not acceptable. It is important to reference ideas or information used from another source’s research.

Direct Quote

• If using a direct quote from a source, the quote must be enclosed in quotation marks and the publication date and page number must be indicated.

MacKinnon (2019) has suggested that increased work commitments have resulted in family breakdowns with worker’s feeling “too tired and stressed after a busy day in the office to spend quality time with their children” (p47).

OR

Increased work commitments have resulted in family breakdowns with worker’s feeling “too tired and stressed after a busy day in the office to spend quality time with their children” (MacKinnon, 2019, p47).

• A quote which is longer than three lines should be indented.

MacKinnon (2019, p47) has completed various research studies on the balance between work and family commitments. She has found that:

Increased work commitments have resulted in family breakdowns with worker’s feeling too tired and stressed after a busy day in the office to spend quality time with their children. Divorce rates have been steadily increasing in the past decade and are a result of increasing work hours and less quality time spent at home. Relationships are breaking down as partner’s struggle to deal with the pressures of modern day life.

Using an Idea Rather Than a Direct Quote

• Borrowing a person’s idea, without directly quoting them can be referenced in the following way:

MacKinnon (2019) blames an increase in work commitments as the cause of family breakdowns.

OR

The cause of family breakdowns may be the result of an increase in work commitments (MacKinnon, 2019).

See individual google page for more information and examples on how to construct your Literature Review

Results

Quantitative data - use graphs and tables which are clearly labelled

Qualitative data - dot point summary

• • • • • For each question, use dot point summary to show the main trends in data or interesting points!

        • For example: The majority of participants reported..... Few participants responded....... Some participants.....

Analysis and Discussion

• You will need to provide some sort of comparison of your results to the results which you found in secondary data.

• Your results may agree/ disagree with the results of previous researchers

• Comment on similarities and differences between your research and other research

• Discuss limitations of your research project (ie time, limited sample size, bias)

When referring to YOUR results, refer to the CURRENT RESEARCH. Then yes, you could mention specifically to a graph. Eg Graph One indicated....

For the SECONDARY research (sources) you would refer to them by SURNAME (YEAR) - like you did in the Literature Review. Eg Smith (2009)

EXAMPLE:

Graph One from the current research indicated that 50% of all adolescents currently do not get enough sleep, well below the recommended eight hours a day. This has the potential to impact on their education as a lack of sleep affects concentration levels. Therefore, adolescent's academic results could also suffer, limiting their results and impacting on future employment opportunities. Similarly, Smith (2009) also found a link between academic achievement and sleep patterns. His research suggested that adolescents need a minimal eight hours sleep a night in order ensure concentration levels are sufficient for learning. Smith (2009) cautioned that individuals can acrue a sleep debt which ultimately needs to be 'paid off.'

Many participants from the current research reported feeling stressed. One participant even suggested that she "became so stressed she couldn't get out of bed" (see Appendix One, Interview). Many participants reported negative effects of stress such as blah blah blah. However, research conducted by Anderson and Train (2008) suggested that some stress can actually be good for people. For example blah blah....

(I made this up - but you can see that I have linked the current research findings to the findings from a source).

Good luck! This is the hardest part of the assignment! You can do it!

Bibliography

• Must include ALL sources used in the literature review

• Use APA (6th Edition).

Appendix

• Include any drafts of methods

• Include any photos taken

• include a blank copy of each primary method (eg blank survey, list of interview questions

• include any completed surveys / interviews in paper format (don't worry if online)

• DO NOT INCLUDE DIARY