Features of Useful Texts Across Disciplines

At the end of the module, the student is expected to:

1. Identifies the unique features of and requirements in composing texts
that are useful across disciplines
a. Research Report
b. Project Proposal

Writing Research Reports

Research focuses on a single thesis statement but unlike the previously
discussed written texts, research reports rely its details and conclusions
solely on any type of research.
In writing a research report, there are steps to take in preparing one:
1. Choosing a topic. The topic must have a realistic scope and equally
interesting for potential readers. General topics may be the starting point
of coming up with a specific one. With a variety of information at the tips
of our fingers, it is easy to list down possible topics to do a research on. It
is best to keep it at its most specific but since this is just the preliminary
brainstorming for a topic, as it may change over the course of the
research, it is okay to keep the most interesting and feasible to work on.
2. Planning the research. Once you have identified the topic of your
research, it is time to start creating guide questions related to your topic
and will help you in formulating your thesis statement. The questions will
enable you to narrow the main point you’re aiming for. These questions
will also serve as your guide in looking for supporting details to your
topic.
3. Making reference cards. Do a preliminary research of your own
regarding your topic and note on the references that could possibly
strengthen your evidence for the thesis statement. This list of collated
references will also help you in arranging your bibliography at the end of
the research.
4. Taking notes. Remember to take as accurate as possible notes that will
aid you in outlining your research. Read the relevant resources, scan all
possible related materials, and keep the notes organized.
5. Writing a precise thesis statement. The thesis statement, if solid, can
convince the reader of your claim. It must contain all the necessary
information related to the research and what you want your audience to
learn from it.
6. Preparing an outline. After deciding on the topic and gathering all
possible sources, it is time to construct an outline that will guide you in
organizing your thoughts on the research topic.
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The given sample below is a sample structure of a research report:
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)

Writing a Project Proposal

A project proposal gives the recipient a description of something the writer
wants to accomplish, the significance of the objectives of the project that can
contribute to the community, if not the society, and the suggested ways of
achieving them.
A good proposal is said to contain the following:
1. Goals and objectives – a project proposal may not sound convincing
enough to the recipient/reader if the goals and objectives of the project is
not clearly stated. A project cannot start without a clear image of what it
is trying to accomplish.
2. Significance – How will the project help the people involved? Who will
benefit from the project the most?
3. Project plan – a structure of the project will further help in persuading
the reader to consider the plan for execution. You can explain the
expected results of the project, the projected timeline for completion, and
how will the project design and method lead to the goal you have been
envisioning.
4. Resources – sources of funding and other related information on where to
get the supplies, equipment and the like to carry out the project.
5. Preparation – the skill set required to accomplish the project must be
elaborated as well as the skill set of the people involved in bringing the
project to fruition. What preparations have been done to bring the project
to life?
6. Budget – a discussion of monetary resolutions that will give estimations
on how much budget the project needs and what it will be used for.
It also helps the project proposal to contain risk management plans to ensure
that the organizers are ready for whatever may happen over the course of
the project.
The following outline gives some suggested sections for your project
proposal.
1. Introduction (1 or 2 paragraphs)
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 o Motivation Sentence
o Summarize the problem (1 or 2 sentences)
o Summarize the solution (1 or 2 sentences)
o Describe format of rest of proposal (sections, etc.)
2. Motivation (1 to 3 paragraphs)
o What is the history of the problem?
o Why is this problem interesting?
o When and why does the problem occur?
o Is the problem already solved? What is done now?
o Are there any similar systems or solutions to the one you
propose? If so, reference and very briefly explain them.
o Are there are possible improvements to current solutions?
3. Project Summary (1 paragraph)
o What in general will this project achieve? (Do not delve into
details or timelines.)
4. Project Details
o Architecture and Environment (2-3 paragraphs + figures)
 Describe the project environment (software,
hardware, languages, organizations, etc.)
 Diagrams and figures are useful here if appropriate.
 What software, hardware, or tools will you use?
o Implementation Issues and Challenges (2-3 paragraphs)
 What will be the most difficult issues and challenges
in the implementation?
 How are you using or extending current
tools/systems for your problem?
 What makes your project unique?
o Deliverables (3-5 paragraphs - point-form may be used for
some of the description)
 What will the project produce? (program, report,
etc.)
 Describe in relative detail the features of each of the
project's products.
 You may wish to separate deliverables into phases
and indicate optional components given time.
  Emphasize what your project contributes or
achieves!
o Timeline (1 paragraph - point-form is suitable)
 Provide an estimated timeline of project
deliverables and important dates.
5. Conclusion (1 paragraph)
o Summarize the project including the problem, motivation,
and proposed solution, and re-state important (planned)
contributions.
6. References
o List references used to compile proposal and references
that will be used for project (if already known).

References
Research Report Guide. Retrieved from:
http://web.mit.edu/course/21/21.guide/rep-resc.htm

Writing a research report. Retrieved from:

https://researchrundowns.com/writing/writing-a-research-report/

Writing a project proposal. Retrieved from:

https://undergrad.stanford.edu/opportunities/research/get-
funded/apply-uar-student-grants/how-apply/writing-grant-
proposal/writing-project-proposal

Writing a proposal. Retrieved from:

https://people.ok.ubc.ca/rlawrenc/teaching/writingProposal.html

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