Assignment task: Assessing your own research report
Before your report is read or assessed by others, such as your examiners, it is important that you critically evaluate its content beforehand. This can sometimes be a time-consuming task, and you should allow yourself as much time as you can for this stage, especially if it is likely that you will find significant errors, or if you think that a significant rewrite is required. There are a number of specific questions that you should ask yourself with regard to the content of your report. These are as follows.
Setting the scene:
1. Does your abstract give a clear idea of what is in the report? Has it clearly described the background to the study, what is distinctive about what you are doing, the methodology adopted, the main conclusions that have emerged and how your study adds to knowledge?
2. Is your table of contents well-structured, and does it give an accurate picture of what's included? Have you included a list of tables and a list of figures if appropriate?
3. Have you introduced your research adequately? Is it totally clear to the reader what the aim of the research is and why it is important? Do you have a clearly constructed and suitable research question or hypothesis that leads to a set of clear and related subsidiary questions or objectives?
4. Are you happy that you have 'set the scene' for the reader? What is the rationale behind your research report? Have you clearly identified this? Why should the reader read your piece of work? Is it saying something worthwhile?
Your use of the literature:
5. Do you have a logically structured review of literature, either using a funnel approach with a broad outline of the key concepts (focusing towards more specific literature as the review progresses) or a thematic approach that deals with key concepts in turn?
6. Is your issue or focus underpinned by theory? Is it clear which theory or model you have adopted?
7. How up-to-date are your references? Have you included the most up-to-date work in your area? Have you also included the older, 'classic' sources?
8. Have you used a variety of sources or are you over-reliant upon certain authors? Have you included or acknowledged competing theories or viewpoints, or simply selected literature that supports your hypothesis? Have you explored all possible sources?
9. Have you assessed the quality of your non peer-reviewed sources?
10. Is it clear to the reader how your research relates to what has been done before or how it builds upon existing knowledge?
11. In your literature review do you merely identify and describe, with no real critical edge? Have you been analytical enough?
Your methodology
12. Have you clearly explained your broad ontological and epistemological assumptions? Does the methodology reflect these assumptions throughout?
13. Do you clearly identify and explain your choice of research design?
14. Have you explained the rationale behind your chosen means of collecting information? If it is an existing instrument, whose is it? Why did you choose it? Is it clear to the reader why your methods were the most appropriate ones for your research question?
15. Have you made it clear who the subjects are and to what population these subjects belong? Is it clear how they were selected?
16. Did you undertake any piloting of your data-collection instruments? If so, what was the outcome? Have you reported any piloting in your write-up?
17. Have you been explicit in outlining how data were analysed?
18. Have you evaluated the methodology? Can you identify what was strong and what was weaker?
19. Are you making assumptions? You know what you did in terms of research methods, but would the reader? Have you expressed yourself clearly and given adequate details? Would someone else be able to replicate your study on the basis of the information you've given?
20. Have you justified your key decisions?
Discussion and conclusions
21. Are your findings clearly presented? Have you included tables for your descriptive and inferential analysis of quantitative data?
22. If you have included graphs, charts and so on, are these appropriate? Do they add anything?
23. Is the content of each chart clear? Is it clear how each chart relates to your research objectives?
24. How have you analysed your findings? If you have undertaken quantitative analysis, which statistical tests have you used? Are you sure these are the correct tests? Have you interpreted the results correctly? For qualitative analysis, have you demonstrated that you have analysed your data in a systematic manner?
25. In your discussion, do you adequately revisit the literature and relate your findings to the literature, or do you simply discuss what you found?
26. Are your arguments coherent, logical and sound? Are they consistent with the evidence that you have collected?
27. Have your conclusions clearly emerged from the evidence collected and discussed? Have you acknowledged unexpected evidence, or evidence that contradicts your chosen theory or model?
28. Do you return to your research question or hypothesis?
29. Do you evaluate the research? Have you identified the strengths and the limitations of the project?
30. Are any recommendations you make based upon your findings? Are they feasible and practical? Have you identified recommendations for further research?
General presentation of the report
31. Is your content well-planned and logically structured?
32. Is the work well-presented? Have you used an appropriate font and followed the guidelines of your institution in terms of margins, double spacing and so on?
33. Have you made appropriate use of supportive materials to enhance presentation (i.e. graphs, tables, illustrations)?
34. Have you conducted a thorough read-through to eliminate careless spelling and typographical errors, poor grammar and poor sentence construction?
35. Are you writing in the most appropriate tense? Is your writing too informal?
36. How well do you communicate your ideas? Does what you write make sense?
37. Do you link your various chapters and make use of signposting to help the reader?
38. Have you set out your references and/or bibliography with the required detail and in the recommended format?
39. Have you acknowledged all sources used and made it clear whether it's your views that are being expressed or the views of others?
40. Have you made appropriate use of appendices? Are there any unnecessary appendices?
41. Have you ensured that your report is as stimulating and as interesting as possible? Have you conveyed your enthusiasm to the reader throughout the project?