REPORT WRITING

Writing and Presentation Skills

© 2013 Sherrie Lee http://www.linkedin.com/in/orangecanton

Findings

FINDINGS

Respondents’ Profile Highlights significant results, e.g. gender,

age, frequency

Scope items Each aspect of the problem or investigation

should highlight significant results

Data should be analysed / interpreted

Visuals may be used for more significant results and should be clearly labelled

FINDINGS

How to analyse data

Describe

Compare

Evaluate

Format of Findings section

FINDINGS Respondent’s Profile: Gender, Age

200 working adults were surveyed. 53% of respondents were aged 30 – 45 years old while the rest were aged 18 – 29 years old. Almost half (48%) of the respondents were women.

FINDINGS Describe: Convert data into percentages (up to one

decimal point)

1. 93 out of 200 = 46.5%

2.46.5% of respondents said they were most unhappy

because they did not save as much as they should.

ExampleYou issued questionnaires to 200 working adults. 93 adults said they were most unhappy because they did not save as much as they should.

46.5%

Compare: Look for relationships among the data

1. 93 = 46.5%; 54 = 27%; 46 = 23%; 42 = 21%

2. Respondents were asked to choose reasons for their unhappiness. The majority of respondents (46.5%) said they were most unhappy because they did not save as much as they should. 27% of them said they were unhappy because they were worried about the economy, 23% were dissatisfied with their jobs, 21% said did not have work-life balance. A minority (6%) said they were unhappy with the government.

ExampleYou issued questionnaires to 200 working adults. 93 adults said they were most unhappy because they did not have much savings. 54 said they were worried about the economy, 46 said they were dissatisfied with their jobs, and 42 said they did not have work-life balance. 12 said they were unhappy with the government.

FINDINGS

46.5% 27%

21%23%

6%

FINDINGS Compare: Use connectives

Most of the respondents (46.5%) said they were most unhappy because they did not save as much as they should. Also, 27% of them said they were most unhappy because they were worried about the economy, 23% were dissatisfied with their jobs, while 21% said did not have work-life balance. In addition, a minority (6%) said they were most unhappy because of the government.

FINDINGS Evaluate: What is the significance of the data?

Most of the respondents (46.5%) said they were unhappy because they did not save as much as they should. Also, 27% of them said they were unhappy because they were worried about the economy, 23% were dissatisfied with their jobs, while 21% said did not have work-life balance. In addition, a minority (6%) said they were unhappy with the government. Thus, the main causes of unhappiness among Singaporeans are insufficient savings, current state of the economy and job dissatisfaction.

FINDINGS Format of Findings sectionExample

2. Findings

2.1 Respondents’ profile

2.2 Insufficient savings

2.3 Economy

2.4. Job dissatisfaction

1.4 ScopeBesides respondents’profile, the report looks into three possible reasons for unhappiness among Singaporeans: insufficient savings, the economy and job dissatisfaction.

FINDINGSExample

You issued questionnaires to 200 working adults.

12 respondents said they were unhappy with the government.

42 respondents said they did not have work-life balance.

43 respondents spent more than $500 on groceries each month.

46 respondents said they were dissatisfied with their jobs

54 respondents said they were worried about the economy.

65 respondents spent more than 40% of their salary on loan repayments.

81 respondents spent more than they earned each month on credit cards.

93 respondents said they did not have much savings.

Can you write out one sub-section of the findings based on the data?

Insufficient savings

2. Findings [taking 200 as base]

2.2 Insufficient savings

The majority of respondents (46.5%) said they were most

unhappy because of insufficient savings. 40.5% of the

respondents said they spent more than they earned each

month on credit cards, 32.5% spent more than forty percent

of their salary on loan repayments, while 21.5% spent more

than $500 on groceries each month. This suggests that the

use of credit cards and the high cost of living are major

contributors to the lack of savings among Singaporeans.

2. Findings [taking 93 as base]

2.2 Insufficient savings

The majority of respondents (46.5%) said they were most

unhappy because of insufficient savings. Of these, 87% said

they spent more than they earned each month on credit

cards, 69.9% spent more than forty percent of their salary on

loan repayments, while 46.2% spent more than $500 on

groceries each month. This suggests that the use of credit

cards and the high cost of living are major contributors to the

lack of savings among Singaporeans.

2. Findings

2.2 Insufficient savings

The majority of respondents (46.5%) said they were most

unhappy because of insufficient savings. Of these, 87% said

that spent more than they earned each month on credit

cards, 69.9% spent more than 40% of their salary on loan

repayments, while 46.2% spent more than $500 on groceries

each month. This suggests that the use of credit cards and

the high cost of living are major contributors to the lack of

savings among Singaporeans.

Numbered headings

Use 2.2 (because 2.1 is Respondents’ Profile