Statistical reports present information about a particular subject or project to their readers. You can write great statistical reports by properly formatting the report and including all the important information that a report reader needs.
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Part 1 of 3: Formatting Reports
Step 1. View other statistical reports
If you have never written a statistical report before, we recommend that you review some of the other statistical reports that can be used as a guide for formatting your own report. You will also get a good idea of what the final statistical report will look like.
- If you are working on a report for a course, your lecturer will be willing to show you examples of reports that were collected by previous students if requested.
- The campus library also has copies of statistical reports made by previous students and faculty researchers. Ask the research librarian for help in the field of science you are working on.
- You can also find statistical reports on the internet, created for business or marketing research, as well as files belonging to government agencies.
- Follow the examples carefully and carefully, especially if the report is for research in another field. Different disciplines have their own conventions regarding the content and manner of presenting a statistical report. For example, a statistical report produced by a mathematician is likely to be very different from a report prepared by a researcher for a retail business.
Step 2. Type your report in an easy-to-read font
Statistical reports are generally single-spaced in a font such as Arial or Times New Roman size 12. If your worksheet provides an explanation of the formatting requirements, follow the instructions exactly.
- Usually the page margin for statistical reports is 2.5 cm. Be careful when adding visual elements such as graphs and charts to the report, making sure they don't go beyond the report's margins so they don't print properly and look sloppy.
- The left margin can be increased up to 4 cm in anticipation if the research report is included in a folder or binder, the goal is that all writing can be read comfortably when you turn the page.
- Do not write double-spaced reports, unless you are doing coursework and specifically instructed by the lecturer.
- Use headers to enter page numbers on each page. You may also want to add your last name or research title to each page number.
Step 3. Use an appropriate citation method
There are different citation methods for different disciplines in referring to articles, books, and other materials used in your research. Even if you are comfortable with a particular citation method, use the one that is most common in your research discipline.
- Cite methods are often included in report writing manuals, which not only explain in detail how to cite references, but also define rules for punctuation and abbreviations, headings, and general formatting.
- For example, if you are writing statistical reports in the field of psychology, you should usually use a report writing manual published by the American Psychological Association (APA).
- The citation method is even more important if it is anticipated that your statistical report will be published by a particular publisher or professional journal.
Step 4. Include a cover sheet
The cover sheet displays the title of the statistical report, your name, and the names of people who have made important contributions to the research or the report itself. This sheet also provides a graceful presentation of your final report.
- If you are creating a statistical report for a course, a cover sheet may also be required. Check with your supervisor or lecturer or see the assignment sheet to find out if a cover sheet is needed and what to write on the sheet.
- For a longer statistical report, include a table of contents as well. The table of contents cannot be created before you complete the report because the table of contents displays a list of each section of the report and the page where that section starts.
Step 5. Create section titles
Section headings can make the report easier to read, depending on how the report is used and the audience that will be reading the report. This method will be effective if you believe that the reader will read the report quickly or go directly to certain sections.
- If you decide to create sectional headings, they should be bold and arranged so that they stand out from the rest of the text. For example, maybe the section heading text could be bolded, centered, and use a larger font.
- Make sure the section headings are not at the bottom of the page. There should be at least a few lines or a full paragraph of text under the section heading before the page break.
Step 6. Use the print preview feature to check the layout
When you make a report script with a word processing application, its appearance on a computer screen will be the same as on a sheet of paper. However, visual elements in particular may not match up as desired.
- Check the margins around the visual elements and make sure the text is neat and not too close to the visual elements. Clarify endings of text and words that correspond to the edges of visual elements (e.g. axis labels for graphics).
- Various visual elements can shift, so you should double-check the section headings after the report is complete and make sure none of them are at the bottom of the page.
- If possible, also change your page break to avoid the occurrence of the first line of a paragraph being the last line of the page, or the first line of a page as well as the last line of a particular paragraph. This will make reading difficult.
Part 2 of 3: Creating Report Content
Step 1. Write the report abstract
An abstract is a short description, usually no more than 200 words, that summarizes all the elements of your research project, including the research methods used, results, and analysis.
- As much as possible avoid scientific or statistical language in the abstract. The abstract should be easily understood by a wider audience than those who will read the entire report.
- The abstract function is similar to the elevator pitch in business. If you're in the elevator with someone and they ask you about a project you're working on, abstract the description of the project that was presented to that person.
- Although the abstract is located at the beginning of the report, it is easier to write it later, once the entire report is complete.
Step 2. Write the opening report
The opening section of the report identifies the purpose of your research or experiment. Explain to the reader the reasons for choosing the project you are working on, including the questions that it is hoped will answer.
- Use concise, concise, and clear language to set the tone of the report. Maximize the use of common terms instead of excessive statistical language, regardless of the report's target audience.
- If your report is based on a series of scientific experiments or data obtained from polls or demographic data, state hypotheses or expectations for the project.
- If there has been previous research in the same discipline on the same research subject or question, it is also important to include a brief overview of the research work after the opening. Explain the reasons for differentiating or adding something new to existing research work through your research.
Step 3. Describe the research method used
Use this section of the report to provide a detailed description of how the research project was carried out, including the characteristics of the experiments carried out or the methods used to collect the raw data.
- Include an explanation of the methods used to process the results, especially if your experiment or research is long-term or observational.
- If you have to make some adjustments throughout the project implementation process, identify what adjustments were made and the underlying issues.
- List all software, resources, or materials used in the series of research activities. If you are using a textbook as a material, simply reference it - there is no need to summarize the material in a report.
Step 4. Present the results
Report the specific findings of your research or experiment. This part of the report should contain facts only, without any analysis or discussion of the possible meaning of those facts.
- Start with the main results of the study, then include any by-products or interesting facts or trends found.
- In general, avoid reporting results that do not correspond to initial expectations or hypotheses. Nonetheless, if you find something surprising and unexpected in your research, at least it should be mentioned.
- This is the longest section in this report, with the most detailed statistics. This section is also the driest and most difficult for readers of the report to digest, especially if they are not statistical experts.
- Small graphs or diagrams are often clearer in showing research results than written text.
Step 5. State the conclusion
This section provides analysis and describes results that cover the entire context of a discipline or industry field. You should also indicate to the reader whether the research findings agree with the original hypothesis.
- Once you get to this section, avoid heavy and overstated language. This section should be easy for anyone to understand, even if they missed the research section.
- If further research is needed to further explore your hypothesis or answer questions that arise in the context of this research project, explain them here as well.
Step 6. Discuss the problem or issue at hand
If research findings relate to or contradict previous research, mention this at the end of the report. In this section you will present problems that may be encountered when carrying out research.
- Often, you'll find flashbacks here of things that would have made data collection easier or more efficient. This is the place to discuss it all. Since the scientific method is designed so that others can repeat your research, share your insights regarding this research with future researchers.
- Any speculations you have, or additional questions that arise in the research series, are also worth discussing here. Keep it to a minimum, lest personal opinion and speculation dominate your research.
Step 7. List all your references
Immediately after the end of the statistical report, include a table or list of books and articles used in conducting the research, or referenced in the report.
- For example, if you are comparing your current research with the same research conducted in another city several years earlier, include a citation to that research in the bibliography.
- Cite the references using the appropriate citation method for your discipline or field of study.
- Avoid citing references not mentioned in the report. For example, you might read some text in order to prepare a research project. However, if in the end the reading is not mentioned in your report, there is no obligation to include it in the bibliography.
Step 8. Always remember who will be reading your report
Your report will have little value if no one understands your research and achievements. Even if you are writing a report as a coursework, it should be written for a more general audience.
- Avoid using "specialized review terms" or industry jargon if the general reader of the report is someone outside your field or discipline.
- Ensure that the terms of special review and statistics in the report are used correctly. For example, you shouldn't use the term "mean" in a statistical report because people often use the word to mean something different. Instead, use "mean", "median", or "mode" – whichever is appropriate.
Part 3 of 3: Presenting Data
Step 1. Label and title all tables or charts
Providing a different label and title for each visual element allows you to refer to it in the report text. Using spatial references in text can be problematic because reports may not print in the same way.
- This is especially important if you are submitting a report for publication in a trade journal. If the page size is different from the paper used to print the report, the visual elements will not print neatly on the paper.
- This factor is also important if your report is published on the internet, as different display sizes can result in different presentations of visual elements.
- The easiest way to label visual elements is the word "Image" followed by a number. Next, you just have to number each element in the order in which it appears in the report.
- The title describes the information presented by the visual element. For example, if you created a bar graph showing student test scores on a chemistry final exam, you might title it "Chemistry Final Score, Fall 2016."
Step 2. Keep your visual elements neat and clean
If visual elements appear cluttered and untidy on the page, readers will have a hard time. Visual elements should improve the readability of the report, rather than distract it.
- Make sure each visual element is large enough so that your readers can see all there is to see without batting an eye. If you shrink the size of the chart so that the reader can't see the labels, it won't help them anything.
- Create your visual elements using formats that can be easily imported into word processing files. Importing with some graphic formats can distort the image or result in a very low resolution image.
Step 3. Distribute information appropriately
When creating graphs or diagrams, make sure they are readable and easy to understand in a short amount of time. If your chart is filled with data, or the range is too wide, readers won't benefit much from it.
- For example, if the study sample is in the hundreds, the "x" axis will be filled with images if you display each sample individually as a bar. Instead, you can move the size on the y-axis to the x-axis, and then use the y-axis to measure the frequency.
- If your data contains percentages, only display the percentage part as required in the study. If the smallest difference between research subjects is two digits behind the percentage comma, you don't need to display more than the entire percentage. However, if the difference between research subjects is in the hundreds of percent, display the percentage up to two digits behind the comma so the graph can show the difference.
- For example, if your report contains a bar graph of the distribution of test scores for a chemistry course, and the scores are 97, 56, 97, 52, 97, 46, and 97, 61, create an x-axis graph for each student, and a y-axis starting from 97 to 98. This method will highlight the difference in student scores.
Step 4. Include the raw data in the attachment
Especially for projects that are broad in scope, attachments are likely to be the longest section of your report. You must include all raw data, including copies of interview questions, data sets, and statistical results.
- Be careful that the attachment does not swallow your report. You are not required to include all data sheets or other documents created during the conduct of the research project.
- It is better if you only include documents that can expand and lead to further understanding of the report.
- For example, when describing your research method, you stated that a survey was conducted by students in a chemistry course to find out how they would study for a final exam. You can include a copy of the questions asked of the student respondents as an appendix. However, you don't have to include all copies of each student's answers.
