Organizing Teacher Research Reports

RE 5040, Fall, 2002

Keeping in mind that there are infinite numbers of ways you can organize your report, here is a general outline of what you might want to include in your written reports. PLEASE, remember that you SHOULD make adjustments that make your report easier to read and understand.

Introduction

Explain to your reader what the research is about and why it is important. You should connect your report to the current literature about your topic, and to ideas about the importance of teacher research. You might want to provide some personal history; explain how events in your teaching brought you to this research topic.

Conducting the Research

Describe how you went about the research: Who were your subjects? What were your data? How did you analyze it? What activities were part of the research?

Results

What did you find? Explain in an objective, straight-forward manner exactly what you find. Try to avoid inferences or conclusions; keep your language objective.

Conclusions or Discussion

Explain what your results mean; interpret findings for your readers. Discuss how the research has informed your practice, and what it might mean to other educators.

This is a traditional format for writing a research report. It is based on quantitative methods, so it may not fit precisely with what you are reporting. It is your responsibility to write this in the way that makes the most sense from the point of view of the reader. When you are writing, contiuously ask yourself "Is this reader friendly? How can I make it MORE reader friendly." Readers should hear your "voice" when they read your report. Avoid overly technical language. I recommend writing this in the first person, as a way of keeping yourself central to the report.