IA+3a.+Written+Report+(Intro+&+Policies)

Making a start on the WRITTEN REPORT
Time to jump on the plane, go to the Falls, say "I do", cut that cake and dance the night away : just like what you planned and proposed you would do.

The Written Report has a //specific format//. You may __not__ go ahead and set it up however you like.

There are a few Administrative details which are required to make your Project a professional piece of work, and this go at the front of the Report [these can be found on the wikipage 'IA 3d] '- but we will address them at the end : as you do not need them to get started. Sp for now : //the first thing that goes on the Written Report is ....//

[1] THE INTRODUCTION.


 * Here you should outline some //background knowledge about the company// under investigation
 * Give a clear //outline of the issue// being investigated

this second part of the introduction should be seen as an expansion of the 'rationale' given in the RP.

It is essential that there is consistency and in some cases, just simple repetition between the RP and the Written Report - it is after all a matter of (i) saying what you are going to do - and then (2) doing what you said what you would do.

Consistency is logical and professional.

Here is an example..

HOW TO CITE / REFER

It is a //Research// Project. We expect you to research things and then __refer__ to the data you have gathered.

A 2-step citation process is fine. The idea is that the first step is short, and the second step is more detailed

[1] **In-text with link to footnote**

(this might seem like two steps in itself, but the computer will automatically link them for you so really it is just one.)
 * if you are taking a quote then put it in inverted commas and insert a footnote at the end. See images below.
 * you might include in brackets right after the commas the author of the quote //eg I like strawberry doughnuts because they are "srumptilitious all the way through1" (BabyJane). Other doughnuts are good too but...blah blah blah//
 * if you are just vaguely referring to something you learnt from a certain source then this **in-text** citation is not necessary, a simple **in-text** number is sufficient. //eg Fruit flavoured doughnuts are becoming more and more popular with people living in urban areas 1//
 * in the actual footnote then you expand on the source referred to.
 * eg //1. BabyJane, Good Foods, p24//



[2] ** Bibliography. **


 * This is a detailed list of all sources used, all in the same place.
 * This should be in its own section, so 'insert / page break'
 * It should be //after// the Recommendations and //before// the Appendix.
 * It is NOT included in the word count.
 * Sources should be listed alphabetically, according to authors surname wherever possible.
 * ** www.easybib.com ** is a well respected site that will help you create citations for your Bibliography. You type details into the boxes, they create a citation for you, you copy&paste it into your Bibliography

Book should be sited like this:
 * AuthorsLastName, AuthorsFirstName. YearInWhichTheSourceWasPublished. TitleOfTheSourceIItalics. NameOfPrintingCompany
 * BabyJane, Sara. 2010. // Good Foods //, United States. Gringo Prints

Here is the link to the ** ABC school guidelines ** on citation of different sources... https://sites.google.com/a/abc-net.edu.sv/abcresearchguidelines/Home/citation-1/in-text-citation?pli=1 https://sites.google.com/a/abc-net.edu.sv/abcresearchguidelines/Home/citation-1/works-cited-formats
 * ** In-text citations ** :
 * ** Bibliography ** (a.k.a "Works Cited")

And my own simple example, citing from a specialist magazine


 * As an IA guidelines we would expect about **
 * ** 5 in-text citations **
 * ** 25 footnote citations **
 * ** 20 bibliography references **

**FINAL NOTE** : the point of citation is (i) to acknowledge when you have used someone else ideas (ii) allow the Examiner to cross reference that source if they have a doubt. Both points are important but the first one more so. So, if you have a source but are not sure how to cite it because you lack the details etc, just __//cite it the best you can, in the most logical way you can think of//__. Prove you're not pretending its your own idea.
 * A bad citation is way better than no citation. **

ETHICS & YOUR RESEARCH

You will be researching real people about real issues. A lot of students choose to research staff as part of their data gathering (its a good idea - they are important stakeholders ). Others choose to do some observations, sometimes of things like Processes and P hysical Evidence - sometimes also things like Customer Behavior. I have seen some very good Projects that include photos.

All in all we are gathering data - and we have to be careful about what we do with that data. Issues like (i) who do we share it with? (ii) do we indicate the source of that data in precise detail? (iii) do all parties involved know the same thing regarding the data gathered..etc, these issues can create consequences which we are responsible for if we are not careful about how we carry out our research.



So what do we want from you as a Researcher ?

2 things..

[1] Communicate open and honestly with your sample - clearly inform those in your sample what you intend to do with the data gathered. Evidence of this should appear in written form at the top of any questionnaire you hand out. And then honour your promise to them. We will have very little tangible evidence of you doing this, but you are ROCs, and we know you will.

[2] Create and sign a PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO ETHICAL RESEARCH. This should be a contract, between you, the sample and the Examiner (though only //you// need to sign it). It should outline the areas of ethical concern you have thought about regarding your Research Plan - and what you commit to doing so that no-one is harmed in any way by the research you do.

Here is a document i have summarized from a UK website, created by/for Professional Researchers. It is a summary of their Code Of Conduct Statement...

Here are Guidelines on what your Ethical Statement might look like