6 Writing the report

Following your analysis, you will need to write up your findings and recommendations in a final report. You will need to write in plain English and avoid jargon. However, the writing style is still formal and you should avoid emotive language (unless it is a direct quote from a participant).

Figure 21 The last stage of applied policy research is writing the final report

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Figure 21 is a photograph of a woman sitting at a desk, going through the pages of a report. Only the arms and torso of the woman are visible. Also on the desk is a calculator and a number of sheets of paper with graphs printed on them.

Figure 21 The last stage of applied policy research is writing the final report

Typically your report will include the following:

• an executive summary
• the research question and methodology used
• a summary of the literature review
• a summary of the research carried out, any information found and their relevance to the issue
• an analysis of the research and its implications
• suggestions for reform and any practical considerations. As part of your recommendations you can suggest further research is needed.

You must continue to research ethically while writing your report and continue to be guided by the principles you learnt about in Section 2. You will now have an opportunity to reflect on this further in the next activity.