GUIDELINES FOR REPORTS

Note 1: For a score of 80 or above, a report must follow all guidelines. (Merely following all guidelines does not guarantee such a grade, however. The report in itself must be good.)

Note 2: Late reports will not be accepted, unless you explain your legitimate reason in person to the professor on or before May 13.

*No library sources

*MLA format (see especially page numbers, title page, parenthetical documentation, Works Cited format, labeling of figures, format and punctuation of quotations)

*One or both of the textbooks must be cited, in MLA format; (Be careful about plagiarism.)

*Include the following in your report:

Introduction

What is the topic or question that was investigated?

Brief summary of background information on the topic.

Design

Explain carefully and clearly how you collected data; include all materials (such as questionnaires, tests, instructions to subjects).

*Do not give the real names of subjects.

Findings (Results)

Complete and explicit findings/results. Be sure to tabulate questionnaire, test, or other data collection results, and to include this information in your report.

Any figures (tables or graphs;  see MLA for format). Tell the reader when to refer to a certain figure or table (e.g., “see fig. 3”). See the sample report on the internet site for examples.

Discussion (of findings/results)

Interpretation (in relation to what we have studied, and to the introduction); alternative interpretations

Problems you met in your investigation

Conclusion

Works Cited—for Nash and Yule

[Appendices]—some material from Design and from Findings may be too long to include in the text of the report. Number each appendix (e.g., Appendix 1, Appendix 2), and in the report tell the reader when to refer to an appendix (e.g., “see Appendix 3 ”).