The Format of Research Paper

(Writing a Report )

Presented by

Bishow Raj Joshi

Consultant

NCTTM Event and Training Management

Points to be considered
Identify an area of interest
Talk to your guide/Supervisor
Reflect and explore possibilities
Identify sources of information
(Collect anything that looks interesting and
useful, review the available literature)

Points to be considered
List and define key concepts and terms
Frame and evaluate the title against criteria
Talk to your guide, discuss and finalize the title.
Along with topic finalization:
Decide the objectives of your research.
A long list of objectives is not required.
Instead, achievable 2 to 4 objectives are enough

Familiarizing oneself with the format

TITLE PAGE
DECLARATION
RECOMMENDATION*
APPROVAL*
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABSTRACT
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES
LIST OF FIGURES
* Should be on letter head

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background/Context
1.2 Statement of problem
1.3 Rationale of the study
1.4 Objectives of the study
1.5 Research questions/ Hypothesis
1.6 Significance of the study
1.7 Delimitations of the study
1.8 Operational definition of the key terms

CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW

AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
2.1 Review of related literature
2.2 Implication of the review for the project
work
2.3 Conceptual framework

CHAPTER III: METHODS AND

PROCEDURES OF THE STUDY
2.1 Design of the study
2.2 Sources of data
2.2.1 Primary sources
2.2.2 Secondary sources
2.3 Sample (for qualitative study) or Field/ Areas of study
(for qualitative study)
2.4 Sampling procedure
2.5 Data/Information collection tools
2.6 Data/Information collection procedure
2.7 Data analysis and interpretation procedure

CHAPTER IV: RESULTS AND

DISCUSSION
4.1 Results
4.2 Discussion/Interpretation

CHAPTER V: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS

AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary
5.2 Conclusions
5.3 Recommendations
5.3.1 Policy level
5.3.2 Practice level
5.3.3 Further research

REFERENCES
Follow Publication Manual of APA
(American Psychological Association)
6th Edition (2010)

APPENDICES
Study tools
Sample of collected data/information

Font size

Use Times New Roman Font

For the running text 12 point
For the immediate heading 13 point
Use 15 point for sub-heading and heading

Other qualities

Use all capital letters for the TITLE, CHAPTER NUMBERS and CHAPTER
HEADINGS.

The first letter of the sub-heading should be capital.

The right margin should be 1 inch, the top margin 1 inch, the bottom margin 1
inch, and the left margin 1 inches

Highlight the important word and phrase using either italic or bold font
as it is done in this paper also.

Other qualities

Cont

DO NOT leave the heading alone at the bottom of

the preceding page and the description in the
following page

DO NOT use digits in categorizing sub-headings.

Follow the American Psychological Association

(APA) style presented for citing and listing the
references

EXAMPLE OF THE REPORT TITLE

The title should reflect the nucleus of the

study as briefly as possible, e.g.
TREKKING IN ANNAPURNA REGION OF NEPAL
ADVENTURE TOURISM AND ITS ROLE FOR
THE DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM
INDUSTRY IN NEPAL
CONTRBUTION OF
SHERPA/GURUNG/THAKLI. PEOPLE IN
TOURISM IN .. REGION

1.1 Background/Context
This heading shall include an introductory
survey of information related to the study, i.e.
broad introduction to the area under study. So
it incorporates the major theories related to the
proposed study.

1.2 Statement of problem

Frame the problem or issue that the
thesis/project work is addressing
Answer the question:
Why does this research need to be
conducted?

1.3 Rational of the study

Explain: why are you carrying out
this research?
Mention the reason behind carrying
out the research.

1.4 Objectives of the study

Write what do you want to find out, identify, experiment,
analyze, compare
Item wise objectives of the study should be mentioned here
specifically, preferably in the form as below :
to explore ....................
to compare ...................
to determine .................
to analyze ...................
to identify ......................
To evaluate
Generally, action verbs are used to enlist the objectives.

1.5 Research questions/ Hypothesis

If you are carrying out experimental research
or if the study aims at testing certain or
hypotheses, these should be mentioned here.
Otherwise this section may be overlooked
Formulate questions that you intend t deal
with in your thesis/study
Remember to start with general questions and
then gradually move to the specific ones

1.6 Significance of the study

This section shall include the importance of the
study and the information to whom and in which
area/field of the study it provides.
Mention who will be benefited with your
research/project work. For example:
The study is significant because it throws light on the
role of travel agencies in the development of tourism
industry . It, therefore, provides insight in planning
further activities for tourism development. Similarly,
will be benefited from this study.

1.7 Delimitations of the study

The boundary of delimitation will be
mentioned under this heading, e.g.
The study will be conducted only in 5
travel agencies of Kathmandu district
and only ten subjects will be selected
from each of the agencies. The focus
of the study will be limited to .

1.8 Operational definition of the key

terms
Define the technical terms that are used in
your research/project work from your research
perspectives.

2.1 Review of related literature

This sub-heading shall incorporate the review
of the existing related research works and the
explanation of the difference between them
and the proposed study. The review of the
literature is a critical evaluation, analysis and
synthesis of existing knowledge relevant to
your own research topic. It is not a summary,
synopsis... or a description of other people's
work. (Hart 2005, p. 153)

2.2 Implication of the review for thesis/

project work
Mention clearly the
theses/researches you consulted
while preparing your research from
following perspectives:
Carefully examine a body of
literature i.e. theses, researches,
books, articles etc. to make your
research area clear.
Explain how these literatures help
you in your research.

2.3 Theoretical/ Conceptual framework

Present a clear frame of your
research that can clearly summarize
your work.

CHAPTER III: METHODS AND

PROCEDURES OF THE STUDY
In this section, the researchers should describe
the methodology they intend to adopt for the
study. Methodology needs to be divided into
the following sub-sections.

3.1Design of the study

Mention whether your study is qualitative or
quantitative.
It can be mixed type.

3.2 Sources of data

This section comprises the definition of
population under study and an explanation
of the sampling procedure. Any other
secondary sources likely to be consulted,
related works for instance, may also be
mentioned. So this sub-section can also be
divided into the following two types.

Types of data
Primary sources of data
It refers to the direct sources from whom and
which the first hand information can be
collected, i.e. the information which is not
previously collected and utilized for any other
purposes. Examples

The total primary source of this study is all the

office bearers and clients of all the travel
agencies in Kathmandu district. However, the
sample primary source of this study will
consist of ten office bearers and ten clients
from each of the five selected travel agencies

Secondary sources of data

It refers to the sources from which second hand
or supportive information is collected which
includes all the documents or information
available through print or electronic media
related to the proposed study. However, the
researcher has to sort out a few of them to give a
thorough reading. The researcher has to mention
them under this sub-heading, e.g.

Example
All the materials, available in print or
electronic media which are related to
.topic..are the secondary
sources of this study. Some of them are
Hudson (1980), Wardhaugh (1986), Trudgill
(1992), Romains (1992).

3.3 Sample (for qualitative study) or Field/

Areas of study (for qualitative study)

3.4 Sampling procedure

Under this sub-heading the researchers specify
which sampling procedure(s) used to sample
the population from the study populations, e.g.
Five travel agencies for this study will be selected
randomly but the ten informants from each of
them will be selected using non-random
procedure conveniently.
For Other sampling procuders consult internet

3.5 Data/Information collection tools

Out of the four major research toolsquestionnaire, interview, observation, test
items the researchers can select any one or
more than one according to the nature of their
research.

3.6 Data/Information collection procedure

The stepwise procedure of data
collection including the development
of tools such as questionnaires, tests,
interviews, etc. and their
administration shall be mentioned
here in their proper order, e.g.

3.7 Data analysis and interpretation

procedure
Mention how you interpret the data
e.g. tabulation, graph, diagram etc.

Example
The researcher collected the list of total travel agencies in Kathmandu

from tourism board, then selected five agencies randomly from the
list, visited each of the selected travel agency personally, requested
for the permission to carry out the study and assured the their
informant confidentiality. Each agency were visited for at least one
hour twice a week and the conversations that took place there was
recorded. The process lasted for 4 weeks. He/She also made informal
inquiry when he/she thought necessary regarding the recorded
conversation. This inquiry followed the recorded conversation.

4.1 Results
As you motioned in your methodology section,
present the information/data.
Present the collected data descriptively as well
as analytically using appropriate statistical
tools and diagrams and tables.
Statistical tools may be mean, and percentage.

4.2 Discussion/Interpretation
Discuss the issue from your research
perspective.
What the data suggest and prove state it in this
section. It means, for example, if more than
60% respondents supports the positive role of
travel agencies, it means that Travel agencies
have positive influence on tourism industry.

5.1 Summary
Summarize most important findings
or results that are related to your
research objectives.
Present them in points if it is
quantitative study.
Present them in paragraphs if it a
qualitative study.

5.2 Conclusions
Make a short conclusion only
focusing on your main objectives.
Mention what you perceived from
your research.

5.3 Recommendations
5.3.1 Policy level
5.3.2 Practice level
5.3.3 Further research
Say what can be done to improve the existing
situation of the study area.

Thank you.