Generating the Final Report - Spend the time and effort. Avoid the temptation to rush through the report and
do it carefully, even though sponsors may be overly anxious.
- Keep it very neat. The appearance and cosmetic aspects of the report often indicate
to readers, rightly or wrongly, the credibility of the survey results.
- Use an executive summary. Pragmatic survey research reports should begin
with a quick summary of the main highlights and major results.
- Include a response summary. Prepare a blank questionnaire listing the simplest
form of data description and removing any superfluous codes or instructions.
- Compose tables first. Condense the information with clean, simple formats in
a single page, so patterns and relationships can readily be perceived.
- Display the information. Create charts, graphs, and diagrams when values and
relationships can be represented more clearly by size and shape than by words
and numbers.
- Write a simple narrative. Avoid jargon and use plain vocabulary to describe the
major findings revealed in each table, with introductions and summaries of
each section.
- Keep components independent. Tables and graphs should be clearly labeled
and the narrative written so report readers can obtain the major gist of the results
from either mode.
- Conclude the project. Edit, copy, and bind the reports, including a title page for
identification, and maintain data and documents until directed to deliver or
destroy them.
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