Creating a well-structured research report that follows APA style guidelines can be challenging for any scientist or academic.
This post provides a complete walkthrough of how to format each section of an APA style research report to clearly showcase your study and findings.
You'll see examples and explanations for crafting an effective title page, abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion, and reference list. By the end, you'll have a solid template to apply for structuring your own APA-formatted research reports.
What is an apa style research report.
An APA style research report is a document presenting empirical research findings formatted according to APA manual guidelines. It communicates original research concisely and precisely to inform an academic audience.
Key elements of an APA research report include:
Title page with running head, title, author name(s), and institutional affiliation
Abstract summarizing the key details of the report
Introduction presenting background and stating hypotheses or research questions
Method section explaining the research design, materials, procedure
Results reporting key data and statistical analyses
Discussion interpreting the findings and stating conclusions
References listing sources cited in APA format
APA research reports allow researchers to share methodologies and findings, driving scientific progress. They aim to demonstrate sound research design and provide impactful implications.
Specific goals of APA style research reports include:
Communicating research effectively to peers
Providing transparency and allowing reproducibility
Sharing generalizable insights to advance the field
Establishing credibility through rigorous methodology
APA reports contain key sections like a title page, abstract, introduction, method, results, discussion and references. Each serves a specific purpose within the overall document.
The basic structure ensures that critical details are presented logically so readers can readily assess the study and apply the knowledge shared. Adhering to APA format also facilitates indexing in databases.
APA format provides guidelines for structuring, formatting, and citing sources in a research paper or report. Here are the key elements of APA format for a research report:
The title page includes the paper's full title, author names and affiliations, author note, running head, and page number. Center all text on the page vertically and horizontally.
The abstract is a brief summary of the key details in your paper - typically 150-250 words. It covers the research topic, questions, methods, results, and conclusions.
Introduction
The introduction orients the reader to the research topic and questions. It provides background context and briefly summarizes relevant prior research. State the purpose and rationale for the study.
The method section provides details on the procedures, participants, materials, measures, and design of the study. This allows readers to evaluate and potentially replicate the methodology.
The results section reports key findings, including statistics, to answer the research questions. Present results clearly and objectively without interpretation. Use tables and figures to help summarize data.
In the discussion, analyze and interpret the results, connect them back to prior research, note limitations, and discuss implications. This section involves more subjective analysis and interpretation.
The reference list contains full details on all sources cited in APA format. List references alphabetically by authors' last names.
Following proper APA format ensures your research report is structured clearly and enables readers to efficiently assess your study and findings. Using consistent guidelines also demonstrates credibility and academic rigor.
The American Psychological Association (APA) style is a set of guidelines for writing scientific papers. APA format provides rules on how to structure, format, cite sources, and write in a clear, scientific manner.
Some key elements of APA format include:
Title page with running head, title, author name, and affiliation
Abstract summarizing the key details of the paper
In-text citations with author name and date, e.g. (Smith, 2022)
Reference list of all sources cited in the paper
An example of a paper in APA format might look like:
Running head : FACTORS INFLUENCING MEMORY Title : The Role of Emotion on Eyewitness Memory Author name : Jane Smith Affiliation : University of California
This paper explores the interaction between emotion and memory retention in eyewitnesses. Key findings suggest emotional events are remembered more vividly but with less accuracy.
Eyewitness testimony is a crucial form of evidence in criminal trials (Loftus, 1979). However, memory accuracy can be affected by many factors, including the emotion experienced during the event. Past research has found...
Using the standard APA format creates consistency and ensures scientific papers are organized logically. This enhances readability for the audience and assists peer-review processes. Adhering to APA guidelines also lends credibility and professionalism to scientific writing.
APA format provides guidelines for structuring, formatting, and citing sources in academic writing. For student research papers and reports, key elements of APA format include:
1 inch margins on all sides of the page
Accessible font like Times New Roman 12pt
Double spaced lines throughout
The title page should include:
Full title of the paper
Author name(s)
Institutional affiliation
The abstract is a brief summary of the key details in your paper, including:
Research topic, questions, and methods
Major findings and conclusions
Implications of the research
It concisely outlines the overall purpose and content to help readers quickly understand what your paper covers.
The main body presents the key details of your research. This includes:
Methodology
Discussion/Conclusion
Use APA heading styles throughout to organize content into sections and sub-sections as needed.
The reference list cites all sources mentioned in your paper. It starts on a new page at the end of the document. Format references in APA style.
Following proper APA format for student papers enhances readability. It also demonstrates your ability to produce scholarly writing aligned with accepted academic standards.
The method section provides the core details on how you conducted your research study. As outlined in the APA manual, this section should comprehensively describe:
Key characteristics like demographics, total number, how they were recruited
Inclusion and exclusion criteria
Statistical power analysis to determine appropriate sample size
Apparatus, instruments, devices, or metrics used to collect data
Validated scales, surveys, or assessments leveraged
Step-by-step process followed to carry out the study
Conditions participants were exposed to
Instructions provided to participants
Essentially, your APA format methods section should clearly outline the participants, materials, and procedures so other researchers can fully understand and even replicate your study if needed. The level of detail and description should be thorough and comprehensive.
To see examples and templates, refer to the APA Style research report method section illustrations from the official APA Style website .
The title page is the first page of an APA style research report and serves as a cover page presenting key metadata about the paper. Properly formatting the title page according to APA guidelines demonstrates adherence to scholarly conventions.
The header of an APA format research report should be centered and double-spaced. It should include the full title of the paper, the author names, and the institutional affiliation.
For example:
The Role of Media in Body Image Perceptions: An Experimental Study
John Smith, Jane Doe, and Bob Wilson Brigham Young University
The title itself should be bolded and capitalized, succinctly communicating the key variables and sample used in the study. Aim for a title length of 10 to 12 words.
List author names in order of their relative contributions, with each name structured as last name followed by first and middle initials. The author who contributed most significantly is listed first.
John Smith, Jane Doe, and Bob Wilson
With a properly formatted title page following APA guidelines, researchers demonstrate their credibility and command of scholarly writing conventions from the outset. Referencing an apa format template word document can help in structuring an APA-style title page.
Formatting guidelines.
Abstracts should be limited to 250 words, formatted in a single paragraph with no indentation. The section header, "Abstract", should be centered and bolded.
Briefly summarize the key methods used in the study, providing enough clarity that the work could be replicated by others. Report the most important findings and results concisely, including key statistics. Aim to balance brevity with sufficient methodological and results detail.
Clearly state the conclusions of the study based on the results obtained. Consider the implications of the findings and emphasize the study's contributions to knowledge in the field or to practice.
Funnel structure.
When structuring the introduction section of an APA research report, it's best to use a funnel approach. This means starting broad with background information and funneling down to the specifics of your study.
First provide context by summarizing the general area or problem your research aims to address. Then give an overview of relevant prior research and how your study builds on or departs from it. Finally, state the purpose and rationale behind your research along with precise hypotheses or research questions.
This funnel structure moves smoothly from the big picture down to the narrow focus of your investigation in a logical flow.
The literature synthesis involves analyzing and summarizing earlier works related to your research area. The goal is to give readers context by showing what questions have already been investigated, what methods were used, and what findings emerged.
Point out inconsistencies in past findings or gaps in the literature that your study intends to address. Show how your work synthesizes, critiques, and builds on prior studies to advance collective understanding. Use this section to articulate precisely how your investigation fills important gaps in the literature.
The final piece of the introduction is stating your study's hypotheses or research questions. These hypotheses should flow logically from the preceding sections on background, prior research, and rationale.
Be as precise as possible in wording each hypothesis. Include the variables involved and the specific relationship or difference you expect to find between them. For example, "We hypothesize that variable A will be positively correlated with variable B" or "We expect group C to score higher on measure D than group E."
Check that each hypothesis connects to the broader goals and purpose of your research. This allows readers to clearly grasp what you aimed to study and why before transitioning to the method and results sections.
The method section provides critical details on how the study was conducted, offering a blueprint for other researchers to replicate and validate the findings. This section should clearly highlight key strategies used to accurately detail the study procedures.
When describing the study participants, be sure to identify key attributes of the sample, including:
Sample size
Demographic breakdown (e.g. age, gender, education level)
Population group represented
Providing these details allows readers to determine if the sample is representative and if findings may generalize to larger groups.
The study design overview explains:
Independent and dependent variables
Controls and comparisons
Overall sequence of study procedures
Succinctly convey the cause-effect logic and flow of experimental conditions that were created. This allows others to recreate the study methodology.
Detail any original or existing tools used in the study, including:
Surveys and questionnaires
Intervention materials given to participants
Stimulus sets or equipment
For existing measures, cite source and note validity and reliability data if available. For original tools, describe development process and measures taken to maximize quality.
Thoroughly describing materials and measures enables methodological transparency and supports research integrity.
The results section reports main statistical findings without interpretation. This section offers best practices for presenting analyses.
Document checks of assumptions underlying analyses such as normality of distribution, homogeneity of variance, or sphericity. For example, report the Shapiro-Wilk test for normality or Levene's test for equality of variances. Statistical assumptions should be checked and reported transparently.
Structure results sequentially per hypothesis, following the order presented earlier. Use headers reflecting each analysis. For example:
Sequencing findings by hypothesis aids reader comprehension and flow.
Apply APA style to statistics including italicized test names, n sizes in parentheses, proper use of p, F, t, and Greek symbols. For example:
Adhering to correct APA statistical style lends credibility and ensures professional communication.
Overview major outcomes.
The discussion section should start by clearly stating the key findings from the research study. This includes restating the main hypotheses or research questions and whether they were supported or not based on the results.
"The results supported our hypothesis that participants in the treatment group would have lower anxiety levels after completing the 8-week mindfulness program compared to the control group."
It can also be helpful to identify any interesting or unexpected patterns in the findings.
Next, offer possible explanations for the findings by comparing and contrasting them with previous research studies. Consider how your results fit with existing theories and knowledge in the field.
"The findings that mindfulness training reduced anxiety levels align with previous studies showing the benefits of mindfulness-based therapies on mental health (citations). One potential reason is that mindfulness teaches non-judgmental awareness of thoughts and emotions, leading to less rumination and worrying behaviors that characterize anxiety disorders (citation)."
Use citations to ground your interpretations in the scientific literature.
An important part of the discussion section is acknowledging the limitations of the current study. This demonstrates scientific rigor and critical analysis of your own work.
Common limitations include:
Small sample sizes that limit generalizability
Lack of diversity in the participant sample
Self-reported measures that may be biased
Correlational designs that prevent determining causation
"The study had a relatively small sample size of 30 participants from a single geographic area. Future research should replicate these findings with larger and more diverse samples to determine the generalizability of the results."
Suggest priorities for future studies to address these limitations and build upon the current research.
Order and structure.
References should be listed alphabetically by the last name of the first author. Use a hanging indent format, with the first line of each reference flush left and subsequent lines indented. There should be one space between each reference.
Apply formatting rules based on the type of source:
Books : List author last name, first and middle initials, publication year in parentheses, book title in italics, publisher location, and publisher name.
Journal articles : List author names, publication year in parentheses, article title without quotes, journal name in italics, volume and issue number, and page range.
Online sources : List author names, publication year in parentheses, article or page title, website name in italics, URL, and date accessed.
The reference list must match all in-text citations used in the body text of the paper. In-text citations include author last name(s) and year in parentheses. Ensure each in-text citation has a corresponding entry in the reference list with matching author name(s) and publication year.
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Last updated
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From successful product launches or software releases to planning major business decisions, research reports serve many vital functions. They can summarize evidence and deliver insights and recommendations to save companies time and resources. They can reveal the most value-adding actions a company should take.
However, poorly constructed reports can have the opposite effect! Taking the time to learn established research-reporting rules and approaches will equip you with in-demand skills. You’ll be able to capture and communicate information applicable to numerous situations and industries, adding another string to your resume bow.
A research report is a collection of contextual data, gathered through organized research, that provides new insights into a particular challenge (which, for this article, is business-related). Research reports are a time-tested method for distilling large amounts of data into a narrow band of focus.
Their effectiveness often hinges on whether the report provides:
Strong, well-researched evidence
Comprehensive analysis
Well-considered conclusions and recommendations
Though the topic possibilities are endless, an effective research report keeps a laser-like focus on the specific questions or objectives the researcher believes are key to achieving success. Many research reports begin as research proposals, which usually include the need for a report to capture the findings of the study and recommend a course of action.
A description of the research method used, e.g., qualitative, quantitative, or other
Statistical analysis
Causal (or explanatory) research (i.e., research identifying relationships between two variables)
Inductive research, also known as ‘theory-building’
Deductive research, such as that used to test theories
Action research, where the research is actively used to drive change
Research reports can unify and direct a company's focus toward the most appropriate strategic action. Of course, spending resources on a report takes up some of the company's human and financial resources. Choosing when a report is called for is a matter of judgment and experience.
Some development models used heavily in the engineering world, such as Waterfall development, are notorious for over-relying on research reports. With Waterfall development, there is a linear progression through each step of a project, and each stage is precisely documented and reported on before moving to the next.
The pace of the business world is faster than the speed at which your authors can produce and disseminate reports. So how do companies strike the right balance between creating and acting on research reports?
The answer lies, again, in the report's defined objectives. By paring down your most pressing interests and those of your stakeholders, your research and reporting skills will be the lenses that keep your company's priorities in constant focus.
Honing your company's primary objectives can save significant amounts of time and align research and reporting efforts with ever-greater precision.
Some examples of well-designed research objectives are:
Proving whether or not a product or service meets customer expectations
Demonstrating the value of a service, product, or business process to your stakeholders and investors
Improving business decision-making when faced with a lack of time or other constraints
Clarifying the relationship between a critical cause and effect for problematic business processes
Prioritizing the development of a backlog of products or product features
Comparing business or production strategies
Evaluating past decisions and predicting future outcomes
Research reports generally require a research design phase, where the report author(s) determine the most important elements the report must contain.
Just as there are various kinds of research, there are many types of reports.
Here are the standard elements of almost any research-reporting format:
Report summary. A broad but comprehensive overview of what readers will learn in the full report. Summaries are usually no more than one or two paragraphs and address all key elements of the report. Think of the key takeaways your primary stakeholders will want to know if they don’t have time to read the full document.
Introduction. Include a brief background of the topic, the type of research, and the research sample. Consider the primary goal of the report, who is most affected, and how far along the company is in meeting its objectives.
Methods. A description of how the researcher carried out data collection, analysis, and final interpretations of the data. Include the reasons for choosing a particular method. The methods section should strike a balance between clearly presenting the approach taken to gather data and discussing how it is designed to achieve the report's objectives.
Data analysis. This section contains interpretations that lead readers through the results relevant to the report's thesis. If there were unexpected results, include here a discussion on why that might be. Charts, calculations, statistics, and other supporting information also belong here (or, if lengthy, as an appendix). This should be the most detailed section of the research report, with references for further study. Present the information in a logical order, whether chronologically or in order of importance to the report's objectives.
Conclusion. This should be written with sound reasoning, often containing useful recommendations. The conclusion must be backed by a continuous thread of logic throughout the report.
With a clear outline and robust pool of research, a research paper can start to write itself, but what's a good way to start a research report?
Research report examples are often the quickest way to gain inspiration for your report. Look for the types of research reports most relevant to your industry and consider which makes the most sense for your data and goals.
The research report outline will help you organize the elements of your report. One of the most time-tested report outlines is the IMRaD structure:
Introduction
...and Discussion
Pay close attention to the most well-established research reporting format in your industry, and consider your tone and language from your audience's perspective. Learn the key terms inside and out; incorrect jargon could easily harm the perceived authority of your research paper.
Along with a foundation in high-quality research and razor-sharp analysis, the most effective research reports will also demonstrate well-developed:
Internal logic
Narrative flow
Conclusions and recommendations
Readability, striking a balance between simple phrasing and technical insight
The validity of research data is critical. Because the research phase usually occurs well before the writing phase, you normally have plenty of time to vet your data.
However, research reports could involve ongoing research, where report authors (sometimes the researchers themselves) write portions of the report alongside ongoing research.
One such research-report example would be an R&D department that knows its primary stakeholders are eager to learn about a lengthy work in progress and any potentially important outcomes.
However you choose to manage the research and reporting, your data must meet robust quality standards before you can rely on it. Vet any research with the following questions in mind:
Does it use statistically valid analysis methods?
Do the researchers clearly explain their research, analysis, and sampling methods?
Did the researchers provide any caveats or advice on how to interpret their data?
Have you gathered the data yourself or were you in close contact with those who did?
Is the source biased?
Usually, flawed research methods become more apparent the further you get through a research report.
It's perfectly natural for good research to raise new questions, but the reader should have no uncertainty about what the data represents. There should be no doubt about matters such as:
Whether the sampling or analysis methods were based on sound and consistent logic
What the research samples are and where they came from
The accuracy of any statistical functions or equations
Validation of testing and measuring processes
A robust design validation process is often a gold standard in highly technical research reports. Design validation ensures the objects of a study are measured accurately, which lends more weight to your report and makes it valuable to more specialized industries.
Product development and engineering projects are the most common research-report examples that typically involve a design validation process. Depending on the scope and complexity of your research, you might face additional steps to validate your data and research procedures.
If you’re including design validation in the report (or report proposal), explain and justify your data-collection processes. Good design validation builds greater trust in a research report and lends more weight to its conclusions.
Just as the quality of your report depends on properly validated research, a useful conclusion requires the most contextually relevant analysis method. This means comparing different statistical methods and choosing the one that makes the most sense for your research.
Most broadly, research analysis comes down to quantitative or qualitative methods (respectively: measurable by a number vs subjectively qualified values). There are also mixed research methods, which bridge the need for merging hard data with qualified assessments and still reach a cohesive set of conclusions.
Some of the most common analysis methods in research reports include:
Significance testing (aka hypothesis analysis), which compares test and control groups to determine how likely the data was the result of random chance.
Regression analysis , to establish relationships between variables, control for extraneous variables , and support correlation analysis.
Correlation analysis (aka bivariate testing), a method to identify and determine the strength of linear relationships between variables. It’s effective for detecting patterns from complex data, but care must be exercised to not confuse correlation with causation.
With any analysis method, it's important to justify which method you chose in the report. You should also provide estimates of the statistical accuracy (e.g., the p-value or confidence level of quantifiable data) of any data analysis.
This requires a commitment to the report's primary aim. For instance, this may be achieving a certain level of customer satisfaction by analyzing the cause and effect of changes to how service is delivered. Even better, use statistical analysis to calculate which change is most positively correlated with improved levels of customer satisfaction.
There's endless good advice for writing effective research reports, and it almost all depends on the subjective aims of the people behind the report. Due to the wide variety of research reports, the best tips will be unique to each author's purpose.
Consider the following research report tips in any order, and take note of the ones most relevant to you:
No matter how in depth or detailed your report might be, provide a well-considered, succinct summary. At the very least, give your readers a quick and effective way to get up to speed.
Pare down your target audience (e.g., other researchers, employees, laypersons, etc.), and adjust your voice for their background knowledge and interest levels
For all but the most open-ended research, clarify your objectives, both for yourself and within the report.
Leverage your team members’ talents to fill in any knowledge gaps you might have. Your team is only as good as the sum of its parts.
Justify why your research proposal’s topic will endure long enough to derive value from the finished report.
Consolidate all research and analysis functions onto a single user-friendly platform. There's no reason to settle for less than developer-grade tools suitable for non-developers.
The research-reporting format is how the report is structured—a framework the authors use to organize their data, conclusions, arguments, and recommendations. The format heavily determines how the report's outline develops, because the format dictates the overall structure and order of information (based on the report's goals and research objectives).
A good report outline gives form and substance to the report's objectives, presenting the results in a readable, engaging way. For any research-report format, the outline should create momentum along a chain of logic that builds up to a conclusion or interpretation.
There are several key differences between research reports and essays:
Research report:
Ordered into separate sections
More commercial in nature
Often includes infographics
Heavily descriptive
More self-referential
Usually provides recommendations
Research essay
Does not rely on research report formatting
More academically minded
Normally text-only
Less detailed
Omits discussion of methods
Usually non-prescriptive
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Home » Research Paper Format – Types, Examples and Templates
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Research paper format is an essential aspect of academic writing that plays a crucial role in the communication of research findings . The format of a research paper depends on various factors such as the discipline, style guide, and purpose of the research. It includes guidelines for the structure, citation style, referencing , and other elements of the paper that contribute to its overall presentation and coherence. Adhering to the appropriate research paper format is vital for ensuring that the research is accurately and effectively communicated to the intended audience. In this era of information, it is essential to understand the different research paper formats and their guidelines to communicate research effectively, accurately, and with the required level of detail. This post aims to provide an overview of some of the common research paper formats used in academic writing.
Research Paper Formats are as follows:
Here is a general APA format for a research paper:
Some additional tips for formatting your APA research paper:
APA Research Paper Format Template is as follows:
Title Page:
Introduction:
Discussion:
References:
Formatting guidelines:
APA Research Paper Format Example is as follows:
The Effects of Social Media on Mental Health
University of XYZ
This study examines the relationship between social media use and mental health among college students. Data was collected through a survey of 500 students at the University of XYZ. Results suggest that social media use is significantly related to symptoms of depression and anxiety, and that the negative effects of social media are greater among frequent users.
Social media has become an increasingly important aspect of modern life, especially among young adults. While social media can have many positive effects, such as connecting people across distances and sharing information, there is growing concern about its impact on mental health. This study aims to examine the relationship between social media use and mental health among college students.
Participants: Participants were 500 college students at the University of XYZ, recruited through online advertisements and flyers posted on campus. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 25, with a mean age of 20.5 years. The sample was 60% female, 40% male, and 5% identified as non-binary or gender non-conforming.
Data was collected through an online survey administered through Qualtrics. The survey consisted of several measures, including the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for depression symptoms, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) for anxiety symptoms, and questions about social media use.
Procedure :
Participants were asked to complete the online survey at their convenience. The survey took approximately 20-30 minutes to complete. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlations, and multiple regression analysis.
Results indicated that social media use was significantly related to symptoms of depression (r = .32, p < .001) and anxiety (r = .29, p < .001). Regression analysis indicated that frequency of social media use was a significant predictor of both depression symptoms (β = .24, p < .001) and anxiety symptoms (β = .20, p < .001), even when controlling for age, gender, and other relevant factors.
The results of this study suggest that social media use is associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety among college students. The negative effects of social media are greater among frequent users. These findings have important implications for mental health professionals and educators, who should consider addressing the potential negative effects of social media use in their work with young adults.
References :
References should be listed in alphabetical order according to the author’s last name. For example:
Note: This is just a sample Example do not use this in your assignment.
MLA (Modern Language Association) Format is as follows:
MLA Research Paper Format Template is as follows:
In-Text Citations
Works Cited Page
Here is an example of how the first page of a research paper in MLA format should look:
Headings and Subheadings
Works Cited Examples
Here is an example of how a works cited entry for a book should look:
Smith, John. The Art of Writing Research Papers. Penguin, 2021.
MLA Research Paper Format Example is as follows:
Your Professor’s Name
Course Name and Number
Date (in Day Month Year format)
Word Count (not including title page or Works Cited)
Title: The Impact of Video Games on Aggression Levels
Video games have become a popular form of entertainment among people of all ages. However, the impact of video games on aggression levels has been a subject of debate among scholars and researchers. While some argue that video games promote aggression and violent behavior, others argue that there is no clear link between video games and aggression levels. This research paper aims to explore the impact of video games on aggression levels among young adults.
Background:
The debate on the impact of video games on aggression levels has been ongoing for several years. According to the American Psychological Association, exposure to violent media, including video games, can increase aggression levels in children and adolescents. However, some researchers argue that there is no clear evidence to support this claim. Several studies have been conducted to examine the impact of video games on aggression levels, but the results have been mixed.
Methodology:
This research paper used a quantitative research approach to examine the impact of video games on aggression levels among young adults. A sample of 100 young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 was selected for the study. The participants were asked to complete a questionnaire that measured their aggression levels and their video game habits.
The results of the study showed that there was a significant correlation between video game habits and aggression levels among young adults. The participants who reported playing violent video games for more than 5 hours per week had higher aggression levels than those who played less than 5 hours per week. The study also found that male participants were more likely to play violent video games and had higher aggression levels than female participants.
The findings of this study support the claim that video games can increase aggression levels among young adults. However, it is important to note that the study only examined the impact of video games on aggression levels and did not take into account other factors that may contribute to aggressive behavior. It is also important to note that not all video games promote violence and aggression, and some games may have a positive impact on cognitive and social skills.
Conclusion :
In conclusion, this research paper provides evidence to support the claim that video games can increase aggression levels among young adults. However, it is important to conduct further research to examine the impact of video games on other aspects of behavior and to explore the potential benefits of video games. Parents and educators should be aware of the potential impact of video games on aggression levels and should encourage young adults to engage in a variety of activities that promote cognitive and social skills.
Works Cited:
Chicago/Turabian Formate is as follows:
Chicago/Turabian Research Paper Template is as folows:
Title of Paper
Name of Student
Professor’s Name
I. Introduction
A. Background Information
B. Research Question
C. Thesis Statement
II. Literature Review
A. Overview of Existing Literature
B. Analysis of Key Literature
C. Identification of Gaps in Literature
III. Methodology
A. Research Design
B. Data Collection
C. Data Analysis
IV. Results
A. Presentation of Findings
B. Analysis of Findings
C. Discussion of Implications
V. Conclusion
A. Summary of Findings
B. Implications for Future Research
C. Conclusion
VI. References
A. Bibliography
B. In-Text Citations
VII. Appendices (if necessary)
A. Data Tables
C. Additional Supporting Materials
Title: The Impact of Social Media on Political Engagement
Name: John Smith
Class: POLS 101
Professor: Dr. Jane Doe
Date: April 8, 2023
I. Introduction:
Social media has become an integral part of our daily lives. People use social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to connect with friends and family, share their opinions, and stay informed about current events. With the rise of social media, there has been a growing interest in understanding its impact on various aspects of society, including political engagement. In this paper, I will examine the relationship between social media use and political engagement, specifically focusing on how social media influences political participation and political attitudes.
II. Literature Review:
There is a growing body of literature on the impact of social media on political engagement. Some scholars argue that social media has a positive effect on political participation by providing new channels for political communication and mobilization (Delli Carpini & Keeter, 1996; Putnam, 2000). Others, however, suggest that social media can have a negative impact on political engagement by creating filter bubbles that reinforce existing beliefs and discourage political dialogue (Pariser, 2011; Sunstein, 2001).
III. Methodology:
To examine the relationship between social media use and political engagement, I conducted a survey of 500 college students. The survey included questions about social media use, political participation, and political attitudes. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis.
Iv. Results:
The results of the survey indicate that social media use is positively associated with political participation. Specifically, respondents who reported using social media to discuss politics were more likely to have participated in a political campaign, attended a political rally, or contacted a political representative. Additionally, social media use was found to be associated with more positive attitudes towards political engagement, such as increased trust in government and belief in the effectiveness of political action.
V. Conclusion:
The findings of this study suggest that social media has a positive impact on political engagement, by providing new opportunities for political communication and mobilization. However, there is also a need for caution, as social media can also create filter bubbles that reinforce existing beliefs and discourage political dialogue. Future research should continue to explore the complex relationship between social media and political engagement, and develop strategies to harness the potential benefits of social media while mitigating its potential negative effects.
Vii. References:
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Hunziker, S., Blankenagel, M. (2024). Writing up a Research Report. In: Research Design in Business and Management. Springer Gabler, Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-42739-9_4
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Methodology
Published on June 7, 2021 by Shona McCombes . Revised on November 20, 2023 by Pritha Bhandari.
A research design is a strategy for answering your research question using empirical data. Creating a research design means making decisions about:
A well-planned research design helps ensure that your methods match your research objectives and that you use the right kind of analysis for your data.
Step 1: consider your aims and approach, step 2: choose a type of research design, step 3: identify your population and sampling method, step 4: choose your data collection methods, step 5: plan your data collection procedures, step 6: decide on your data analysis strategies, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about research design.
Before you can start designing your research, you should already have a clear idea of the research question you want to investigate.
There are many different ways you could go about answering this question. Your research design choices should be driven by your aims and priorities—start by thinking carefully about what you want to achieve.
The first choice you need to make is whether you’ll take a qualitative or quantitative approach.
Qualitative approach | Quantitative approach |
---|---|
and describe frequencies, averages, and correlations about relationships between variables |
Qualitative research designs tend to be more flexible and inductive , allowing you to adjust your approach based on what you find throughout the research process.
Quantitative research designs tend to be more fixed and deductive , with variables and hypotheses clearly defined in advance of data collection.
It’s also possible to use a mixed-methods design that integrates aspects of both approaches. By combining qualitative and quantitative insights, you can gain a more complete picture of the problem you’re studying and strengthen the credibility of your conclusions.
As well as scientific considerations, you need to think practically when designing your research. If your research involves people or animals, you also need to consider research ethics .
At each stage of the research design process, make sure that your choices are practically feasible.
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Within both qualitative and quantitative approaches, there are several types of research design to choose from. Each type provides a framework for the overall shape of your research.
Quantitative designs can be split into four main types.
Type of design | Purpose and characteristics |
---|---|
Experimental | relationships effect on a |
Quasi-experimental | ) |
Correlational | |
Descriptive |
With descriptive and correlational designs, you can get a clear picture of characteristics, trends and relationships as they exist in the real world. However, you can’t draw conclusions about cause and effect (because correlation doesn’t imply causation ).
Experiments are the strongest way to test cause-and-effect relationships without the risk of other variables influencing the results. However, their controlled conditions may not always reflect how things work in the real world. They’re often also more difficult and expensive to implement.
Qualitative designs are less strictly defined. This approach is about gaining a rich, detailed understanding of a specific context or phenomenon, and you can often be more creative and flexible in designing your research.
The table below shows some common types of qualitative design. They often have similar approaches in terms of data collection, but focus on different aspects when analyzing the data.
Type of design | Purpose and characteristics |
---|---|
Grounded theory | |
Phenomenology |
Your research design should clearly define who or what your research will focus on, and how you’ll go about choosing your participants or subjects.
In research, a population is the entire group that you want to draw conclusions about, while a sample is the smaller group of individuals you’ll actually collect data from.
A population can be made up of anything you want to study—plants, animals, organizations, texts, countries, etc. In the social sciences, it most often refers to a group of people.
For example, will you focus on people from a specific demographic, region or background? Are you interested in people with a certain job or medical condition, or users of a particular product?
The more precisely you define your population, the easier it will be to gather a representative sample.
Even with a narrowly defined population, it’s rarely possible to collect data from every individual. Instead, you’ll collect data from a sample.
To select a sample, there are two main approaches: probability sampling and non-probability sampling . The sampling method you use affects how confidently you can generalize your results to the population as a whole.
Probability sampling | Non-probability sampling |
---|---|
Probability sampling is the most statistically valid option, but it’s often difficult to achieve unless you’re dealing with a very small and accessible population.
For practical reasons, many studies use non-probability sampling, but it’s important to be aware of the limitations and carefully consider potential biases. You should always make an effort to gather a sample that’s as representative as possible of the population.
In some types of qualitative designs, sampling may not be relevant.
For example, in an ethnography or a case study , your aim is to deeply understand a specific context, not to generalize to a population. Instead of sampling, you may simply aim to collect as much data as possible about the context you are studying.
In these types of design, you still have to carefully consider your choice of case or community. You should have a clear rationale for why this particular case is suitable for answering your research question .
For example, you might choose a case study that reveals an unusual or neglected aspect of your research problem, or you might choose several very similar or very different cases in order to compare them.
Data collection methods are ways of directly measuring variables and gathering information. They allow you to gain first-hand knowledge and original insights into your research problem.
You can choose just one data collection method, or use several methods in the same study.
Surveys allow you to collect data about opinions, behaviors, experiences, and characteristics by asking people directly. There are two main survey methods to choose from: questionnaires and interviews .
Questionnaires | Interviews |
---|---|
) |
Observational studies allow you to collect data unobtrusively, observing characteristics, behaviors or social interactions without relying on self-reporting.
Observations may be conducted in real time, taking notes as you observe, or you might make audiovisual recordings for later analysis. They can be qualitative or quantitative.
Quantitative observation | |
---|---|
There are many other ways you might collect data depending on your field and topic.
Field | Examples of data collection methods |
---|---|
Media & communication | Collecting a sample of texts (e.g., speeches, articles, or social media posts) for data on cultural norms and narratives |
Psychology | Using technologies like neuroimaging, eye-tracking, or computer-based tasks to collect data on things like attention, emotional response, or reaction time |
Education | Using tests or assignments to collect data on knowledge and skills |
Physical sciences | Using scientific instruments to collect data on things like weight, blood pressure, or chemical composition |
If you’re not sure which methods will work best for your research design, try reading some papers in your field to see what kinds of data collection methods they used.
If you don’t have the time or resources to collect data from the population you’re interested in, you can also choose to use secondary data that other researchers already collected—for example, datasets from government surveys or previous studies on your topic.
With this raw data, you can do your own analysis to answer new research questions that weren’t addressed by the original study.
Using secondary data can expand the scope of your research, as you may be able to access much larger and more varied samples than you could collect yourself.
However, it also means you don’t have any control over which variables to measure or how to measure them, so the conclusions you can draw may be limited.
As well as deciding on your methods, you need to plan exactly how you’ll use these methods to collect data that’s consistent, accurate, and unbiased.
Planning systematic procedures is especially important in quantitative research, where you need to precisely define your variables and ensure your measurements are high in reliability and validity.
Some variables, like height or age, are easily measured. But often you’ll be dealing with more abstract concepts, like satisfaction, anxiety, or competence. Operationalization means turning these fuzzy ideas into measurable indicators.
If you’re using observations , which events or actions will you count?
If you’re using surveys , which questions will you ask and what range of responses will be offered?
You may also choose to use or adapt existing materials designed to measure the concept you’re interested in—for example, questionnaires or inventories whose reliability and validity has already been established.
Reliability means your results can be consistently reproduced, while validity means that you’re actually measuring the concept you’re interested in.
Reliability | Validity |
---|---|
) ) |
For valid and reliable results, your measurement materials should be thoroughly researched and carefully designed. Plan your procedures to make sure you carry out the same steps in the same way for each participant.
If you’re developing a new questionnaire or other instrument to measure a specific concept, running a pilot study allows you to check its validity and reliability in advance.
As well as choosing an appropriate sampling method , you need a concrete plan for how you’ll actually contact and recruit your selected sample.
That means making decisions about things like:
If you’re using a probability sampling method , it’s important that everyone who is randomly selected actually participates in the study. How will you ensure a high response rate?
If you’re using a non-probability method , how will you avoid research bias and ensure a representative sample?
It’s also important to create a data management plan for organizing and storing your data.
Will you need to transcribe interviews or perform data entry for observations? You should anonymize and safeguard any sensitive data, and make sure it’s backed up regularly.
Keeping your data well-organized will save time when it comes to analyzing it. It can also help other researchers validate and add to your findings (high replicability ).
On its own, raw data can’t answer your research question. The last step of designing your research is planning how you’ll analyze the data.
In quantitative research, you’ll most likely use some form of statistical analysis . With statistics, you can summarize your sample data, make estimates, and test hypotheses.
Using descriptive statistics , you can summarize your sample data in terms of:
The specific calculations you can do depend on the level of measurement of your variables.
Using inferential statistics , you can:
Regression and correlation tests look for associations between two or more variables, while comparison tests (such as t tests and ANOVAs ) look for differences in the outcomes of different groups.
Your choice of statistical test depends on various aspects of your research design, including the types of variables you’re dealing with and the distribution of your data.
In qualitative research, your data will usually be very dense with information and ideas. Instead of summing it up in numbers, you’ll need to comb through the data in detail, interpret its meanings, identify patterns, and extract the parts that are most relevant to your research question.
Two of the most common approaches to doing this are thematic analysis and discourse analysis .
Approach | Characteristics |
---|---|
Thematic analysis | |
Discourse analysis |
There are many other ways of analyzing qualitative data depending on the aims of your research. To get a sense of potential approaches, try reading some qualitative research papers in your field.
If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.
Statistics
Research bias
A research design is a strategy for answering your research question . It defines your overall approach and determines how you will collect and analyze data.
A well-planned research design helps ensure that your methods match your research aims, that you collect high-quality data, and that you use the right kind of analysis to answer your questions, utilizing credible sources . This allows you to draw valid , trustworthy conclusions.
Quantitative research designs can be divided into two main categories:
Qualitative research designs tend to be more flexible. Common types of qualitative design include case study , ethnography , and grounded theory designs.
The priorities of a research design can vary depending on the field, but you usually have to specify:
A sample is a subset of individuals from a larger population . Sampling means selecting the group that you will actually collect data from in your research. For example, if you are researching the opinions of students in your university, you could survey a sample of 100 students.
In statistics, sampling allows you to test a hypothesis about the characteristics of a population.
Operationalization means turning abstract conceptual ideas into measurable observations.
For example, the concept of social anxiety isn’t directly observable, but it can be operationally defined in terms of self-rating scores, behavioral avoidance of crowded places, or physical anxiety symptoms in social situations.
Before collecting data , it’s important to consider how you will operationalize the variables that you want to measure.
A research project is an academic, scientific, or professional undertaking to answer a research question . Research projects can take many forms, such as qualitative or quantitative , descriptive , longitudinal , experimental , or correlational . What kind of research approach you choose will depend on your topic.
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The use of AI to streamline drug discovery is exploding. Researchers are deploying machine-learning models to help them identify molecules, among billions of options, that might have the properties they are seeking to develop new medicines.
But there are so many variables to consider — from the price of materials to the risk of something going wrong — that even when scientists use AI, weighing the costs of synthesizing the best candidates is no easy task.
The myriad challenges involved in identifying the best and most cost-efficient molecules to test is one reason new medicines take so long to develop, as well as a key driver of high prescription drug prices.
To help scientists make cost-aware choices, MIT researchers developed an algorithmic framework to automatically identify optimal molecular candidates, which minimizes synthetic cost while maximizing the likelihood candidates have desired properties. The algorithm also identifies the materials and experimental steps needed to synthesize these molecules.
Their quantitative framework, known as Synthesis Planning and Rewards-based Route Optimization Workflow (SPARROW), considers the costs of synthesizing a batch of molecules at once, since multiple candidates can often be derived from some of the same chemical compounds.
Moreover, this unified approach captures key information on molecular design, property prediction, and synthesis planning from online repositories and widely used AI tools.
Beyond helping pharmaceutical companies discover new drugs more efficiently, SPARROW could be used in applications like the invention of new agrichemicals or the discovery of specialized materials for organic electronics.
“The selection of compounds is very much an art at the moment — and at times it is a very successful art. But because we have all these other models and predictive tools that give us information on how molecules might perform and how they might be synthesized, we can and should be using that information to guide the decisions we make,” says Connor Coley, the Class of 1957 Career Development Assistant Professor in the MIT departments of Chemical Engineering and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and senior author of a paper on SPARROW.
Coley is joined on the paper by lead author Jenna Fromer SM ’24. The research appears today in Nature Computational Science .
Complex cost considerations
In a sense, whether a scientist should synthesize and test a certain molecule boils down to a question of the synthetic cost versus the value of the experiment. However, determining cost or value are tough problems on their own.
For instance, an experiment might require expensive materials or it could have a high risk of failure. On the value side, one might consider how useful it would be to know the properties of this molecule or whether those predictions carry a high level of uncertainty.
At the same time, pharmaceutical companies increasingly use batch synthesis to improve efficiency. Instead of testing molecules one at a time, they use combinations of chemical building blocks to test multiple candidates at once. However, this means the chemical reactions must all require the same experimental conditions. This makes estimating cost and value even more challenging.
SPARROW tackles this challenge by considering the shared intermediary compounds involved in synthesizing molecules and incorporating that information into its cost-versus-value function.
“When you think about this optimization game of designing a batch of molecules, the cost of adding on a new structure depends on the molecules you have already chosen,” Coley says.
The framework also considers things like the costs of starting materials, the number of reactions that are involved in each synthetic route, and the likelihood those reactions will be successful on the first try.
To utilize SPARROW, a scientist provides a set of molecular compounds they are thinking of testing and a definition of the properties they are hoping to find.
From there, SPARROW collects information on the molecules and their synthetic pathways and then weighs the value of each one against the cost of synthesizing a batch of candidates. It automatically selects the best subset of candidates that meet the user’s criteria and finds the most cost-effective synthetic routes for those compounds.
“It does all this optimization in one step, so it can really capture all of these competing objectives simultaneously,” Fromer says.
A versatile framework
SPARROW is unique because it can incorporate molecular structures that have been hand-designed by humans, those that exist in virtual catalogs, or never-before-seen molecules that have been invented by generative AI models.
“We have all these different sources of ideas. Part of the appeal of SPARROW is that you can take all these ideas and put them on a level playing field,” Coley adds.
The researchers evaluated SPARROW by applying it in three case studies. The case studies, based on real-world problems faced by chemists, were designed to test SPARROW’s ability to find cost-efficient synthesis plans while working with a wide range of input molecules.
They found that SPARROW effectively captured the marginal costs of batch synthesis and identified common experimental steps and intermediate chemicals. In addition, it could scale up to handle hundreds of potential molecular candidates.
“In the machine-learning-for-chemistry community, there are so many models that work well for retrosynthesis or molecular property prediction, for example, but how do we actually use them? Our framework aims to bring out the value of this prior work. By creating SPARROW, hopefully we can guide other researchers to think about compound downselection using their own cost and utility functions,” Fromer says.
In the future, the researchers want to incorporate additional complexity into SPARROW. For instance, they’d like to enable the algorithm to consider that the value of testing one compound may not always be constant. They also want to include more elements of parallel chemistry in its cost-versus-value function.
“The work by Fromer and Coley better aligns algorithmic decision making to the practical realities of chemical synthesis. When existing computational design algorithms are used, the work of determining how to best synthesize the set of designs is left to the medicinal chemist, resulting in less optimal choices and extra work for the medicinal chemist,” says Patrick Riley, senior vice president of artificial intelligence at Relay Therapeutics, who was not involved with this research. “This paper shows a principled path to include consideration of joint synthesis, which I expect to result in higher quality and more accepted algorithmic designs.”
“Identifying which compounds to synthesize in a way that carefully balances time, cost, and the potential for making progress toward goals while providing useful new information is one of the most challenging tasks for drug discovery teams. The SPARROW approach from Fromer and Coley does this in an effective and automated way, providing a useful tool for human medicinal chemistry teams and taking important steps toward fully autonomous approaches to drug discovery,” adds John Chodera, a computational chemist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, who was not involved with this work.
This research was supported, in part, by the DARPA Accelerated Molecular Discovery Program, the Office of Naval Research, and the National Science Foundation.
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A version of this study was originally published on June 10. We previously used the term “ racial conspiracy theories ” as an editorial shorthand to describe a complex and mixed set of findings. By using these words, our reporting distorted rather than clarified the point of the study. Changes to this version include: an updated headline, new “explainer” paragraphs, some additional context and direct quotes from focus group participants.
Claudia Deane, Mark Hugo Lopez and Neha Sahgal contributed to the revision of this report.
Pew Research Center conducted this study to explore how Black Americans think about the factors that contribute to or hinder their success in the United States. An early 2024 report explored the success factors, and this current report focuses on the hindrances. Based on their real personal and collective historical experiences with racial discrimination, Black Americans might be suspicious of the actions of U.S. institutions.
These suspicions often circulate in Black spaces as ideas about the intentional or negligent harm that hinders Black people from thriving. For this report, Black adults were asked in a survey how familiar they are with these ideas. Then, regardless of their familiarity , they were asked if they thought these things were restricted to the past or could also be happening today. Detailed examples of these ideas and corresponding survey results are discussed at length in Chapters 2-7.
We surveyed 4,736 U.S. adults who identify as Black and non-Hispanic, multiracial Black and non-Hispanic, or Black and Hispanic. The survey was conducted from Sept. 12 to 24, 2023, and includes 1,755 Black adults on the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP) and 2,981 Black adults on Ipsos’ KnowledgePanel.
Respondents on both panels are recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. Recruiting panelists by mail ensures that nearly all U.S. Black adults have a chance of selection. This gives us confidence that any sample can represent the whole population (see our Methods 101 explainer on random sampling). For more information on this survey, refer to its methodology and topline questionnaire .
This study also included seven focus groups with Black adults of various ages, income levels, political affiliations, and geographic locations. Conducted online from May 23 to June 1, 2023, these groups gave Black adults the opportunity to describe how they defined success and accounted for hindrances to their success. For more information, read the focus group methodology .
The terms Black Americans , Black adults and Black people are used interchangeably throughout this report to refer to U.S. adults who self-identify as Black, either alone or in combination with other races or Hispanic identity.
Throughout this report, Black non-Hispanic respondents are those who identify as single-race Black and say they have no Hispanic background. Black Hispanic respondents are those who identify as Black and say they have a Hispanic background. We use the terms Black Hispanic and Hispanic Black interchangeably. Multiracial respondents are those who indicate two or more racial backgrounds (one of which is Black) and say they are not Hispanic.
In this report, immigrant refers to persons born outside of the 50 U.S. states or the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico or other U.S. territories.
To create the upper-, middle- and lower-income tiers, respondents’ 2021 family incomes were adjusted for differences in purchasing power by geographic region and household size. Respondents were then placed into income tiers: Middle income is defined as two-thirds to double the median annual income for the entire survey sample. Lower income falls below that range, and upper income lies above it.
Throughout this report, Black adults with upper incomes are those who have family incomes in the upper-income tier. Black adults with middle incomes and Black adults with lower incomes have family incomes in the middle- and lower-income tier, respectively. For more information about how the income tiers were created, read the methodology .
Throughout this report, Democrats are respondents who identify politically with the Democratic Party or those who are independent or identify with some other party but lean toward the Democratic Party. Similarly, Republicans are those who identify politically with the Republican Party and those who are independent or identify with some other party but lean toward the Republican Party.
While many Black Americans view themselves as at least somewhat successful and are optimistic about their financial future , previous work by Pew Research Center also finds most believe U.S. institutions fall short when it comes to treating Black people fairly.
A new analysis suggests that many Black Americans believe the racial bias in U.S. institutions is not merely a matter of passive negligence; it is the result of intentional design. Specifically, large majorities describe the prison (74%), political (67%) and economic (65%) systems in the U.S., among others, as having been designed to hold Black people back, either a great deal or a fair amount.
Black Americans’ mistrust of U.S. institutions is informed by history, from slavery to the implementation of Jim Crow laws in the South, to the rise of mass incarceration and more.
Several studies show that racial disparities in income , wealth , education , imprisonment and health outcomes persist to this day.
The goal of the current study is to explore how Black Americans think about U.S. institutions and the impact they have on their success.
Specifically, we examine the extent to which Black Americans believe U.S. institutions intentionally or negligently harm Black people and how personal experiences of racial discrimination factor into these beliefs.
The beliefs and narratives that Black Americans have about institutional harm have long been studied by scholars in the health and social sciences and the humanities . Narratives about how institutions were designed to hold Black people back also surfaced in several of the online focus groups Pew Research Center conducted with this study last year. (Selected quotes from our focus group discussions can be found in an accompanying text box .)
To measure the prevalence of these narratives of mistrust, we conducted a survey of 4,736 Black adults in the U.S. from Sept. 12 to 24, 2023.
First, respondents were asked if they had ever heard a series of statements about how U.S. institutions might intentionally or negligently harm Black people. Respondents were then asked if they thought these harms were also happening to Black people today. Here are some key findings about Black Americans’ beliefs in institutional mistrust.
The report also finds that Black Americans who have experienced racial discrimination are more likely to believe U.S. institutions intentionally or negligently harm Black people.
There are also modest differences among Black Americans by gender, education, family income and political affiliation. Still, majorities across many Black demographic subgroups are familiar with these statements about the intentions of many U.S. institutions and say these things are happening to Black people today.
To understand how Black Americans view success and setbacks in the U.S., in May and June 2023, we conducted seven online focus groups nationally among Black people of varying income, age and ideological backgrounds. For details on how groups were defined and recruited, refer to the focus group methodology .
One theme that emerged: Some participants felt they are up against a system deliberately designed to hold them back. The following are some illustrative quotes:
“I believe there are … strategic works, behind the scenes, that are being done to sabotage a Black person’s effort. … You could be on the road to success with nothing stopping you. But then, all it takes is one incident that was planned and plotted against you to destroy your life.” – Woman, low-income group, early 50s
“As Black people we are always fighting some type of fight. … We always get to some type of height of success. And then there’s always something that takes us down. …There is always something in the way.” – Woman, young adult group, late 20s
“Well, there’s institutionalized stuff that is invisible. …There are institutionalized things that are in place that one has always suspected, but because they are seemingly benign, you can’t really call them out on it. …There are things like that which I think are purposely built into society or industries or whatever to keep certain numbers down because of access to financial gain.” – Man, high-income group, late 30s
“I trust the government to an extent, but when it comes to certain things, I don’t. For example, take the pandemic. They had all this help out there for people, but there were certain people that applied for help that just couldn’t get it and they were literally just struggling to just get by. … I feel like us Black people are helped the least because we’ve always had the short end of the stick.” – Woman, Republican group, late 20s
“This is a capitalistic society. And I feel as though Black men just have to be the ones at the bottom in order for this system to succeed. … I think that a few hands may be part of this. I don’t want to speculate, but it just still seems to be a system set in place where Black people, especially Black men, have not been successful for a while. We can even go back to Black Wall Street where we were starting to have a little bit of success, and then that was taken down by the powers to be. So whatever system it is, it’s a pretty good system that doesn’t reveal itself so easily.” – Man, Republican group, late 30s
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The steps under consideration include protecting them from deportation and providing access to work permits, according to three officials with knowledge of the discussions.
By Hamed Aleaziz , Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Jazmine Ulloa
Hamed Aleaziz, Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Jazmine Ulloa have covered immigration policy during the Trump and Biden administrations.
The Biden administration is considering a proposal to protect undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens from deportation and allow them to work in the country legally, according to four officials with knowledge of the discussions.
The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter, said that no final decision had been made and that the shape of the policy was unclear. Any such program could also provide some spouses an easier route to obtain U.S. citizenship.
The proposal comes as President Biden has moved to address political liabilities in his immigration policy in recent days.
Last week, he moved to bar asylum for migrants crossing into the United States as part of an effort to toughen border enforcement, eliciting criticism from members of his own party. And now, a move to protect undocumented immigrants in the United States could help Mr. Biden address some of the fierce resistance that order elicited and shore up support among immigrant advocates, Latino voters and his progressive base.
The program said to be under consideration is known as “parole in place,” which has been used in the past for other populations, like families of military members. It gives undocumented immigrants in the United States protection from deportation for a certain period of time and access to a work permit.
Crucially, it also makes it easier for some undocumented immigrants to gain new access to a green card and a path to U.S. citizenship.
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IMAGES
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The layout of research report means as to what the research report should contain. The contents of the research report are noted below: Preliminary Page. Main Text. End Matter. (1) Preliminary Pages: These must be title of the research topic and data. There must be preface of foreword to the research work.
Thesis is a type of research report. A thesis is a long-form research document that presents the findings and conclusions of an original research study conducted by a student as part of a graduate or postgraduate program. It is typically written by a student pursuing a higher degree, such as a Master's or Doctoral degree, although it can also ...
A research report is a well-crafted document that outlines the processes, data, and findings of a systematic investigation. It is an important document that serves as a first-hand account of the research process, and it is typically considered an objective and accurate source of information.
There are five MAJOR parts of a Research Report: 1. Introduction 2. Review of Literature 3. Methods 4. Results 5. Discussion. As a general guide, the Introduction, Review of Literature, and Methods should be about 1/3 of your paper, Discussion 1/3, then Results 1/3. Section 1: Cover Sheet (APA format cover sheet) optional, if required.
Abstract. This guide for writers of research reports consists of practical suggestions for writing a report that is clear, concise, readable, and understandable. It includes suggestions for terminology and notation and for writing each section of the report—introduction, method, results, and discussion. Much of the guide consists of ...
Use the section headings (outlined above) to assist with your rough plan. Write a thesis statement that clarifies the overall purpose of your report. Jot down anything you already know about the topic in the relevant sections. 3 Do the Research. Steps 1 and 2 will guide your research for this report.
An outline of the research questions and hypotheses; the assumptions or propositions that your research will test. Literature Review. Not all research reports have a separate literature review section. In shorter research reports, the review is usually part of the Introduction. A literature review is a critical survey of recent relevant ...
A research report is one big argument how and why you came up with your conclusions. To make it a convincing argument, a typical guiding structure has developed. ... Then you explain your research design, i.e., how you collect data, what data you collect and how you analyze this data. A preliminary study usually encompasses all the sections up ...
What are the implications of the findings? The research report contains four main areas: Introduction - What is the issue? What is known? What is not known? What are you trying to find out? This sections ends with the purpose and specific aims of the study. Methods - The recipe for the study. If someone wanted to perform the same study ...
This handout provides a general guide to writing reports about scientific research you've performed. In addition to describing the conventional rules about the format and content of a lab report, we'll also attempt to convey why these rules exist, so you'll get a clearer, more dependable idea of how to approach this writing situation ...
throughout the research process, divulging your research design and its execution. So, you'll need to write a research report to add your research to the body of knowl-edge. A commonly used structure for research reports has emerged to ensure readers nd the information about the conclusion and its validity and facilitate the writing process.
Writing a Research Report: Presentation. Tables, Diagrams, Photos, and Maps. - Use when relevant and refer to them in the text. - Redraw diagrams rather than copying them directly. - Place at appropriate points in the text. - Select the most appropriate device. - List in contents at beginning of the report.
Research reports are recorded data prepared by researchers or statisticians after analyzing the information gathered by conducting organized research, typically in the form of surveys or qualitative methods. A research report is a reliable source to recount details about a conducted research. It is most often considered to be a true testimony ...
A research report is an end product of research. As earlier said that report writing provides useful information in arriving at rational decisions that may reform the business and society. The findings, conclusions, suggestions and recommendations are useful to academicians, scholars and policymakers.
It communicates original research concisely and precisely to inform an academic audience. Key elements of an APA research report include: Title page with running head, title, author name (s), and institutional affiliation. Abstract summarizing the key details of the report. Introduction presenting background and stating hypotheses or research ...
Preparation of a comprehensive written research report is an essential part of a valid research experience, and the student should be aware of this requirement at the outset of the project. Interim reports may also be required, usually at the termination of the quarter or semester. Sufficient time should be allowed for satisfactory completion ...
address of the author/ s and the date. The report's title should be no longer than 12- 15 words and in a larger font size (e.g. 16-20 point) than the rest of the text on the cover page. Make ...
A research report is a collection of contextual data, gathered through organized research, that provides new insights into a particular challenge (which, for this article, is business-related). Research reports are a time-tested method for distilling large amounts of data into a narrow band of focus. Their effectiveness often hinges on whether ...
Definition: Research Paper is a written document that presents the author's original research, analysis, and interpretation of a specific topic or issue. It is typically based on Empirical Evidence, and may involve qualitative or quantitative research methods, or a combination of both. The purpose of a research paper is to contribute new ...
Research report is considered as a major component of the research study, the research task remains incomplete till the research has been presented or written. Writing of reports is the last step in a research study and requires a set of skills somewhat different from those called for the respect of the earlier stages of research.
Research paper format is an essential aspect of academic writing that plays a crucial role in the communication of research findings.The format of a research paper depends on various factors such as the discipline, style guide, and purpose of the research. It includes guidelines for the structure, citation style, referencing, and other elements of the paper that contribute to its overall ...
Write up a state-of-the-art research report. Understand how to use scientific language in research reports. Develop a structure for your research report that comprises all relevant sections. Assess the consistency of your research design. Avoid dumbfounding your reader with surprising information.
A research design is a strategy for answering your research question using empirical data. Creating a research design means making decisions about: Your overall research objectives and approach. Whether you'll rely on primary research or secondary research. Your sampling methods or criteria for selecting subjects. Your data collection methods.
Top 16 Research Design Methods. Research design methods refer to the systematic approaches and techniques used to plan, structure, and conduct a research study. The choice of research design method depends on the research questions, objectives, and the nature of the study. Here are some key research design methods commonly used in various ...
Coley is joined on the paper by lead author Jenna Fromer SM '24. The research appears today in Nature Computational Science. Complex cost considerations. In a sense, whether a scientist should synthesize and test a certain molecule boils down to a question of the synthetic cost versus the value of the experiment.
Pew Research Center conducted this study to explore how Black Americans think about the factors that contribute to or hinder their success in the United States. An early 2024 report explored the success factors, and this current report focuses on the hindrances. Based on their real personal and collective historical experiences with racial ...
A 2018 scientific report conducted by Silent Spring Institute, an environmental-health research organization, was built on a list supplied by James-Todd of 18 different hair products marketed to ...
Jobs Report; The Housing Market Is Weird and Ugly. These 5 Charts Explain Why. Home prices have held up better than expected amid high interest rates. But that doesn't mean the housing market is ...
A Carolina lament. I think this pattern helps explain why some of Biden's core campaign messages have not resonated with swing voters. Biden talks about the country's soul and pitches himself ...
The steps under consideration include protecting them from deportation and providing access to work permits, according to three officials with knowledge of the discussions.