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How to Write Survey Reports...

...effectively

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Steps Completed So Far

☑ Conceptualize a Survey

☑ Prepare the Survey

⌧ Write a Report After the Survey

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Survey Complete: The Author is Now Ready to Publish Findings

Reports must be neutral

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WARNING: the report is not just a summary of your findings

The idea is to gather information (survey results + external research) that relates directly to your central question.
Therefore, the information that you gather must be clearly organized and shaped.

Make sure that your report has a very clear focus. When you plan a report, do the following. First, find a topic related to your field of study (see the very first slide in this presentation). After your topic has been selected, you must determine what central problem or idea you want to analyze. For example:

Jeff has surveyed students and discovered that the majority believe marijuana should be legal, yet Jeff does not know about the properties of the drug. Jeff decides to investigate the addictive properties of marijuana.

The point of a research report is not simply to collect information and summarize it; the idea is to gather information that relates directly to your central question. Therefore, the information that you gather must be clearly organized and shaped. For example, in Jeff's report about the addictive properties of marijuana, he wonders about the following:

• Why does it seem that only some people get addicted?

• Is the addiction physical or psychological?

• What organs of the body does marijuana affect?

Jeff finds two articles that discuss the addictive properties of the drug. He combines relevant ideas from the articles with the results of his survey, and then he writes a report. The only place where he gives his opinion is in the recommendation section of the report.

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Key Components to a Survey Report

Introduction: title, topic, purpose, methods, contextual information, initial hypothesis
Body: an organized and formal synthesis of what the author learned (survey results + external research)
Conclusion: summarize (may offer an opinion / suggestion / recommendation)

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Survey Report Language Tips

Survey data = frequent use of the passive voice
Generalizations = frequent use of present tenses
Report information as facts (numbers, percentages, and proportions) or as generalizations (“this indicates / suggests / implies that…”)

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Survey Report Expressions Often Used to Introduce

The purpose / aim / intention of this report is to examine / assess / evaluate the results in which people / residents / viewers were asked about / whether / what…
This report outlines the results of a survey conducted / carried out to determine / discover the reaction / popularity / attitudes / opinion of...

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Numerical Survey Report Expressions Often Used

Quantity: one in ten, two out of five, ...
Percentages: Over 60 percent, Twenty percent of the people questioned, a large proportion, …
Fractions: Over half of the, One-third of the, …
Statements: people said, claimed, stated, indicated, answered, …
Notes: do not begin sentences with a numeral� do not use “on” (e.g. nine on ten) nine out of ten

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Survey Report Expressions for Generalizations

On the whole / mainly / in general terms / generally speaking…
Most consumers prefer…, Few people approve of…
It is generally felt that…, As proved shown / demonstrated by the fact that...

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Survey Report Expressions Often Used to Conclude

To conclude / to sum up / In conclusion, the survey shows…
On the basis of these findings, it would seem that, …
The results of this survey suggest / indicate / demonstrate / reveal that…
Recommendations: In the light of these results…, I would therefore recommend…, My recommendations are as follows...

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Works Cited

Gómez, Elena. “Writing a Survey Report.” LinkedIn SlideShare, LinkedIn, 13 Apr. 2010, www.slideshare.net/Elenag77/writing-a-survey-report.

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