It is important for a research report to be accessible to all readers. It is also important that reports are written in way that all readers can easily comprehend the information. If these elements are missing, readers may have a difficult time reading and applying the report to their work.<\/p>
All of the different elements of the report, from the description of the research to the findings and analysis, should be comprehensible to the average reader. The report should not rely too heavily on jargon or technical terms, especially when definitions of those words are not provided. Theories, concepts, terms and acronyms that are used in the study should be defined so that a reader without advanced knowledge can understand the study aims and context.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements include standards to ensure that documents are accessible for all readers, including those with print and sensory disabilities. For example, these standards outline the need to format documents to ensure screen readability for those who are blind or who need assistive technology in order to read virtual documents.
Often included toward the beginning of a report, an executive summary and\/or abstract will allow you to see what the overall findings or key takeaways are for the study. Executive summaries and\/or abstracts are high-level summaries of a study and its findings; therefore, read the entire report if you are looking for more detailed information.
If elements of the report seem disjointed or if the report seems to be very long, then it may be that it could have been broken into more than one report. On the other hand, shorter reports do not always provide the level of detail needed to understand a study and its results. For this criterion, you can consider if the report was too long, too short or just right.
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