Analysis/Results

Your findings/analysis/results/discussion can be structured in a number of ways depending on what works best for your particular project. Quantitative and qualitative analysis chapters will tend to differ quite significantly from each other. Again you can get ideas by looking at some of the journal articles that you reviewed in your lit review. 

Some general rules are that for quantitative results you should make the best use of tables, charts and diagrams to present your analysis. You are likely to have developed some hypotheses for testing and the results of these are quite often summarised in one overall table as well as individual tables generated from SPSS/Excel. The most important tests/analyses may be included in the body copy of the chapter and less important tests in the appendices. Quantitative analyses often report the findings first and then include a follow-up chapter to discuss the findings (called Discussion). This is sometimes incorporated into Conclusions also.

For qualitative analysis it is usual to present your analyses in themes, outlining the crux of each theme in your own words and supporting your arguments with verbatim quotes (from your participants). You may include full transcripts in your appendices however it is preferred for you to include your analyses output such as ‘large sheet of paper’ in the appendices and it is good practice to include a profile table analysis of your participants. In both qualitative and quantitative you should compare your findings with those of previous studies so refer back to your literature review and reference those comparisons.

As a general rule you should follow the guidelines below:

• Report the facts that your research discovered
• Include tables/graphs
• Include verbatim quotes from participants
• Include narrative accounts of observations
• Purpose is to present facts – not comment
• Structure clearly and logically
  – Correspond with research objectives
  – Thematically
• Compare to previous research
• Be selective – important parts

Conclusions

This is your final chapter and if you have conducted your study well you should have sufficient knowledge and evidence to express your opinion so finally your chance to put your head above the parapet (although still in the third person). The conclusion should be selective and pull out the most important and significant aspects of your findings. It MUST answer all of your research questions/objectives and it should compare your findings with previous literature and theories and show where you have extended knowledge (found new things). 

In comparison to your findings/analysis it should draw implications and make judgments about your study and in some cases make recommendations to the company or industry concerned. You may wish to include a discussion section in here or implications for Marketing Managers, and it is good practice to acknowledge the limitations of your study (e.g. small sample) and to make recommendations for future research. 

References 

Your project should be fully and accurately referenced in CU Harvard Style (guides can be found on the 300MKT module web). Ensure that any direct quotes are properly referenced to avoid plagiarism charges and make sure that you reference your paraphrased content too (they are still someone else’s ideas!).

Appendices

Be selective here. Do not include everything just in case. Consider whether each item is really necessary. Ensure that it is referred to somewhere in the main body of the report otherwise there is no point. Ensure that you do include:

• Research instrument e.g. blank questionnaire, interview questions (discussion guide)
• Ethics documentation
  – Participant info, informed consent form, etc
  – Proof of ethics approval
• You do not need to include completed questionnaires though!