R oyal U niversity of P hnom P enh I nstitute of F oreign L anguages D epartment of E nglish

1. Royal University of Phnom Penh Institute of Foreign Languages Department of English Report Writing Lecturer: OR Vitou ( OVT) Class: E4.9 Semester I Academic Year 2010-2011

2. Chapter 2: Collecting and handling information Group members • Doeuy Chandara • Keo Chantra • Lao Seavpheng • Meng Kea • PENG Veasna • SAM Chanmakara • Teang Sokunthea

3. Content I. Locate sources of relevant information 1. People 2. Books and other publications 3. Information technology 4. Events and places II. Obtaining the information 1. Experimentation 7. Telephone call 2. Reading 8. Questionnaire 3. Listening 9. Research on the internet 4. Observation 5. Interview 6. Letter

4. Content (Cont) III. Sorting and grouping your findings IV. Evaluate your findings V. Prioritising your findings VI. Check your findings

5. I. Obtaining Sources of Relevant Information: Our required information must be compatible with the things below: • The precise purpose of the report • The needs of your readers • Your objective(s) • Your resources • Your skeletal framework  Sources of Information:  People Colleagues, members of the public, politicians, producers, manufacturers, retailers, federations, unions, pressure groups, and international organizations,.. or The Information Bureau

6.  Books and Other publications Encyclopedias, reference books, text books, guides, handbooks, journals and magazines, newspapers, maps and charts, previous reports, correspondence and minutes…  Information Technology • Computer with its CD Rom to store the data • A TV tuner card connected to PC to watch TV • The Internet  Events and Places Libraries, learning resources centers, research institutions, exhibitions, museums, galleries, laboratories, theatres, concerts, talks….

7. II. Obtaining the information Information can be gathered by: 1. experimentation 2. reading 3. listening 4. observation 5. interview 6. letter 7. telephone call 8. questionnaire 9. research on the Internet

8. 1. Experimentation ( should be carried out by trained scientist) • state clear objective • giving a brief account • providing a hypothesis (optional) • describe how the experiment was carried out and provide a diagram of apparatus used. • provide a complete list • provide a full statement of the final result. • conclusion

9. 2. Reading The SQ3R method of reading: • Survey • Question • Read • Recall • Review

10. 3. Listening  Do not: • Assume that the topic is boring or irrelevant • Criticise delivery or presentation; concentrate on the content • Submit to emotional phrases • Become over stimulated • Remain passive. Listening is an active process, so stay alert • Tolerate distractions • Listen to only what you want to hearEvade difficult subjects. Face problems head on

11.  Do: • Run ahead of the speaker • Examine the evidence presented. Is it accurate, objective and complete? Is it strong or weak? • Recap every few minutes • Remember that listening is an active process

12. 4. Observation • find out more specific information • recording information 5. Interview •  Greeting • Give a friendly manner • Avoid talking too much or less • Maintain a professional image • Explain the purpose of the interview • Ask question (Open question) • Sum up the interview and check your understanding • Thank the interviewee for his/her co-operation

13. 6. Letter • Person name • Heading • Explain the purpose (First Paragraph) • Ask the information you require, keep it short, clear, but comprehensive • Draw a table where this information can be inserted (If possible) • Limit the time for the reply • Enclosed a stamped address envelope • Conclude the letter with thanks

14. 7. Telephone call • Give your name • Ask for the right person • Explain the purpose of calling • Remain your politeness while asking information • Thank the person

15. 8. Questionnaire Two kinds of information • Factual • Opinion  Note: • Approaching member of the public, and having no obligation to assist you • Assure that all questions are relevant to the subject of report

16.  Checklist for a good questionnaire: • Does it have a title • Does it have a reference or questionnaire number • Does it record the name of the interviewer • Is it well spaced • Does it explain the purpose of the questionnaire • Where appropriate, does it emphasize that all replies will be treated confidentially? • Is it clear and unambiguous? • Is it simple? • Is it logically developed? • Does it ask one question at a time

17. Does it require definite answer? • Does it avoid leading question? • Does it avoid an appeal for vanity? • Does it avoid an appeal to sympathy? • Where appropriate, does it leave sensitive areas until last? • Is the questionnaire written in such a way that that will make it straight forward to record and analyze your overall results? • Has the questionnaire been ‘pilot tested’ among a small number of respondents to highlight any obvious errors, omission, ambiguities and other shortcomings before the survey goes live?

18.  Three common sampling techniques • Simple random sampling • Systematic random sampling • Quota sampling Avoiding in sampling: • Do not deliberately select people or items • Do not substitute or replace items selected randomly • Do not deliberately omit items that should be selected randomly Avoiding in questioning: • Do not vary the wording of your question • Do not ask leading questions • Do not ask questions which appeal to vanity • Do not ask questions which appeal to sympathy

19. 9. Research on Internet • All the too easy to get side-tracked: • The internet can take up all your research time • Remember what you are trying to achieve • Beware of the need to evaluate information obtained on the internet • Before beginning your research: • Write down the questions you hope to answer • Spend time thinking about would be likely to know the answers • Develop a list of subtopic and synonyms that you can use as search terms • Using a subject directory • Using metasearchers • Using various combinations of search terms

20. If there is no match for your request: • May have miss pelt one or more words • May have used the wrong symbols or phrase • May need to try a different search engine • May have submitted too narrow a search • Give both the abbreviation and the full name • If there are too many listings: • Take a look at the first ten result • Skim a few of first ten listings on your topic Add more words to your search string, putting a more specific word first

21. III. Sorting and grouping your findings • Information to each section and subsection  Complete the heading and subheading of the skeletal framework IV. Evaluation your finding 1. Reliable 2. Significant

22. 1. Reliability • Accuracy • Objective • Completeness • Strength 2. Significant  HOW?

23. V. Prioritising your finding • Highlight (only) your most significant finding • Amend the skeletal framework • Use any appendix • Don’t waste the reader’s time

24. VI. Checking your finding • Collected & handled all information • Accurate and reliable information

25. Thanks for Your Attention @-@ Q & A