Organize & Compile Information & Conclusion

After sorting the evidence and building a conclusion, plan the progression of ideas to develop the message effectively. During this development, it is important to keep the material organized. If notes were taken on a computer, it is very easy to simply “cut and paste” the notes and their source to put them in the order of presentation in a new document.  Verify that each source in the bibliography is cited at least once in the compilation of notes document, and eliminate any unused sources from the bibliography. Use the new document of compiled notes to develop the research document, video, and/or oral presentation.

Remember, the evidence should lead to the conclusion. Draft each section to present the evidence in clear and concise language, using the advanced terminology and concepts presented in the professional literature. However, the researcher needs to make sure the evidence develops his/her conclusion, and the presentation is not simply a mess of quotes. The researcher needs to clearly state the evidence compiled and explain to the reader how that evidence leads to the developed conclusion. You may find that some material deviates from the goal, it is a tangent of your topic and should be deleted. Keep a back-up file of the deleted material, you might decide to use it in a later version.

The presentation may include visual aids and electronic media, but remember the purpose of the presentation is to present the evidence to develop the conclusion. Often, researchers so get engrossed in their visual aids and electronic media that the material loses focus, and the audience is confused. For example, consider a video game that is meant to teach multiplication facts, but students instead focus on the awesome graphics that appear for each answer. Make sure the focus is on the content, and the visual aids and electronic media enhance your evidence and conclusion.

Although this section is fairly brief, it can be the most challenging part of the research process. Presenting the information requires the researcher to fully understand the information and present it to their peers in a sensible, clear and concise manner. In addition, the researcher needs to use formal tone and follow rules of language, such as grammar and syntax. An instructor requiring research for a class project has rules and standards to follow to fulfill course requirements.  If the language of the composition not a part of the researcher’s natural language, there may be additional difficulties, as well as presenting the research.

After compiling the material and composing the presentation, careful editing should take place. Ideally, this should happen at least a day after finishing the original composition phase, after the researcher has taken a break, and can approach the material with a fresh outlook, and able to review the material for accuracy and clarity of presentation.

The final touch is to make sure the formatting fits the requirements of the publication style. More information about formatting is in Part VI for each style.

If a peer is available to review the presentation, and provide comments to the researcher, that is very helpful. However, make sure the peer reviewer is comfortable providing constructive criticism to the researcher. Consider providing input to your classmate’s research project…you want to be helpful, and the best way that works is to be honest, specific and with tact.