THE TITLE – ALL CAPS
This Template (Version 3/14) is designed in 6th Edition format
We STRONGLY RECOMMEND that you refer to a book on writing empirical research for
this report. We recommend Pyrczak, F. & Bruce, R. (2011) Writing empirical research
reports. 7th edition. Pyrczak Publishing: Glendale, CA
You will find this available on Amazon but not yet in Kindle format.
A Graduate Review
Submitted to the
Division of Instructional Technology
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Arts
UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA
by
Your Name
Date (month, year of completion)
ii
This Review by: Your Name
Titled: Title of paper
has been approved as meeting the research requirement for the
Degree of Master of Arts.
_______________
Date Approved
__________________________________________
Graduate Faculty Reader
_______________
Date Approved
__________________________________________
Graduate Faculty Reader
_______________
Date Approved
__________________________________________
Head, Department of Curriculum and Instruction
iii
Abstract
Remember to write this abstract last.
Emperical Research Abstract has the following parts:

The problem under investigation – in one sentence if possible

Participants, specifying pertinent characteristics such as age, sex, and ethnic and/or
racial group; in animal research, specify genus and species

Essential features of study method – restrict your description to essential and
interesting feature of the study methodology

Basic findings, including effect sizes and confidence intervals and/or statistical
significance levels

Conclusions and implications or applications

The conclusions
Limit it to 150 - 250 words.
iv
Table of Contents
Abstract ........................................................................................................................ iii
Introduction ................................................................................................................... 2
Heading 2 .................................................................................................................. 2
Heading 3 .............................................................................................................. 2
Heading 4 .......................................................................................................... 2
Heading 5. ..................................................................................................... 2
Methodology ................................................................................................................. 3
Review .......................................................................................................................... 4
Results ........................................................................................................................... 5
Discussion ..................................................................................................................... 6
References ..................................................................................................................... 7
You are expected to include all of the headings, subheadings, sub-subheadings, etc in
your table of contents. Word can create a Table of Contents automatically.
Remember to automatically create the Table of Contents above, format each of your
headings with the Styles setting that matches the level of your heading. To format the title of
each title, highlight the heading and then select the Heading style. You will find this heading
style in the Word toolbar in a dropdown menu or in the Styles frame of the Home toolbar.
Do the same for each of the levels that you will use throughout the paper.
NOTE: This template uses Heading 1, Heading 2, Heading 3, Heading 4 or
Heading 5.
2
Introduction
Heading 2
Heading 3
Heading 4
Heading 5.
Describe the problem that the review will help resolve and indicate why an analysis
of existing information is appropriate for addressing this problem.
The Introduction creates the framework for the paper:

Overview of Areas of Concern

Statement of Problem

Hypotheses or Research Question(s)

Definition of Terms
3
Methodology

Description

Subjects

Instruments Employed

Research Design and Procedures

Intended Method for Statistical Analysis
4
Review
Introduction to the Literature Review
Review of the Research – This is not as in-depth as the MA Literature Review. It is
meant to provide your reader with enough background information to have a sufficient
background to understand the significance of your study and how your results will fit into the
existing literature.
Present evidence and ideas summarized from the sources analyzed. This review is
driven by the problem presented, and by sub-topics related to that problem. Therefore,
individual sources are to be reviewed, not as isolated entities, but with attention to the
contribution they make to the topic under discussion. Information based on personal
experience, observations, or interviews may be included as a means of clarifying questions,
exemplifying research conclusions, or as a source of new information. The source and
limitations of such supplementary information should be clearly stated. An evaluation of the
quality or adequacy of the related sources may also be included. This evaluation may relate
to individual works, or to characteristics of several investigations available on a specific
topic. This review, then, is a result of a search for the information that will provide the most
useful answers available for your research questions.
This review might only be 5 pages long.
5
Results
This section is where you report the results of your research. If it is a quantitative
study, you will be reporting the results of your tests and measurements. If it is a qualitative
study, you will describe the overall results of your interviews and observations.
Your results should be organized around the research hypotheses, objectives or
questions. Remember that the reason that you sought results was to answer your questions or
test your hypotheses.
Notes:

It is usually not necessary to show formulas or calculations.

Scores of individual participants are usually not shown. If you believe that it would
be helpful to share the actual scores for 50 participants, then share them in the
Appendix.

Present the inferential statistics (e.g., frequencies or %) before you include inferential
statistical tests (e.g., chi-square or t-tests).

Organize large numbers in tables.

Give each table a number and caption (i.e., a descriptive title)

Refer to statistical tables by number within the ext of the Results section.

When describing the statistics presented in a table, point out only the highlights.
6
Discussion

Conclusions
o Discuss the findings

Recommendations
o Provide a list of recommendations: future research or applications of
the findings.
Notes:

Consider starting the discussion with a summary.

Early in the discussion, refer to the research hypotheses, objectives, or
questions.

Point out whether results of current study are consistent with the existing
literature.

Consider interpreting the results and offering explanations for them.

Mention important strengths and limitations of the study.

Do not introduce new data in the discussion.

When possible, state specific implications in the Discussion section.
Be specific when making recommendations.
7
References
List your references using the APA 6th edition format. These references should be
sequenced alphabetically by author.
EVERYTHING in the references list is double spaced.

All of the references in this list MUST have been cited in your paper.

All of the references cited in your paper MUST be in this list.
Notes throughout this template were based upon the C&I Masters Degree Handbook
http://www.uni.edu/coe/sites/default/files/downloads/CI_Masters_Handbook_0.pdf
and
Pyrczak, F. & Bruce, R. (2011) Writing empirical research reports. 7th edition. Pyrczak
Publishing: Glendale, CA.