PRC Reporting & Presenting Research Findings 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When presenting research findings to a non-technical executive audience, which approach is most effective?
- Lead with methodology details to establish credibility
- Lead with key findings and business implications, then support with data (Correct answer)
- Present all data tables before drawing conclusions
- Use technical jargon to demonstrate rigor
Correct answer: Lead with key findings and business implications, then support with data
Executive audiences need actionable insights first; supporting data should follow to reinforce conclusions.
Question 2: In a research report, what is the purpose of an executive summary?
- To provide a detailed methodology section
- To list all data sources and references
- To give decision-makers a concise overview of findings and recommendations (Correct answer)
- To reproduce all charts and tables from the main report
Correct answer: To give decision-makers a concise overview of findings and recommendations
An executive summary distills the most critical findings and recommendations for busy stakeholders who may not read the full report.
Question 3: Which chart type is best suited for showing the composition of a whole across multiple categories?
- Line chart
- Scatter plot
- Pie or donut chart (Correct answer)
- Box-and-whisker plot
Correct answer: Pie or donut chart
Pie and donut charts are designed to display part-to-whole relationships across discrete categories.
Question 4: A researcher must disclose a limitation that could weaken a key finding. Where should this disclosure appear?
- Only in the appendix so it does not distract from conclusions
- Omitted entirely if the finding is still directionally valid
- Clearly stated in the limitations section and noted near the affected finding (Correct answer)
- Mentioned verbally in the presentation but not in the written report
Correct answer: Clearly stated in the limitations section and noted near the affected finding
Ethical reporting requires transparent disclosure of limitations near the findings they affect so readers can properly weigh the evidence.
Question 5: What does the term 'data visualization best practice' of avoiding chartjunk refer to?
- Removing all color from charts
- Eliminating unnecessary decorative elements that do not add informational value (Correct answer)
- Using only black-and-white printing for reports
- Avoiding the use of bar charts in formal presentations
Correct answer: Eliminating unnecessary decorative elements that do not add informational value
Chartjunk, coined by Edward Tufte, refers to visual elements that clutter a chart without aiding comprehension.
Question 6: When a research report contains conflicting findings from different data sources, the researcher should:
- Report only the findings that align with the client's expectations
- Suppress the conflicting data to maintain a clear narrative
- Acknowledge the discrepancy, investigate possible causes, and report both sets of findings (Correct answer)
- Average the conflicting figures and report the mean
Correct answer: Acknowledge the discrepancy, investigate possible causes, and report both sets of findings
Intellectual honesty requires reporting conflicting findings transparently and exploring reasons for the discrepancy.
Question 7: Which element distinguishes a recommendation from a conclusion in a research report?
- Conclusions are based on data; recommendations propose specific actions based on those conclusions (Correct answer)
- Recommendations summarize the methodology; conclusions summarize the findings
- Conclusions are written for clients; recommendations are written for researchers
- There is no meaningful distinction between the two
Correct answer: Conclusions are based on data; recommendations propose specific actions based on those conclusions
Conclusions interpret what the data shows, while recommendations translate those interpretations into actionable next steps.
PRC Reporting & Presenting Research Findings 2
When presenting research findings to a non-technical executive audience, which approach is most effective?