What is included in a research report?
The structure of a research report varies depending on the project, but most reports include five main sections:
- A description of the project, including known information about the subject. This is typically a summary of the information provided by you and any information we found during the free, initial survey. The information in this section lays the foundation for the research.
- A summary of the findings. If multiple generations are covered by the research, this section will often include a genealogical summary to give you a clear overview of the findings for each relative in the genealogy. It may also contain a drawing of a family tree. We know that many persons like the visual aid of a drawn family tree along with the genealogical summary, especially since Danish naming traditions can make the findings confusing.
- Research and analysis. This is typically the longest section. It is often subdivided into sections for repositories, source types, etc. Depending on our agreement, this section may contain complete translations of the examined records. The section also contains resolutions of conflicting information.
- A conclusion. If the research question can be answered, the answer is written in the conclusion along with explanations of the most significant evidence upon which the conclusion rests.
- A list of suggested further research. This is particularly helpful if the research question could not be answered. The list may include both online and offline research, so it might enable you to continue by yourself. If you request more research from us later, this list makes it easy to continue the research were we left off.
Copies of sources are placed at the end of the report in an appendix. We do not supply copies of online sources that are available for free. However, we provide precise source references, so you can find the image and download it yourself, if you wish to do so.
If you have any questions about the contents of a research report, please contact us.
Example of a Research Report's Table of Contents
Below is an example of the table of contents of a research report (names have been crossed out).
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