A typical research report includes the purpose, methods, data, and findings, but not a policy statement, which is a recommendation or position, not a research component. Option C (policy statement) does not belong in a research report, as it’s more appropriate for a policy brief. The APA’sAICP Certification Exam Content Outline(2022), under “Research and Assessment Methods,” states, “Research reports typically include the purpose, methodology, data, and analysis, but policy statements are separate outputs.” Options A (method), B (purpose), and D (data) are standard components of a research report. TheCPC Study Manual(2024) confirms, “Policy statements are not part of a research report, which focuses on purpose, methods, and data,” supporting option C.
[References: APA AICP Certification Exam Content Outline (2022), CPC Study Manual (2024), APA PAS Report on Research Reporting., ]
