What is the primary purpose of Preliminary Materials in a research report?

• A. To clearly indicate exactly what you are researching.
• B. To provide the main results.
• C. To list references.
• D. To describe the researcher's credentials.

Answer: (A)

Preliminary Materials are meant to orient the reader by signaling what the study is about and what to expect, not by presenting findings or sources. The main goal is to clearly indicate exactly what you are researching—the topic and scope of the work—so readers know the focus before they dive into methods, results, and discussion. This is typically done through the title and abstract, which quickly convey the study’s subject and purpose. The other elements describe or provide access to what comes later: results belong in the results section, references appear at the end, and author credentials are noted in bylines or author notes.