Masters Dissertation Example

5.2 Reporting of information 
5.2.1 Target audience 
All of the practitioners interviewed reported the outcome/progress of the conservation action 
in some form. When asked about their target audience and main forms of reporting, all 
respondents cited the institutions involved in the conservation programme, with two 
respondents offering no further audience because the institution has its own mechanisms for 
dissemination. Funding agencies were also given high importance. Conservation programmes, 
practitioners doing similar work, and local communities were also mentioned frequently. As 
the main audiences were largely non-technical, reporting was achieved through direct 
communication, summary reports, media, workshops, school programmes, and newsletters. 
One respondent stated that the managers of parks were the most important group for 
dissemination, and that local journals were useful for this. Three respondents mentioned the 
need to inform the international community and other scientists through direct communication, 
journals, workshop proceedings and reports. One further suggested that the different issues 
involved need to be considered together, and that this required dissemination to multiple 
stakeholders. 
All but two interviewees had been at least a co-author of a scientific paper at some point in 
their career, and three had published several. Motivation behind publication included; profile-
raising of the organization, to be known in the scientific community, and to feed information 

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into the wider conservation world. One respondent noted that although he had seen the 
publication cited in policy documents and used to argue practical measures, he was unaware as 
to whether it was translated into conservation action. Most respondents indicated that they felt 
it important to publish information, but struggled to find the time.