Business Communication Skills for Managers Module 4 Research

Business Communication Skills for Managers Module 4: Research

Why learn traditional and online research methods?

Conducting Research

Learning Outcomes: Conducting Research 4. 1 Discuss the importance of data and identify its role in business 4. 1. 1 Discuss the impact of research in business reports 4. 1. 2 Discuss the steps in the research process 4. 1. 3 Identify common types of internal and external data used for business reports 4. 1. 4 Explain the role of primary research and the most common forms that are used 4. 1. 5 Explain secondary research and how it is used to provide support to the report

Using Data for Impact There are two types of business reports: Analytical reports: Those used to help make a decision (e. g. , whether to hire more people, expand a product line, etc. ) Informational reports: Those used to inform people throughout the organization about something of importance. What other qualities should business reports have?

Research Process Steps Conduct research using 6 steps: • Ask a question • Find existing knowledge • Develop a research plan • Conduct research • Analyze data • Present findings (cite sources)

Investing Time in the Research Process Steps in the research process: • Determine a problem & define a question to answer • Find general background about your problem/question • Develop a strategy to address any data, information gaps • Conduct the research • Collect, read, evaluate and write what you have learned • Cite the information you have found so that others will be able to follow your research trail

Types of Data Sources What is the difference between internal and external data? Internal and external data are organized into two categories: 1. Qualitative data 2. Quantitative data

Primary Research What is primary research? Examples of primary research: - Interviews Surveys Observations Analysis

Secondary Research What is secondary research? Examples of secondary research: - Books Journals Newspaper articles Media reports

Internal Data

Learning Outcomes: Internal Data 4. 2 Process information from internal sources 4. 2. 1 Identify types of primary sources and internal data 4. 2. 2 Discuss methods for collecting and analyzing internal data 4. 2. 3 Create workbooks and format data in Microsoft Excel 4. 2. 4 Create workbooks and format data in Google Sheets

Types of Primary Sources and Internal Data Ithaca College library defines primary sources as: “Direct or first hand evidence about an event, object, [or person and could include] historical and legal documents, eyewitness accounts, results of experiments, statistical data, pieces of creative writing, audio and video recordings, speeches, and art objects. Interviews, surveys, fieldwork, and Internet communications via email, blogs, listservs, and newsgroups are also primary sources. ”

Types of Primary Sources and Internal Data (cont. ) Internal data are data derived from internal primary sources about your organization. Examples of internal data: • human resources report about turnover and hiring • financial statements from Accounting or Finance

Collecting Internal Data ACCESS is key! If you do not have good access to a group or set of data, your ability to collect that data is severely compromised. Data may be readily available, or necessitate some sort of cross-divisional—or at least team—privilege and access.

Working in Microsoft Excel is useful software for storing, organizing, and manipulating data.

Working in Google Sheets Google sheets is very similar to Microsoft Excel, however this tool allows for real time collaboration. Google Sheets is a free online tool, you can be assured everyone you’ll work with has or can get access to Google Sheets, as long as they have the internet. Many of the skills you learned for Excel can also be applied to Google Sheets, such as basic text formatting.

Discussion How would you address gathering data on your organization if you worked in a competitive and closely-guarded industry?

Finding Secondary Sources

Learning Outcomes: Finding Secondary Sources 4. 3 Evaluate and practice preliminary, intermediate, and advanced search techniques 4. 3. 1 Evaluate preliminary research strategies 4. 3. 3 Discuss common tools and strategies for completing online searches 4. 3. 4 Identify tools used to find scholarly secondary sources

Preliminary Research Strategies Having a well-defined and scoped question is essential to a good research strategy If your question is not specific enough, or if it lacks boundaries (i. e. , it is not wellscoped), your subsequent strategy will be difficult to maintain. You need a question related to your topic that you want to answer.

Finding Sources Work to simplify search phrases! Search engines like Google use high level search operators, meaning that short and simple search phrases will be more efficient when trying to find the information you need. Use a cautious eye and try different keywords or various combinations in order to find different results. You can also try using different Boolean operators (words like AND, OR, or NOT), or use the Google advanced search features to narrow down your results. Work to simplify your search phrases, and be patient in moving through results pages.

Using Databases Areas for secondary source material: 1. Google Scholar 2. Library Databases Subject headings and bibliographic links are important to pay attention to when you are researching. Research tip: Find one good scholarly article or book, you can look up the works cited in the footnotes or bibliography to find the sources it’s based on.

Activity Go to your library’s website. Tour of the library’s website to see what is available to you as a student. Find access to the databases. Make a list of databases that are available to you. What are some differences between searching the internet and the library databases? Discuss your findings with a partner.

Source Analysis

Learning Outcomes: Source Analysis 4. 4 Evaluate and practice methods of analysis to assess the quality and reliability of a source 4. 4. 1 Identify the seven pillars of information literacy 4. 4. 2 Discuss the importance of evaluating sources and understanding biases 4. 4. 3 Describe the components of the CRAAP analysis process 4. 4. 4 Describe techniques to incorporate sources into your writing

Information Literacy The 7 Pillars of Information Literacy: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Identify Assess Plan Gather Evaluate Manage Present

Evaluating Sources Evaluating websites: • • • Consider the URL (. com vs. org, etc. ) What type of website? Blog, encyclopedia, news page? What is the purpose or claim of the website? Not all bias is bad but make sure to acknowledge all of your biases to maintain credibility.

CRAAP Analysis C urrency- How current is the source? R eliability- How important is the information, and has it been consistently presented? Authority- What is the source of the information? Accuracy- Judged against other sources, how correct is the source? P urpose- What is the goal of the source? Why was it created?

Case Study: News Media Today Information presented through media must be scrutinized as much as any other source, especially with the growing consolidation of sources.

Synthesizing Sources References to sources should sound natural within the flow of your writing. The 3 Methods for Referencing Sources: 1. 2. 3. Quoting Paraphrasing Summarizing

Practice Question Adena was tasked to write a proposal suggesting ways to improve the sales at her store. As soon as she was given this task, she began researching ways other stores had improved their sales. Was this the best approach?

Writing Ethically

Learning Outcomes: Writing Ethically 4. 5 Discuss issues of plagiarism, copyright and fair use 4. 5. 1 Discuss the importance of professional integrity in written communication/reports 4. 5. 2 Identify guidelines to avoid plagiarism, copyright, or violation of Fair Use Act 4. 5. 3 Document and cite sources using the correct style and formatting

Professional Integrity A common sense standard for professional integrity: “Would anyone question the manner in which I’m doing this work or activity? ”

Avoiding Plagiarism 3 Tips for Avoiding Plagiarism: 1. 2. 3. If you even suspect the idea is someone else’s, take the time to go back through notes, Google, or other reputable sources, and search for the author. Allow enough time to build your reports. If you are not sure of authorship, consider using other evidence or sources to articulate your idea.

Documenting and Citing Sources Considerations for style of your citations: 1. 2. 3. Who is your audience? How much time is available to you? What are you trying to communicate?

Bias A word on bias: some consider bias to be a problem. However, we might argue here that bias is a normal part of life and human interaction. We are all biased by our upbringing, our experiences, and our perspectives. While any attempt to be objective in your analysis is a good thing, it can be just as useful to acknowledge your biases in your research and arm the reader or consumer of your material accordingly. In a way, this is a form of respect to your readership; you acknowledge their critical thinking role in consuming your material and also acknowledge that ruling out all bias—no matter how professional or scientific one’s research approach might be—is ultimately impossible.

Practice Question Bracketing is the act of reviewing and gaining awareness around your preconceived notions of a given topic before pursuing further study. What is the value of bracketing in one’s research?

Quick Review • What are the six steps of conducting research? • What are the reasons why a researcher would use a combination of primary AND secondary sources? • How do you evaluate sources for reliability and accuracy before utilizing them as sources? • What are some ways that you can avoid plagiarism through organization and careful citation?