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

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 well-scoped), 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. Identify
2. Assess
3. Plan
4. Gather
5. Evaluate
6. Manage
7. 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

Currency- How current is the source?

Reliability- 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?
Purpose- 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. Quoting
2. Paraphrasing
3. 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. 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.
2. Allow enough time to build your reports.
3. 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. Who is your audience?

2. How much time is available to you?
3. 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?