Writing & Speaking for Business By William H. Baker Chapter Eight

Two Main Types of Research Research Primary Research Consists of gathering and analyzing original data Primary Research Consists of gathering and analyzing original data Secondary Research Consists of reviewing published information Secondary Research Consists of reviewing published information

Conducting Secondary Research Specialized Databases (Example: EBSCO) Internet Search Engines (Examples: Google, Yahoo)

Search techniques Words (single words or combination of single words) Single word: finance Several words: finance trends problems Phrase (grouped words require quotation marks) Words grouped as specific phrase: “financial trends” Words (single words or combination of single words) Single word: finance Several words: finance trends problems Phrase (grouped words require quotation marks) Words grouped as specific phrase: “financial trends”

Boolean Operators “Or” is more general and results in more hits. “And” is more specific and results in fewer hits. “Not” is more restrictive and results in fewer hits. “Or” is more general and results in more hits. “And” is more specific and results in fewer hits. “Not” is more restrictive and results in fewer hits.

Boolean Operator Examples basketball AND high school OR college High School College High School College = basketball AND high school AND college Search will include all sources that have EITHER high school OR college basketball = Search will include sources that have BOTH high school AND college basketball (only the dark overlapping segment) HS & College

Documenting You are required by law to DOCUMENT! Documentation is important for three reasons: Give credit to original author Tell people how to find the source Comply with copyright law

Plagiarism Use someone else’s text verbatim Paraphrase someone else’s work Blend someone else’s facts or ideas with your own Use someone else’s text verbatim Paraphrase someone else’s work Blend someone else’s facts or ideas with your own You must document your information sources in all of these cases:

Documentation Styles APA Style Chicago Style MLA Style

Conducting Primary Research 1. Define your goals and objectives 2. Identify the best research method 3. Identify the study population 4. Determine if sampling is required 5. Develop a data- gathering instrument

Survey Method Be sensitive to appearance and body language 7. Gather the data 8. Examine each response to ensure validity 6. Pilot test your instrument 9. Use the correct analysis procedure

Define the Problem 1. What should or could be 2. What is The difference between 1 and 2 is “the problem”

Analyze Cause-and-Effect Chain Question:What caused symptom “E”? Answer: “D” Question: What caused symptom “D”? Answer: “C” Question:What caused symptom “C”? Answer:“B” Question:What caused symptom “B”? Answer:“A” Therefore:Solve “A”

Frame the Problem What? So what? Now what? What? So what? Now what?

Problem Solving Develop creative ways to solve the problem Brainstorm for ideas Group Brainstorming Three-column Brainstorming

Types of Thinking

Decision Making Evaluate the Alternatives Organize and refine the list Establish evaluation criteria Weight the criteria Select the best ideas from list

Use Decision Tables CriteriaWeight Alternatives SmithWarenskiLee U.S. Citizen Technical knowledge Experience Leadership Education X Yes Yes Yes Total

Proposals Two Proposal Categories Unsolicited Problem discussion Proposal with details Benefits Timeline Costs Conclusions Unsolicited Problem discussion Proposal with details Benefits Timeline Costs Conclusions Solicited General proposal idea Problem discussion Details of proposal Benefits Timeline Costs Conclusion Solicited General proposal idea Problem discussion Details of proposal Benefits Timeline Costs Conclusion

Force-field Analysis List the driving forces on the left and the restraining forces on the right. Then develop a plan to: Strengthen the positive forces Minimize or eliminate the negative forces List the driving forces on the left and the restraining forces on the right. Then develop a plan to: Strengthen the positive forces Minimize or eliminate the negative forces