1. Chapter 6. Researching Your Subject © 2010 by Bedford/St. Martin's1 Understand the differences between academic and workplace research In academic research, your goal is to find information that will help you answer a scholarly question. In workplace research, your goal is to find information to help you answer a practical question, usually one that involves the organization for which you work.

2. Chapter 6. Researching Your Subject © 2010 by Bedford/St. Martin's2 The research process consists of 12 steps: Analyze your audience. Analyze your purpose. Analyze your subject. Visualize the deliverable. Work out a schedule and a budget. Determine what information will need to be part of that deliverable.

3. Chapter 6. Researching Your Subject © 2010 by Bedford/St. Martin's3 The research process consists of 13 steps (cont.): Determine what information you still need to acquire. Create questions you need to answer in your deliverable. Conduct secondary research. Conduct primary research. Evaluate your information. Do more research.

4. Chapter 6. Researching Your Subject © 2010 by Bedford/St. Martin's4 Choose appropriate research methods What types of research media might you use? What types of research tools might you use? What types of primary research might you conduct?

5. Chapter 6. Researching Your Subject © 2010 by Bedford/St. Martin's5 Follow three guidelines for researching a topic: Be persistent. Record your data carefully. Triangulate your research methods.

6. Chapter 6. Researching Your Subject © 2010 by Bedford/St. Martin's6 There are six types of information media: print online databases Web sites online discussion groups Web 2.0 resources personal publications

7. Chapter 6. Researching Your Subject © 2010 by Bedford/St. Martin's7 Understand these three kinds of Web 2.0 resources: tagged content social-bookmarking sites RSS feeds

8. Chapter 6. Researching Your Subject © 2010 by Bedford/St. Martin's8 There are five basic research tools: online catalogs reference works periodical indexes newspaper indexes abstract services

9. Chapter 6. Researching Your Subject © 2010 by Bedford/St. Martin's9 Look for information that is: accurate unbiased comprehensive appropriately technical current clear

10. Chapter 6. Researching Your Subject © 2010 by Bedford/St. Martin's10 In evaluating print and online sources, examine these five factors: authorship publishing body knowledge of the literature accuracy and verifiability of the information timeliness

11. Chapter 6. Researching Your Subject © 2010 by Bedford/St. Martin's11 There are seven techniques of primary research: observations and demos inspections experiments field research interviews inquiry letters or e-mails questionnaires

12. Chapter 6. Researching Your Subject © 2010 by Bedford/St. Martin's12 Conducting an experiment consists of four phases: establishing a hypothesis testing the hypothesis analyzing the data reporting the data

13. Chapter 6. Researching Your Subject © 2010 by Bedford/St. Martin's13 Field research is vulnerable to two common problems: the effect of the experiment on the behavior you are studying bias in the recording and analysis of the data

14. Chapter 6. Researching Your Subject © 2010 by Bedford/St. Martin's14 Consider three factors in choosing a person to interview: What questions do you want to answer? Who could provide the information you need? Is the person willing to be interviewed?

15. Chapter 6. Researching Your Subject © 2010 by Bedford/St. Martin's15 Prepare for the interview Do your homework. Prepare good questions. Check your equipment.

16. Chapter 6. Researching Your Subject © 2010 by Bedford/St. Martin's16 Begin the interview Arrive on time. Thank the respondent. State the subject and purpose of the interview. Ask permission to tape the interview.

17. Chapter 6. Researching Your Subject © 2010 by Bedford/St. Martin's17 Conduct the interview Take notes. Start with prepared questions. Be prepared to ask follow-up questions. Be prepared to get the interview back on track.

18. Chapter 6. Researching Your Subject © 2010 by Bedford/St. Martin's18 Conclude the interview Thank the respondent. Ask for a follow-up interview. Ask for permission to quote the respondent.

19. Chapter 6. Researching Your Subject © 2010 by Bedford/St. Martin's19 After the interview, do two tasks: Write down the important information while the interview is fresh in your mind. Send a brief thank-you note.

20. Chapter 6. Researching Your Subject © 2010 by Bedford/St. Martin's20 Using questionnaires effectively calls for four steps: Asking effective questions. Testing the questionnaire. Administering the questionnaire. Presenting questionnaire data in your document.

21. Chapter 6. Researching Your Subject © 2010 by Bedford/St. Martin's21 Questionnaires are vulnerable to three problems: Some of the questions will misfire. You won’t obtain as many responses as you want. You cannot be sure the respondents are representative.

22. Chapter 6. Researching Your Subject © 2010 by Bedford/St. Martin's22 Understand the six common types of questions: multiple choice Likert scale semantic differentials ranking short answer short essay