Understanding the Report Process and Research Methods Business Communication, 15e Lehman and DuFrene Chapter 9 Lecture Slides.

Understanding the Report Process and Research

MethodsBusiness Communication, 15e

Lehman and DuFrene

Chapter 9Lecture Slides

© 2009 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 2

Learning Objective 1

Identify the characteristics of a report and the various classifications of business reports.

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Characteristics of Reports

• Generally requested by a higher authority and often travel upward in an organization

• Logically organized and objective

• Generally prepared for a limited audience

Reports are . . .

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Definition of Report

An orderly, objective message used to convey information from one department (or organization) to another department (or organization) to assist in decision making or problem solving.

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Types of Reports

• Formal vs. informal

• Short vs. long

• Informational vs. analytical

• Vertical vs. lateral

• Internal vs. external

• Periodic (scheduled)

• Functional

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The Formal-InformalReport Continuum

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Identify the characteristics of a proposal and the various classifications of business proposals.

A proposal is a special type of report.

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Classifications of Business Proposals

Internal proposal: a report written to justify or recommend courses of action taken in the company

External proposal: a written description of how one organization can meet the needs of another by providing products or services

Solicited proposal: a proposal that is invited and initiated

Unsolicited proposal: is prepared by an individual or firm who sees a problem to be solved and submits a proposal.

2


Using Proposals

• Used to show how one organization can meet the needs of another

• Often used to show how goods or services can be provided

• Usually issued in response to a requests or a calls for bids

• Used to make decisions about issuing contracts for work

Proposals are . . .

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Apply steps in the problem-solving process and methods for solving a problem.

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© 2009 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 11© 2009 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 2033

The Problem-Solving Process

1. Recognize and define the problem

2. Select a method of solution (Primary or Secondary)

3. Collect and analyze data

4. Arrive at an answer

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Limiting the Scope

Problem Statement – the particular problem that is to be solved by research (What?)

Statement of Purpose – the goal of the study & includes aims and objectives (Why?)

Hypothesis – a statement to be proved true or false through research

Null Hypothesis – statement to be proved true or false through research – states no difference will be found in the factors being studied – removes bias

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HypothesisA statement to be proved or disproved through research.

Example: Hypothesis: Productivity will increase when skilled manufacturing employees function as members of production teams rather than single units in production lines.

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Null HypothesisThe statement that no relationship or difference will be found in the factors being studied. Statement to be proved true or false through research.Example: Null hypothesis: No significant difference will be found in productivity between workers organized as teams and workers as individual production line units.

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Methods of Solution

• Primary research — relies on first-hand data you collect yourself – only used when secondary data is not sufficient

• Secondary research — information others have gathered and published previously

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Use appropriate printed, electronic, and primary sources of information.

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Conducting Research

• Observation

• Experimentation

• Normative survey research

Types of Secondary Research

Types of Primary Research

•Printed Sources

•Electronic Sources

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• Customer surveys

• Market research

• Operational research

• Historical research

• Performance observation

• Product development

• Financial reports

• Employee surveys

• Newspapers• Magazines• Journals• Abstracts• Almanacs/fact

books• Books• Government

documents• Online sources

Primary SourcesPrimary Sources Secondary SourcesSecondary Sources

Examples of Research Sources

4


Objectives of Secondary Research

• Establish a point of departure for further research

• Avoid needless duplication of costly research effort

• Reveal areas of needed research

• Make a real contribution to the body of knowledge

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Reasons for Accurate, Complete Documentation

(Secondary Sources)

• Gives credit where credit is due (highly ethical conduct)

• Protects writers against charges of plagiarism

• Supports statements and thus increases credibility

• Aids researchers in pursuing similar research

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APA Citations

- Cite references for secondary research

- Use APA Style for all business writing

- Cite references in two places: in the report itself (in-text parenthetical citation) & in the bibliography

APA Citations

In-text parenthetical citation:

. . . students in college today (Author, Year).

Bibliography:Author, F. (Year). Title of book. City, ST:

Publisher’s Name.

Citation Examples for a Book with One Author

In-text parenthetical citation:Smart college students are majoring in business fields (Smith, 2009). These majors . . .

Bibliography:Smith, J. (2009). College students and their

majors. Memphis, TN: Old South Publishing Company.


Techniques for Using the Internet Effectively

• Choose your search engine or database appropriately

• Structure searches from broad to specific

• Use quotation marks for literal topics

(Ex: “red sports car”)

• Look for pages that have links to other sites

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Problems with Internet Resources

• Resources are not always accurate and reliable

• Certain uses of site information may constitute copyright violation

• Resources are not always complete in terms of information or updating

• Electronic periodicals are not always subjected to same rigor as printed periodicals

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Validity

• Does the data measure what it was intended to measure?

• Does the data measure what it was intended to measure?

ReliabilityReliability • Are outcomes consistent (repeatable) over

time or independent samples?

• Is sample size sufficiently large?

• Are outcomes consistent (repeatable) over time or independent samples?

• Is sample size sufficiently large?

Indicators of Effective Primary Research

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Demonstrate appropriate methods of collecting, organizing, and referencing information.

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Taking Effective Notes(Secondary Resources)

• Read an article rapidly

• Put the article aside

• List the main and supporting points from memory

• Review the article to verify significant points

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Avoid Plagiarism

The presentation of someone else’s ideas or words as your own (Secondary Sources)

provide a citation for each direct quotation

provide a citation for each passage from someone else’s work that you

stated in your own words 5


Guidelines for Designing Effective Questionnaires (Primary Research)

• Arrange items in a logical sequence

• Ask for facts that can be recalled readily

• Write clear, specific questions

─Brief, easy-to-follow directions

─Words with precise meanings

─Short items related to one idea

─No “skip-and-jump” instructions

5

Guidelines for Designing Effective Questionnaires (cont.)

• Create an appealing format that is easy-to-answer and tabulate

• Do not force respondents to choose an answer that does not apply to them

─ Provide all possible answers

─ Add “undecided” or “other” category

─ Avoid leading questions

• Pilot test the questionnaire and revise based on feedback


Questionnaires• Open Question

• What will you do to combat inflation?

• Forced Choice

• What is the one most important problem you . . .

• Checklists

• Check all that apply to you:

• Male Married

• Female Single

• Rating Scale

• Circle the number indicating how you feel about each statement:

• Disagree Agree Strongly Agree

• 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

• Ranking Scale

• Please rank the following problems in order of importance. Use 1 for most important, 2 for second most important, and continue until all are ranked.

• ______ World Peace _____ Unemployment

• ______ Inflation _____ Drug Abuse

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Common Errors in Data Collection **

• Samples that are too small

• Samples that are not representative

• Poorly constructed data-gathering instruments

• Information that comes from biased sources

• Too little information

• Too much information that is not relevant

• ** in Primary Research

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Explain techniques for the logical analysis and interpretation of data.

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Summary of Report

Findings – What do the numbers say?

Conclusions – What do they mean?

Recommendation – What are you going to do?



Common Errors in Data Interpretation

• Conforming results to prediction or desire

• Hoping for spectacular results

• Comparing when commonality is absent

• Assuming a cause-and-effect relationship when one does not exist

• Failing to consider important factors

• Basing conclusions on lack of evidence

• Assuming constancy of behavior

6

Understanding the Report Process and Research Methods Business Communication, 15e Lehman and DuFrene Chapter 9 Lecture Slides.

Documents

cengage learning

learning objective

companyexternal proposal

servicessolicited proposal

initiatedunsolicited

report process

statement of purpose

scopeproblem statement