GENG005 Writing Skills Lecture 1 Quiz

Course Information

• Course: GENG005 Writing & Presentation Skills - Part 2
• Lecture: 1 - Research and Information Gathering
• Date: Sunday, November 24, 2024

Educational Objectives

• Utilize effective research methods for content generation
• Ensure accuracy and credibility in technical writing

Outline

• Understanding the Research Process
• Planning for the Research Process
• Researching a topic
• Choosing Appropriate Research Methods
• Conducting Secondary Research
• Conducting Primary Research
• Conducting Experimental Primary Research

Understanding the Research Process - Research Goals

• Academic research: Aims to answer scholarly questions
  • Example Questions:
    • To what extent do standardized tests contribute to the success of public elementary schools?
    • What effects do violent media have on teenagers?
  • Focus: Abstract principles and theories
  • Methodology: Extensive secondary research (literature review) before primary research.
• Workplace research: Aims to solve practical problems
  • Example Questions:
    • Should sales staff's notebook computers be replaced with tablets?
    • What are the pros and cons of adopting a European-style privacy policy?
  • Focus: Improving organizational processes and stakeholder needs
  • Methodology: Significant primary research

Academic vs. Workplace Research

• Academic Research:
  • Nature of Questions: Abstract and theoretical
  • Research Type: Primarily secondary research
  • Outcome Focus: Understanding principles
• Workplace Research:
  • Nature of Questions: Practical and situational
  • Research Type: Primarily primary research
  • Outcome Focus: Improving organizational effectiveness

Planning for the Research Process

• Eight steps in developing a research plan:
  • Analyze the audience
  • Analyze the purpose
  • Analyze the subject
  • Consider the document type
  • Work out a schedule and budget
  • Determine needed information for the document
  • Determine information to acquire
  • Create questions to answer in the document

Choosing Appropriate Research Methods

• Question-Based Research Methods: Diverse needs require distinct research methods
  • Example Methods:
    • Long-Term Predictions: Consider journals, magazines, reputable websites, and blogs for future changes (e.g., outsourcing in computer support)
    • Product Evaluation: Consider secondary research, vendor site observations, product demonstrations, colleague interviews, and experimental comparisons for assessing specific product performance (e.g., scanner reliability)

Research Question Types

• Examples of research questions:
  • What is the theory behind a process or technique?
  • What is the history of a phenomenon? (e.g. social media)
  • How is the current situation expected to change?
  • What products are available to perform a task or provide a service?
  • What are the strengths and weaknesses of competing products and services?
  • Which product or service do experts recommend?
  • What do stakeholders think about a current or proposed product or service?
  • What are the facts about how jobs are done at a company?
  • What can be learned about what caused a problem in an organization?
  • What do personnel in a company think should be done about a situation?
  • How well would a product or service work in an organization or an institution?

Conducting Secondary Research

• Objective: Gather insights from experts and scientists
• Goal: Acquire the best available information (accurate, unbiased, comprehensive, and current)
• Resources:
  • Library: Specialized handbooks and subscription services
  • Online Research: Using the web for information gathering
  • Organizational Information Centers: Internal libraries for critical data for operations
  • Specialists: For research inquiries and data retrieval

Understanding Research Tools

• Library Catalogs: Electronic records of physical holdings (books, journals, reports, audio, and video)
• Tips: Limit searches, use punctuation and logical operators (AND, OR, NOT), to find relevant information
• Online Databases: Access to full-text articles and documents (e.g., ProQuest)
• Al-based tools: Designed to enhance research resources

Conducting Primary Research

• Objective: Answering research questions
• Goal: Obtaining new, accurate, credible, reliable, and unbiased information accepted by the scientific community
• Major Categories:
  • Data Analysis
  • Observations and Demonstrations
  • Inspections
  • Experiments
  • Field Research
  • Interviews
  • Inquiries
  • Questionnaires

Conducting Experimental Primary Research

• Experimental Research Phases:
  • Establishing a hypothesis
  • Testing the hypothesis
  • Analyzing the data
  • Reporting the data