Research Project Methods

Research Project

• Begin research by reviewing secondary data in the library or on the Internet.
• Learn to use print resources because some data is available only in print.

Print Resources

• Brochures provide excellent historical data.

Electronic Databases

• Many researchers begin by looking in electronic databases because they are convenient to use.
• Electronic databases are a collection of hypertext pages that offer information and links to trillions of pages.

Searching the Web

• Searching the Web requires a Web browser.
• A search tool is a service that indexes, organizes, and often rates and reviews Web pages.
• Use one search tool and master it, and read the FAQs, Help, and How to Search sections when connecting to a search tool for the first time.
• Include specific keywords in search phrases to get relevant results.

Conducting an Internet Search

• Read the FAQs, Help, and How to Search sections of a search tool before conducting a search.

Plagiarism

• Plagiarism is the act of using others' ideas without proper documentation or by paraphrasing poorly.
• Documenting data strengthens an argument, protects against plagiarism, and helps the reader pursue the topic further.

Documenting Data

• Documenting data is necessary even when information is put in one's own words.
• Statements that need to be documented in a report include specific data or ratings, such as the Fujita-Pearson tornado scale.

Organizing a Report

• A report should be organized using a logical order, such as chronological or topical.
• The clearest way to show the organization of a report is by recording its divisions in an outline.

Visual Aids

• Graphics, such as tables, are useful in reports and should be referenced in the text.
• The major advantage of line charts is that they show changes over time, thus indicating trends.

Report Structure

• A formal report typically includes an introduction, discussion of findings, and a summary, conclusions, or recommendations.
• The recommendations of a report may be placed in a separate section or incorporated with the conclusions.
• A title page is a prefatory part of a business report, and a letter or memo of transmittal should be written using a direct pattern.

Referencing

• Regardless of the referencing format used, citations should include the author, title, publication, date of publication, page number, and other significant data for all sources used in the report.

Proposals

• Informal proposals are sometimes called letter proposals.
• The proposal section discusses the plan for solving a problem.
• The staffing section promotes the credentials and expertise of project leaders and support staff.

Key Terms

• A database is a collection of information stored electronically so that it is accessible by computer and digitally searchable.
• A search tool is a service that indexes, organizes, and often rates and reviews Web pages.
• A blog is an online diary or journal that allows visitors to leave public comments.
• Documentation is giving credit to information sources.
• Primary data comes from firsthand experience, such as surveys, interviews, observations, and experimentations.
• Plagiarism is using the ideas of someone else without giving credit, which is unethical.