Professional Communication: Strategies for College and the Workplace by Dan Jones & Karen Lane

1. ProfessionalCommunication:Strategies for College and the Workplaceby Dan Jones & Karen Lane Chapter 5: Gathering Information

2. Conducting Effective Interviews

3. Conducting Effective Interviews • Look for subject-matter experts • Research the credentials of the person you are interviewing • Research the company or organization that you are investigating

4. Research • Look for subject-matter experts • Research the company or organization

5. Prepare • Decide how you will keep track of information • If necessary, arrange for an on-site visit • Check to see if you need security clearance at the interview sight — continued —

6. Prepare • Consider what you will wear • Plan the length of the interview • Make the actual physical arrangements — continued —

7. Prepare • Create a list of questions • Practice, practice, practice

8. At the Interview • Be friendly, yet businesslike • Ask clear questions • Listen carefully • Take comprehensive notes • Obtain any necessary permissions

9. Follow up • Send a written thank-you letter • Work your notes into an organizational outline

10. Using the Library

11. Plan Your Research • Allow enough time for investigation • Define your topic • Decide how you will document your research

12. Locating Information • Translate your topic into the subject language of indexes and catalogs • Work from the general to the specific • Check for more information in your • lecture notes • textbooks • reserve readings — continued —

13. Use a variety of sources books journal articles online databases Look in other libraries interlibrary loan online catalogs Locating Information

14. Working with Your Information • Have a good balance of sources-- don’t have too few or too many • Evaluate what you have found • Use a standard format for your bibliography

15. Evaluating Print Sources • When was the source published? • Is the work a first edition? • Who is the publisher? • Is the source a scholarly or a popular journal? — continued —

16. Evaluating Print Sources • What type of audience is the author addressing? • Is the material fact, opinion, or propaganda? • Is the information valid and well researched? • Is the author objective and impartial? — continued —

17. Evaluating Print Sources • Does the work • supplement other sources you’ve used? • substantiate other materials? • provide new information? — continued —

18. Evaluating Print Sources • How thoroughly does the work cover your topic? • Is it primary or secondary material? • Is the publication logically organized? • Has the work been well received by others?

19. Evaluating Internet Sources

20. Evaluating Internet Sources • Many Internet sources have not been reviewed • Consider the author’s credibility • Try to ascertain the material’s accuracy • Identify the author’s perspective — continued —

21. Evaluating Internet Sources • Determine the author’s purpose • Look for evidence of quality control • View the quality of the content and formatcritically • Check the material for completeness — continued —

22. Evaluating Internet Sources • Analyze the content for: • balance • objectivity and bias • accuracy • Check for timeliness • Ascertain originality — continued —

23. Evaluating Internet Sources • Review accessibility • Look for documentation