Chapter 5 Researching and Evaluating Source Materials

Chapter 5Researching and Evaluating Source Materials

Asking the Right Questions • Experienced writers know that most writing and research begins with questions, not answers • New questions that had not been previously considered often come about through research

Primary Sources • Are original materials which other documents are based on • Are the first formal appearance of results in print or electronic documents • Present information in original form, not evaluated, summarized, or interpreted • Present original thinking, report discoveries, and share new ideas

Secondary Sources • Describe, interpret, analyze and evaluate primary sources • Comment on and discuss the evidence and ideas discussed in primary sources • Are usually created after the event or information they refer to

Source Materials freeimages.co.uk • The real trick for writers and researchers is not finding sources but evaluating them for trustworthiness and accuracy

Different Sources • Effective writers use a variety of sources to solve problems • Sources of information can include websites, databases, internal information, and even new primary research

The World Wide Web • Advantages • Ease of use, even for beginners • Breadth of information • Easy retrieval and storage • Disadvantages • Trustworthiness and reliability • Inaccuracy of search engines • Price of good information

Databases • Consist of indexes or catalogs that contain information about books, journals, newspapers, and government documents • Are often in searchable electronic formats • May be full-text or abstracted

Databases • Advantages • Trustworthy • Current and relevant • Amount of information • Disadvantages • Price • Longer learning curve • Not always conprehensive

Intranet and Archives • Are private, internal networks • Are accessible to certain people • Contain sensitive information • Contain documents for company use • Have information about the past

Intranet and Archives • Advantages • Private information • Ease of use • Disadvantages • Private • May not have search functions • May not be up-to-date

Primary Research freeimages.co.uk • Interviews and surveys in particular are two common means of doing primary research

Interviews • Are a typical means for workplace writers to acquire information helpful to their projects • Consult those with a particular knowledge or expertise • Can be used as qualitative information • Consider who, what, where, when, and how

Surveys • Allow individuals to answer a series of questions about a particular subject or issue • Are typically designed as multiple choice questions • Begin by defining what you want to know and deciding which people have that information • Can be used as quantitative information

Focus Groups • Are group interviews, usually conducted with six to fifteen participants and overseen by a moderator • Are designed to generate conversation within the group to gain a general sense of participant response • Provide qualitative research and are a useful tool for evaluating services, testing new ideas, and getting consumer feedback

Facilitating a Focus Group • Introduce facilitators • Explain the purpose of the session • Explain how the session will be recorded • Stick to the agenda • Give participants equal consideration and time to answer questions • Review answers for accuracy • Thank participants for their time and effort and follow up

Note Taking and Drafting freeimages.co.uk • Researchers must take notes about their sources to help solve workplace problems

Effective Note Taking • Save everything • Read sources carefully • Forget the highlighter • Organize your notes • Compose a research narrative • Use a double-entry journal • Keep a problem-solution log

Proper Documentation • Shows that you have treated and used your sources in an ethical manner • Shows that you have given credit to others for their ideas • Shows that you have made it clear to your readers exactly how your sources are used in your document

Ethical Use of Sources • Quoting • Using someone else’s exact words • Paraphrasing • Representing someone else’s work in your own words • Summarizing • Abbreviating someone else’s work without compromising the original meaning

Chapter 5 Researching and Evaluating Source Materials