business 360w: business communication research
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Business 360W: Business Communication Research. @ Simon Fraser University Library. By Yolanda Koscielski Liaison Librarian to Business Administration. Objectives:. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Business 360W:Business Communication Research
@Simon Fraser University
Library
By Yolanda KoscielskiLiaison Librarian to Business Administration
Objectives:
1. Gain an understanding that there is a huge world of information out there between the polar opposites of good (usually academic) and poor
2. Learn to evaluate any piece of information for recency, reliability, and relevance (the three R’s)
3. Review some basic search strategies
4. Know how to get help/additional resources
Research Question
Sub Questions
Who Might Have the Info?
Where Should You Search For the Info?
SEARCHING
Evaluating
Writing
The Research Process
Research Question
Sub Questions
Who Might Have the Info?
Where Should You Search For the Info?
SEARCHING
Evaluating
Writing
The Research Process
Research Questions?
Radio in the Internet Era Promoting a Reduced Carbon
Footprint BC Construction Worker Safety Executive Safety ...
Research Question
Sub Questions
Who Might Have the Info?
Where Should You Search For the Info?
SEARCHING
Evaluating
Writing
The Research Process
Research Question
Sub Questions
Who Might Have the Info?
Where Should You Search For the Info?
SEARCHING
Evaluating
Writing
The Research Process
Who might publish the information you need?
Exercise: Scholarly vs. non-scholarly article
Roberts, J., Tanner, J., & Manolis, C. (2005). Materialism and the family structure-stress relation. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 15(2), 183-190.
Winfrey, O. (2007, November). What I know for sure. O, The Oprah Magazine, pp. 352,352. Retrieved January 8, 2009, from Canadian Reference Centre database.
Evaluating your Sources
The Three Rs Recency
Reliability
Relevance
Evaluating your SourcesRecency Date = currency
Reliability Bibliography+methodology= documentation Author info = authority Length = completeness Ads + pictures = purpose
Relevance Closeness to your topic Must judge info and explain to (ex. Professor/manager) High quality doesn’t always mean relevant
Evaluating your Sources
Quality vs. Quantity
Quality is your 1st Priority
Who might publish the information you need?
Academic articles: Evaluation Issues Peer-reviewed (reliability) University affiliation (reliability) Comprehensive + well-documented (reliability +
relevance)
But.. Information may not be that recent (recency) Information may not be that relevant + scholarly articles
may not provide all the information you need (relevancy) Not all scholarly articles/journals are created alike
(reliability)
News articles: Evaluation Issues Entry point to different topics, with useful references to
people, associations, studies, reports, etc. Source of unique content Possibly high geographical relevance Can be very recent
But.. Potentially biased Big reliability issues
Private Researchers: Evaluation Issues
http://www.lib.sfu.ca/researchtools/restricted/globalentertainment/GEMO603.pdf
Source of highly relevant information May provide methodology + other documentation
But… Can be very expensive Can be slanted Relevance may be limited, e.g. American vs. Canadian law
Associations: Evaluation Issues
http://www.cab-acr.ca/english/default.shtm
Possibly highly specific relevancy) to the industry/question you are researching
But…
As advocates for their members, can present a biased/incomplete view
Government: Evaluation Issues Can be
geographically relevant
Research methodology can be very well documented (e.g. Statistics Canada)
But… May not be as
relevant as you wish
Companies: Evaluation Issues Possibly highly relevant information
But… Selective reporting Hard to obtain information for private companies
Alternatives: Refer to public organizations for policies Practitioner publications for policy/cost components
Research Question
Sub Questions
Who Might Have the Info?
Where Should You Search For the Info?
SEARCHING
Evaluating
Writing
The Research Process
Where do you find the information?
Books
News Articles
Business & Academic Literature
Library Catalogue
CBCA & Canadian Newsstand Business Source
Complete
Who might publish the information you need?
Research Question
Sub Questions
Who Might Have the Info?
Where Should You Search For the Info?
SEARCHING
Evaluating
Writing
The Research Process
Analyzing Your Topic Before searching the databases, analyze
your topic: break it down into concepts and think of synonyms for each idea.
Topic: What are the trends in the women's clothing market?
Concepts: clothing AND women AND trend*
Synonyms: apparel AND female AND fashion Search = (clothing or apparel) AND (women or female) AND
(trend or fashion)
Sample Search Question
Use AND / OR / NOT to combine terms to narrow or broaden your database searches.
Use * Truncation symbol to find all variations of a word ex. A search for "forest* " will result in items containing any of: forestry, forest, and forests
Using the Index
http://cufts2.lib.sfu.ca/CRDB/BVAS/resource/5781
Research Question
Sub Questions
Who Might Have the Info?
Where Should You Search For the Info?
SEARCHING
Evaluating
Writing
The Research Process
Information Evaluation Exercise Satellite radio doesn’t worry broadcastersStar: Phoenix. Saskatoon, Sask.: Dec 10, 2005. pg. D.1
Retailers say satellite radio equipment is a hot-selling Christmas gift this year, but an official with the Saskatchewan Association of Broadcasters says satellite radio should not have any impact on traditional radio. Bjorn Vors, a sales associate with Future Shop in Saskatoon, says the store is almost running out of stock.
“I’ve got a couple left. They (satellite radio receivers) just go like hot cakes,” said Vors.
Vic Dubois, president of the Saskatchewan Association of Broadcasters, says about 50 years ago television was supposed to bring about the demise of radio, and a few years ago the Internet was expected to make radio and newspapers obsolete, but that has not happened…Dubois believes that satellite radio might have zero or minimal impact on advertising revenues for traditional radio.
“Not much (impact). Because if they ran advertisements it would be national advertising or international…I would say 15 per cent of our revenue ads comes from national advertising and 85 per cent is local,” said Dubois.Credit: Abraham Akot
Information Evaluation Exercise Satellite radio doesn’t worry broadcastersStar: Phoenix. Saskatoon, Sask.: Dec 10, 2005. pg. D.1
Retailers say satellite radio equipment is a hot-selling Christmas gift this year, but an official with the Saskatchewan Association of Broadcasters says satellite radio should not have any impact on traditional radio. Bjorn Vors, a sales associate with Future Shop in Saskatoon, says the store is almost running out of stock.
“I’ve got a couple left. They (satellite radio receivers) just go like hot cakes,” said Vors.
Vic Dubois, president of the Saskatchewan Association of Broadcasters, says about 50 years ago television was supposed to bring about the demise of radio, and a few years ago the Internet was expected to make radio and newspapers obsolete, but that has not happened…Dubois believes that satellite radio might have zero or minimal impact on advertising revenues for traditional radio.
“Not much (impact). Because if they ran advertisements it would be national advertising or international…I would say 15 per cent of our revenue ads comes from national advertising and 85 per cent is local,” said Dubois.Credit: Abraham Akot
Research Question
Sub Questions
Who Might Have the Info?
Where Should You Search For the Info?
SEARCHING
Evaluating
Writing
The Research Process
Writing - Citing Your Information Sources
http://www.lib.sfu.ca/
First Steps to BUS 360W Wiki
SFU Library Website
The library’s home page: www.lib.sfu.ca
Click on “Browse research guides”
Click on Business Administration,
-then on Course
-then on BUS 360
BUS 360W Research Guide Wiki
Reference & Research Assistance
In-person, Telephone, E-mail & Virtual Ask Us Now Reference Service
SFU Burnaby Yolanda Koscielski: [email protected]
SFU Surrey Greg Tourino: [email protected]
http://www.lib.sfu.ca/
Objectives:
1. Gain an understanding that there is a huge world of information out there between the polar opposites of good (usually academic) and poor
2. Learn to evaluate any piece of information for recency, reliability, and relevance (the three R’s)
3. Review some basic search strategies
4. Know how to get help/additional resources