Research for Business Communication Amber Prentiss, Reference/Instruction Librarian [email_address]

Why Do Research? New insights into familiar topics “Time has shown” “All the research says” and “Everyone knows that” ≠ proof Improves credibility

New insights into familiar topics

“Time has shown” “All the research says” and “Everyone knows that” ≠ proof

Improves credibility

Generating Topics: Starting Points Readings Lecture Class discussion Presearching Daily life Personal interests

Readings

Lecture

Class discussion

Presearching

Daily life

Personal interests

Generating Topics: Example News story: Multitasking has a negative affect on productivity. Related research question: How do email and social networking affect worker productivity?

News story: Multitasking has a negative affect on productivity.

Related research question: How do email and social networking affect worker productivity?

Topic to Search How do email and social networking affect worker productivity? What are the main concepts? Synonyms?

How do email and social networking affect worker productivity?

What are the main concepts?

Synonyms?

Using the Library Site for Research www.libs.uga.edu Ask a Librarian Course guides ( guides.libs.uga.edu /course-guides ) GALILEO@UGA (databases) Off-campus password: reformed Communication & Mass Media Complete Business Source Complete GIL (library catalog: books and print journals)

www.libs.uga.edu

Ask a Librarian

Course guides ( guides.libs.uga.edu /course-guides )

GALILEO@UGA (databases)

Off-campus password: reformed

Communication & Mass Media Complete

Business Source Complete

GIL (library catalog: books and print journals)

Search Tips Use advanced search Use AND to get fewer results Use OR to get more results

Use advanced search

Use AND to get fewer results

Use OR to get more results

Using AND & OR email AND productivity email OR “social networking” productivity email “ social networking” email

Using AND & OR productivity AND (email OR “social networking) productivity “ social networking” email

Search Tips Use * to expand root words communicat* communicate, communicating, communication… Use quotes for “phrase searching” Change results ranking to relevance Set date range for time-sensitive topics

Use * to expand root words

communicat*

communicate, communicating, communication…

Use quotes for “phrase searching”

Change results ranking to relevance

Set date range for time-sensitive topics

Research to Presentation NOT THIS ✖ “ If you look across e-mail and social networks, database and phone, the surprise was that overall, IT use is not associated with an increase in speed. In fact, it's associated with slower speed. But we found that heavier IT users are much heavier multitaskers, so over time, they're completing more projects and bringing in more money for the firm.’” THIS ✔ Higher employee IT use slower speed higher multitasking more projects completed more revenue generated Melymuka, K. (2007, February 26). How IT Makes Johnny More productive. Computerworld , 41 (9), 33-33.

NOT THIS ✖

“ If you look across e-mail and social networks, database and phone, the surprise was that overall, IT use is not associated with an increase in speed. In fact, it's associated with slower speed. But we found that heavier IT users are much heavier multitaskers, so over time, they're completing more projects and bringing in more money for the firm.’”

THIS ✔

Higher employee IT use

slower speed

higher multitasking

more projects completed

more revenue generated

Research to Presentation NOT THIS ✖ “ In IABC's survey, 47 percent of respondents said they receive too much e - mail and text messages; this compares with 48 percent of senior executives surveyed by NFI Research in more than 50 countries. Fifteen percent of IABC communicators said they receive considerably too much e - mail , compared with 33 percent of the executives. A third of the communicators (37 percent) surveyed believed they receive just the right amount, compared with only 13 percent of executives. ” THIS ✔ Williams, T., & Williams, R. (2006, November). Too much e-mail!. Communication World , 23 (6), 38-41. Retrieved September 10, 2008

NOT THIS ✖

“ In IABC's survey, 47 percent of respondents said they receive too much e - mail and text messages; this compares with 48 percent of senior executives surveyed by NFI Research in more than 50 countries. Fifteen percent of IABC communicators said they receive considerably too much e - mail , compared with 33 percent of the executives. A third of the communicators (37 percent) surveyed believed they receive just the right amount, compared with only 13 percent of executives. ”