Learning Guide - Studespace · PDF fileLearning Guide BSBRES401 Research And Analyse Information Learning Guide V1 Page 3 of 23 Revision date: 24/09/2016 Introduction to the Learning

BSBRES401 Analyse and Present Research Information: Research and Analyse Information

Learning Guide

Northern Sydney Institute

Learning Guide

BSBRES401 Research And Analyse Information Learning Guide V1

Page 2 of 23 Revision date: 24/09/2016

Table of Contents

Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................. 2

Introduction to the Learning Guide ..................................................................................................... 3

Overview .............................................................................................................................................. 3

Business objectives .............................................................................................................................. 3

Stages in research ................................................................................................................................ 3

Define the research .............................................................................................................................. 4

Research objectives ............................................................................................................................. 5

Types of research ................................................................................................................................. 6

Put together the Research Proposal .................................................................................................... 7

Where to source information .............................................................................................................. 8

Use reliable methods of data analysis suitable to research purpose and research objectives ........ 20

What to be aware of when making assumptions and drawing conclusions ..................................... 21

Review ................................................................................................................................................ 22

Learning Guide



Introduction to the Learning Guide

This learning guide has been designed to cover the second topic for BSBRES401 Analyse and Present Research Information.

Overview

Information is a powerful tool. It is essential to enable well-informed business decisions to be made. Used properly the information can help the business to operate more efficiently and thus enable it to achieve a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Once information has been sourced it is important to analyse and evaluate that information effectively so that decisions for the business can be made on valid and reliable information.

Business objectives

Some more specific reasons why research is undertaken can be to:

look at future business planning

review current financial performance with a view to improving it or finding out why it is not improving.

question whether the organisation is flexible enough and responsive to the needs of their clients, customers and even staff

improve interpersonal communication within the organisation

review the way it manages its people – is there room for change or a better way?

review its current marketing position – again can it be improved, changed, altered?

the organisational goals and behaviours – are they still current and suitable?

review, rewrite, re-implement work procedures, policies, quality assurances as needed.

Stages in research

The following diagram is a broad outline of what is involved in different stages of research:

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Describe the Business Problem or Opportunity

- reference the business objectives

Define the Research Objectives

Develop the Research Plan

Determine Research Strategies

Design and use valid and relevant research tools

Use different research methods

e.g. surveys, interviews, observations, questionnaires, focus groups, online research,

sampling methods

Organise and Analyse Research Data

- Collect, organise and sort data

- Interpret and analyse data

Make assumptions, conclusions and recommendations

- present the Research Findings

Obtain feedback on the Research Findings

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Define the research

Once the business problem or opportunity has been determined, you need to define what is to be researched. This involves working out:

What is being requested/what is the purpose of the research?

Who is the research is for?

What sort of research is needed?

Why is it needed?

What is it designed to achieve?

Who is to be involved?

When is due date for the research proposal?

What resources will be available e.g. financial budgets, that will partly define the extent of the research.

It is a good idea to ask yourself these questions as it can help clarify exactly what you need to be researching!

Research objectives

The research objectives need to be clear before proceeding with your research. Ask yourself what is it that you are trying to research? Researching and evaluating information is undertaken for a number of reasons which could include:

Comparative analysis

Comparative analysis is where you would compare two or more systems, policies etc. to determine how they compare.

Hypothesis testing

You may undertake research to determine a ‘test’ scenario. With the results of this research you may test to see if an alternative or different way will work better.

Identification of trends

With this research you want to identify if there are any likely trends that was not though of and could be a possibility to peruse.

Situational diagnosis

This involves researching the current situation and how it is functioning.

Industry pricing policies

With researching current pricing polices you are researching both within the organisation and externally to see how pricing compares.

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Process mapping

This procedure involves creating maps to document current organisational process in a visual form. It can readily help identify any problems.

Types of research

Types of research are generally classified as exploratory, descriptive and causal . Which type is used is often determined by the objective of the research. Below is a brief description of each type.

Exploratory research

This type of research is normally undertaken at the beginning or start of a project. Literature such as publications and journals are studied to gain preliminary knowledge about the topic. You may also include interviews with experts or other organisations who have had experience with the same problem. The reason for this type of research is to gain some understanding of the topic moving from no or very little understanding at the beginning.

Descriptive research

Once the problem has been defined and the researcher understands it better, the next step is to do some descriptive research. This will describe the situation; the researcher will want to know who is doing what, why when and how.

Causal research

This research is to identify the cause of the problem. Now that the problem has been identified, clarified and narrowly defined, it can be researched as to its cause and effect.

Case Study Example

There seems to be a high level of sick leave being taken over the past six months by staff in the Accounting department.

Exploratory Research – this could include actual statistics about the amount of sick leave being taken by whom and when. Then speaking with staff that have resigned or taken a lot of sick leave to gain an ‘honest’ reason for the leave.

Descriptive Research – look at other similar companies and any policy’s they may have put in place to solve the problem of extensive sick leave being taken. At this stage you would have a reasonable idea on why the sick leave is occurring.

Causal Research – look at possible solutions like paying people for not taking sick leave. Question employees to see if this would decrease the amount of sick leave taken. Another solution could be that the work load in that particular department is larger than other departments and we need to increase the number of employees.

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Put together the Research Proposal

Once the objectives have been identified, it is a good idea to put together a research proposal. The research proposal guides the direction of your research and keeps you focussed.

Use valid and relevant research strategies

In your research, you need to use valid and relevant research strategies which meet the research objectives and make effective and efficient use of all available resources. Research should be undertaken ethically and ethics approval sought where required. Ethics approval ensures a consistent approach to protecting participants during and beyond the research process. Research in many educational institutes and research centres is conducted in line with the ‘National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Research Involving Humans’. Access this site for further information: http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/publications/synopses/e35syn.htm

These guidelines provide the basis for evaluating and approving proposals to conduct research. It is important that researchers adhere to the organisation’s code of ethics. Not all research proposals may need to have ethics approval. If you are in any doubt as to whether these guidelines apply to a future research project you should seek the advice of the research sponsor or your immediate manager.

Research stakeholders and participants

The people who you will interview, observe, question or gather information from in the process of doing your research are the research participants. They may be a part of a group with similar characteristics who are the focus of your research such as preschool-aged children, or parents who have refugee status, or women re-entering the workforce after a break, or homeless pregnant teenagers. We call a group of participants with similar characteristics a ‘target group’.

A target group is a group of people that you define by some common characteristic for the purpose of your research. The defining characteristic might be where they live, their culture or sexuality, age or interests.

Respond to research information requests

To enable you to select the most appropriate source or sources of information for a particular request for information you need to consider the following:

Cost of receiving information: Internet costs of downloading information, photocopy charges, cost of using private information services, etc.

Availability: Is there a waiting time for information to be received or processed?

Relevance of information: Is the data recent, factual, free of bias?

Reliability of data: Has any statistical data been validated?

Confidentiality: Can the information be released? • Is it of a private\personal nature?

Ownership of Information: Are you able to lawfully copy the information protected by copyright? Have you acknowledged the sources of information?

http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/publications/synopses/e35syn.htm

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Where to source information

Information is a powerful tool. It is essential to enable well-informed business decisions to be made. Used properly the information can help the business to operate more efficiently and thus enable it to achieve a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Information can be sourced internally and externally.

Internally sourced information

The type of information gathered by an organisation depends on the nature of the workplace.

For example a retail business needs to gather different types of data to a manufacturing or service organisation.

A manufacturing business would need detailed data relating to the costs of producing their products.

Service businesses such as legal firms, accounting firms or advertising agencies need up-to-date information on amounts owing by clients plus staff and other costs.

Retail businesses need detailed information on daily till totals, stock levels, staff available to fill rosters and accurate records of all product costs.

Other types of information that a manager might require are staff absenteeism, overtime incurred, machine breakdowns and employee injury rates.

Once you have a clear understanding of the purpose and scope of the information needed for your research, the next step is to decide on where you are going to get the information from.

In a number of cases you will be able to find much of the information you need within your organisation. Some of the sources for information in this context are:

Other people within the organisation

Sometimes approaching people directly may provide you with the best answers to the questions you are asking. The key to success for this type of information gathering is to be well prepared before approaching individuals for information. The kinds of things you need to think about are:

exactly what you want to find out

what the particular person can provide for you.

Surveys or reports that have already been undertaken by the organisation

There may already be in existence reports or publications that have been produced by your organisation that provide the information you need. Some examples of the types of reports that may exist are:

annual reports

reports on particular projects

reports on customer satisfaction surveys

reports on employee surveys

in-house team reports, and

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statistical reports.

Data or information files

Files can be hard copies (paper based) or soft copies (electronically stored). There may be some restrictions on some files so you may need to approach appropriate staff to access the information from the files.

Externally sourced information

Usually a large part of the information needs are satisfied within the structure of the organisation itself. However you may still be required to gather an array of information from outside the organisation depending on the nature of the request for information.

For example many businesses require details of:

new technology available

taxation and other legislative changes

demographic forecasts

competitor activity

customer needs

exchange rate fluctuations

any changes to the supply of products.

You may also need to access external information to provide a standard or benchmark against which your internally sourced information is compared.

There are many excellent sources of this information. Examples of these sources are:

representative bodies or associations like unions, professional associations and employer bodies.

educational professional associations

government departments or agencies

large corporations

external customers

accounting and legal firms

public company annual reports

Australian taxation office

newspapers

specialist industry publications

Australian bureau of statistics

library.

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By communicating with organisations external to your organisation you may be able to gather information about those organisations and what they do. Communicating with specific people within one or more of these organisations will help you to gain specific information about your research topic. The internet is a great way to find out information quickly.

Primary and secondary data

It can be very useful to separate types of information into Primary and secondary sources.

Primary data: This consists of information collected directly from a primary source, i.e. taken from first-hand experience. It provides factual information on the issue you are researching. The form this type of source takes can include: original source documents, such as photos, files, speeches, eyewitness accounts, diaries, letters, recordings of events, court reports and legislation and original data collected using surveys, questionnaires, focus groups.

Secondary data: This comprises information that already has been collected for another purpose. It provides reflection, review and interpretation of information after the event. Examples include: reports and statistics from Government Departments, textbooks, journals, newspaper or magazine articles and biographies.

Qualitative and quantitative data

As a researcher you need to consider whether you will collect qualitative or quantitative data or both.

Qualitative research methods are concerned with gathering detailed in-depth information from participants for analysis. It often involves exploring the attitudes, opinions and ideas about a topic with a small group of representative participants. An example of a qualitative approach to research is when you gather data by running focus groups or individual interviews that involve open-ended questions and extensive answers.

Qualitative research consists of:

smaller samples than quantitative research

narrower focus than quantitative research

comprehensive interviews either face to face or via web or video conference using a range of questions (open, closed, probing). High level interview skills are required. You should plan the interview and write the interview report shortly afterwards while the interview details are still fresh. If the interview is via web or video conference, you should ask the participants for their permission to record the session if this is required.

focus groups – a good size is 6 to 10 participants.

Quantitative research methods focus on numbers and statistics when gathering information, with questions such as ‘how many’, ‘to what extent’ and ‘how often’. Quantitative research methods are concerned with collecting data for statistical measurement and scientific scrutiny, and are often used in research where results are recorded over a period of time and under the same conditions for comparison. An example of quantitative research studies are the reports developed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics from the data they collect every four years through the National Census process. From this quantitative data, reports can be generated about the housing, employment, educational and geographical characteristics of the population, among other things.

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Quantitative research consists of:

research that can be expressed in numbers

a broader focus than qualitative research

a larger sample than qualitative research

the use of statistical analysis

structured research

research which is less dependent on interview skills.

Combining qualitative and quantitative methods

It is often useful when researching to combine qualitative and quantitative methods. While the ‘hard data’ from quantitative methods might provide a good outline of what is happening in a situation, qualitative methods can fill in the details. Qualitative data can also raise questions and issues that can be further addressed through an examination of quantitative data. For example, in a trial of new medications, quantitative methods would tell us how many people had adverse reactions to the medication, while through qualitative methods, we would find out what it was like to experience an allergic reaction to medication.

Using different research strategies / methods

There are a number of different research strategies which can be used when undertaking research and the methods chosen will vary depending on the research objectives and the available resources. Some of these strategies could include:

Reviewing existing documentation

Online research

Undertaking interviews

Participating in focus groups

Developing and distributing questionnaires/surveys

Sampling.

It is important to consider the design of your research tools as these tools will be used to collect important research information (e.g. the paper questionnaire, the interview plan with questions etc.). You should make sure that the design of these tools closely link to the research objectives and will extract valid, unbiased and relevant information.

Review existing documentation

It is often useful and less time consuming to examine existing documents and previous research to help you with current research. The type of documents you could review includes:

Relevant industry journals and publications

Policies and procedures

Internal business documents

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Information found on the organisations databases such as customer complaints or feedback forms

Previous research papers undertaken by reputable research institutes – you may want to compare the findings from these different institutes to draw new conclusions that assist in your research.

Online research

Researchers have access to huge amounts of information on the internet. Online research is increasingly playing a bigger part in research. When researching online it is important to use effective online search strategies and to make sure you research reputable websites where the information is valid and reliable. One of the main advantages in using this research strategy is that the information is current and is often much more up-to-date than information found in books.

The disadvantage of researching online is that it may be very time consuming and you can get overwhelmed by the amount of information, not all of which is credible or valid. The other challenge is that you can become distracted and go off on tangents, visiting websites which are not relevant. It is therefore very important to keep your focus on the research objectives and to be aware when you start to digress from the research topic.

Undertaking interviews or participating in focus groups

Interviews and focus groups are used to gain in-depth information from respondents. In conducting both interviews and focus groups it is important for the researcher to be aware of any bias or impartiality in the research, both from the researcher’s perspective and the participants’ perspectives.

This bias can consciously or unconsciously distort the research findings. Due to the importance of ethics in current research, the participants need to know the purpose of the research. However this can bias responses as participants may provide what they think the researcher wants to hear or alternatively participants may try to use the research to influence what they want to happen. To alleviate this, the researcher needs to carefully design the information gathering tools, particularly the structure and layout of the questions, so that they yield the most objective results possible.

The researcher must retain impartiality through the use of simple questions, which are NOT ambiguous, NOT leading or NOT loaded questions. Leading or loaded questions often are worded in such a way that is likely to influence the respondents/participants to answer in a particular manner—an example of a leading question could be doesn’t the use of the internet make life so much easier? (Participants tend to answer ‘yes’).

A related issue is research that is technically termed ‘method bound’. Here research results are distorted by the researcher, either through the composition of their sample group and/or the questions they don’t ask participants.

Individual interviews

Individual interviews are a conversation between two people where one person has certain questions in mind and wants answers from the other person. Interviews can be formal (structured) or informal. Informal interviews may be ad hoc face to face chats in the coffee room. These informal interviews are often useful for gauging general opinion on a particular area i.e. informally

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note how librarians feel about the proposals to implement free Wi-Fi and how this may impact their workload. Formal interviews may be face to face (F2F), by video conference, by telephone or even by web conference. Formal interviews are an excellent way to get in-depth information from a small sample of participants. Interviewing involves both active listening and careful recording. It is worthwhile to plan, conduct and review your formal/structured interview.

Focus groups

Focus groups allow you to obtain information from a group of people (ideally 6 to 10 people) and can also either be facilitated face to face (F2F) or by web conference or video conference. Focus groups require a well-designed plan to keep the focus group on track and achieve the optimum results. Focus group questions must clearly link to the research objectives and you need to be able to effectively facilitate the group and ensure that the findings are unbiased. Focus groups may be time consuming and expensive and sometimes conflicts may arise between participants in the focus group which could detract rather than add value to the research. They are not anonymous and the participants may need to sign consent forms for the release of information or if the focus group is videotaped. Focus groups are very useful when you want to:

understand different participants’ experiences

explore a range of viewpoints and ideas which can provide greater depth and range to the research including brainstorming to explore ideas further

establish rapport with the participants

generate enthusiasm in the research topic

be flexible – you can deviate from the focus group plan if clarification is needed to responses or more in-depth information is required. Questions can also be reworded or changed and terms defined more clearly when required

get immediate feedback

observe non-verbal communication between the focus group participants.

The following tips may help you when running an interview or focus group:

Plan the interview or focus group

Read background information

Set the goals and objectives of the interview or focus group—relate these to the research objectives

Decide who to interview or who the participants of the focus group should be—include key people at ALL levels of the business who will be affected by the research proposal

Arrange a suitable time and location with the research participants.

Issue a schedule including the date, time, location, required resources, equipment etc.

Forward an agenda to participants to allow them sufficient time to address the research topic and undertake their own mini-research

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Decide on the question types and structure—carefully design your questions so that they link to the research objectives and so that the findings can be easily collated and analysed to produce valid and relevant findings

Use open, closed and probing questions – think about the effect each question type will have and prepare a list of key questions which are impartial. Make sure the questions are simple, unambiguous and are NOT loaded or NOT leading questions. It is critical that questions reduce the bias of the researcher and the responses from the participants.

Conducting the interview or focus group

Establish a rapport with the research participants and put them at ease

State the purpose and link to the research objectives

Obtain written consent from the participants if the interview or focus group is to be taped and explain how the tape will be used

Advise the participants on how the information collected will be used to add value to the research

Follow your schedule—logically order questions and highlight the required level of detail for the responses

Paraphrase and summarise responses where necessary

Close the interview or focus group by asking the research participants if they want to add anything else which may contribute to the research

Inform the participants of the next stage in the research process and set up future appointment times for follow-up (if required)

Thank the participants for their time as often their participation is voluntary.

Interview review—Produce a report on the interview or focus group findings

Write your findings report as soon as possible after the interview or focus group (particularly if it is not taped).

Write an initial summary and then go into detail, noting the main points and results.

Review the report with the participants at a follow-up meeting or alternatively forward the report to them for review.

Where appropriate, add the participants’ feedback to this report and always acknowledge your participants’ contributions.

Developing and distributing questionnaires/surveys

Questionnaires

Questionnaires are sets of questions that are often used to gather information in surveys. How you word these questions and how you choose to ask them (e.g. by interview, by paper questionnaire in the post, over the phone, etc.) needs to be thought through carefully in your research design.

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Surveys and questionnaires are useful for quickly gathering information. Their quality can be added to by filling them out in person and discussing in more detail the issues raised by the answers. Recording this fuller, anecdotal information often draws out more useful data.

Good questionnaires are simple, easy to follow and do not ask unnecessary, leading, loaded or ambiguous questions.

Tips for questionnaire design

In designing the questionnaire tool, you need to determine the degree to which the questionnaire measures what you intend to measure (validity) and to ensure consistency and reliability, for instance, the same result should be obtained by administering the questionnaire over time, in a range of locations and using different researchers. You may need to:

Consider how the data collected from the questionnaires will be collated and analysed—factor this into the questionnaire design by including pre-coded questions, which are easy to scan and analyse

State the purpose of the questionnaire at the beginning of the questionnaire

Design the questionnaire so that it links directly to the research objectives and is easy to administer and score

Explain to the participants how to complete the questionnaire, for example, ask respondents to circle answers.

Take an ethical approach to questionnaire design by ensuring the integrity of the questions.

Use different question types (open, closed) and include matching, multiple choice and rating scale questions (for example the likert scale).

Use the KISS principle—keep it simple – Be specific, use short questions and avoid complex or unnecessary questions.

Determine the scale of measurement which can be:

o Nominal – this is a straightforward classification by groups – there is no ranking

o Ordinal – this is where numbers are related based on their value or their size

o Interval – this is a rating scale where equal distances represent equal vales

Target questions to the level of the participants—do not assume too much prerequisite knowledge.

Ensure that questions are technically accurate.

allow ample white space in the questionnaire and allow adequate space for responses.

Be consistent with style.

Logically order questions, for example, start with simpler questions or very important questions or less controversial questions. Cluster questions with similar content.

Employ respondents associational tendencies.

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Test the questionnaire on a trial sample and the process of analysing the information obtained – modify the questionnaire if required.

Surveys

Sometimes you may want to gather information directly from members of the public or from specific groups of people, when doing this you may want to use a survey. When designing a survey make sure you KEEP IT SIMPLE. A free tool you can use is Survey Monkey www.surveymonkey.com.

Key points in designing valid and reliable surveys

Conducting surveys is one of the most prominent methods of data collection. It allows you to adopt a range of approaches and gather data from a large number of respondents to a significant level of detail.

There are five major approaches:

Mail Survey

Online Survey

Personal Interview

Telephone Interview

Focus Groups.

Sampling

Understand the concept of sampling when conducting research

Errors occur in predictions that have been determined from primary research (surveys, interviews, questionnaires, focus groups, observation), when the sampling used in the collection of the data is not representative of the population

Before conducting any primary research you need to define the population in relation to the issue being researched. For example, if you are researching product satisfaction rates, then you would sample customers who purchase your products.

Methods of sampling

There is a wide range of methods that can be used to select a probability-based sample where each person in the target population has an equal chance of being selected . The main methods used are simple random sampling and stratified sampling .

• Simple Random Sampling

With this method each member of the designated population has an equal chance of being selected for the survey. A list of names is used and the number to be surveyed is selected from that list. A bit like drawing them out of a hat, but these days it tends to be computerised, with the names typed in and then a program used to randomly generate the sample list.

• Stratified Sampling

Stratified sampling provides data that identifies the different behaviour of factors influencing the system or process. Samples are taken with the aim of separating different factors affecting the outcome, e.g. one supplier from another.

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There are some cases where the population group contains specialist sub-groups within the larger group. With a simple random sampling some groups may be missed. What is needed is representation from each sub-group within the whole population of the larger group. The sampling selection would firstly be identified (how many from each sub-group), then the random sample drawn separately from each sub-group. An example of where this type of sampling would be needed is a survey of multicultural needs in a particular council electorate. There may be some cultural groups that are very small and with a simple random sample a particular group may be missed. With stratified sampling this would not happen.

• Systematic sampling

This type of sampling provides data that identifies changes in systems or processes.

This is when each sample is taken in a consecutive group at a fixed interval for example 10 every hour, 3 every 100 pieces.

How big to make the sample?

The sample size is a trade-off between the value placed on the accuracy level of the information and the increased cost of obtaining information from the increased sample size . This simply means the bigger the sample the more valid and reliable the results but the more costly the process. Organisations will choose the number to be sampled dependent on the importance of the decision/s to be made from the information gathered.

It is important to remember that the reliability of the information gained from the survey is very dependent on the sampling method used.

Taking notes from information sources

Make sure you follow these important steps when collecting information:

Record information from sources accurately. Quote information from resource material that you will use to support or illustrate points in your research report.

Note the references for the source material. If you discover a particularly important point during your research make sure that you confirm that information from more than one source. The process of checking and rechecking facts will ensure that your report is accurate

Distinguish facts from opinions. Make sure you distinguish facts from opinions and put all key information into the body of the report. Supporting material goes into the appendix.

The more careful you are at sifting through the information in the collection process the easier the task of compiling the research report. You must make sure that you have sufficient material to complete the request before moving to the next stage of compiling the report. It is important that you address the significant matters and avoid unnecessary detail or length—be thorough but concise. Consideration must be given to your timelines.

Use technology to access information sources

Information in the workplace can be maintained in a paper-based format, in a computer file or by a combination of both. However, the use of computer technology has greatly assisted in the process of accessing information for many businesses. Also the task of calling up historical data

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and accessing information from outside the organisation has been made much easier through the use of computers and the internet.

The rapid growth of computer technology has meant access to workplace information is becoming progressively easier and cheaper. Many stand-alone businesses make efficient use of information on one or two computers, others operate their businesses taking advantage of LAN and WAN networks and the Internet.

LAN networks

LAN stands for Local Area Network. It has computers that are connected by some form of communication cable within a small area such as a single floor of a building or an entire building or and small group of buildings within the same area. Users can send e-mails to each other, exchange documents, use software on other computers and perform various other functions that the network provides.

WAN networks WAN stands for Wide Area Network. Groups of computers on this type of network may be a long distance apart. Various long distance communication lines are used between the networks and are often rented from telephone companies.

Intranet

An intranet is like a local internal version of the Internet. It enables a workplace to interact with other members of the same organisation. An Intranet can be useful as an internal information system which precludes access to unauthorised users.

Internet

This is a global system of interconnected networks rather like a WAN. It is commonly known as the World Wide Web. Use of the internet has expanded considerably in recent years. The internet has improved access to information and for some businesses it has reduced the transaction costs associated with E-Commerce. But on the other hand the availability of too much information can confuse the issue and if we rely too much on the internet for information when we experience problems with it the business can become vulnerable.

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Use effective online search strategies

There are just billions of sites, so some tricks in learning how to search on the internet may help lead you to your information quicker! Search engines are great for identifying likely websites and some of the most common search engines are:

http://au.yahoo.com/

http://www.bing.com/

www.google.com.au

When searching information online:

Use keywords and phrases to identify websites more efficiently.

If necessary use American spellings particularly if accessing information on American research sites.

Use subscription databases to get specific information.

Use specialist library databases to identify sites that can be hard to find (librarians are great at helping you with this, so don’t be afraid to ask for help when necessary).

Keep updated with online search engines, search tools and tips.

Make use of your organisation’s intranet – asked experienced work colleagues for online search tips and help in navigating your intranet. Find out where the critical information is held and efficient methods of accessing this information.

Using BOOLEAN operators

Boolean operators may include:

exclude—/NOT

include +/AND

or

phrase searching ‘ ‘/()

variations, depending on the resource being used

Visit the following sites to find out more about Boolean operators; how to refine search results and use advanced Google features:

http://libguides.mit.edu/c.php?g=175963&p=1158594

Evaluating information on the net

It is important to critically think about the information you find on the net and to validate the internet source. There is a vast amount of information out there and it is important to make sure this information is valid and reliable and adds value to your research. Wikipedia (http://www.wikipedia.org/) is a commonly used site but it is important to note that this is an open source resource – this means that the information is not always reliable. You should confirm

http://au.yahoo.com/

http://www.bing.com/

http://www.google.com.au/

http://libguides.mit.edu/c.php?g=175963&p=1158594

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information on this site with information provided by non-open source sites. For further information, access the following sites on evaluating information sources on the internet:

http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/evaluate.html

Use reliable methods of data analysis suitable to research purpose and research objectives

Most of us are very good at analysing information. We have to be to succeed financially in our economic system. In the course of the average day we are presented with thousands of offers which, in almost every case, involves us swapping a resource we hold in limited supply, money, for a product or service.

Mostly the offers come to our attention through activities such as reading magazines and newspapers, watching television, using the Internet and reading our mail. Sometimes we seek out information because we want to buy a product such as a washing machine or see a good film. In such cases, we find ourselves making decisions based on our sourcing of information from the multitude of sources available to us. In the case of the washing machine, we might seek out magazines such as Choice which tests appliances and rates them on factors such as durability, value for money and electricity and water usage. We might read film reviews to help us make a decision as to what film we would like to see. In both examples we are also likely to be influenced by the opinions of family and friends. Irrespective of how we go about collecting information, we have to make decisions based on an analysis of the facts and our personal preferences. Among the decisions we could make is to do nothing and hold onto our money until a more attractive opportunity to spend it arises.

Therefore as a researcher, once you have gathered the relevant information, you need to analyse it and make some decisions. This involves sorting and collating the information, analysing it, and then making sure that any assumptions and conclusions made are clear, justified, supported by evidence and consistent with the business and research objectives.

There are a number of methods of analysing data including:

Reviewing previous research – Examine and analyse previous research to assist you in your current research. Consider when the research was conducted, who conducted it how current it is and the quality, integrity and reliability of this previous research.

Data sampling – Using a percentage of the population to help understand the whole population

Statistical analysis – Statistics is a science which involves the collection of data, analysis, interpretation and presentation. Probably the most well-known statistical collection is the national census undertaken by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Researchers can use a statistical computerised package to identify trends in statistical information, manage complex numerical data, chart the data and make predictions. An example of this is ‘Analyse-it’ which is add-in statistical software used with Excel. This package can be used to:

o graphically depict and test sampling information obtained from surveys

http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/evaluate.html

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o identify patterns and trends in information

o depict summary statistics through using charts e.g. a scatter plot or frequency histograms

o establish data relationships from which forecasts can be made

o produce formatted reports containing charts and statistics.

Collation of qualitative information – You need to organise, summarise and logically group results from any interviews or focus groups undertaken

Analysis of online research – Remember to use effective online search strategies to extract relevant, valid and current research information.

The key steps to the analysis and evaluation of the research process consist of:

Clarification

o Examine the material to determine that the key issue is relevant to the topic

o Check the validity, accuracy, reliability and currency of the information.

Analysis

o Examine the material to make comparisons

o Read between the lines

o Make Decisions

Reflection

o Look at the material considering personal feelings and biases

o Compare and contrast what you already believe or know about the topic

o Think about the consequences of these ideas

Synthesis

o Draw the material together and make sense of it

o Make conclusions

o Develop your line of reasoning.

What to be aware of when making assumptions and drawing conclusions

From this analysis, conclusions can also be drawn and recommendations made. It is important to note that any assumptions, conclusions or recommendations that are made should be supported by evidence and consistent with your business and research objectives.

An important step between collecting information and presenting the research results is the process of editing, collating and analysing the information which you have collected from your different research methods. This may involve transcribing and editing the interview or focus group findings, summarising surveys or results from previous research and collating and reviewing the findings from online research or research into existing documentation. The findings from different

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research methods may need to be organised and cross-compared to identify trends and patterns in the information and you then need to make assumptions which you should be able to substantiate, draw conclusions and propose relevant recommendations.

If, information research is conducted to aid the effective decision making for a particular business problem or opportunity, it is vital that this focus guides every stage of your research. The objectives of the research and the practical purposes that the findings will be put to need to be considered at all stages of the process.

The most useful conclusions and recommendations are derived when the relevance, usability, credibility, understanding and timeliness of the findings are taken into account. All results, conclusions and recommendations must be supported by appropriate evidence.

When making assumptions, conclusions and recommendations from your research, you should be objective and neutral and don’t generalise.

For research conclusions and recommendations to be useful they need to meet the following criteria:

Relevant

Useable

Credible

Understood

Timely

Review

In this topic we have:

defined the objectives of research and how important these objectives are in keeping the research focussed

learned how to put together a research plan which is important in guiding the research process

explored different research strategies such as undertaking interviews and focus groups, distributing questionnaires/surveys, sampling, examining existing documentation and existing research and online research. The size and complexity of the research project and its objective would determine which research strategies you could use

discussed how to refine online searching through using advanced search engine functions and Boolean operators

highlighted how critical it is to use valid and relevant data which is relevant to the research objectives

used different methods of data analysis which included data sampling, statistical analysis, collation of qualitative information and analysis of previous research and online research

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discussed making assumptions, conclusions and recommendations from the analysis of the data and ensuring that such assumptions and conclusions are clear, justified, supported by evidence and are consistent with business and research objectives.

Sources

D Aaker, V Kumar and G Day (1995), Marketing Research, 5th edn, John & Wiley Sons, USA, p73 (types of research – exploratory, descriptive, causal)

N Benjamin & F Moore, (2002) Analyse and Present Research Information, Pearson Education Pty Ltd, p40.

D Davis (2000), Business Research for Decision Making, 5th edn, Duxbury, USA, p 231.

N Benjamin & F Moore, (2002) Analyse and Present Research Information, Pearson Education Pty Ltd, p41

Documents

Learning Guide - Studespace · PDF fileLearning Guide BSBRES401 Research And Analyse Information Learning Guide V1 Page 3 of 23 Revision date: 24/09/2016 Introduction to the Learning