Business Research and Report Writing

Business Research and Report WritingBendicio, Judy Ann C.Role, Cristina P.Ruedas, Patricia Ann C.Unit 6What is Research?Research is seeking for the truth.It process identify facts about the event or occurrences through a systematic process of identifying the problems, collecting and analyzing data to arrive at a correct and reliable decision.Purpose of ResearchResearch is used to explain and understand a phenomenon. Characteristics of ResearchGood Research is SystematicGood Research is LogicalGood Research is EmpiricalGood Research is ReplicableThe Business ResearchBusiness research deals with the problem that involves gathering and submitting data related to previous sales and other problems in the business industry. It serves as a guide in knowing the stand of the company in the past and it also helps arriving at a good solution to the problem. Why do we need to deal with business research?As you complete your research, you will discover new things and ideas.You have the duty to fulfill the goals of the reader of your report, which is to gather information presented and to know that the findings are legitimate.Steps in Business Research and Report WritingDefine the problemDevelop a statement purposePrepare a work planGathering materials, organizing, analyzing and interpreting data.Finalizing business report paper.Step 1: Define the Problem1. In an information report, the problem might just be gathering and submitting data related to last months sales to the admin.2. In an analytical report, defining a problem will most likely involve solving a problem. This needs developing a problem statement.3. Limit the scope of your study. Asking questions helps limit the scope of the problem and may help set the boundaries for investigation.4. Outline issues for investigation to represent ideas

Step 2: Develop a statement purpose

Statement of purpose defines the objectives of the report.It defines why are you preparing the reportA problem statement defines what you are going to investigateBegin with an infinitive to phrase your purpose.Step 3: Prepare a Work Plan1. You need this to:Meet a firm deadline; andMaximize the use of finite resources

2. A formal work plan should include these elements:

Statement of the problem to stay focused and to avoid distractions;Statement of purpose and scope of investigation;Statement of what you want to accomplish;Definition of the boundaries of report;Discussion of the sequence of tasks to be accomplished;Indication of the following sources of information, required research;Constraints or restrictions on money, time, personnel or data;

Description of the end products at the end of the investigation;Review project assignments, schedules and resource requirements;Knowledge of who will be responsible for the tasks, when will they be completed, how much the investigation will cost;Planning for following up after delivery of report.

Step 4: Gathering materials, organizing, analyzing and interpreting data.

Gathering materialsPrimary sources are books, articles, magazines and journals.Electronic servicesInterview from experts who are more knowledgeable about the topic.An InterviewConduct an interview of the experts who have knowledge about your research. In order to make sure that you will not miss any important information needed in your study, design a questionnaire that would carry out substantial information.

2. Organizing Data makes it easier to read and understand.

Different ways in organizing your data that you collected:Organizing by categoriesOrganizing by using charts and comparing data

Step 5: Finalizing business report paper.

Is done by formatting your paper like adding page numbers, correcting line spacing and fixing margins, depending on your teachers instructions. Read your paper again thoroughly to ensure you have done everything correctly. BibliographyIt is a record of sources listed alphabetically by the last name of the author. If no author was given, list the source by the title or by the institution at which it was published. If part of the publication information is missing, document it with the following abbreviations: N.p (no page) : N.p. (no place), n.d (no date).Example: Boston: N.p., 1996.Why must you do a bibliography?To acknowledge and give credit to sources of words, ideas, diagrams, illustrations, quotation borrowed, or any materials summarized or paraphrase.To show that you are respectfully borrowing other peoples ideas, not stealing them. To prove that you are nor plagiarizing.To give readers an opportunity to check out your sources for accuracy.Your teacher insists that you do a bibliography or marks will be deducted.Writing bibliography: American Psychological Association (APA) FormatFormat ExamplesBooks

ExampleAuthors last name, first initial. (Publication Date). Book title. Additional Information. City of Publication: Publication Company.Allen, T. (1974). Vanishing wildlife of North America. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society.2. Encyclopedia and Dictionary

3. Magazine and Newspaper articles

Note:Title should not be enclosed with quotation marks. Italicized the volume number and give the page range. Use p. or pp. for page numbers if theres no volume in periodicals.Authors last name, first initial. (Date). Title of the article. Title of the encyclopedia (volume, pages). City of Publication: Publishing Company.Bergmann, P.G. (1993). Relativity. In The new encyclopedia britannica (Vol. 26, pp. 501-508). Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica.Authors last name, first initial. (Publication Date). Article title. Periodical title, volume number (issue number if available), inclusive pages.4. Website or WebpageOnline Format

Online Document

Note:When citing Internet sources, refer to the specific website document. If a document is undated, use n.d. (for no date) immediately after the document title.Authors last name. (Date of Publication ). Title of Article . Title of Periodical, volume number , Retrieve month day, year, from full URLAuthors last name. (Date of Publication ). Title of work . Retrieve month day, year, from full URLIn-Text CitationsThe purpose of citing sources is for the reader to validate everything that has been written. APA In-Text CitationsBasic format for quotation. Introduce the quotation with a signal phrase that includes the authors last name followed by the year of publication in parentheses. Put the page number (p.) in parentheses after the quotation.Basic format for summary or paraphrase. Include the authors last name and the year either in a signal phrase introducing the material or in parentheses following it. The page number is optional.3. Work with two authors. Name both authors in the signal phrase or the parentheses each time you cite the work. In parentheses use & and in the signal phrase use and4. Work with three to five authors. Identify all authors in the signal phrase or the parentheses the first time you cite the source. Use the first authors name followed by et.al. in subsequent citations.5. Work with six or more authors. Use the authors name followed by et.al. in the single phrase parentheses.6. Work with six or more authors. If the author is unknown, mention the works title in the signal phrase or give the first word or two of the title in the parenthetical citation. Titles of the article and chapters are put in quotation marks and titles of books and reports are capitalized.7. Organization as author. If the author is a government agency or another organization, name the organization in the signal phrase or in the parenthetical citation the first time you cite a source.8. Authors with the same last name. Use initials with the last names if your reference list includes two or more authors with the same name.

9. Two or more works by the same author in the same year. When your list of references includes more than one work by the same author in the same year, use lowercase letters (a, b, and so on) with the year to order the entries in the reference list.10. Two or more works in the same parentheses. When your parenthetical citation names two or more works, put them in the same order that they appear in the reference list, separated with semicolons.11. Personal communication. Personal interview, memos, letters, e-mail, and similar unpublished communications should be cited in text only, not in the reference list.

12. Electronic source. When possible, cite electronic sources, including online source, as you would any other source, giving the author and the year.13. Indirect Source. If you use a source that was cited in another source, name the original source in your signal phrase.14. Sacred or Classical Text. Identify the text, the version or edition you used, and the relevant part,

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