Chapter 9

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Finding Sources

Collecting Data

Displaying Quantitati

ve Informatio

n

Interpreting Data

Planning the Report and Managing Data

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Finding Sources

Collecting Data

Displaying Quantitati

ve Informatio

n

Interpreting Data

Planning the Report and Managing Data

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Criteria for a Business Report

Useful

The reader uses the report to make decisions and solve problems.

Well SupportedThe reader can trust the information (facts and data).

OrganizedThe reader can locate information quickly.

Finding Sources | Collecting | Displaying | Interpreting

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Plan Your Approach

Define the report purpose

Analyze the intended audience

Determine what data is needed

to solve the problem or

make a decision

Finding Sources | Collecting | Displaying | Interpreting

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Types of Data

Secondary Data

Data collected by someone else for

some other purpose

Primary Data

Data collected by the researcher to solve a specific

problem

Finding Sources | Collecting | Displaying | Interpreting

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Types of Secondary Data

Published (widely disseminated)• Internet resources• Journal, magazine, and newspaper articles• Books• Brochures and pamphlets• Technical reports

Unpublished (not widely disseminated) • Company records (e.g., reports and emails)• Legal documents (e.g., court records)• Personal files (e.g., expense records)• Medical records

Finding Sources | Collecting | Displaying | Interpreting

MIC

RO

STO

CK

MA

N/C

UTC

AS

TE

R©

ALE

XA

RA

ND

A/S

HU

TTE

RS

TO

CK

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Evaluating Internet Resources

Authority

Accuracy and Reliability

Purpose/Objectivity

Coverage

Currency

Finding Sources | Collecting | Displaying | Interpreting

NATTHAPOL VANASRIVILAI/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

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Evaluating Research Studies

What was the purpose of the

study?

How was the data

collected?

How was the data analyzed?

How consistent is the data with

that from other studies?

How old is the data?

Finding Sources | Collecting | Displaying | Interpreting

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Finding Sources

Collecting Data

Displaying Quantitati

ve Informatio

n

Interpreting Data

Planning the Report and Managing Data

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When to Use Questionnaires

The information can be provided easily and quickly

The target audience is homogeneous

Sufficient time is available

Finding Sources | Collecting | Displaying | Interpreting

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Constructing the Questionnaire

Content Organization

Format

Finding Sources | Collecting | Displaying | Interpreting

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Questionnaire Content

● Ask for information that is not available elsewhere

● Have a purpose for each question● Use precise wording● Use neutrally worded questions● Ensure that the response choices are

exhaustive and mutually exclusive● Be careful about sensitive questions● Pilot-test your questionnaire

Finding Sources | Collecting | Displaying | Interpreting

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What’s Wrong with These Questions?

1. What is your age? ___

2. Which of the following is most important to you when you select housing? ___ Location___ Proximity to school___ Price___ Size___ Number of rooms

3. Do you think that companies should block employee access to inappropriate websites that cause wasted time at work? Yes or No

Finding Sources | Collecting | Displaying | Interpreting

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What’s Wrong with These Questions?

4. What percentage of new start-up companies failed in Michigan last year?

5. Do you think it takes a long time for the average start-up firm to secure financing?

6. Banks should set aside more funds for start-up companies because they are so important to the economy. __ agree __ no opinion __ disagree

Finding Sources | Collecting | Displaying | Interpreting

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Questionnaire Organization

● Arrange the questions in some logical order

● Arrange the alternatives for each question in some logical order

● Give the questionnaire a descriptive title

Finding Sources | Collecting | Displaying | Interpreting

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Questionnaire Format

● Use an easy-to-answer format

● Ensure that your questionnaire has a professional appearance

Finding Sources | Collecting | Displaying | Interpreting

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Finding Sources

Collecting Data

Displaying Quantitati

ve Informatio

n

Interpreting Data

Planning the Report and Managing Data

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Using Tables for Reports and Presentations

Why Tables Are Useful What Tables Cannot Do

Show numerical data in a more efficient and interesting way than with narrative text

Be presented on a screen (with dense data)

Provide more information than a chart does

Show trends as obviously as a chart does

Allow easy comparison of figures

Capture attention as well as a chart does

Finding Sources | Collecting | Displaying | Interpreting

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How to Format a Table

Table 3

HASCO EMPLOYMENT LEVELS

As of December 10, 2013

Employee Type TotalBy Department Annual

Admin Prod Sales Change

Full-time nonexempt 389 27 345 17 -3.0%

Full-time exempt 143 19 15 109 13.5%

Temporary 31 4 22 5 5.3%

Othera 21 13 0 8 -1.6%

Total 584 63 382 139 5.9%

Source: Madison County Facts—2011, Metropolitan State University Press, St. Louis, MO, 2011, p. 183. a Includes all special-project and work-for-hire employees.

Table Number

Title

Subtitle

Footnote (optional)

Source (optional)

Column Headings

Cross-tabulations

Finding Sources | Collecting | Displaying | Interpreting

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Food Housing Utilities Transportation Health Miscellaneous Overall 0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

97

396

96 96 97 99

202

106

773

86112 109 107

338

McLean, VA Beverly Hills, CA

Cost

of L

ivin

g In

dex

How Can You Improve This Chart?

Cost of Living Comparison: McLean, VA, and Beverly Hills, CA

Finding Sources | Collecting | Displaying | Interpreting

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Chart Types

Line charts show trends

over time

Bar charts compare

items

Pie charts show

parts of a whole

Finding Sources | Collecting | Displaying | Interpreting

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Creating Infographics

Storyboard the content

Choose graphics and styles

Explain the data

Finding Sources | Collecting | Displaying | Interpreting

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Finding Sources

Collecting Data

Displaying Quantitati

ve Informatio

n

Interpreting Data

Planning the Report and Managing Data

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Three Steps in Interpreting Data

Determine the meaning of each finding by itself, in conjunction with each other finding, and in conjunction with all other findings.

Isolation

Context

Synthesis

Finding Sources | Collecting | Displaying | Interpreting

SERGEJ KHAKIMULLIN/SHUTTERSTOCK

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Discuss Overall Findings and…

Trends

Unexpected findings

Data that reinforces or contradicts other data

Extreme values

Data that raises questions

Finding Sources | Collecting | Displaying | Interpreting