Conducting technical research in the workplace is a critical aspect to the successful functioning of any company. Before anyone begins conducting research they need to ask themselves the six most basic but important questions of who, what, where, when, why, and how. These questions will help to determine an audience and purpose for the writing. Once these questions have been answered, it's time to conduct the research.
Collecting Data
There are basically two types of sources when collecting data, primary and secondary.
- Primary - direct or firsthand reports of facts or observations; eyewitness accounts; a diary (Smith-Worthington & Jefferson, 2008)
- Secondary- indirect or secondhand reports; something the writer did not witness
If I were doing research on whirling disease in the Springville Fish Hatchery and was interviewing the hatchery supervisor, then I would have primary data. If I documented information of the same disease from a news article, then I would have secondary data. No matter what types of sources are used they must be cited correctly. Anytime a writer borrows an idea from another person and doesn’t give credit to that individual, the writer is guilty of plagiarism. Plagiarism is the “uncredited use (both intentional and unintentional) of somebody else’s words or ideas” (Stolley & Brizee, 2011).
Credibility of Electronic Sources
With advancing technology, more and more people are conducting research online. This can be good or bad as anyone can create a website whether they know what they are talking about or not. Here is a list of things to remember when researching online.
- Check the authors credentials and reputation
- Always search for the most current, up-to-date information
- Check the resources used and various works cited
- Study the tone and presentation for unbiased views
- Research other links that are in the document
- Well-designed sites free of grammatical errors are more likely to be creditable
References
Smith-Worthington, D., & Jefferson, S. (2008). Technical Writing for Success 3rd Edition. Mason: South-Western Cengage Learning.
Stolley, K., & Brizee, A. (2011, August 24). Purdue Online Writing Lab. Retrieved September 26, 2011, from Overveiw and Contradictions: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/01/
