Preparing Formal Business Reports $($Part II$)$

Gather secondary data by reading what others have experienced and observed. You should begin nearly every research project by researching secondary sources to gather information that has already been written about your topic.

How is an index used when conducting research?

As a resource for identifying useful blogs

To locate references, abstracts$,$ and articles from variety of sources.

As a comprehensive list of contact information for major authors

A database is $$ that is digitally searchable.

What problems might you encounter when using the Web for research? Check all that apply.

Lack of current news

Unreliable content

Time$-$consuming searches

Lack of search tools

Undocumented sources

What types of research can blogs, wikis, and online sources be used for?

Only informal research

None

Secondary and primary research

You can gather primary data from firsthand experience by using surveys, interviews, observation, or experimentation. You will need primary data to provide a complete picture. Familiarize yourself with methods for generating and using primary data, and decide what you will do to avoid researcher bias.