COURSE OVERVIEW:

Knowing how to develop excellent research skills and highlight them for employers can help you in several ways throughout your career.

There are many reasons why organisations undertake research, but ultimately it is to improve decision making. Data becomes useful when decisions can be made on the information it provides.

You’ve probably had to do a lot of research as part of projects or assignments. Your lecturers give you instructions on how to conduct research. This will help you pass the assignments and get your grades. However, research skills are more than just meeting the requirements for a class assignment. It is also a key competency that employers look for in employees.

Research skills can be described as being able to provide in depth information, detailed analysis and suitable advice on a given topic after researching extensively on that topic. It includes formulating the problem statement, referring to good sources, and explaining your findings and observations in the form of a report.

Research skills include the ability to gather information about your topic, review that information and analyse and interpret the information in a manner that brings us to a solution. Research skills are essential for employees to have in most positions and industries.

Research skills are also essential to employers because they help the company develop new products or services, identify the need and wants of their customers, improve what they do, keep up with changes in their industry and compete in their market.

Research skills enable people to identify a problem, collect informational resources that can help address the problem, evaluate these resources for quality and relevance and come up with an effective solution to the problem.

This course is designed to help develop your skills required to search for, find, collect, organise, analyse, interpret, evaluate and present information using available systems and sources.

The first part of this course discusses the need for research and identifies the internal and external information sources. Then reviews the primary and secondary data as well as qualitative and quantitative data. Also, identifies access issues that may prevent the researcher obtaining information and looks at the importance of the accuracy, relevancy, reliability and validity of information. Then looks at the reasons for invalid information, the obstacles to collecting information and how to overcome such obstacles. Then highlights how business technology is used to access information, identifies information storage methods and addresses confidentiality and security issues in storing and accessing information.

The second part defines the objectives of research and how important these objectives are in keeping the research focussed. Then explores how to put together a research plan. Also, explores the different research strategies. Then discusses how the size and complexity of the research project and its objective would determine which research strategies you could use. Also, discusses how to refine online searching through using advanced search engine functions and Boolean operators. Then highlights how critical it is to use valid and relevant data which is relevant to the research objectives.

The third part discusses the uses of different methods of data analysis. Also, discusses how to make assumptions, conclusions and recommendations from the analysis of the data and how to ensure that such assumptions and conclusions are clear, justified, supported by evidence and are consistent with business and research objectives. Then explains how to use suitable technology to present the research recommendations and issues. Then discusses the structuring and formatting of the report and the presentation in line with the needs of the organisation. Also, discusses how to report and distribute research findings using appropriate distribution methods. Finally, explains how to obtain feedback and comments to make sure the research findings are sufficient and meet the needs of the organisation.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, you will be able to understand:

• The importance of research
• Why research?
• How to gather and organise information?
• Where to find information?
• The internal and external sources of possibly useful information
• How to select the most appropriate sources of information?
• The primary and secondary sources
• The quantitative and qualitative research
• How to combine qualitative and quantitative methods?
• How to identify access issues that may prevent obtaining information?
• The legal and data requirements
• The information access issues
• The importance of the accuracy, relevancy, reliability and validity of information
• The reasons for invalid information
• The obstacles to collecting information and how to overcome such obstacles?
• How to identify alternative information sources?
• How to use business technology to access information?
• How to identify information storage methods?
• The confidentiality and security issues in storing and accessing information
• How to research and analyse information?
• The stages in research
• The types of research
• How to put together the research proposal?
• How to use different research strategies/methods?
• How to undertake interviews or participate in focus groups?
• How to produce a report on the interview or focus group findings?
• How to develop and distribute questionnaires/surveys?
• The methods of sampling
• How to take notes from information sources?
• How to use effective online search strategies?
• How to evaluate information on the net?
• How to use reliable methods of data analysis suitable to research purpose and research objectives?
• The key steps to the analysis and evaluation of the research process
• What to be aware of when making assumptions and drawing conclusions?
• How to present information?
• What makes a good report?
• The report structure and format
• The appropriate style of language for reports and presentations of research
• The use of illustrations
• How to present numerical information?
• How to draft the report ?
• How to edit and review the report?
• How to finalise and distribute the report?
• The visual and verbal presentation
• How to obtain feedback?
• The after presentation report

COURSE DURATION:

The typical duration of this course is approximately 3-4 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

You must have access to a computer or any mobile device with Adobe Acrobat Reader (free PDF Viewer) installed, to complete this course.

COURSE DELIVERY:

Purchase and download course content.

ASSESSMENT:

A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.

CERTIFICATION:

Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.