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Module 4

Why It Matters: Research

Why learn traditional and online research methods?

Business communication, done well, requires thoughtful planning and carefully crafted media. Research is a key component of building good communication, and research, while perhaps hard to wrap one’s mind around, is like any other project.

Whether you present your communications over email, in a nice glossy, or even a video presentation, you will likely have to research topics in order to support your ideas. Doing research is important for good business communication.

In this module, we will discuss all manner of conducting research. Our guiding principles are from social science inquiry, which uses a fairly specific and largely agreed upon format.

As you consider the role of research in business communication, we invite you to ask yourself the following introspective questions:

How important is it to use reliable and factual sources and data when communicating in business?

Who is your audience? Do they require formal citation or other forms of attribution and credit?

How do you evaluate a source? How do you know if something is any good or not?

In this module, we will look at the above questions, and many more related topics around the idea of research. Before we begin, consider the messages in the following video from Microsoft Research: What did you learn from the video? Broadly speaking, research is about finding out new things! In this sense, research can be fun and exciting. In this module, we hope you’ll be inspired to use research methods to learn new things, and communicate these new things effectively to people in your organization!

Intra-Office Email for Supervisor Update

Scenario: Imagine you are an employee in a dynamic and collaborative office environment. Your supervisor, who values effective communication and regular updates, has requested that you provide them with an update on a project you have been working on. This project is a crucial part of the team's efforts and requires close coordination and timely progress reports.

Task: Your task is to write an intra-office email to your supervisor, providing them with a comprehensive update on the project's current status and any relevant developments. This email should demonstrate your ability to communicate clearly and concisely, while also conveying your understanding of the project's goals, challenges, and progress.

Key Components to Include:

Introduction: Begin the email with a polite greeting and a brief reference to the project to remind the supervisor of its context.

Project Status: Provide a succinct overview of the project's current status. Highlight any significant achievements, milestones reached, or tasks completed since the last update.

Progress Report: Detail the specific tasks you have been working on since the last update. Include information about the challenges you've encountered, how you've addressed them, and any assistance you might need from the supervisor moving forward.

Upcoming Steps: Outline the next steps and tasks that are on your agenda. Clearly articulate the timeline for these activities and any potential roadblocks you anticipate.

Collaboration and Support: Mention any team members you've collaborated with or resources you've utilized to make progress. If you require additional support or resources, politely request them and explain why they are necessary.

Closing: End the email with a positive note, expressing your commitment to the project's success and your appreciation for the supervisor's guidance.

Guidelines:

Keep the email concise and focused, aiming for around 250-300 words.

Use a professional tone and appropriate language for an intra-office communication.

Organize the content logically, with clear headings or paragraphs to separate different sections.

Proofread your email for grammar, spelling, and clarity before submitting.

Essential Activities:

Reading Module 4 will assist you in writing your paper.

Watching the video, "Business Emails" will assist you in writing your paper.

Notes:

This paper must be formatted in APA Style 7th edition.