M3 Research Summary draft

Research in the workplace solves a problem. Tasked with a problem in the workplace you may be asked gather the information necessary to fully understand the issue at hand solve that problem (or offer potential solutions) prove that your solutions are viable and/or test your solution(s). Doing this work requires different types of research that go beyond simply querying a library database or using Google. You often will need to speak directly to target populations and audiences and directly contact resources and experts in different professions and in the community. You also may need information in addition to or instead of scholarly resources. Local and national journalism may add context and perspective. Professional experts government agencies state and local authorities all may be relevant sources as are individuals in target populations. Essentially research in the workplace requires you to think critically and creatively about Your job as a researcher is to address explain and/or solve a problem using the most relevant and applicable methods and resources. If a resource can supply information you need then it is the right resource for the job. It’s also important when thinking about a problem youre researching to keep in mind that you probably aren’t the first person or organization to deal with this issue. Look at other organizations groups or communities negotiating the same or similar issue. Research how those groups describe and deal with the problem. The perspective of experience is invaluable to your work. This project asks you to do workplace research into a local problem impacting USF or the surrounding community. Your goal for this project is to describe a local problem in detail using as much information as you can gather from as many different sources as are useful. That means you are looking at research gathered by others (e.g. government agencies non-profit organizations professional and academic experts as well as local sources from USF or the immediate community) but also you will gather your own data by asking impacted population for their perspective. You will produce a memo (according to the genre conventions you have learned in class) that reports your findings giving readers a robust understanding of the local problem you have researched. Upon successful completion of this module you will be able to: To complete this project you will choose a local problem occurring at USF or in the community. You can select a problem from the list below or pick your own problem of a similar nature. Sample Problems: Once you have selected a problem you will research the problem to include the following topics: To conduct your research you may wish to use any of the following methods and resources or anything else that helps you explain the scope of your problem: you will submit two documents 1) report 2)Research Plan as mentioned in the deliverable section. Requirements: Other | 3 pages Double spaced The type of information you need; and The best way to get that information. Engage with a problem-based scenario similar to those found in the workplace Apply research skills appropriate for addressing a specific problem Integrate research into a project deliverable Practice professional and technical writing and editing skills Practice writing for a specific purpose and audience Produce a specific genre of professional discourse (informational report) What is the optimal register layout for Starbuck’s at USF to reduce lines and wait time? What is the optimal speed limit for roads on the USF Tampa campus to reduce accidents and delays? Which brand of battery will best serve the needs of USF’s Digital Media Commons for their equipment that takes video/photographs underwater? Which internet browser performs the most efficiently for an organization with tens of thousands of users (such as USF)? Electric car charging stations at USF campuses Background information: Put the problem in context. What does the audience need to know to understand why the problem is a problem? Explanation of the problem at USF/In the local community: Describe the local problem in detail. What is happening here? Causes of the problem: Describe the factors contributing to the problem’s occurrence. Why is the problem happening? Impacted Population: Describe the people most directly impacted by the problem. Who is the problem happening to? Be specific. Target a local population that could benefit from intervention. Newspapers (local university national) Reports from government agencies universities and/or NGOs Scholarly research Facts and statistics compiled by government agencies and/or NGOs or USF Interviews with experts and/or impacted individuals Surveys (social media makes doing surveys easy) A report in memo format that describes your problem in detail using all the research you have conducted. The memo should have the following section headings exactly as written:Background InformationExplanation of the Problem at USF/In the Local CommunityCauses of the ProblemImpacted PopulationWorks Cited Background Information Explanation of the Problem at USF/In the Local Community Causes of the Problem Impacted Population Works Cited Research Plan: A memo that identifies the problem you have selected and your plans for researching it including research methods and potential sources for each required topic listed above. ‘