Research Report
Most research in the social sciences is formatted according to the American Psychological Association’s (APA) guidelines. Now in its sixth
edition, the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association outlines methods for organizing research papers and manuscripts
and provides standards for citing sources.
Effective business reports contain supporting data and relevant information taken from databases, journals, newspapers, trade
publications, etc. These documents are written in standard business block format (single-spaced, left justified, etc.) and use APA format
to cite sources, in text and in the reference page.
For this deliverable, demonstrate proficiency in using APA format to cite different sources in text and a reference page. 1 article for
this exercise is provided, but you will conduct further research to obtain 4 more articles on the topic.
Situation
As an intern, you have been asked to conduct research on communication in the workplace for your organization as it takes on a new
project.
Message Content (3 to 4 pages not including title and reference pages)
Briefly summarize relevant information from the articles in a 3 to 4-page report and use APA format to cite these articles in the body of
your document and your reference page.
Demonstrate your ability to
• Locate 4 relevant (2012-2017), credible, and recent articles from a University of Arizona database (IBISWorld, Mergent, etc.)
• Provide a cover page which includes your name, date, and message topic
• Start your report with an introductory paragraph including context, a clear and relevant purpose statement, and a forecast that previews
the sections of your document
o Since this is a report and not a correspondence, fashion the introduction for a wide audience, and avoid first or second person
throughout the document
• Construct a concise, well-organized message body appropriately utilizing relevant information in a variety of ways and accurately cite
your sources
• Conclude with a brief summary and concluding statement
• Using the 5 articles:
o Cite each article at least once
Maximum of 1 quote only in the body of your document
Introduce at least 1 citation with a signal phrase in the body of your document
Introduce at least 1 citation without a signal phrase in the body of your document
In your Reference Page, demonstrate your ability to
• Compose a properly formatted reference page
• Create correct reference entries appropriate for the 5 articles
Audience, Purpose, and Deliverable(s)
● Audience: Your organization
● Purpose: To practice obtaining relevant, credible information, create a concise, well-organized message body, and use APA format to cite
sources in a business document
● Page Limit: 3 to 4 single-spaced pages (not including cover and reference pages)
● Format: Report with cover and reference pages in APA format
Work Place Communications Are Disconnected
-Professionals say their top priority is to communicate effectively but 3/4th’s reported feeling disconnected.
-The biggest problem is that not everyone has the technology readily available to receive the communications in real time. (over 75
million have jobs that don’t require a email or have a computer available for use.)
-More than 500 billion in wasted productivity last year. Can be cut by a quarter by connecting employees.
-lack of awareness
-Companies need to invest in “mobile first approach” to help communicate effectively- in real time -with everyone.