In this module, we’ve discussed how research plays an integral role in business communication and set up to do this kind of work in your own organization. It’s a useful skill!

Business communication done well requires thoughtful planning and carefully crafted media. Your communications over email, social media, and all other methods all stem from a firm foundation in quality information. Doing research properly gives you that foundation; we may argue that research is tool to engage and think about a given problem.

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

1. How important is it to use reliable and factual sources and data when communicating in business?
2. What is your audience? Do they require formal citation, or other forms of attribution and credit?
3. How does one evaluate a source? How do you know if something is any good or not?

So, what are your final thoughts on report writing? Hopefully you’re feeling good about your learning, and are set up for success in the conduct of research.