7.2: Types of Research and Resources

Understanding Research and Resources

Research is the process of asking questions, gathering information, evaluating what you find, and using that knowledge to better understand a topic or support a claim. In public speaking, research helps you build credibility, clarify ideas, and provide your audience with accurate, trustworthy information. It turns your speech from personal opinion into informed communication backed by evidence.

Resources are the tools, materials, and sources of information you use during the research process. These can include books, academic journals, credible websites, interviews with experts, government reports, videos, and even carefully used AI tools (Roose, K., 2023). Each resource contributes pieces of information that help you develop a complete and well-supported message.

Finding quality resources is essential because not all information is reliable, accurate, or unbiased. High-quality resources strengthen your speech, help you avoid misinformation, and ensure that your audience receives clear and trustworthy insights. When you choose strong resources, you demonstrate responsibility as a speaker and respect for your listeners by giving them evidence they can depend on.

Different Resources for Finding Evidence

• Primary Sources: These are original, firsthand accounts or direct evidence related to a topic.
  • Example: A recorded interview with a civil rights activist, a scientific study reporting new experimental findings, or a diary entry from a World War II soldier.
• Books: Often secondary sources that provide background, context, and expert interpretation.
  • Example: A history book analyzing the causes and consequences of the Great Depression.
• Academic Journals: Peer-reviewed publications that include both primary research articles and secondary literature reviews.
  • Example: A study in the New England Journal of Medicine presenting new clinical trial results on a medication.
• Websites: Online platforms that vary in credibility; best used when they come from reputable organizations.
  • Example: Data from the U.S. Census Bureau or policy analysis from a university research center.
• News Articles: Report current events and may include interviews, data, or expert commentary.
  • Example: A Washington Post article covering the recent Supreme Court decision and its social impact.
• Interviews and Expert Testimony: Direct statements from knowledgeable individuals can be valuable primary sources.
  • Example: A climate scientist explaining the results of their research in a podcast interview.
• Documentaries and Videos: Can be primary or secondary, depending on the content; they provide visual and narrative evidence.
  • Example: A frontline documentary showing real-time footage from war zones or healthcare systems.
• Surveys and Polls: Quantitative primary data showing public opinion or behavior.
  • Example: A Pew Research Center survey showing trends in social media use among teens.
• Databases: Organized collections of academic and professional resources, often a mix of primary and secondary sources.
  • Example: JSTOR for scholarly articles or Statista for statistics and charts.

The Internet: The good, the bad, the ugly

The internet has transformed the way students research and prepare speeches. With just a few clicks, you can access government reports, academic studies, news articles, expert opinions, videos, and AI-generated summaries from around the world (Pew Research Center, 2023). This makes the internet an incredibly powerful tool for finding information, learning about unfamiliar topics, and gathering evidence to support your ideas. However, the internet is also filled with misinformation, biased content, outdated information, and sources that may appear credible but lack expertise or evidence (Bergstrom & West, 2020). In some cases, information is intentionally misleading, designed to persuade rather than inform. As a result, successful researchers must learn to evaluate sources carefully rather than accepting everything they find online. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of different types of websites helps you separate reliable information from questionable content and become a more informed and critical thinker.

The internet can be viewed as having the good, the bad, and the ugly. The good includes reliable sources such as government websites, educational institutions, scholarly publications, and reputable news organizations that provide evidence-based information. The bad includes sources that may contain errors, bias, incomplete information, or weak evidence, even when the authors have good intentions. The ugly includes misinformation, disinformation, conspiracy theories, manipulated content, and sensationalized material designed to attract attention rather than provide accurate information. As a public speaker and researcher, your responsibility is not only to find information but also to evaluate its quality, credibility, and usefulness before sharing it with an audience.

• Government Websites (.gov): Description: Official websites of federal, state, or local governments.
  • Examples: CDC.gov, Census.gov, EPA.gov
  • They provide verified data, statistics, legal information, and public policy updates.
• Educational/Academic Websites (.edu): Run by colleges, universities, and research institutions.
  • Examples: Harvard.edu, Stanford.edu, Purdue OWL
  • Often contain scholarly articles, research, and educational resources authored by experts.
• Reputable News Outlets: Professional journalism organizations with editorial standards.
  • Examples:  NPR, Reuters
  • These outlets strive for accuracy, though some may have editorial bias. Cross-check facts with other sources.
• Nonprofit and Think Tank Organizations (.org): Often advocacy, policy, or research-based organizations.
  • Examples: PewResearch.org, Brookings.edu, WHO.int
  • They offer in-depth research but may reflect a particular mission or viewpoint, check for transparency.
• Blogs: Personal or informal commentary, sometimes by experts, sometimes not.
  • Examples: Medium.com, personal websites
  • May include opinion and anecdote. Only reliable if written by a credentialed expert and backed by evidence.
• Special Interest or Advocacy Sites: Promote specific causes, beliefs, or ideologies.
  • Examples: NRA.org, Greenpeace.org
  • May selectively present facts to support their agenda. Good for understanding viewpoints but not as sole evidence.
• Commercial Websites (.com): For-profit businesses, including news, product, and content sites.
  • Examples: WebMD.com, History.com
  • Some, like WebMD or History.com, are generally reliable. Others may prioritize clicks or sales over accuracy.
• User-Generated Content Sites: Platforms where content is posted by the general public.
  • Examples: Wikipedia, Quora, Reddit, TikTok
  • Content can be edited or posted by anyone. Use for background or leads, verify elsewhere.

Critical analysis of historical and contemporary public discourse

Comparative rhetoric broadens and deepens our understanding of public discourse by examining how communication differs across cultures. When conducting research, speakers should compare diverse Western and non-Western philosophies and approaches to public speaking. For example, traditional Western approaches often emphasize informative and persuasive speaking, while other cultural traditions may place greater value on storytelling, narrative, collective wisdom, and shared experiences. Evaluating a variety of cultural perspectives helps speakers select more inclusive resources, recognize different ways of presenting knowledge, and communicate more effectively with diverse audiences.

Using Podcasts, YouTube, and Social Media

Podcasts, YouTube videos, and social media platforms can be valuable research tools when used carefully. They often provide expert interviews, demonstrations, current events, and diverse perspectives that may not be available in traditional sources. However, because anyone can create and publish content online, it is important to evaluate the credibility of the creator before relying on the information. Look for content produced by recognized experts, universities, professional organizations, government agencies, established journalists, or reputable media outlets. Check whether claims are supported by evidence, statistics, or references to reliable sources. Use podcasts, YouTube videos, and social media posts as starting points for learning about a topic or finding ideas, but verify important information through scholarly articles, government websites, academic institutions, or other trusted sources before including it in a speech. Remember: popularity, views, likes, and followers do not guarantee accuracy. 

When in doubt, cross-reference the information with multiple trusted sources, and check for authorship, citations, and publication date to ensure credibility.

Example \(\PageIndex{1}\)

• Example 1: College Student Preparing a Presentation
  • Tiana is giving an informative speech in her public speaking class about the impact of part-time work on college success. She begins her research by exploring credible resources through the campus library database, government education statistics, and reputable nonprofit organizations. She avoids blogs with unclear authors and social media posts that lack evidence. By gathering strong data, such as GPA trends, national employment surveys, and expert studies, Tiana builds a well-supported speech that helps her audience understand the issue clearly and trust the information she presents.
• Example 2: Professional Preparing a Business Presentation
  • Marcus, a marketing manager, must present a proposal to his company’s leadership about expanding into a new target demographic. He researches industry reports, market analysis studies, and consumer behavior data from credible business research firms. He also reviews financial forecasts and compares competitors’ strategies using verified sources. By relying on high-quality, professional resources instead of assumptions or unverified online claims, Marcus strengthens his proposal, increases his credibility, and provides decision-makers with accurate information to guide the company’s next steps.

Key Takeaways 

• Research is a purposeful process of gathering and evaluating information to support clear, credible, and well-informed communication.
• Resources are the tools and sources of information such as books, scholarly articles, expert reports, and credible websites that strengthen the quality of your research.
• Choosing high-quality, trustworthy resources is essential for creating speeches and presentations that your audience can rely on and respect.

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Exercises 

• Source Hunt Exercise: Find one high-quality resource and one low-quality resource on the same topic, then write a brief comparison explaining what makes one credible and the other questionable.
• Resource Mapping Activity: Choose a speech topic and create a list of at least five types of resources they could use (e.g., government data, scholarly articles, expert interviews), explaining how each resource would strengthen the research.
• Quality Check Reflection: Select one source they plan to use for a future assignment and briefly evaluate it for accuracy, author credibility, bias, and relevance, summarizing whether it is appropriate for academic research.