Research Guides: WR101 Amy Warren: Developing your research focus

Unsure of your profession?

Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook
Here you will find national information on hundreds of jobs: the pay, possibilities, the work environment, etc.
www.bls.gov/ooh
State of Oregon Occupation and Wage information
A ton of information on wage ranges, occupational training, and other info from WorkSource Oregon, which is managed by the State of Oregon
Career Preparation (LearningExpress)
Explore career paths, build workplace skills, and access study material for various professional licensing exams.
Job and Career Accelerator (LearningExpress)
Create a resume and cover letter, find job and internship opportunities, assess career alternatives and master interviewing skills.

Your WR101 Report on a Job or Career Field assignment gives you two options.

1. The way your chosen job field uses both oral and written communication and the standards that they use for professional communication.

2. A specific issue you have identified that affects your chosen job field in a unique way. Some ideas include:

safety issues
process for entering the field (could include degrees, testing, certifications, apprenticeships)
sub-fields that are related to a specific degree / major / field of study
role of technology

The specific issue you focus your job research on needs to be interesting to you. You get to learn and write a report about it. A good issue:

is interesting to you;
is narrow enough - too broad a topic and you won't be able to cover it in your report;
is broad enough - too narrow a topic and you won't be able to find enough information about it; and
fits the parameters of your assignment.