Reflective Journal: Evaluating the Business Research Learning Process

This reflective journal provides a comprehensive evaluation of a student's learning experience in a business research course. The journal assesses the effectiveness of the course in achieving its objectives, such as equipping learners with essential research skills and methodologies. It highlights the interactive and learner-oriented nature of the learning process, including individual and group assignments, class presentations, and seminars. The student reflects on the usefulness of the acquired knowledge and skills, emphasizing their application in future careers, particularly in business consulting. The journal objectively describes the activities undertaken during the learning process, including lectures, seminars, and independent research on research principles, ethical considerations, and data analysis methods. The student evaluates their learning, noting the acquisition of skills in research planning, organization, and ethical conduct. The journal concludes by outlining how the learned concepts and skills will be applied in the student's future career, emphasizing the use of research methodologies, critical thinking, and effective decision-making skills in business consulting and research endeavors.

Reflective journal on the learning process 1
Reflective journal on the learning process
Name:
University
Course:
Lecturer
Department
Date

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Reflective journal on the learning process
1. Evaluate the effectiveness and your usefulness of the learning experience. Make
judgments that are connected to observations you have made
I am of the opinion that the entire learning experience has been effective with regards to
achieving it set goals and objectives. This is due to the clear learning objectives that were set at
the beginning of the course, for example, the objective of equipping learners with effective skills
of business research. In line with these aspects, the learning experience has been very education
due to its educative nature to the learners. The experience has equipped learners with effective
knowledge and skills regarding business research methodologies. The learning experience has
been effective because it has been very interactive and learner-oriented to enhance learning
outcome (Gafoor & Umerfarooque, 2010).
The learning process was focused on the students, for example, the learning experience
gave learners the opportunity to get actively involved in the generating and sharing knowledge
with other learners. This was achieved through the assignments that we were given to work on at
individual and group levels. Working on assignments at the individual level was very
instrumental in achieving individual learning as students engaged in generation and sharing of
knowledge (Haiying, 2014). Equally, working in groups enabled learners to collaborate and
share knowledge in groups. Besides, class presentations were effective I equipping learners with
the relevant skills of sharing information that they have gathered as researchers.
This learning experience is of high value to us due to the long-term life skills that it has
equipped us with. Through the experience, we have gained effective research skills that that will
be useful in future. Besides, the experience has equipped us with the teamwork skills and critical
thinking skills, for example, during the group activities (Hackathorn et al., 2011).

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2. Explain how this learning process will be useful to you
This learning experience is useful to me in several ways. Firstly, the learning experience
has enabled me to get an in-depth understanding of my course. The class lectures have played a
major role in providing sufficient elaboration of the important concepts in research
methodologies. The class seminar sessions and group presentations are useful as they have
equipped me with the effective skills of a researcher.
This learning experience is useful to me due to its major contribution to my overall
degree program. This learning experience constitutes a major part of my final grade at the end of
my program because it determines the final grade that I will graduate with. It determines whether
I will graduate with first, second of second lower class. In this regard, I have always taken it
seriously to ensure that I score high grades in this course to boost my chance of graduating with a
first class grade.
The learning experience is also useful due to the contribution that it will make in my
future career. The success or the failure of my future career is hugely dependent on this learning
experience. This learning experience included learning some of the vital concepts and practical
aspects of my career as a researcher. These also include some important lessons that I will apply
in my general life. For example, effective collaboration and teamwork skills that I gained during
group work and class representations will help me to maintain a professional interpersonal
relationship in my career and to work together with other individuals in general life. I will use
my effective skills of effective communication to ensure clarity in my communication processes
(Jagadeesh & Balakumar, 2012).
3. Describe objectively what happened in the learning process

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The completion of this learning process entailed a lot of activities that took place in and
out of the classroom. I attended all the class lectures with other students where the course
lecturer came and elaborated on the important topics in Business Research Methods. These
lecture sessions were important because it provided learners with an in-depth understanding of
the vital concepts of the topic. I also took part in class seminars where we had presentations on
different concepts of business research from my classmates.
In class and during my private study sessions, I carried out in-depth research on the topic.
One of the important concepts that I read widely on is the principles of research where I learned
a lot concerning approaches to and methodologies of research for successful business research
activities (Leedy & Ormrod, 2001). I have also read on the epistemological and philosophical
assumptions surrounding research methodologies and approaches. I also read about the
application of critical thinking and effective data analysis methods as important elements in a
research process.
During the learning experience, I hear a lot regarding the importance observing ethical
standards while carrying out business research. For instance, one of the constantly repeating
themes on ethics and standards is the need to observe the right to privacy of the third party
during the research process (Orb, Eisenhauer, Wynaden, 2001). To observe adherence to ethical
standards during research, I saw fellow students and other experts who wanted to carry out
research projects seeking for permission from relevant authorities and seeking the consent of
participants in their studies.
4. Evaluate what you learn
When I started this course, I had limited information on business research methodology;
however, now I have sufficient information on the topic; therefore, it has been a great learning

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experience for me. One of how business research has been useful for my research learning
process is that it has equipped with the effective skills of carrying out a research process. Before
this learning experience, I could not carry out a proper academic or professional research study;
however, undertaking a business research has equipped me with the relevant skills to plan,
organize and carry out a proper research. Due to this course, I can carry out a proper background
research on a topic and write a comprehensive literature review.
Another way through which business research has been useful to me is by teaching on the
various designs of a research study and how to apply ethical principles during a research study.
A successful research study is dependent on the selection of appropriate research design and
method, for example, the use of qualitative or quantitative method depends on the nature of the
study (Heyvaert, Hannes, Maes, Onghena, 2013). The business research has helped me to
distinguish between a qualitative based and quantitative based research studies.
Finally, studying business research has been instrumental in instilling in me the ethical
principles of a research process. From this course, I have learned the importance of upholding
ethical standards during a research process as an instrumental of reliability and credibility of
research findings (Heyvaert, Hannes, Maes, Onghena, 2013).
5. Explain your learning process
The learning process has given me new insights on business research methodologies.
From the learning process, has enabled me to learn that role that research plays in the success of
a business, for example, it provides an accurate and reliable foundation for making effective and
informed business decisions (Williams, 2007). This learning process is connected with other
learnings, for example, business ethics and communication skills courses. From the beginning of
this learning process, I was optimistic of getting equipped with the relevant knowledge and skills

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to carry out effective business research studies. I have managed to achieve these expectations
through the completion of assignment 1 and 2. From these two assignments, I have also learned
how to apply the various types of research methodologies and approaches. I have learned how to
explain how to collect qualitative and quantitative data. Therefore, I can conclude that I have the
necessary skills to plan, organize and execute a professional academic research.
6. Explain Plan how you will apply this learning
This learning is relevant to my future career as a consultant officer. Therefore, the first
way that I will apply this learning is in the planning, organizing and in carrying out of research
studies. My career as a business consultant expert is tightly linked to the activities of business
research. I will employ all the important concepts that I have learned during this course and
program. In this regard, I will utilize both quantitative and qualitative methodologies of research
to find in-depth information and understanding of events taking place in my area of expertise
(Truscott, Swars, Smith, Thornton-Reid, Zhao, & Dooley, 2010). This will boost my
performance as a business consultant due to my capability to offer high-quality consultancy
services.
Secondly, this learning experience is relevant to my profession as business research
expert. Research activities entail critical thinking skill and effective decision-making skills. A
researcher needs to possess the skills to analyze and evaluate the data that has been collected
during the research process to make informed judgments and comprehensive conclusions
(French & Tracey, 2010). Therefore, I will apply the critical thinking skills and effective
decision-making skills that I have learned during this course to make effective decisions in my
future career.

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This learning process is also relevant to my future profession as a researcher. Therefore,
the skills acquired in this learning process will enable me to write effective research proposals
which are specific, measurable, attainable, researchable (SMART) objectives, which will ensure
appropriate findings (Williams, 2007).

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Bibliography list
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process to encourage graduate capabilities’, E-Journal of Business Education & Scholarship of
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Orb, A., Eisenhauer, L., & Wynaden, D., 2001. ‘Ethics in Qualitative Research’, Journal of
nursing scholarship Vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 93-96.
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