How do administrators choose the right way to communicate and research information?
Appropriate methods of communication (oral, written, electronic) and how to choose between them, and appropriate methods of research, including evaluating sources for reliability and presenting findings.
An SQA Higher Administration and IT answer on appropriate methods of communication and research, covering oral, written and electronic communication, how to choose the right method, and how to research and evaluate sources of information.
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What this key area is asking
Administrators spend much of their time communicating and finding information. The SQA wants you to know the main methods of communication (oral, written and electronic), how to choose the appropriate one for a situation, and the methods of research an administrator uses, including how to evaluate sources for reliability and present findings. Strong answers match the method to the situation and explain how to judge whether information can be trusted.
Methods of communication
Oral communication
Oral methods (telephone, video call, meetings, face to face) give instant, two-way communication where tone, questions and quick replies matter. They suit urgent matters and discussion, but usually leave no written record unless notes are taken.
Written and electronic communication
Written methods (letter, memo, report, notice) and electronic methods (email, intranet, instant messaging) provide a record and can reach many people. A letter is formal and suits external matters; an email is fast, can carry attachments and reaches one or many; a report presents structured findings; a notice or intranet post announces information to all staff at once.
Choosing the appropriate method
- Urgent, two-way matter: telephone or video call.
- Routine message or sharing a document, with a record: email.
- Formal external matter (contract, official notice): letter.
- Decision needing several people's input: meeting.
- Announcement to all staff: notice or intranet post.
- Presenting researched findings and recommendations: report.
Methods of research and evaluating sources
Administrators often need to find information to answer queries or prepare reports. They use a range of sources: the internet and websites, books and publications, the organisation's own records and databases, and people (colleagues, customers). Because not all information is trustworthy, they must evaluate each source:
- Reliability: who produced it, are they a recognised authority, is it accurate and free of bias?
- Currency: is the information up to date? Out-of-date facts can mislead.
- Relevance: does it actually answer the question?
Finally, the administrator records where the information came from and presents the findings clearly and accurately in a form suited to the audience (for example a report, a summary or a presentation).
Examples in context
Example 1. The right method for the message. An administrator phones a supplier for an urgent delivery update (instant, two-way), emails colleagues the meeting papers (fast, with a record and attachments), and sends a formal letter confirming a contract (a formal external record). Each method is matched to the situation, showing appropriate choice of communication.
Example 2. Researching for a report. Asked to compare two software packages, an administrator gathers information from vendor websites, independent reviews and colleagues, checks each source for reliability and how up to date it is, and presents a clear report with a recommendation, noting the sources. This shows sound research and evaluation.
Try this
Q1. Name two methods of communication and a situation suited to each. [2 marks]
- Cue. Any two with a use, for example: email (routine message/sharing a document with a record); telephone/video call (urgent, two-way discussion); letter (formal external matter); meeting (decision needing several views); notice/intranet (announcement to all staff).
Q2. Describe two things an administrator should check when using information from a source. [4 marks]
- Cue. Reliability (who produced it, are they an authority, is it accurate and unbiased); currency (is it up to date); relevance (does it answer the question); and recording where it came from (any two, developed).
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of SQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
SQA Higher style6 marksDescribe a range of methods of communication an administrator could use, giving a situation suited to each.Show worked answer →
Worth 6 marks. Describe methods with a suitable use, one mark each.
Email (about 1 mark). Quick written messages with attachments, sent to one or many people, suited to routine messages and sharing documents that need a record.
Telephone or video call (about 1 mark). Instant two-way spoken communication, suited to urgent matters or discussion where tone and quick replies matter.
Letter (about 1 mark). A formal written record on headed paper, suited to formal external matters such as contracts or official notices.
Meeting (about 1 mark). Face-to-face or online discussion, suited to decisions needing input from several people.
Report (about 1 mark). A structured written document, suited to presenting researched findings and recommendations.
Notice or intranet post (about 1 mark). A message to many staff at once, suited to general announcements.
SQA Higher style4 marksDescribe how an administrator should research and check information from sources.Show worked answer →
Worth 4 marks. Describe research and evaluation, one mark each.
Use a range of sources (about 1 mark). Gather information from several sources (websites, books, the organisation's own records, people) rather than relying on one.
Check reliability (about 1 mark). Judge whether a source is reliable: who produced it, are they an authority, is it accurate and free of bias.
Check it is current (about 1 mark). Make sure the information is up to date, as out-of-date facts can mislead.
Record and present findings (about 1 mark). Note where the information came from and present the findings clearly and accurately for the audience.
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