When our analysts pick up a job on the dash, they ensure they understand the assignment. First, they carefully read the Research Criteria (RC). Then, they ask themselves if the jargon is clear.
Research Criteria Terminology
When claiming a job, there are important terms that help you understand the information communicated by a Research Manager to provide direction in your research. The chart below includes terminology commonly used in Research Criteria. Please see our Terminology List for more definitions of terms you should know.
To understand an assignment, it is essential to read the Research Criteria carefully. Then, identify unfamiliar jargon and look up their definitions through a simple Google Search.
To do this, use the command:
<aside> ⌨️ define:[word]
</aside>
Taking the time to read these definitions makes it easier to understand the subject. Save the definitions. Doing this is important for two reasons:
The client asks for comp sales growth. Through initial research, you find that comp sales growth is “Same-store sales or comparable store sales measures the growth of a retail business on a like-for-like basis, where it excludes the stores that were not operating during the same period last year.” You also find out that it is referred to as like-for-like (LFL) sales. If comp sales growth doesn’t work out, you can use this as a keyword.
Perusing the company’s financial reports, you find data for like-for-like sales growth. Because you already know that this is the same as comp sales growth, you provide this data to the client. However, the client and the auditor might not know what you know. Therefore, you mention this in the Research Strategy: “We found that like-for-like (LFL) sales growth was the same as comp sales growth and, therefore, provided this figure in our research. Based on this assumption, we have presented this data in our research.” You would then add an inline citation of the source under the words “comp sales growth.”