You are to choose a topic that is of interest to you and pertinent to human resource management, and write an original research paper on that topic. The paper should be double spaced, with one inch margins, and a total of between 2,400-3,500 words (Sections I through IV), not including the bibliography. Due to the word count guidelines, you will need to be concise and judicious in your writing. The longest section will be the review of literature, which will likely consist over half the total length of the paper. In some cases, the review of literature section may include charts and exhibits. If charts and/or exhibits are used, they should be numbered (such as Table 1, or Figure 1). A high-quality, well-organized, succinct product is expected, free from misspellings and poor grammar. Consult The Elements of Style often to improve your written communication.
Your instructor must approve your topic no later than September 8. You will read and analyze of a minimum of at least seven different professional journal articles from current business periodicals (2015-present). See Appendix C (p. 607) in your textbook for an excellent list of acceptable professional journals. In addition, you may also refer to books that further your insight into the topic. Your research paper will contain: an executive summary that explains the importance of the topic, a summary of the information you read, and conclusions. Use proper citations of your sources following the American Psychological Association (APA) format, comparison/contrast of the various author’s opinions and perspectives. You must distinguish between the various sources of information using citations which follow APA format, and your thought/opinions on the topic. Finally, the bibliography section will list all your sources of information following APA format. You can find helpful APA guides at https://und.edu/academics/writing-center/apa-format.html, https://www.mendeley.com/guides/apa-citation-guide, http://www.apastyle.org/learn/tutorials/basics-tutorial.aspx, http://www.csun.edu/~hbsoc126/soc4/Writing%20Sample%20and%20Refernce%20Guide%20as%201%20file.pdf, and https://www.crk.umn.edu/sites/crk.umn.edu/files/apa6thedition.pdf.
The research paper should be the student’s own work, in their own words. Plagiarism is a very serious matter, and there will be little tolerance for academic dishonesty. All sources of information must be clearly identified. When drawing on ideas/facts/interpretations/conclusions developed by another author, it is essential the source be cited correctly at the point(s) at which the information is presented, and in the bibliography section using appropriate APA format. When using exact words and/or phrases of another author in your research paper, the student must use quotation marks and exact page number. It may be useful paraphrase the work of another author in order for the writing to flow smoothly, but the original source of the information/idea must still be cited at the end of the sentence where it is presented. Students must use extreme caution in referencing and use of sources, and become familiar with what constitutes plagiarism. Two websites with useful information on the topic are: http://www.plagiarism.org, and https://www.indiana.edu/~istd/index.html.
GRADING OUTLINE FOR RESEARCH PAPER
Due Date: Your research paper is due at 12:00 NOON ON NOVEMBER 24. Papers may be turned in early. Five (5) points will be deducted for every calendar day the paper is turned in late. The document should be double spaced, typewritten, numbered pages, and have one-inch margins. Each of the five sections should be clearly label 125 TOTAL POINTS
Approval of research topic no later than September 8 5 Points
Submit draft version of paper outline and bibliography page by September 17 15 points
- Outline section – write a short paragraph on each section
briefly describing what you intend to present
- Explain why subject was chosen
- Explain why it is relevant to the class/your career
- Bibliography section
- Include at least five sources 2015 to present
- List sources using APA format
- For each source include a couple of sentences highlighting the
significance of the article
Research paper due November 24
Section I – Executive Summary (maximum two pages) 10 Points
- Explain why subject is important
- Synthesize literature review
- Provide conclusion and essential themes for management
Section II – Review of the literature 54 points
- Do not express your point of view in this section
10 – Proper credit given to sources of information
10 – Followed APA format regarding sources
14 – Complete exploration of all sides of the subject
10 – Compare/contrast different author’s point of view
10 – Grammar, spelling, paragraph/sentence structure, etc.
Section III – Discussion 13 Points
- Express your point of view in this section
- Explain the complexities of the subject
- Your thoughts and opinions of the information
- Did you agree or disagree with literature. Why?
Section IV – Application of Knowledge 13 Points
- Briefly synthesize information from literature review
- Tie everything in the paper together
- How will you handle issues like this on the job in the future
- Discuss how you plan to apply what was leaned to your career
- How has your understanding of the subject changed?
- Discuss what was learned
- Within word count guidelines
Section V – Bibliography 15 Points
Used at least seven professional journal sources 2015-present
Followed APAformat
Other – Points will be deducted for failure to remain within 2,500 to 3,500 word count, misspellings, poor grammar, lack of organization, or incomplete exploration of the topic.
