A major part of the course consists of writing a research paper following all appropriate rules and format. The research paper is preferably to contain both primary and secondary research. It must be free of grammatical, spelling, and typographical errors; otherwise a heavy penalty will be incurred (i.e., a minimum of 10 points for 1-2 spelling errors). It is extremely important that the report be done according to instructions. Form and format will be a major part of grading criteria as well as content and proper presentation of information according to the requirements of an analytical business report.
Papers should build toward a conclusion of managerial and international business implications. You may describe issues and practices but must have an implication section in which you, the student, synthesize the literature and reach conclusions on how to apply the results of your research.
Use scholarly refereed journal articles for the foundation of your paper. Practitioner-oriented journals and Internet sites can be used also. It is preferred that you also use primary sources such as a questionnaire or multiple interviews with professionals in the field. Identify your primary interview sources in the reference section (i.e., persons title, company, telephone number). When relying on information found on the World Wide Web, be certain of its quality and value. A minimum of nine (9) professional scholarly, refereed research journals or research-based publications is required as source material. You will need 12 articles minimum; therefore, you can use several practitioner-oriented journals or web sites. I would expect that you will need more than the minimum 12.
Papers should be properly documented according to the American Psychological Association (APA) style. (This is a convenient referencing style that does not use footnotes). Papers should be well written and carefully organized. The organization of papers benefits from the use of headings. Your research paper should be 11-14 double-spaced pages excluding the list of references. The reference list should be single-spaced except to double space between entries. Do NOT use books as references. You need 11 full pages as minimum and preferably 13-14 as your maximum. Do not use Wikipedia.
Spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraph structure, grammar, and overall readability of the paper will be MAJOR factors in the grading criteria. Your paper should reflect your status as a graduate student pursuing a MBA or MPA degree.
*A formal outline provides an orderly visual representation of the report, showing clearly which points are going to be covered, the order in which they are going to be covered, and their relationship to the rest of the report. Its purpose is to guide the writer in structuring the report. Although your outline will not have a specific grade, you must bring an outline to class. This will serve as a guide or map for you, keeping you on your task.
Title page: A title page is used for graduate reports. It contains the title of the report, the names of the reader and writer, and the date the report was due.
Executive summary: An executive summary (abstract, synopsis) is a condensed version of the body of the report. It is especially appropriate when the conclusions and recommendations wil
l be welcomed by the reader, when the report is long, or when you know your reader appreciates having this kind of information up front. Keep the summary short, but include as much information as possible. Suggested length: 150 words maximum.
Introduction or background: The introduction sets the stage for understanding the information that follows. In this section, present the background of the problem, a hypothesis or problem statement and sub-problems, This section is short, probably not longer than one page.
Any or all of the following items can be included:
Description of the problem that prompted the report and the specific research questions to be answered
Purpose of the report
You answer the so what as to why a person should read this report.
Statistics or numbers frequently can get a readers attention as to why this topic is important.
Remember this section just introduces your topic. Note how researchers start their papers.
Review of Literature: The review of literature tells the reader what other noted authorities in the field have discovered about your subject. You can report this by writing what the author stated, observed, believed, found, related, etc. You want the reader to know the status of research on your topic. Then hopefully, you will add to the literature.
Discussion of findings: This is the main section of the report and contains numerous headings and subheadings. It is unnecessary to use the title Discussion of Findings; many business report writers prefer to begin immediately with the major headings into which the body of the report is divided. Using objective language, present the information clearly, concisely, and accurately. Discuss and interpret your data. Include tables, charts, and graphs if necessary to illustrate findings. Visual aids and tables should be self-explanatory. Summarize important information from tables and figures. Discuss only what merits emphasis. Place the table or figure immediately below the first paragraph of text in which the reference to it occurs, or at the top of the following page. Use emphasis, subordination, preview, summary, and transition to make the report read clearly and smoothly.
Analytic and scientific reports may include another section entitled Implications of Findings, in which the findings are analyzed and related to the problem. Less formal reports contain the authors analysis of the research findings within the Discussion section.
Presenting conclusions and recommendations:
Once youve decided how to organize your findings, you have to decide where to present your conclusions and/or recommendations. Academic reports and many business reports traditionally present conclusions and recommendations at the end of the report. The rationale here is that conclusions cannot be drawn until the data has been presented and analyzed, and that recommendations cannot be made until conclusions have been drawn.
Summary, conclusions, and recommendations: In the summary, conclusions, and recommendations, briefly review the problem and the procedures you used to solve the problem, and provide an overview of your major findings.
Be sure that your conclusions stem from your findings, and that your recommendations stem from your conclusions.
Provide evidence to support your conclusions and recommendations.