Literature Review/Research Paper Assignment (20%)
Due: November 8, 2017 11:55 p.m.
LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE NOT BE ACCEPTED
Length:
10 - 12 page s (double-spaced), not including introductory pages and references
Report Format:
Follow the guidelines for a business report given in the Style Sheet on Moodle.
?Please note that this sample business report is based on a first year Communications assignment. You should not base your content on this model, only your formatting.
Formatting Expectations and Exceptions:
• Running header that includes student name, course, and section number (no templates, and no headers on intro pages). Running footer should have page number centered at bottom of page (small Roman Numerals for intro pages, and regular Arabic numbers for balance of document). Title page is first page, but number doesn’t show.
• No title fly or letter of transmittal is necessary on this report.
Outline:
• Title Page (1 page)
• Table of Contents (1 page)
• Executive Summary (1 page) – Provides a quick but persuasive, at-a-glance summary of the entire contents of the report. Highlights or gives an overview of the main points that you make in each section. This is the most important page of your research document, since this is what goes to senior executives for a decision on the report. The Executive Summary must be impeccable; typos or grammatical mistakes can mean that this report will “crash and burn!” The Executive Summary is written after the rest of the report has been completed, and is in past tense, never future, since it presents the results of your research.
• Introduction (1/2 page) – Although this paper is a literature review, you will still need to have an argument/overall idea/consistent viewpoint. This may not be quite as specific as it was for the last essay, but you should still know where you’re going with the paper. You will introduce this idea in your introduction and give an overview of the main ideas in each of your sections. As you write your sections, remember to relate your information back to the main idea.
• Background (variable) – In this section, you will summarize some basic facts/background information about your issue using a variety of sources. Describe what the issue is and why it is important. Use subheadings where appropriate.
You will probably wish to organize this section like a mini-essay, with a short introductory paragraph to introduce your main idea and main points, and a conclusion that wraps up your ideas in a satisfying manner and relates them back to your overall idea.
• Viewpoints (variable) – In this section, you will group the different viewpoints that your authors have about this issue into several different categories with a separate subheading for each category. Discuss each viewpoint and analyze/explain why the authors approach the topic in the way they do. You will also want to set the viewpoints in context by discussing how they relate, respond, or appear to be influenced by each other.
You will probably wish to organize this section like a mini-essay, with a short introductory paragraph to introduce your main idea and main points, and a conclusion that wraps up your ideas in a satisfying manner.
• Arguments, Evidence and Techniques (variable) – In this main section of your review, you will discuss the different types of approaches that authors take to this topic by grouping them into categories with subheadings. What types of articles did you find in your research? On what types of evidence do the authors base their opinions? Remember that Kent Lewis’s introductions to Chapter 3 on “Questions,” and to Chapter 8 on “Argument,” will provide you with the rhetorical and analytical tools (inductive and deductive reasoning processes, measureable and testable evidence, as well as logical and emotional fallacies) that will help give your discussion the level of complexity and professionalism that it deserves.
You will probably wish to organize this section like a mini-essay, with a short introductory paragraph to introduce your main idea and main points, and a conclusion that wraps up your ideas in a satisfying manner. •
• Conclusion (1/2 page) – Relates back to the material in the introduction by summarizing the main ideas from each section and making clear how they relate to your overall viewpoint. Your conclusion should bring everything together in a manner that is interesting and convincing for your reader.
• References – Must include at least 15 high quality sources. I will be looking to see that you have picked resources that have some depth to them. I hope that you will look for and find different types of articles and different viewpoints or approaches in these articles. I will also be looking to make sure that you have accessed them using a mixture of different resources, e.g. online, library databases, news websites, and print material.
If you need help finding research sources and articles, the librarians at the library are your best resource.
If you have ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, I am only an email away!
gbeckford@nait.ca
Please submit to the Moodle dropbox using the following filename convention: YourLastName_Firstname_ResRep
Research Paper Marking Guide: 25% of Final Mark
0 – Unacceptable 1 – Needs Work 2 – Developing 3 – Competent 4 - Outstanding
Topic Development
? Strong overall idea/argument/thesis statement
? Appropriate choice of topic for this type of paper
? Narrowed down to a specific angle as appropriate 0 1 2 3 4
Executive Summary, Introduction & Conclusion
? Executive Summary gives a concise summation of the entire paper
Introduction & Conclusion:
? Strong, definite, convincing, provocative (where appropriate), confident and interesting
? Logically organized
? Clearly state the overall idea for the paper, as well as describing how the main ideas for each section relate to this idea 0 1 2 3 4
Section Content
Organization
? Appropriate choice of section headings and subheadings
? Sections have an introduction and a conclusion
? Individual paragraphs are relatively short
? Individual paragraphs are well-organized
? Sections are connected back to overall idea 0 1 2 3 4
Analysis
? Content moves beyond summary to analysis
? Analysis reflects creativity and originality
? Analysis is well-developed, with no missed opportunities
? The reader is not left with obvious questions 0 1 2 3 4
Argument
? Where appropriate, concepts learned in the course are applied to readings
? Evidence and examples are provided to back up interpretation
? Argument is developed logically, both overall and in individual sections 0 1 2 3 4
Quality of Research Sources
? Summary and analysis demonstrate a clear understanding of the original research material
? Factual sources appear to be reliable
? Where applicable, a variety of types of sources with a range of opinions and viewpoints are used (opinion/factual, web, online databases etc.)
? Chosen research sources are appropriate for this type of paper and for the student’s chosen topic 0 1 2 3 4
Readability, Style & Tone
? No personal pronouns
? Objective tone
? Simple language
? Straightforward sentence construction
? Easy to read and understand 0 1 2 3 4
Mechanics
APA In-text Citations & References 0 1 2 3 4
Sentence Structure, Grammar, Spelling & Punctuation 0 1 2 3 4
Formatting (Title page, pagination, header/foot., Contents, Exec. Summ.) 0 1 2 3 4
TOTAL /40
% /100