PFA
· The research paper must be at least 3500 words supported by evidence (citations from peer-reviewed sources).
· A minimum of four (4) peer-reviewed journal citations are required.
· Formatting should be double-spaced, one-inch boarders, no extra space for headings, no extra white space, no more than two levels of heading, page numbers, front and back matter).
· Extra white space use to enhance page count will negatively affect student grade.
· Chapter 1 illustrates the
document details
of the research report and constitutes Background/Introduction, Problem Statement(s), Goal(s), Research Question(s), Relevance and Significance, Barriers and Issues related to topic chosen. Chapter 2 should consist of student paraphrasing the cited research material (i.e. what happened in case study x). Chapter 3 should be the reasoning for doing a basic compare/contrast or advantages/disadvantage of what was stated in Chapter 2 (do not state because the professor said so). Chapter 4 is a complete analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of what was stated in chapter 2. In effect, chapter 3 is a statement of what will be done and chapter 4 is what was done and what the findings were. Again, thus far the writing is objective and must not contain student opinion. Chapter 5 states results, conclusion, and future work recommendations. Here is where student opinion (or any researcher) can state their respective opinion as the student has now “done the work” and are justified in stating results.
· Graduate student are expected to be proficient in the use of the English language. Errors in grammar, spelling, or syntax will affect student grade. The Professor, will not provide remedial help for writing problems. If the student is unable to write clearly and correctly, the student should be urged to contact the program office for sources of remedial help.
· IMPORTANT – please refer to the following url for additional help on writing skills necessary at the graduate level (
https://owl.purdue.edu/site_map.html
).
· A total of at least 15 full pages is required (no extra whitespace).
· The research paper must only include materials derived solely from peer reviewed journals or peer reviewed conference proceedings. Newspapers, websites (URLs), magazines, technical journals, hearsay, personal opinions, and white papers are NOT acceptable citations.
· APA formatted citations are required for the final submission. IMPORTANT – please refer to the following url for help with APA:
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html
. Please reach out to our librarians for additional citation management and APA help.
· All images, tables, figures are to be included in the appendices and
IS NOT
included in the 15 page requirement. This means appendices are not included in the 15 page requirement.
· Long quotations (i.e. paragraphs) are NOT permitted. Only one quoted short sentence (less than 14 words) is permitted per page.
· Footnotes are NOT permitted.
This area provides additional details about the content of each of the needed Research Report Chapters (5). For those instructing in Hybrid format, the instructor may want to consider having the instantiated teams work on: 1) an outline of the final research report and 2) a preliminary research report that includes Chapters 1 and 2. For those instructing in Online or F2F formats the instructor may want to consider using the Hybrid format (teams) or single student submission format. The final submission should include DETAILS of each of following:
1) Chapter 1 – Introduction
2) Chapter 2 – Literature Review
3) Chapter 3 – Methodology Specifics (comparative analysis)
4) Chapter 4 – Findings and Results
5) Chapter 5 – Conclusion and Future Recommendations
6) References – APA
7) Appendices
Chapter 1 Introduction
Background/Introduction
In this section, present enough information about the proposed work such that the reader understands the general context or setting. It is also helpful to include a summary of how the rest of this document is organized.
Problem Statement
In this section, present a concise statement of a research-worthy problem addressed (i.e., why the work should be undertaken – don’t say required for the class). Follow the statement of the problem with a well-supported discussion of its scope and nature. The discussion of the problem should include: what the problem is, why it is a problem, how the problem evolved or developed, and the issues and events leading to the problem.
Goal
Next, include a concise definition of the goal of the work (i.e., what the work will accomplish). Aim to define a goal that is measurable.
Research Questions
Research questions are developed to help guide the authors through the literature for a given problem area. What were the open-ended questions asked and why did the student find (or not find) them adequate.
Relevance and Significance
The student should consider the following questions as they read through an article stating how the author(s) supported, or left unsupported the evidence, relevance, and significance of their research literature:
Why is there a problem? What groups or individuals are affected?
How far-ranging is the problem and how great is its impact? What’s the benefit of solving the problem?
What has been tried without success to correct the situation? Why weren’t those attempts successful? What are the consequences of not solving the problem?
How does the goal of the study address the research problem and how will the proposed study offer promise as a resolution to the problem?
How will the research add to the knowledge base?
What is the potential for generalization of the results?
What is the potential for original work?
Barriers and Issues
In these paragraphs, identify how the problem is inherently difficult to solve. How did the solution the author(s) propose address the difficulties?
Chapter 2 Literature Review
In this section, it is important to clearly identify the major areas on which the student will need to focus the student research in order to build a solid foundation for the study in the existing body of knowledge. The literature review is the presentation of quality literature in a particular field that serves as the foundation and justification for the research problem, research questions or hypothesis, and methodology. The student will develop a more comprehensive review of the literature as part of the research.
Chapter 3 Approach/Methodology
This chapter includes a summary of how the student are going to proceed with the evaluation of the problem statement and associated research question(s). Given the short time of this course, a compare / contrast or advantage / disadvantage analysis is recommended that
Chapter 4: Findings, Analysis, Synthesis
Include an objective description and analysis of the findings, results or outcomes of the research. Limit the use of charts, tables, figures to those that are needed to support the narrative. Most of these illustrations should be included as part of the Appendix.
The following topics are intended to serve as a guide:
Data analysis
Findings & discussion
Analysis
Synthesis
Discussion
Chapter 5: Conclusions
Conclusions – Clearly state the conclusions of the study based on the analysis performed and results achieved. Indicate by the evidence or logical development the extent to which the specified objectives have been accomplished. If the research has been guided by hypotheses, make a statement as to whether the data supported or rejected these hypotheses. Discuss alternative explanations for the findings, if appropriate. Delineate strengths, weaknesses, and limitations of the study.
Implications – Discuss the impact of the work on the field of study and its contributions to knowledge and professional practice. Discuss implications for future research.
Recommendations – Present recommendations for future research or for changes in research methods or theoretical concepts. As appropriate, present recommendations for changes in academic practice, professional practice, or organizational procedures, practices, and behavior.
References
Follow the most current version of APA to format the references. However, each reference should be single-spaced with a double space in between each entry.
Formatting Details
Margins
The left-hand margin must be 1inches (4 cm.). Margins at the right, top, and bottom of the page should be 1.0 inch. (See exception for chapter title pages below.) The Research Report text may be left-aligned (leaving a ragged right edge) or may be both left- and right-aligned (justified).
Line Spacing
Double-spacing is required for most of the text in documents submitted during the Research Report process.
Paragraph Spacing
The text of the document is double-spaced. There should be no extra spaces between paragraphs in sections; however, indent the first line of each paragraphs five spaces.
Page Numbering
All pages should have page numbers in Arabic numerals in the upper right-hand corner.
Type Style
The body text, the student should use 12-point Times New Roman. Text for the cover page may be larger but should not exceed 14-point size. Text for the chapter title text should be 14-point size. Be consistent in the use of typefaces throughout the document. Do not use a compressed typeface or any settings on the word processor that would decrease the spacing between letters or words. Sans serif typefaces such as Helvetica or Arial may be used for relatively short blocks of text such as chapter headings and captions but should be avoided in long passages of text as they impede readability.
Title Page
Every document that is submitted must have a title page. The title page includes the exact title of the research report, date of submission, the team name, and the name of each team member.
Chapter Title Heading, Subheadings, and Sub-Subheadings
It is required that submitted Research Report use no more than three levels of headings in the body text. All headings should have only the first letter of each word capitalized except that non-major words shorter than four letters have no capital letters.
Instructions for heading levels follow:
Level 1: Chapter Title Heading
This heading starts two inches from the top of the page, is centered on the page, and is set in 14point type. The first line contains the chapter number (e.g., Chapter 4). The second line is blank. The third line displays the chapter title, is centered on the page, and is set in 14-point type.
Level 2: Subheading
Start the subheading at the left margin of the page, four spaces (i.e., two returns when the document is set for double-spacing) down from the title, set in bold 12-point type. Double-space (one return) to the subheading body text. Indent the first line of the body text five spaces.
Level 3: Sub-Subheading
Start the sub–subheading at the left margin of the page, double-spaced (i.e., one return when the document is set up for double-spacing) from the subheading, set in 12-point italics. Double-space (one return) to the sub-subheading body text. Indent the first line of the body text five spaces.
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