Term Research Assignment FAQ’s
This is an overview of questions received regarding the assignment. It is not all inclusive and may be
added to throughout the term.
Q. If I am working on this assignment with a partner, do we both need to turn in an
assignment?
A. No, only one assignment needs to be turned in by one of the partners. Please make sure both
names are on the memo. One of the partners must upload the assignment into D2L.
Q. Do I have to use Word to complete the assignment?
A. Yes. This is another use of what you learned this term using Word. Combine the two parts of the
assignment in to one file. You will be graded on how you used Word as well.
Q. Are there any Word format requirements?
A. Yes, the assignment must be single spaced (DO NOT use the default spacing in Word), with a 1”
margin. The font must be 10 or 11 point Times New Roman.
Q. What exactly should the completed assignment include?
A. The completed assignment is made up of two parts – both completed using Word.
1. A 1-2 page typed persuasive memo – written to Ava Stevens – from you (representing
your business, non-profit, government entity, or committee). This memo outlines HOW
you plan to persuade your audience and what your main persuasive point(s) will be and
how you will back these points up with your research. Basically it is a narrative or
outline of your argument. Think of me as your boss, and this memo is being used to
prove to me that you have the needed information to continue with this persuasion. How
you organize this memo is your choice – but you may find bullet or numbered points
helpful in presenting some of the information. Remember you cannot end a memo with
a list. There needs to be at least a one sentence close to end the memo (don’t just
stop…write for the reader). Don’t forget to use the correct second page heading for the
second page of your memo.
This memo is NOT your entire argument – it is designed to prove you are ready, with the
necessary resources, to write the persuasive argument. Don’t make the mistake of using
this memo to argue your point. Remember to write to your audience – Ava Stevens
– what does she need from you to know you are ready to write the persuasive
argument to your audience?
2. A 2-4 (or more) page typed annotated bibliography – the minimum number of sources on
this annotated bibliography is 6. Of the 6 sources, at least 3 must be from peer reviewed
academic journals. (Information is provided below to explain how to verify if the journal,
and therefore the article, is peer reviewed.)
Each source will have two paragraphs. The first paragraph is an overview of the
article. DO NOT use the abstract to write this – read the article and explain the overall
idea of the article using your own words. You are uploading this in D2L and it will be put
through Turn-it-in. Please don’t earn zero points because you plagiarized. The second
paragraph is WHAT you will use out of the article to back up your argument. It is taking
the needed information from the article and explaining briefly how you can use it to
strengthen your persuasive argument.
Don’t forget to include the proof that the journal (and therefore the article) is peer-
reviewed. You will include a “snip” of copy of the line from Ulrich’s to prove the journal
was peer-reviewed (see below).
You are using MLA documentation for this Annotated Bibliography. That means you
need to make sure you present the source in the correct method. The first line of the
source starts at the left margin and the remaining lines of the source are indented 5 spaces
(see below).
“When deciding how to cite your source, start by consulting the list of core elements.
These are the general pieces of information that MLA suggests including in each Works
Cited entry. In your citation, the elements should be listed in the following order:
1. Author. 2. Title of source. 3. Title of container, 4. Other contributors, 5. Version, 6. Number, 7. Publisher, 8. Publication date, 9. Location.
Each element should be followed by the punctuation mark shown here.”
Bagchi, Alaknanda. "Conflicting Nationalisms: The Voice of the Subaltern in
Mahasweta Devi's Bashai Tudu."Tulsa Studies in Women's Literature,
vol. 15, no. 1, 1996, pp. 41-50.
This information was taken directly from the Purdue University Online Writing Lab Webpage on November 11, 2018:
<Https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_formatting_and_style _guide.html>
Q. How do I find strong articles for my topic?
A. Your goal is to find good search words or phrases. Brainstorm what you could look for and then
use Google Scholar or Academic Search Premier to find articles. You can use non-peer reviewed
articles, but verify they are strong articles for your topic and your credibility. One of your articles
should be about the organization you are representing so you can build credibility. Creative
thinking will help you to come up with ideas to search – if you are not finding information please
contact Ava Stevens and she will help guide you in your search.
Q. How do I identify if the articles are peer reviewed?
A. To verify these articles are from peer-reviewed journals, please verify using Ulrichs International
Periodicals Directory. Ulrichs’ can be found online through the PSU Library. Go to
www.pdx.edu, click on “Library”, click on “Databases & Articles”, and then click on “U” in the
alphabet presented to get to Ulrichs’. To verify the journal is peer-reviewed, type the name of
the journal in the search bar and hit enter. When the journal comes up, if there is a striped
referee shirt to the left of the journal listing, then the journal is peer-reviewed. If there is no
striped referee shirt, then the journal is NOT peer-reviewed.
An example of what this will look like in your paper is below. Please make sure to include
this with all your peer-reviewed journal articles. The assignment will be marked down if you
don’t show which articles are peer-reviewed.
Q. Why did I have to identify who I was representing?
A. To be able to create a strong argument you need credibility. Therefore who you align yourself
with makes a lot of difference. You can use this in your memo to help with your persuasive
argument. This means one of your sources can be background on who you are representing (a
company or non-profit’s web page for example).
Q. Why did I have to identify the audience when they won’t be given the actual assignment/
argument?
A. To be able to find the right information, and to build the correct persuasive argument, you must
know your audience – what they know and what they need to know to be persuaded. Without this
information your argument will be generic and very basic – and will not be persuasive for that
specific audience. Remember, your goal is to write for your audience.
Q. What do I do if I get stuck or need help on this assignment?
A. Contact Ava Stevens at [email protected] and she will help guide you – but please do
not procrastinate and expect immediate help the night before the project is due.
Week 1 - Assignment
Proposal Of Paper
Earning a master's degree suggests the candidate has a broad understanding of the literature for a particular subject that has originated from the courses in the program. The proposal for your research project is a 700-word paper that briefly describes a specific area of interest that has developed from your courses and that you will now expand upon. The proposal includes the areas of curiosity, research questions, research hypotheses, data sources, and methodology.
1. Begin your proposal with a direct statement of your area of interest and include a research question that will drive the topic of your paper. Make sure your research question is specific and can be addressed through existing information. (about one paragraph)
2. Next, provide background information about your topic. Why is this topic important to you? (about one paragraph)
3. Discuss your proposed methodology. What kind of data will you collect and how will it be analyzed? (another paragraph or two)
4. At the end of the paper, include a bibliography of 25 appropriate references that demonstrate you have begun researching your topic.
Key points to remember about your research paper is that it is not an opinion piece. The paper is to be written using an academic, neutral, unbiased voice. In addition, it should not be a program assessment or a consultant's report trying to solve a problem.
You should recieve your instructor feedback by Day 3 of next week so you can incorporate it in with your peer reviewed material. This is going to be a fast-paced course; therefore, begin writing your Introduction section after you have written your proposal. The Introduction will be due Week Two.
PROFESSOR NOTES
Capstone Outline and Resources
The Capstone project is a program requirement that will demonstrate your research, writing, and analytic skills. Knowledge of public sociology gained from this program will be evident in your academic paper. Your Capstone project paper is an original work wherein you have the opportunity to research either a current public policy issue or a current organizational issue that reflects your unique interests in addition to your mastery of the program curriculum. This week you will select a topic, develop a detailed outline, and begin to compile a bibliography for the final paper.
To select a topic, take a look at articles in journals and on the internet targeted at public policy and /or health sectors to learn what issues are important in those areas today. Additionally, there are potential projects that can be gleaned from the courses you have taken. What was your favorite class? What is it you would like to know more about regarding that subject? Students who benefit the most from this course do so because their final project is of personal interest.
What is Research?
First I wanted to provide a refresher on how we classify and define research in the social sciences. In our everyday lives, we actually hear the phrase “research” more than we think. Need a new washer? You may do some research to find the best brand or model. The news covers a story about the latest research finding that drinking a glass of red wine is equivalent to an hour at the gym (no, that is not made up but yes, the magnitude of these findings are taken out of context). You may run into someone at the mall who asks you to take a quick survey for a research study that is being conducted by a company or product.
When you look up “research” in the dictionary ( Merriam-Webster’s version ), you get the following three definitions:
1. Careful or diligent search
2. Studious inquiry or examination; especially: investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories of laws in the light of new facts, or practical application of such new or revised theories or laws
3. The collecting of information about a particular subject
For our purposes all three of those definitions apply to what we’re talking about. Sociological (or any social science) research is a careful diligent search, a studious inquiry or examination aimed at collecting information about a particular subject. However, in our case—research is focused on the systematic analysis of a particular issue guided by the standards and criteria of scientific inquiry. In this way, research conducted for scientific purposes is different than research you do when you are looking to purchase your next washer/dryer set.
Research Methods/Approaches
In sociological research there are three major research methods: quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods. Here are some reminders about the differences between quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research:
Quantitative Research: Quantitative research methods are defined as emphasizing “objective measurements and the statistical, mathematical, or numerical analysis of data collected through polls, questionnaires, and surveys, or by manipulating pre-existing statistical data using computational techniques. Quantitative research focuses on gathering numerical data and generalizing it across groups of people or to explain a particular phenomenon” (Babbie, 2010).
Typical methods employed in quantitative research:
· Surveys, Questionnaires, Polls
· Experimental Designs
· Content Analysis (with a quantitative focus)
Qualitative Research: Qualitative research methods emphasize the “qualities of entities and [focus] on processes and meanings that are not experimentally examined or measured [if measured at all] in terms of quantity, amount, intensity, or frequency. Qualitative researchers stress the socially constructed nature of reality, the intimate relationship between the researcher and what is studied, and the situational constraints that shape inquiry. Such researchers emphasize the value-laden nature of inquiry” (Denzin, 2000).
Typical methods employed in qualitative research:
· Interviews
· Focus Groups
· Ethnography
· Case Studies
· Phenomenology
· Narrative Analysis
· Life History
· Content Analysis (qualitative)
Mixed Methods: Mixed methods research integrates both quantitative and qualitative research in a single study. Using each method for its strengths in understanding a single social problem or area of study.
How Do I Identify a Research Problem or Question?
There are several ways that Sociologists identify research topics, problems, or questions to pursue—it is important to be open to any possibility; you never know what might come to you! Sometimes researchers find a research area based on a “hole” in the current scientific literature—finding something that has never been studied, is understudied, or something that they have a strong critique of in the literature.
Researchers may also land on their research because of a personal interest or connection. As a military spouse, I had a growing interest in studying military spouses and families during college. Once in graduate school I was interested in studying the lives of wounded veterans (for my dissertation research) because of my personal connection to the military (as a military spouse) and my understanding of living with a family member who has a disability (my father has a non-military related traumatic brain injury).
Another way researchers may come to a research question is through current events. How can we understand the relationship between American culture, laws, and values with the current levels of gun violence, particularly mass shootings?
As you are thinking about your capstone paper proposal this week, it is important to stay open—you never know when a research problem, question or idea may come to you! Don’t second guess yourself—always keep your research ideas alive. You should thoroughly explore an idea before deciding it’s not a good one!
Conducting an Initial Search for Relevant Literature
Your first discussion board posting requires you to list your initial working draft of your references list for your capstone paper. Typically when I’m researching a new topic (that I don’t know much about), I start with Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/
Here’s a link to the Sociology/Social Science databases in the Ashford Library to help get your started on your search: https://library.ashford.edu/databases_subject.aspx#Sociology
I personally recommend ESBSCOhost, JSTOR, and Project MUSE.
*********
Resources
Recommended References
Byrne, D. (2017). Reviewing the literature . Project Planner. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781526408518
Thomas, D. R., & Hodges, I. D. (2010). Doing a literature review . In Thomas, D. R., & Hodges, I. D., Designing and managing your research project: Core skills for social and health research (pp. 105-130). https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446289044
Walliman, N. (2006). Writing a literature review . In Walliman, N., Sage Course companions: Social research methods (pp. 182-185). https://doi.org/10.4135/9781849209939
Wentz, E. (2014). The literature review . In Wentz, E., How to design, write, and present a successful dissertation proposal (pp. 81-95). https://doi.org/10.4135/9781506374710
Young, E., & Quinn, L. (2017). An essential guide to writing policy briefs (Links to an external site.) . Retrieved from https://www.icpolicyadvocacy.org/sites/icpa/files/downloads/icpa_policy_briefs_essential_guide.pdf
Assignment 4 PowerPoint Slide Deck for your Term Research Assignment
This assignment will be different for each student as it is tied directly to your Term Research Assignment. If you are working with another student in the class on the Term Research Assignment please remember Assignment 4 is an INDIVIDUAL assignment and each student will create the slide deck on their own.
Assignment Requirements and Details
1. This is to be completed individually and is tied directly to your Term Research Assignment. 2. There must be a minimum of 6 slides in the slide deck.
a. The first slide must be an introductory slide that identifies the audience, yourself, and who you are representing (create a strong slide to start your presentation).
b. The next 5 slides must be information/persuasion slides – your choice of what to include but they should flow together. Think about how you can persuade your audience – what content is needed?
c. Include a work cited slide if you use information other than your own knowledge in the slides (this would be slide 7+).
3. The goal of this assignment is to think about how you would present this information to your audience orally. No new information is required for this presentation – but how you present it may be different than how you wrote it, or presented it, in the Term Research Assignment.
4. You do not have to provide a complete presentation – your goal is to show me your skills using PowerPoint and your skills in organizing your information for a presentation.
5. The slide layout and information presented on each slide will be graded (use what you learned with SIMNet). Professionalism is important for this assignment.
a. Don’t include too much information on each slide – the goal is to guide the reader, not provide all information for the reader.
b. Decide on the best layout for the information. In other words, should you include a graph, picture, or other item to guide the reader?
c. What does the audience know and what do they need to know about the topic? Use this to guide your assignment creation.
d. Additional slides (more than 6) may help your thinking process and your grade.
Assignment 1 – FAQ Use this page to help write your first assignment.
Q. What is a memo?
A. A memo is an internal (only) document used by a business to present information.
Q. How do I create the memo format?
A. There is an example of a memo format on page 524 in the text. A memo is single spaced, has a pre-set 4 line heading at the top, and is a minimum of three (3) paragraphs. The single spacing comes from the concept that double spacing is just for academics and not business – thus you need to remember to use single spacing in your business writing. The 4 line heading will be discussed in the next question. The minimum of 3 paragraphs means that all documents must have an introduction, body, and conclusion.
Q. What is the 4 line heading used to start a memo?
A. The 4 line heading for a memo consists of: To, From, Date, and Subject (or RE for regarding). These 4 lines can be in any order at the top; however, the “Subject” line is almost always the 4th line – which means it is the closest to the first paragraph of the memo. It is also very common to have the “Date” line come before the “To” line since that helps the reader know the time frame the document was sent. The writer will use the tab function to tab over after each heading. This will allow the heading information to be lined up for the reader. See the example below.
To: Ava Stevens
From: “A” Student
Date: October 1, 2015
Subject: Assignment 1 – Student Data Memo
Notice how the heading information is lined up to make it easy for the reader?
Q. Can I use lists in a memo?
A. Yes. Lists are encouraged in business writing. However, your goal is to make sure the list format is correct. When you start a list, you must introduce it. The introduction can be a complete sentence or the list can complete the sentence. If you introduce a list with a complete sentence, you do not have to worry about the punctuation in the list completing the sentence. If you introduce a list with a colon (:) you will have to continue the sentence punctuation throughout the list. See the examples below.
Introduction to a list using a complete sentence I have lived in the following cities.
• Fresno, California
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• San Francisco, California
• Portland, Oregon
Notice how you don’t need sentence punctuation in the list?
-OR- Introduction to a list using a colon
I have lived in the following cities:
• Fresno, California;
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania;
• San Francisco, California; and
• Portland, Oregon.
Notice how you need to put in punctuation and complete the sentence?
Q. Can a memo be more than one page?
A. Yes. For every page after the first a heading will appear at the top of the page, either left justified or spread out across the top of the page. The heading will appear as either one of the following examples.
Ava Stevens
Page 2
October 1, 2015
-OR-
Ava Stevens Page 2 October 1, 2019
Assignment 1
Understanding the research process is critical in communication. This assignment will allow you to show your research ability, topic and research understanding, and persuasive aptitude. You may complete this assignment on your own or with one other student from the class. If you wish to work with another student, it is up to you to pair up as your instructor will not determine with whom you work.
There are two parts to this assignment: the research process itself and the written understanding of the research.
This assignment is designed to help you understand how to find research that is specific to your topic and is persuasive (along with informative) in content.
Part 1 – Topic Identification / Audience Analysis
This part is about identifying a topic and considering the audience; it consists of two steps.
First Step: Choose a topic from the list below. If you don’t see a topic which interests you, you are welcome to suggest an alternative topic to your instructor for approval. Your goal is to persuade your audience to do one of the following.
· To implement an unlimited vacation policy
· To implement an employee volunteer program
· To devote XX hours per month on charitable work with XX agency
· To offer an education-reimbursement program
· To install a green roof on their building
· To become a certified B Corp
· To begin a social media program using XX social media tools
· To drive enrollment in a retirement plan
· To join a specific union
· To increase vaccination against a specific disease in a specific population
· To conserve water (or other energy type)
· To generate private investment in a particular business sector
· To implement an employee sabbatical program
· To implement all-user restrooms in their facility
· To implement a paid-parental leave policy
· To boycott (or support) a specific product or products that support a particular agenda
· To implement a telecommuting policy
· To encourage participation in an employee giving campaign
Next: Identify the following three items.
1. Who is your audience? Who are you persuading in your assignment? (This must be a business, government agency, or non-profit entity.) Identify the actual decision makers from your audience, by name and title. This cannot be a fictitious audience, it must be existing and researchable.
2. Who are you representing? To be able to persuade you have to be representing a known entity (business, government agency, or non-profit entity).
3. What specifically are you persuading them to do? What do you want the audience to do when you have successfully presented your argument? What is the audience’s next step if and when they are persuaded?
Once you have completed these two steps, you are prepared to complete the written assignment. Additional assignment details are on D2L.
Part 2 – Research Due
This part is about finding and understanding the research on your chosen topic.
Gather Research
Now that you know your topic, audience, and persuasive goal you need to find research that can be used to back up your claim and persuade your audience. You must find at least 6 articles (not books) that can be used to back up your persuasive argument. Of these 6 articles at least 3 MUST be from peer-reviewed academic journals.
To verify these articles are from peer-reviewed journals, please verify using Ulrich’s International Periodicals Directory. Ulrich’s’ can be found online through the PSU Library. Go to www.pdx.edu, click on “Library”, click on “Databases & Articles”, and then click on “U” in the alphabet presented to get to Ulrich’s’. To verify the journal is peer-reviewed, type the name of the journal in the search bar and hit enter. When the journal comes up, if there is a striped referee shirt to the left of the journal listing, then the journal is peer-reviewed. If there is no striped referee shirt, then the journal is NOT peer-reviewed.
Part 3 - Written Understanding / Persuasive Discussion
Annotated Bibliography
Once you have found the 6 articles (with at least 3 peer-reviewed) your job is to read all the articles and understand the content well enough to write an annotated bibliography. Information on how to write and produce an annotated bibliography will be given in a separate document and discussed in class. This annotated bibliography will be 2-3 pages in length and will be typed single space, using 11 point Times New Roman font.
A copy or “picture” of the journal showing that it is peer-reviewed (as shown in Ulrich’s) is required to be pasted under each annotated bibliography that is from a peer-reviewed journal. This can be done by using the “CTRL” “PrtScn” command on your computer (hold Ctrl down and tap PrtScn) and then copying that picture into Paint (or another similar software). Then cut the picture so only the one journal is shown on the page. Insert that picture into your Word document at the end of the annotated bibliography from that journal.
An example of what this will look like in your paper is below.
Persuasive Memo
This is the final part of the assignment. You have a strong understanding of the persuasive goal, you have found research to help persuade your audience, and now it is time to prove you have the necessary information and persuasive research to successfully persuade your audience. Instead of writing a formal report to your audience you will write a 1-2 page memo to your instructor outlining the following.
· HOW do you plan to use the research to persuade your audience?
· WHY will you be successful in your persuasion?
· WHAT parts will you use from each article to prove your points?
The goal of this memo is to outline your research, ideas and motives to show you can successfully persuade your audience. Please make sure to write a strong memo outlining the necessary information needed to persuade your audience. You can refer to the annotated bibliography in the memo as well.
You will turn the assignment in with the memo first and the annotated bibliography second.
Early assignments are gladly accepted. :-)
Assignment 2 - PowerPoint Slide Deck for your Individual Term Research Assignment
This assignment will be different for each student as it is tied directly to your Term Research Assignment.
If you are working with another student in the class on the Term Research Assignment please remember Assignment 4 is an INDIVIDUAL assignment and each student will create the slide deck on their own.
Assignment Requirements and Details
1. This is to be completed individually and is tied directly to your Term Research Assignment.
2. There must be a minimum of 6 slides in the slide deck.
a. The first slide must be an introductory slide that identifies the audience, yourself, and who you are representing (create a strong slide to start your presentation).
b. The next 5 slides must be information/persuasion slides – your choice of what to include but they should flow together. Think about how you can persuade your audience – what content is needed?
c. Include a work cited slide if you use information other than your own knowledge in the slides (this would be slide 7+).
3. The goal of this assignment is to think about how you would present this information to your audience orally. No new information is required for this presentation – but how you present it may be different than how you wrote it, or presented it, in the Term Research Assignment.
4. You do not have to provide a complete presentation – your goal is to show me your skills using PowerPoint and your skills in organizing your information for a presentation.
5. The slide layout and information presented on each slide will be graded (use what you learned with SIMNet). Professionalism is important for this assignment.
a. Don’t include too much information on each slide – the goal is to guide the reader, not provide all information for the reader.
b. Decide on the best layout for the information. In other words, should you include a graph, picture, or other item to guide the reader?
c. What does the audience know and what do they need to know about the topic? Use this to guide your assignment creation.
d. Additional slides (more than 6) may help your thinking process and your grade.
Assignment 3
Persuasive Memo This is the final part of the assignment. You have a strong understanding of the persuasive goal, you have found research to help persuade your audience, and now it is time to prove you have the necessary information and persuasive research to successfully persuade your audience. Instead of writing a formal report to your audience you will write a 1-2 page memo to your instructor outlining the following.
· WHO is your audience and what do they need to be persuaded?
· HOW do you plan to use the research to persuade your audience?
· WHY will you be successful in your persuasion?
· WHAT parts will you use from each article to prove your points?
The goal of this memo is to outline your research, ideas and motives to show you can successfully persuade your audience. Please make sure to write a strong memo outlining the necessary information needed to persuade your audience. You can refer to the annotated bibliography in the memo as well.
Keep in mind this is NOT a formal paper, but a chance to show me (your boss) you are ready to persuade your audience and you have the information and facts to back up your persuasion. Also that you have prepared the persuasion for your specific audience.
You will turn the completed assignment in with the memo first (in the Word file) and the annotated bibliography second (in the same Word file).

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