Develop a proposal for your HUB 680 project/paper in this course (HUB 650). You will begin this process in Week 1 by developing your research proposition.
You are required to develop a proposal for your HUB 680 project/paper in this course (HUB 650). You will begin this process in Week 1 by developing your research proposition. A research proposition is a clear statement of the purpose of your research, your research question(s), research problem, and hypothesis (es).
An example might be “This research project will investigate the influence of CEO compensation on organizational performance.” Note the focus of the research is not on CEO compensation (the independent variable) or on organizational performance (the dependent variable). Instead the focus of the research is to “test” the relationship between the IV and DV.
To successfully complete this assignment, write your research proposition in a MS Word file in which you:
Write an introduction to your proposal (but do not label it “Introduction”). The introduction will briefly state the topic, purpose, and significance of your study in one to three paragraphs (try to get your first paragraph to “hook” the reader with an interesting statistic, a compelling story, etc.).
Define the IV and DV.
State how you will “test” the influence of the IV on the DV.
Propose at least one hypothesis (or at least one research question).
Summarize any literature you used to develop your research proposition (cite at least two sources) in a section entitled Literature Review
Your first proposal assignment must have a title page but no Table of Contents or an Abstract. The Table of Content and the Abstract will be included in the final paper. The proposal must adhere to APA style (the 7th edition of the APA Manual).
Writing a good research paper takes time, thought, and effort. Although this assignment is challenging, it is manageable. Focusing on one step at a time will help you develop a thoughtful, informative, well-supported research paper.
Your first step is to choose a topic and then to develop research questions, a working thesis, and a written research proposal. Set aside adequate time for this part of the process. Fully exploring ideas will help you build a solid foundation for your paper.
When you choose a topic for a research paper, you are making a major commitment. Your choice will help determine whether you enjoy the lengthy process of research and writing—and whether your final paper fulfills the assignment requirements. If you choose your topic hastily, you may later find it difficult to work with your topic. By taking your time and choosing carefully, you can ensure that this assignment is not only challenging but also rewarding.
Writers understand the importance of choosing a topic that fulfills the assignment requirements and fits the assignment’s purpose and audience. (For more information about purpose and audience, see Chapter 6 “Writing Paragraphs: Separating Ideas and Shaping Content”.) Choosing a topic that interests you is also crucial. You instructor may provide a list of suggested topics or ask that you develop a topic on your own. In either case, try to identify topics that genuinely interest you.
After identifying potential topic ideas, you will need to evaluate your ideas and choose one topic to pursue. Will you be able to find enough information about the topic? Can you develop a paper about this topic that presents and supports your original ideas? Is the topic too broad or too narrow for the scope of the assignment? If so, can you modify it so it is more manageable? You will ask these questions during this preliminary phase of the research process.
Sometimes, your instructor may provide a list of suggested topics. If so, you may benefit from identifying several possibilities before committing to one idea. It is important to know how to narrow down your ideas into a concise, manageable thesis. You may also use the list as a starting point to help you identify additional, related topics. Discussing your ideas with your instructor will help ensure that you choose a manageable topic that fits the requirements of the assignment.
In this chapter, you will follow a writer named Jorge, who is studying health care administration, as he prepares a research paper. You will also plan, research, and draft your own research paper.
Jorge was assigned to write a research paper on health and the media for an introductory course in health care. Although a general topic was selected for the students, Jorge had to decide which specific issues interested him. He brainstormed a list of possibilities.