research paper

1

MANAGEMENT CAPSTONE GUIDELINES General Guidelines All MSM capstone papers must use APA style. General guidelines follow; for more detailed information, consult the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (current edition). 1. Manuscripts should be double-spaced, including references and tables, on 8-1/2 by 11-1/2 white

paper using 1”margins. Number pages consecutively for the abstract, text, references, tables, and figures (in this order).

2. Title page. In addition to the title of the paper the page should state: A Paper Presented to the faculty of Lasell College in Partial Fulfillment of the requirement of the Degree Master of Science in Management.

3. Acknowledgements. If students choose to include acknowledgements recognizing organizations or individuals, these should be placed on a separate page immediately following the title page.

4. Abstract and key words. On a separate page, each manuscript must include a brief abstract, double- spaced. Abstracts should be approximately 200 words and must include the following headings: Purpose of the study, Design and Methods, Results, and Implications. Below the abstract, supply 3–5 key words that are not in the title.

5. Text references. Refer to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (current edition) for style.

6. Reference list. Type double-spaced and arrange alphabetically by author’s surname; do not number. The reference list includes only references cited in the text and in most cases should not exceed 50 entries. Do not include references to private communications or submitted work. Consult the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (current edition) for correct form.

7. Tables. Prepare tables, double-spaced in separate files, number consecutively with Arabic numbers and supply a brief title for each. Place table footnotes immediately below the table, using superscript letters (a, b, c) as reference marks. Asterisks are used only for probability levels of tests of significance (*p, .05). Indicate preferred placement for each table in the text.

8. Illustrations. Photographs must be black-and-white. Figures must be professionally lettered in a sans-serif type (e.g., Arial or Helvetica). Graphics must be submitted in a suitable, common graphic format.

2

MGMT 798 Management Research Project Research Project Guidelines Some students come to the Research Project with a fully formed idea of what they want to study. Most students may have a general idea, but no specifics and will need to have several conversations with peers, her/his academic advisor, the Chair of Marketing/Management, the Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies, and faculty. Often in these discussions, not only will student’s research ideas become more honed, but a potential research mentor will emerge. Once the student has identified a research mentor (and the mentor has agreed to mentor the student), additional conversations regarding the focus and scope of the study may be necessary before the initial proposal can be submitted. However, within a week of the formal agreement, the student should submit to the mentor a

1-2 page summary of the proposed research, indicating its importance to the students and/or the area of management, and

very brief literature review (generally no more than 2-3 pages identifying key themes and initial sources for the research paper).

During the research phase of the project the mentor will meet with the student, offer suggestions and advice, and review the student’s initial draft of their final paper (guidelines follow). Final Paper As a part of their capstone research project students in the MSM program are required to prepare a paper suitable for publication. These manuscripts may be no longer than 6,000 words including abstract, text, and references. There are two types of papers that will fulfill this requirement: Research Papers are papers that present the results of original research. The text is usually divided into sections with the headings: Introduction, Literature Review, Design and Methods, Results, and Discussion. Subheads may also be needed to clarify content. Practice Concepts are manuscripts that critically review the state-of-the-art in a major area of professional practice OR describe an innovative practice amenable to replication. Students reporting on practice innovations should clearly specify the following information about the practice:

uniqueness or innovativeness

theoretical or conceptual basis

essential components or features, lessons learned from implementation, and

data concerning outcomes. An important goal is to provide enough information about the practice to allow its replication by readers.

3

MGMT 799 Management Internship Internship Guidelines Beginning in the semester preceding the internship placement, the student should identify what type of organization they desire for their internship. Faculty advisors, MSM faculty, and the Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies, and even peers are available to help students identify internship opportunities. Remember: • The student holds primary responsibility for obtaining a field experience site. • The student is responsible for setting up interviews with prospective internship sites and

supervisors. Choosing an internship site: • The agency should have a minimum of two full-time professional staff members. • The agency should maintain a comprehensive and balanced program to provide broad multiple

exposures. • The agency should demonstrate its commitment to providing interns a high quality educational

experience by having a qualified supervisor available with the necessary time and commitment to teach and guide the intern.

Once the agency offers and the student accepts the internship, the Chair of Marketing/Management must approve the internship placement. The supervisor and student mutually agree on the dates of the internship, recognizing that the student must complete at least 150 worked hours to fulfill the internship requirements. Once the details of the internship have been agreed to by the student and the supervisor/agency, the supervisor needs to communicate the following via a letter (on agency letter head) to the Chair of Marketing/Management: 1. The supervisor’s agreement to supervise the student 2. A brief description the student’s role/responsibility 3. Confirmation that the student will be able to complete 150 hours of placement. During the internship, the Chair of Marketing/Management will conduct telephone inquiries with both supervisor and student to verify adequate performance. On completion of the internship, the student submits a brief reflection paper to their faculty supervisor and the Chair of Marketing/Management on their experience. In this paper, the student should:

Detail significant skills learned during the internship

Discuss experiences where the student reflected on her/his practice

Identify new techniques the student has developed as a result of the internship

Discuss any new concepts or information the student has learned about the field as a result of the internship

4

Analyze her/his performance, identifying strengths and weaknesses and discussing how s/he would improve her/his practice based on this experience.

o If the student was responsible for creating any products during the internship, examples of these products should also be submitted.

The supervisor must provide a written evaluation of the student intern's performance including a recommendation of a letter grade.