Essay

OL 665 Module Six Short Paper Guidelines and Rubric Overview: When you are learning about an organization, the opportunity to meet with someone from the organization is invaluable. This is because people like to tell their stories, and asking follow-up questions creates a level of insight not gained from reviewing a website or reading an article. In addition, you have the opportunity to add real-world examples to those provided in your textbook. Prompt: Write a short paper that summarizes your interview experience with a person from a not-for-profit organization. Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:

I. Introduction: Provide the following: a. The name and position of the individual you interviewed (If you were able to meet and interview additional people, provide their names and

positions also.) b. The name of the not-for-profit organization that the individual works for c. The date, time, and location of the interview

II. Interview Summary:

a. List the questions you asked and the answers you received. b. What did you learn about the organization’s leadership that can contribute to your final project? c. What did you learn about that can contribute to your final project, in terms of how the organization communicates? d. What did you learn about that can contribute to your final project, in terms of how the organization manages its finances? e. What did you learn about that can contribute to your final project, in terms of the organization’s ethics?

III. Analysis: What are the organization’s overall strengths and weaknesses? In what ways do they impact organizational success? Support your assertions.

IV. Conclusion: Write a summary of how you feel about your experience. Do you feel it went well? Why or why not?

V. Interview Consent Form: During your interview, you should ask for the interviewee’s signature on the Interview Consent Form, obtaining their

permission to mention the name of the organization in your short paper. Additionally, it provided permission to quote the individual(s) anonymously in the assignment. Scan the Interview Consent Form as a PDF or take a picture of it and save it as a JPEG. Upload it along with your short paper.

Rubric Guidelines for Submission: Submit a 3- to 5-page Microsoft Word document (not including title page or references). It should be double spaced with 12-point Times New Roman font, one-inch margins, and APA formatting. Submit your signed Interview Consent Form as either a PDF or a JPEG.

Critical Elements Exemplary (100%) Proficient (90%) Needs Improvement (70%) Not Evident (0%) Value

Introduction Meets “Proficient” criteria and describes the interview setting with interesting and vivid detail

Includes an introduction that answers the questions in the prompt to a satisfactory level of detail

Includes an introduction but it is either incomplete or cursory

Does not include an introduction

5

Interview Summary: Responses to

Questions

Meets “Proficient” criteria and provides answers that reflect an attempt to go beyond the surface of the conversation to gain an in-depth understanding of the organization

Includes interview questions and provides answers to questions with a satisfactory level of detail

Includes interview questions but answers are cursory

Does not include a response to interview questions

10

Interview Summary: Learning about

Leadership

Meets “Proficient” criteria and demonstrates a synthesized understanding of leadership within the organization

Summarizes learning about leadership and provides examples from the interview

Includes a discussion of leadership but it is cursory

Does not discuss learning related to leadership

15

Interview Summary: Learning about Communication

Meets “Proficient” criteria and demonstrates a synthesized understanding of communication within the organization

Summarizes learning about communication and provides examples from the interview

Includes a discussion of communication but it is cursory

Does not discuss learning related to communication

15

Interview Summary: Learning about

Financial Management

Meets “Proficient” criteria and demonstrates a synthesized understanding of financial management within the organization

Summarizes learning about financial management and provides examples from the interview

Includes a discussion of financial management but it is cursory

Does not discuss learning related to financial management

15

Interview Summary: Learning about Ethics

Meets “Proficient” criteria and demonstrates a synthesized understanding of ethics within the organization

Summarizes learning about ethics and provides examples from the interview

Includes a discussion of ethics but it is cursory

Does not discuss learning related to ethics

15

Analysis Meets “Proficient” criteria and demonstrates insight into what constitutes a strength or a weakness related to the organization’s prospects for success

Identifies strengths and weaknesses and provides an explanation of why they are either a strength or weakness

Identifies strengths and weaknesses but the discussion of them is cursory

Does not include an analysis 10

Conclusion Meets “Proficient” criteria and includes a conclusion that reflects personal growth and insight

Includes a conclusion that answers the questions in the prompt to a satisfactory level of detail

Includes a conclusion but it is cursory

Does not include a conclusion 5

Interview Consent Form

Form is uploaded with the short paper as a PDF or JPEG

Form is not present with the upload of the short paper

5

Articulation of Response

Submission is free of errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization and is presented in a professional and easy to read format

Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization

Submission has major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas

Submission has critical errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that prevent understanding of ideas

5

Total 100%