Research Paper

Part I – Research Portion/Strategic Plan Critique This part will comprise the “traditional” style of research associated with term papers. In this part, follow the APA style and write no less than 8 pages and no more than 10 pages, with the following sections: Generated: 10/6/2018 Page 5 of 10 • Introduction (no more than one page; overview of what you will present, including the high points of your work; tell us about the strategic plan you selected and how you will conduct the critique/analysis) • Literature Review (multiple pages; this is where you pull together the knowledge that will inform your recommendations) • Findings/Discussion (multiple pages; what did you learn and how does it apply to your strategic plan?) • Implications/Conclusion (no more than two pages; what does it all mean and why would this be of interest to others?)

Reference List (here’s a clue -- this is the first section I check to see how much work was done on the project; APA requires that only those references actually used in the paper appear in the list) This part is your opportunity to reflect on strategic planning theory and other literature, and how those become part of your critique and later, revised strategic plan. If you were given an opportunity to present a narrative message to communicate to your stakeholders your intent with the strategic plan, then this is the place. For our purposes, your narrative will reflect the work you have done to get to your revised version. Use the names of the section headings in your submission (i.e., Introduction).

The Literature Review will contain the research material you have uncovered to help you with your direction. In addition to relevant strategic planning theory and practice literature, you will wish to include a brief history of the strategic plan you have selected (demographics of agency, why the plan was drafted in the first place, etc.),and any comparisons to other similar strategic plans – basically the research you have done to support your critique/argument and the revised version to follow. The Findings/Discussion is how you plan to pull the critique and revised version together, now that you have done your research and have selected a method to move forward. Often in the “real world,” the method is selected for you and you have to work within those requirements. This is perfectly acceptable and may be explained as such. Implications/Conclusion will be potential issues or impacts you might face in this critique and alternatives should you have to make adjustments (hint: we always have to make them). The Reference List will contain your sources listed in APA format.

Part II – Revised Strategic Plan Now that you have made an informed critique of the existing plan, here is where you present the revisions you believe are necessary for a better strategic plan. They will include: • Purpose Sentence/Statement • Mission • Vision • Values • Organizational History & Profile (Brief) • Priorities • Core Strategies (overarching) • Goals & Objectives for each Core Strategy • Promotional Slogan (have some fun with this one) These should only be the “overview” version that you would in turn make part of your strategic plan presentation. I am not looking for a loose leaf binder filled with paper (you can do that at work). The intent here is not to complicate the assignment, rather to get the exposure to this world. Grading will be based on the completeness of the project relative to the strategic plan analyzed, how well you have complied with the instructions, how well the summary is integrated with class readings and discussions, and how the summary integrates the strengths and weaknesses of the topic as it relates to the public and non-profit sectors. Your agency believes you have done such an outstanding job in recommending this revised strategic plan that you will also be assigned to present it to your stakeholders for approval. It is fairly common for administrators to present their work in front of peers, managers, community groups ,and elected officials – to name a few. You will too. The procedure will be fairly straightforward. At a minimum, you will Generated: 10/6/2018 Page 6 of 10 assemble a PowerPoint to post on Blackboard. In the past, there have been fairly innovative and interesting presentations, including video productions on YouTube. The style each student selects will be discussed and approved by the professor prior to final posting to the grading center. All research projects and presentations will be submitted the final week of the term, and no later than 11:59 PM EST on the final day. No project will be accepted after the due date. You can always submit early, but not late. Special Note: The Research Paper is a two-part endeavor – Part I is the research supported critique and Part II comprises your recommendations to the sections listed. The Research Presentation is a separately submitted item that summarizes your Research Paper for presenting to others. If there is any confusion or questions, do not hesitate to ask the professor. Part I and Part II may be submitted to Blackboard together in the same file or in two separate files – either way, the submission will be in Word format.

The Presentation will be submitted to Blackboard in PowerPoint format.

Additional Research Information: The written submission for the research activity will follow the APA Style (Times Roman 12 point font, double-spaced typing, with one inch margins all around, etc.). Students will use a standard method of noting references used in the review (APA style). Students may use the endnote or footnote style, whichever better suits them. Poor writing quality will produce a substantially lower grade. Proper spelling, grammar, and syntax are important. In the age of spell and grammar check, there are no excuses for proofreading errors.

References for research can be a real problem area for those who do not take graduate school research seriously enough to be successful. The internet is a very tricky place for doing research, because so much of it is not academic or not true (or both). The regular “Wikipedia” site may be nice to read, but it is not considered an academic research site! Use academic journals, books, and articles. There are academic reference search engines too. You may also use government documents – not the opinion of those who write about them. Government documents are a great source as publicly released information and are usually free.

Most “think tanks” are partisan or ideologically based and not good sources. The RAND Corporation or Pew Research Center, as examples, is fine to use. Do not be tempted to go to “Google” or any other regular search engine and just type “Strategic Management,” as you will get 62.2 million matches. You do not have time for that type of search. Take advantage of the resources the University provides for you. If you are unsure about a reference, just ask. Here’s another tip: When you pull an excellent example of a journal article for your research, go to the reference list and see additional references with more articles you can consider using.

Research Guidelines: All social sciences, of which Public Administration is a discipline, mandate the use of APA (American Psychological Association) style and publication guidelines. Therefore, your research will observe APA guidelines throughout. The most current version is APA Style 6th Edition, which is available at the campus bookstore, online, or retail bookstores. You are highly encouraged to visit the www.APAStyle.org website to learn more about this essential information