1. Qualitative and Quantitative Data:

Select a problem/topic of interest associated with your workplace or in an industry in which you would like to work (e.g., reducing transportation costs for a fleet of delivery trucks, or determining best policies and practices in implementing an employee exit system, or identifying options to reduce the time in a known product development process bottleneck).

Understanding Research, to gain a general understanding of the differences between quantitative and qualitative data. Find two research articles associated with your problem or topic of interest. One of the two articles should contain qualitative data and the other quantitative data.

Your Critical Thinking assignment consists of the following components:

First, create two tables; one will display qualitative data and the second will display quantitative data. This activity is designed for you to glean data from research reports and present them in a table format using APA standards.

Tables

• From the article that contains qualitative data, use the conceptual results of the research article and create your own qualitative table similar to Table 5.16 in the APA Manual 6th Edition.

• From the article that contains quantitative data, use data found in the research articles and create a quantitative table such as Table 5.3 in the APA Manual 6th Edition.

• Be sure to number and title the tables according to APA formatting standards.
Second, evaluate each article. This activity is designed for you to read and understand the parts of a research report and to critique whether it meets the standards of a quality research process.

Narrative

• Write a narrative to discuss the articles and research findings.

• The qualitative and quantitative data tables that you created should be integrated and synthesized with your narrative. You will introduce the table, display it immediately following the introduction, and then explain the table following the graphic display. Be sure to only submit one Word document in response to this assignment.

The paper should be well-written, supported by at least three scholarly references not assigned as reading for this course.

2. Research Problem:

Develop a document that conveys your Portfolio Project topic idea and the importance of your topic. Your paper should articulate the problem or opportunity you have selected in a concise and informative way.

Include several paragraphs that discuss the evidence that can support your research, deficiencies that may exist in the evidence, and the audiences that may benefit from your findings. Provide at least three outside references that will support your future research efforts.
Read Sections 6 and 7 in the APA 6th edition manual. List the scholarly articles appropriately in the references section with the URLs. Embed direct quotes from at least one of the sources within a paragraph in the paper. Finally, embed a direct quote with more than 40 words as a separately indented paragraph within the paper.

At the bottom of the paper, add the in-progress Section I Worksheet (Sections 1 and 4) as an Appendix with an appropriate reference within the body of the paper's text.

3. Purpose of the Study, Management/Business Questions, & Literature Review:

For this assignment, you will review the steps to communicating the purpose of a research study and management question, examine the process to create a literature review, and develop Purpose of the Investigation and Management/Business questions to use as a guide to your investigation. You will also begin researching information for the Problem or Opportunity Background section of your Portfolio Project.

Please note that the literature review, which is in Section II of your Portfolio Project, is entitled Problem or Opportunity Background. There are several components to this assignment:

Section I

• Revise and complete the Section I Worksheet-Business Opportunity or Section I Worksheet-Organizational Problem (See attached)

• Draft Section I.

Problem or Opportunity Background

• Provide an outline of areas/topics you intend to investigate.

• Submit a list of at least twelve references that you will analyze and incorporate into Section II of the Portfolio Project (Problem or Opportunity Background) for the Week 8 Portfolio assignment in this course. The CSU-Global Library is a good place to find these references.

• Concentrate on using references that were published within the last five years.

• Ensure that a minimum of three references for each topic area have been identified at this point in the process.

• Identify and include a specific theory that is relevant to the topic, problem, purpose and management question.

Remember: The literature review does not attempt to answer your problem statement. The twelve references will provide the most up-to-date review of the areas/topics of your investigation. The references will be a starting point to develop Section II - Problem or Opportunity Background, which is due in Week 8 as part of the Portfolio Project.