1. Read the content page Guide for Selecting a research topic (SCROLL DOWN FOR INFO 2ND PAGE)

2. Next, select a general topic, then narrow your topic down.

3. Locate 3-4 journals (an initial list of current*, high caliber resources). In your submission, identify the journal, indicate whether it is a scholarly or trade source, and provide citation information for an article that is relevant to your research. Besides this initial list, you will need to locate additional sources for your research. *Current means within the past five years.

4. Write a clear topic statement / topic question.

5. Write a one paragraph explanation of what you intend to cover in your research.

Submit your topic sentence, your one paragraph explanation, and the initial list of research journals.

Guide for Selecting a Research Topic

An assignment in this module is to select a topic for your research related to Management Information Systems. First select a general topic, then narrow your topic down. Finally write a clear topic sentence and an explanation of what you intend to cover in your research, for submission.

Use these guidelines to help start your research and select a topic.

Skim through the textbook to see the wide variety of topics available to you. You will find your research easier if you identify a topic that interests you or one that relates to your work.

Here are some general ideas for selecting a topic:

• Focus on an organizational function such as Human Resources, Finance and Accounting, Manufacturing and Production, Sales and Marketing, or Operations. In most cases, you will want to choose a sub-function of one of these areas, such as recruiting in human resources, or supply chain management or warehouse management in operations.

• Focus on a technology use within an industry or profession such as pharmaceuticals, community health services or other not for profit, government, law enforcement, call centers, recycling, architecture education, sports or medicine.

• Focus on a type of technology or information systems such as CRM (customer relationship management) or decision support (DSS)

• Focus on an IT function or functional responsibility such as security, privacy, policy development

• Focus on an IS/IT activity - such as system development, conversions, change management in IS/IT, project management in IS/IT

Often topics combine a type of technology with an organization use for example the use of social media in the mission of a particular church, or the use of data mining by Amazon to recommend books, using distance technology for medical diagnosis, how technology can customize your online shopping experience.

Narrowing your topic

Once you have a general area for your paper, you need to focus on a specific topic. For example, if you are choosing how IS/IT has impacted Human Resources, please do not submit:

Human Resources

Please submit something along the lines of:

How IS has impacted Human Resources recruiting in terms of job posting, resume submission methods, and candidate communications.