Assignment: Writing Requirement

As part of the course requirements, you are required to write a position paper. In today's business environment, good writing is almost as important, or even more important than, public speaking. The documents that you create for your company will reflect not just on who you are as a manager, but also reflects on the company that you work for.

You may select your own topic for the position paper. The only requirement is that it must be a persuasive paper, and that it has to discuss how a law or laws influence the conduct of businesses. While this is a very broad mandate, you should choose carefully so that you will have enough information to back up the position that you take. I have mentioned several examples in class and on the class outlines that can be used.

You can browse through the textbook or current events to come up with ideas on other topics, or talk to your friends or family members who may have been affected by a particular business law issue. Other things to consider when writing this paper:

1. At this point in your college career, I will assume that you know how to write a paper, how to conduct basic research on the Internet and in the library, and how to cite sources. If you have any questions, the reference librarians at the Roesch Library are excellent resources. A good place to start is the library's FAQ page under "Research."

2. Also at this point in your college career, I assume you know what plagiarism is, and when you should cite or paraphrase, and when you should not. I also assume many of you know that with the Internet, there are many ways to cheat on term papers, including paying someone else to write your term paper for you. I expect that you turn in your own work.

3. Use a works cited page or footnotes to cite your sources. You may use MLA, APA, or Bluebook format, but be consistent throughout your paper. See the bottom of this document for a guide on how to use APA cites. You must cite any proposition that is not original. Wikis are not considered reliable sources and may not be cited. Google is not a source.

4. Organize, your paper. Use section headings and titles where appropriate.

5. Papers should not be longer than 5 pages and should be typed in Microsoft Word single spaced, with 1" margins. Due date is midnight on April 9.

6. On the last page of your paper, you must type: "On my honor, I have neither received nor given unauthorized assistance in any manner on this paper."

Hints and Tips on MGT 201 Persuasive Papers:

- Your position statements will drive your paper. Spend time to craft your statement carefully, as it will make the writing process easier.

- Remember that there are two "levels" in this paper. The first is research, to draw a landscape of the current legislation and/or case law surrounding your topic. The second level is to persuade the reader about your point of view. This requires you to develop independent and original ideas on why your view is superior and should be believed over the competing view.

- Your writing should reflect a level of critical thinking and analysis that is appropriate for college-level work.

APA Citation Style for Business Resources

Based on the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Fifth Edition, 2001

Reference Books

Book: Author, A. A. (2004). Title of work. Location: Publisher.

Book Chapter: Author, A. A. (2004). Title of chapter. In A. Editor (Ed.), Title of work (pp. xxx-xxx). Location: Publisher.

Subscription Databases

General rule: Follow the format appropriate for the work (magazine, journal) and add a retrieval statement that includes the date retrieved and the name of the database.

Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (2000). Title of article. Title of Periodical, xx, xxxxxx. Retrieved month day, year, from database.

Business Source Complete

Journal Article

Barak, M. &Lerman, S. (2006). Wireless laptops as means for promoting active learning in large lecture halls. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 38(3), 245-263. Retrieved November 11, 2005, from Business Source Complete database.

Magazine Article

Lippman, A. (2006). The new age of wireless. Scientific American, 295(4), 40-42. Retrieved November 24, 2006, from Business Source Complete database.

Company Profile

Datamonitor. (2007, Oct. 26). Verizon Communications Inc. company profile. Retrieved March 27, 2008, from Business Source Complete database.

LexisNexis Academic

Newspaper Article

Hoare, S. (2006, July 25). MBAs: Playing to win: Sport & business can learn a lot from each other about leadership and motivation. The Guardian (London), p. 27. Retrieved March 10, 2007 from LexisNexis Academic database.

Magazine Article

Richard Schmalensee, R. (2006, Nov. 27). Where's the `B' in B-Schools. Business Week, 4011, 118-119. Retrieved January 10, 2007, from LexisNexis Academic database.

Company Records

Hoover's. (2008, Feb. 12). Apple Computer, Inc. Hoover's Company Records - In-Depth Records. Retrieved Feb. 7, 2008, from LexisNexis Academic database.

Mintel Oxygen

Mintel. (2008, March). Kids' snacking - US - March 2008. Retrieved March 27, 2008, from Mintel Oxygen database.

ReferenceUSA

ReferenceUSA (2008). Crawford Textiles Company Inc. profile. Retrieved March 22, 2008, from ReferenceUSA database.

Standard & Poor's NetAdvantage

Stock Report

Standard & Poor's. (2008, March 22). Apple Computer Inc. Standard & Poor's Stock Reports. Retrieved March 27, 2008 from Standard & Poor's NetAdvantage database.

Industry Survey

Kessler, S. H. (2008, March 27). Computers: Consumer services and the Internet. Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys. Retrieved March 27, 2008 from Standard & Poor's NetAdvantage database.

Internet Resources

Nike, Inc. (2007) Annual Report 2007. Retrieved March 29, 2008, from the Nike, Inc. web site http://www.nike.com.