Assignment

The purpose of the Session Long Project in Trident University International classes is to give you the opportunity to explore the applicability of the Module to your own life and work, and to see how the otherwise academically rigorous presentation of a topic may, with more or less work and/or trauma, become "up close and personal". This is done in a number of different ways -- sometimes cumulative papers, sometimes practical hands-on experimentation with a tool of some sort, sometimes reflections on a place of work or life. The common thread is personal application, aimed at demonstrating a cumulative knowledge and understanding of the course's material.

In each module, you will complete an assessment and/or situation diagnostics focusing on some aspect of leadership. You will then be asked to create a plan by which you can "grow" your strengths and develop your weaknesses. By the end of the course and the project, you will have a better understanding of strategic leadership and how to use leadership to influence followers.

Background

Martin Luther King was one of the great orators of the 20th century, and his style has been used as a model for many, including President Barack Obama. In this SLP assignment, you will analyze MLK's style and compare it to your own.

Required Reading

Read Martin Luther King's letter from Birmingham Jail.

Session Long Project

Then, drawing on the material in the background readings and doing additional research, write a 2- to 3-page paper in which you:

Analyze the leadership and oratory styles of Martin Luther King, Jr. through the lens of ethos, logos, and pathos, and compare his styles to your own. What could you do to strengthen your own skills at influence and persuasion?

Keys to the Assignment

The key aspects of this assignment that, at a minimum, should be covered in your paper include:

• Examples of how Martin Luther King used ethos, logos, and pathos in his powerful and highly influential letter.

• How do you/can you incorporate what you have learned about ethos, logos, and pathos into your own leadership activities to increase your influence as a leader?

SLP Assignment Expectations

Your paper will be evaluated using the following five criteria:

• Assignment-Driven Criteria (Precision and Breadth): Does the paper fully address all Keys to the Assignment? Are the concepts behind the Keys to the Assignment addressed accurately and precisely using sound logic? Does the paper meet minimum length requirements?

• Critical Thinking (Critical Thinking and Depth): Does the paper demonstrate graduate-level analysis, in which information derived from multiple sources, expert opinions, and assumptions has been critically evaluated and synthesized in the formulation of a logical set of conclusions? Does the paper address the topic with sufficient depth of discussion and analysis?

• Business Writing (Clarity and Organization): Is the paper well written (clear, developed logically, and well organized)? Are the grammar, spelling, and vocabulary appropriate for graduate-level work? Are section headings included in all papers? Are paraphrasing and synthesis of concepts the primary means of responding to the Keys to the Assignment, or is justification/support instead conveyed through excessive use of direct quotations?

• Effective Use of Information (Information Literacy and References): Does the paper demonstrate that the student has read, understood, and can apply the background materials for the module? If required, has the student demonstrated effective research, as evidenced by the student's use of relevant and quality sources? Do additional sources used in the paper provide strong support for conclusions drawn, and do they help in shaping the overall paper?

• Citing Sources: Does the student demonstrate understanding of APA Style of referencing by inclusion of proper end references and in-text citations (for paraphrased text and direct quotations) as appropriate? Have all sources (e.g., references used from the Background page, the assignment readings, and outside research) been included, and are these properly cited? Have all end references been included within the body of the paper as in-text citations?

Tips and Suggestions

Note the following tips and suggestions:

• Include a cover page and reference page, in addition to the 2-3 pages of analysis described above.

• Include headings for all papers greater than 2 pages (basically all papers), but do not use headings as "space fillers."

• You are expected to deal with these issues in an integrated fashion, rather than treating them as a series of individual questions to be answered one by one and left at that.

• You should synthesize information and present a concise and meaningful paper.

• Cite and reference all sources that you use in your work, including those that you paraphrase but do not quote. This means include citations and quotation marks for direct quotes of more than 5 words, and citations for that information which you have "borrowed" or paraphrased from other sources.

• Follow the TUI Guidelines for well-written papers.