Each Member is responsible for researching a company of their choice and preparing a presentation discussing how that business is leveraging Information Technology - this means how this company is using information technology internally to conduct their business.
The research paper will consist of an overview of the business and technology topic selected. You should also include an explanation of why your particular business/technology topic is interesting or relevant to Information Technology professionals.
An analysis of competing companies and technologies or future direction of this industry may also be appropriate. Do NOT discuss products that the business promotes or sells - for example, do not explain how AT&T uses technology for the cell phone service they sell.
It is recommended that you choose a company that is publicly traded (on the stock market). Publicly traded companies are required to disclose information about company operations, so in general you will be able to find more information on the internal operations of these companies. It is also recommended that you do not choose a technology company because it is often difficult to get clarity on the difference between their technology products and their internal use of information technology.
Bibliographic resources may include articles from magazines, journals, newspapers, and the Internet (be sure to see criteria below regarding full citations). You must use high quality sources. For example, ehow.com, Wikipedia, etc. are not reliable sources and will not be allowed.
Research Paper Requirements:
•Format: MLA or APA format
• Length: Minimum 4 full pages of text; maximum 8 (not counting cover sheet, footnotes, references, and diagrams).
• Format: 12 point font, double-spaced; standard 1 inch margins. Include a header on all pages of your paper with your last name as well as
the page number; this should be omitted on the title page.
• References: Minimum number of resources 5: In your bibliography, you must include complete references. You must also include citations
and references within the paper body.
• This paper MUST be written in your own words. Anything that you copy word-for-word must be enclosed in quotes. Paraphrased statements
must be properly cited within the paper body. Also see the attached Avoiding Plagiarism chart. Plagiarized papers will have severe reductions
in the content portion of your score or may result in a zero for the entire paper assignment.
Guidelines:
• In your introduction, there should be a general discussion of the company. You must also prepare a conclusion or summary in which you
reiterate key aspects or points in your paper and tie it all together.
• Diagrams or pictures, when appropriate, may be included to support the material being presented. You must cite where you obtained the
diagram or picture from.
• Papers should be grammatically correct and free of spelling errors. Use your tools! Poor grammar and typos affect the overall quality of
your paper (as well as your grade - see below).
• While it is likely (and acceptable) that you may gather some of your information from the Internet, be sure that the sources you are
referencing are appropriate (i.e. online journal publications, data an expert or authority in the field has published, etc.). If you use resources
from the Internet, you must include the complete URL (address) where you found the information and keep a paper copy of the resource. If
you use an interview as the source, appropriate citations must also be provided and cannot be the sole resource for your paper.