Focus of the Research Project

The final version of your Research Project should be 10 to 12 double-spaced pages (not including the title page, references page, tables, appendices, etc.). The paper will be an original business research project that tests a hypothesis of your choice. The research can relate to your place of current or previous employment or other contexts of interest. Sample topics could include, but are not limited to: 

• Manufacturing quality/cost improvement
• Service quality improvement
• Systems design
• Accounts receivable/billing/accounts receivable aging
• Marketing/advertising issues
• Sales of goods
• Investments
• Product safety
• Workplace safety
• Labor pools
• Human relations matters of broad concern
• Population studies

For your Research Project, you will be combining all parts that you have worked on from Weeks One through Five. Your paper should be formatted as follows:

• Part 1: Introduction 
  • Background information about your research project (Week One)
  • Describe the management dilemma (Week One)
  • Ethical Concerns (Week Two)
  • Develop and explain your hypothesis (Week One)
• Part 2: Literature review 
  • Background research on at least three scholarly sources (Week One)
• Part 3: Data
  • Secondary data (Week Three)
  • Measurement benchmark and scales (Week Three)
  • Plans for using observations, focus groups, interviews, or surveys (Week Four)
  • Plans for analyzing data (Week Five)
  • Plans for how to analyze results (Week Five)
• Part 4: Results
  • Summarize and display the results of your research. Provide charts, graphs, tables, and so forth, as they might apply to your research. 
  • State whether you reject or fail to reject the null hypothesis based on your study; explain.
• Part 5: Conclusion
  • Summarize the entire study and reflect on it
    • Consider the "take-home" message that management and other decision makers can use from this research to make informed business decisions.
    • Include the strengths and weaknesses of the study and suggestions for future research.
• Part 6: References
  • Include a separate references page and cite all references within the text of the paper. 
• Part 5: Appendix
  • If applicable

Writing the Research Project

The Research Project:

1. Must be 10 to 12 double-spaced pages in length (not including the title page, references page, tables, appendices, etc.) and must be formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
2. Must include a title page with the following:
   1. Title of paper
   2. Student's name
   3. Course name and number
   4. Instructor's name
   5. Date submitted
3. Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.
4. Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
5. Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis.
6. Must use at least three scholarly sources from the Ashford University Library in addition to the text.
7. Must document all sources in APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
8. Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.