In this assignment, students should choose a significant issue or question related to HR and administrative issues in homeland security or emergency management as the topic of the research paper.
The issue or question must be one that is important to policy makers, government leaders, emergency managers, or private-sector executives involved in homeland security or emergency management. Furthermore, the issue or question must be one that is integral and salient to the homeland security or emergency management community.
Finally, the issue or question must be one that, if resolved, will increase the security of the United States and its citizens, help in the war against terrorism, or contribute to the concepts and operations intended to mitigate incidents or crises.
Assignment Guidelines
1. The research paper should reflect high-quality research and reasoning in addressing each of the following listed components of the paper. There is no need to organize the paper with these items as subheadings, however; instead, integrate these throughout the product:
o The situational, organizational, and environmental context of the issue or question.
o The challenges or problems inherently associated with the issue or question.
o The student's examination, evaluation, and analysis of the issue or question.
o Leadership or management decisions and actions required by policy makers, governmental leaders, emergency managers, or private-sector executives to deal with the issue or question.
o Expected outcomes for an enhanced level of homeland security and emergency management if the issue or question is resolved.
2. This paper must be both comprehensive and concise and must be geared toward informing policy makers, governmental leaders, emergency managers, or private-sector executives. Avoid the passive voice wherever possible.
3. The research paper should contain the student's own perspective and analysis, backed up by evidence, data, and support to bolster the views, conclusions, and recommendations of the student. The phrase "in my opinion" must not be used anywhere in the paper. The student's personal analysis should be made up of the material that is gathered as well as others' arguments and perspectives properly cited.
4. Organize the research paper with appropriate section titles. Such titles are the student's to design and determine, and they should be relevant to the topic's natural or constructed subdivisions.
5. Include evidence, data, and support (and thus references) to relevant scholarly or academic literature, especially published journals and books. Include a minimum of 6 different references to scholarly or academic literature outside course readings.
(In cases where this is difficult, practical versus academic materials may potentially be substituted. Consult the course instructor before making this determination.) The following are possible academic sources:
o Published scholarly or academic literature (journals and books)
o Studies, reports, commissions, testimony, and task forces
o Official source documents
o Professional experience (not counted toward minimum of 6 sources)
o Interviews with credible persons (original or previously conducted by others; properly cited in bibliography)
o Surveys (original or published)
6. Include a reference page including materials actually employed in the paper, which should reflect a wide range of different types of sources.
o All sources must be referenced using APA style.
7. Carefully proofread and edit the paper before submitting it.
Example topic areas may include the following:
• Leadership methods, theories, and requirements in HSEM
• Incorporating sound diversity practices in hiring and managing HSEM positions
• HR management responsibilities and legal compliance for HSEM agencies
• Addressing budgetary issues in HSEM (e.g., identifying positional funding priorities against vulnerabilities)