Step 1: Create a knowledge list on business topics.

Label your paper with the section title: “Knowledge List”

Write the title of the business topic that you wish to research later. In a paragraph, describe why you chose this topic. TOPIC:

"Staff motivation incentives and their impact on an organization productivity "

List what you know about your topic already. This can include facts, statistics, the extent of the problem, important people or institutions involved, key schools of thought, common misconceptions, observations you’ve made, important trends, major controversies, and so on.

Step 2: Generate an expansive list of questions about your topic.

Label your paper with the section title: “List of Questions”

Brainstorm a list of questions about your business topic that you would like to answer through your research. Generate multiple questions. This list should be expansive.

Step 3: Find the inquiry question.

Of all the questions you generated in Step 2, identify a few questions that interest you the most for your future research paper.

Label your paper with the section title: “Inquiry Questions”

Craft several research questions that capture what interests you most in the topic.

Step 4: Write a brief research proposal that outlines your research plan.

Label your paper with the section title: “Research Proposal”

State the inquiry question

State the primary purpose

Explore: What are additional questions that most interest you and might help you discover the answers to your research question?

Argue: What theory or hypothesis about your topic are you testing? What is your tentative main claim or thesis?

What, if any, prior beliefs, assumptions, preconceptions, ideas, or prejudices do you bring to this project? What personal experiences do you bring to this project? What personal experiences may have shaped the way you feel? Before you began developing a working knowledge on the topic, what were you thinking about it? What are you thinking about it now?