Write a paper, 4 pages (2-column format) in length, on a topic covered in our textbook. For this assignment, you need to plan, research, and, use your initiative to express the knowledge you learnt in this subject as well as your own independent thinking and reasoning.

Possible topics

Your attention in this paper can be focused on any of the following topics covered in our text:

• Information Management / IT Architecture.
• Database, Data, Warehouse, and Data Mining.
• Networks, Collaboration, and Sustainability.
• CyberSecurity, Compliance, and Business Continuity.
• E-Business & E-Commerce Models and Strategies.
• Mobile Technologies and Commerce.
• Social Media.
• Enterprise Systems and Applications.
• Performance Management Using Data Visualization, Mashups, and Mobile Intelligence.

Approach

Choose a topic which you are interested in and/or which is related to your work. You should do this as early as possible. Once you have chosen a topic, read our text carefully followed by detailed research. Once this is done, you should set up a structure/a series of subtopics and decide what to write under each section (subtopic).

Here is a suggested structure (you don't have to follow it, but your own structure must be logical):

Abstract: a condensed summary. If someone reads your abstract only, he/she should understand your main points. You may want to write this section last;

Index terms: list the key words used in your paper;

Introduction: introduce the topic you are going to write about. This section must be related to the topics you learnt during the Session. However, you should branch out by carrying out your own research to enhance this section;

Subtopics and supporting argument: write a series of body paragraphs with sub-points;

Conclusion: Many students get confused between the conclusion and the abstract. In the conclusion, you can reflect on how your topic relates to larger issues; evaluate the concepts you have presented; issue a call for action on the part of your audience; ask questions generated by your findings; make predictions, recommend a solution or give a personal statement about the topic.

With your structure in order, you have a skeleton for your paper: you can now begin by writing out your analyses of the passages you have chosen. As you write and revise, you may have the need to add to your analyses or to re-order your chosen arguments. Using a structure as the skeleton for a paper in this way can carry you more than halfway to a completed draft.

Types of papers

Academic papers can be broadly categorized into 2 types:

1. Argumentative Papers;

2. Analytical Papers.

For details, please see http://www.writeawriting.com/academic-writing/how-to-write-academic-paper/