ObjectiveResearch shows that people learn effectively when working on real problems grounded in their own workexperience. To this end, our course project is designed to incorporate students’ work experience into thelearning process in this course.The project is an opportunity to explore, in-depth, a topic related to the course objectives (TCOs) that is ofsignificance to you or your organization (current or former).SummaryMembers of the class are required to prepare an applied research paper, with a minimum of 10 pages butnot to exceed 12 pages in length (excluding cover page and appendices), on a specific issue related toleadership or organizational behavior.GuidelinesTopic Selection1. Select a specific organization of interest to you and identify a problem at the firm related toorganizational behavior (OB).2. Think of yourself as an organizational consultant and assume that a key manager has requesteda thorough analysis and recommended course of action to resolve an actual organizationalproblem that will make a difference to the future performance of the organization.3. Identify which of our TCOs or specific topics in the syllabus are related to the problem youidentify.Research Sources1. All papers must have a minimum of six scholarly sources cited within the text of the paper andidentified in the references section.2. Additional research sources can be attached in a bibliography.3. Review the following document for instructions on how to access and use EBSCOhost for yourresearch: EBSCOhost.Paper Format1. All papers should be single sided, double-spaced, using a 11- or 12-point font.2. Length of the paper to be between 10 and 12 pages, not counting cover page and appendices.3. The first page should include the title of the work, student name, address, telephone and e-mail4.5.6.7.8.9.address, course number, date, and instructor name.Follow APA style for general format and citations.Paper sections must adhere to the guidelines below and each section must be labeled in the text.Language should be clear, concise, and precise.Tone should be professional, consistent, and not filled with jargon.Grammar and syntax (sentence structure) must be correct.Report must be free of misspellings and typos.Tables and Figures1. All figures and tables must be referred to in your text before they appear on the page.a. Figures and tables should appear on the same page as or the page after the text thatrefers to them.2. All figures and tables need captions. Captions go below figures and above tables.Quotations and Citations1. Quotations and citations are crucial components of a research paper and must be present.2. Failure to properly cite research sources and borrowed ideas is plagiarism.3. Refer to APA style guide for assistance with properly citing quoted and/or borrowed materials andideas.MilestonesWEEKACTION REQUIRED1Familiarize yourself with course content and select an organization and problem areato research.Submit written project proposal containing the following:1. A brief overview of the chosen organization and your role in it2. Preliminary problem statement in the form of a researchable question3. A brief narrative description of the organizational problem that you would like24.to research and resolveWhich TCO or textbook topic your problem is related toConduct library research on your topic.1. Identify a minimum of six scholarly resources for your project.2. All resources for the paper must come from the DeVry library and must be ofscholarly quality.Use the librarians for assistance in accessing materials.3.4. Review the "using EBSCO" tutorial.3Please Note: Articles found online (many on consulting company websites, Internetmagazines, or other blogs) will not be considered an acceptable scholarlyresource. Conduct your research through a library where you can be assured thatthe sources are of scholarly quality.Submit written project outline containing the following:1. Documentation of at least three initial scholarly sources from the library2.3.4.5.4577Expanded introduction to the organizationExpanded description of your chosen problemPreliminary solution options (bulleted)Preliminary analysis of leadership and organizational behavior conceptsaddressed in the paperContinue to work on class project; seek instructor help as required.Submit completed project.Project OutlinePlease print out the Course Project Outline available in Doc Sharing and use it as a checklistwhile constructing your paper and again before you turn it in.Your paper must include the following sections:SECTIONPOINTSDESCRIPTIONTitle Page5Title of your applied research paper, e-mail address, course numberand title, instructor, and date.Introduction10Provide an overview of the organization and your role in it. Giveenough information about the firm to acquaint an unfamiliar person (nomatter how famous the company). Identify name, location, size, marketsegment (business line), and a brief history. Identify the essentialissues, events, or actions to help frame the problem and subsequentdiscussion points.Identify and clearly state the problem (the leadership or organizationalbehavior issue that you have selected to research).ProblemStatement15The problem statement should be phrased in terms of a researchablequestion. For example, if a work group is not performing effectively, aneffective problem statement might be "How can group performance beimproved?"A well-formed problem statement has:1. Focus – the problem should be well defined and specificenough for the reader to gain a clear idea of the OB topic areaand the direction of your study and research.2. Structure – if the problem statement is sufficiently focused, itwill provide a basis for decisions about which information toinclude and which to exclude from the paper.40You must address at least six scholarly resources in this section.Approach this section as a mini "book report" on each of the referencesources that significantly informed your analysis and proposedsolutions. Give the reader an encapsulated review of what informationyou found most relevant to your research. You may have foundconflicting opinions/theories related to your topic area. Identify anddiscuss any such contrasts and/or describe in detail significantagreement among your sources. Your literature review should beseparate and distinct from your analysis section; it is a summation ofyour research.40Explore the problem in depth and with scholarly rigor.Provide an identification and description of the root causes of theproblem/issue. Be sure not to address only symptoms of your problem.Diagnose the problem and its origins.A critical element of this section is to apply leadership and organizationconcepts and models from our text, from class discussions, and fromyour literature review. Discuss the concepts, ideas, or insights that aremost valuable in helping you make sense of the causes of theproblem. Support your analysis with reference to appropriate researchmaterial.Solutions30Identify at least three potential workable solutions to your problem andidentify the pros and cons of each alternative solution and its high-levelimplementation steps.Identify your preferred solution and describe exactly what should bedone and how it should be done, including by whom, with whom, andin what sequence. Always explain your thinking behind your finalsolution set. It’s important to be clear about why a particularalternative (solution) was chosen, as opposed to others.Reflection10Think about this assignment and write a well-thought-out reflectivestatement about how this assignment influenced your personal,LiteratureReviewAnalysisacademic, and professional leadership and managerial development.References10TotalYou must use no fewer than six library resources outside yourtextbook.All references must be cited in two places: within the body of yourpaper and on a separate reference list. Choose references judiciouslyand cite them accurately. Cite all sources using APA format.Please note: Citing an author’s work within your text documents yourresearch, identifies the source for readers, and enables readers tolocate the source of information in the alphabetical reference list at theend of the paper. To use the ideas or words of another person withoutcrediting the source is plagiarism. Plagiarism in its purest form involvescopying passages either verbatim or nearly verbatim, with no directacknowledgment of the source. The most common form of plagiarismis to paraphrase information from your source material. Paraphrasingdoes not relieve you of the obligation to provide proper identification ofsource data. The best way to avoid plagiarism is to make sure allquotes, ideas, or conclusions not your own are given properacknowledgment in your text.160Grading RubricsCriteriaFailed to MeetMinimumStandards095Barely MeetsMinimumStandards60+% – D96111MeetsMinimumStandards70+% – C112127Good80+% – B128143Superior90+% – A144160Title of yourappliedresearch paper.Your name, email address,course numberand title,instructor, anddate. (5)Title Page(5 Points)Introduction(10 Points)Introduction isnot apparent.(0)Introduction isvague,incomplete,or lacks afocus. (6)Introductionreflects barelyadequateinformation toacquaint readerto the problemcontext. (7)ProblemStatement(15 Points)No problemstatementapparent. (0)Problemstatement isvague; does notagree with titleof paper. (9)Presentedmostly assymptoms ofthe problem.(11)Contains afocus andprovidessufficient detailto set the stagefor the analysisbut may containextraneousinformation. (8)Introduction hasa sharp, distinctfocus; completeinformation.(10)Presented as adisguisedsolution. (13)Focused andconcise. (15)Provides areview of only23 sources;does notaddress topicareas germaneto the problem;includinganalysis of theproblem; doesnot cite somesourcesproperly. (31)Provides areview of theminimumsix researcharticles; lacksreference toinsights orfindings frommany of thereadings thatare applicableto the problem.(35)Discusses theconcepts,ideas, orinsights thathave the mostvalue forhelping makesense ofproblem;excellent use ofcitations;follows propercitationprotocol;exceeds allstandardsdefined in thesyllabusguidelines forthe project. (40)None provided.(0)Too shallow;insufficientdepth; providesreview of onlyone source;does not citesourcesproperly; mayinclude analysisof the problemin this section.(27)No analysisevident orpresents asimplistic,inappropriate,or incoherentanalysis of orresponse to theproblem. (0)Presents anadequateIllogicallyanalysis of theanalyses theproblem,problem; mayelaborating thelack coherentanalysis withstructure orsufficientelaboration with examples andexamples.acceptablereasoning. MayDoes not apply not applyfindings fromfindings fromliteratureliterature reviewreview. Clearappropriate.lack of evidenceto supportLack ofanalysis; makes evidence tobroadsupportgeneralizations analysis;andmaking broadunsupportedgeneralizationsassertions. (27) andunsupportedassertions. (31)Presents athoughtfulanalysis ofproblem,elaborating thatresponse withappropriateexamples andsensiblereasoning. (35)Presents acogent analysisof the statedproblem,elaborating thatresponse withwell-chosenexamples andpersuasivereasoningsupported bythe literature.(40)Solution(30 Points)Solutions andrecommendation not included.(0)Presents only asingle solutionThe choice ofthat may or maysolution(s) isnot be fullynot linked to thesupported byanalysis. (20)the analysis.(23)Solution orrecommendations linked to theanalysis.Partiallysupported anddefended. (26)Solution orrecommendations logically flowfrom theanalysis. Wellsupported anddefended. (30)Reflection(10 Points)No reflectivestatementPerfunctoryOne key lesson; Good faith effort Well presentedeffort at drawing no otherin discussinginsights on howLiteratureReview(40 Points)Analysis(40 Points)offered. (0)References(10 Points)the lessonslessons fromfrom theinsights offered.the assignment.assignment;(7)(6)some insightsare included. (8)the assignmentinfluencedpersonal,academic, andprofessionaldevelopment.(10)Few or noreferenceslisted. (0)Insufficientreferenceslisted;inconsistentformat. (6)Well chosenreferencesused; followscorrect formatfor listing; noerrors. (10)A fewappropriatereferenceslisted. (7)Well chosenreferencesused; minorerrors. (8)NOTE: Points will be deducted for grammar, syntax, and/or punctuation errors. Failure to citesources properly or using incorrect protocol when citing sources and listing references is causefor point reduction. Failure to cite sources will result in submission for academic integrity review.