Requirements for Secondary Research Project Learning Objectives and Project Overview In this project, you'll do secondary research to "find out what the experts say" about a workplace problem or challenge. Then you'll apply the Spence Method as you synthesize information from various sources to write compelling and richly detailed article for your readers. The subject matter will be one of the issues that you wrote about in your Client Interview Article. The audience will be either the client you interviewed or people in the same job role as the interviewee. This project includes these assignments: • Project Proposal Pitch (Due Week 3) • Synthesis Matrix (Due Week 4) • Research Report – preliminary draft (Due Week 4) and final draft) (Due Week 5) Requirements for Project Proposal Pitch Write a 300-word pitch to the instructor discussing the specific topic you will write about and the specific reader (client or job role) that you will address. Explain why this topic is important and relevant to this audience at this time. To provide the instructor with insight into the timeliness of this issue, include a 100-word summary of an article that was published about this topic within the past 3 years. Topic for Your Research Report Choose a timely and specific problem or challenge facing people in the same job role as the interviewee for your Client Interview. The topic must be specific and actionable, not a broad subject such as "leadership" or "fundraising" but a specific problem or challenge faced by people in that job role. The paper must explain the problem or challenge and must offer specific solutions that are actionable by the reader. The paper must not merely explore the topic or present solutions that are outside the scope of the person's job role ("the government should...," "society will has to change...," "universities need to offer...," or "technology needs to be developed..."). The best reports will present information from current articles, webinars, and conference presentations intended for people in this job role or industry. Audience for Your Researched Report Your document must address people in a specific job role, such as "biomedical engineer" or "technical writer," not "the general public," not "government officials," not "professors and students"). Purpose of Your Researched Report The reader is looking for information and advice about this topic. Your position statement will be something like "people in ________ (specific job role) can address the problem of ________ by ________ (doing what?)." Word Count Suggestion for Researched Report 1,000 to 1,200 words Structure and Content for Your Researched Report Include these elements (as described in the Spence book): * Opening Statement: Introduce the subject and conveys its importance to people in this field, its timeliness now, and your Position * Methodology: Briefly describe your me.

1. Requirements for Secondary Research Project
Learning Objectives
and Project Overview
In this project, you'll do secondary research to "find out what
the experts
say" about a workplace problem or challenge. Then you'll apply
the
Spence Method as you synthesize information from various
sources to
write compelling and richly detailed article for your readers.
The subject
matter will be one of the issues that you wrote about in your
Client
Interview Article.
The audience will be either the client you interviewed or people
in the
same job role as the interviewee.
This project includes these assignments:
• Project Proposal Pitch (Due Week 3)
• Synthesis Matrix (Due Week 4)
• Research Report – preliminary draft (Due Week 4) and final
draft) (Due Week 5)
Requirements for
Project Proposal Pitch

2. Write a 300-word pitch to the instructor discussing the specific
topic you
will write about and the specific reader (client or job role) that
you will
address. Explain why this topic is important and relevant to this
audience
at this time.
To provide the instructor with insight into the timeliness of this
issue,
include a 100-word summary of an article that was published
about this
topic within the past 3 years.
Topic for Your
Research Report
Choose a timely and specific problem or challenge facing
people in the
same job role as the interviewee for your Client Interview. The
topic
must be specific and actionable, not a broad subject such as
"leadership"
or "fundraising" but a specific problem or challenge faced by
people in
that job role.
The paper must explain the problem or challenge and must offer
specific
solutions that are actionable by the reader. The paper must not
merely
explore the topic or present solutions that are outside the scope
of the
person's job role ("the government should...," "society will has
to
change...," "universities need to offer...," or "technology needs

3. to be
developed...").
The best reports will present information from current articles,
webinars,
and conference presentations intended for people in this job role
or
industry.
Audience for Your
Researched Report
Your document must address people in a specific job role, such
as
"biomedical engineer" or "technical writer," not "the general
public," not
"government officials," not "professors and students").
Purpose of Your
Researched Report
The reader is looking for information and advice about this
topic. Your
position statement will be something like "people in ________
(specific
job role) can address the problem of ________ by ________
(doing
what?)."
Word Count
Suggestion for
Researched Report
1,000 to 1,200 words

4. Structure and Content
for Your Researched
Report
Include these elements (as described in the Spence book):
* Opening Statement: Introduce the subject and conveys its
importance to
people in this field, its timeliness now, and your Position
* Methodology: Briefly describe your methods for conducting
your
secondary research, including how you selected your sources &
why they
are credible.
* Essential Background (optional): Provide definitions of terms,
if
needed, and any historical information or other background
information
that readers need to understand the topic and why it's especially
important now
* Issues and Conclusions: Develop and support your position,
presenting
information from your research and explaining its relevance.
Include at
least one paragraph that addresses a likely objection to your
recommendations.
* Closing statement/call to action: A short discussion of next
steps
Required Sources for
Your Researched
Report
Support your position by using information from at least 4
sources that
were published since 2010 and have named authors.

5. * Institutional authors are OK if they are highly credible to your
intended
audience.
* If you wish, you also can use additional sources that are older
or that do
not have named authors. Older sources can be useful for theory,
past
practices, or essential background.
* You can use articles, books, videos, webinars, etc., from
academic or
professional sources. To determine the credibility of sources,
search the
Internet to determine the credentials of the author(s) relevant to
this
subject.
* Source articles need to be relevant to your topic but do not
necessarily
have to be written for the same audience that you are writing for
in your
paper.
* Your paper must include a Works Cited List with proper APA
citations
for all sources that you use.
* To earn more than a 0 on this paper, you must properly use
sources,
and properly cite everything that comes from a source. Follow
the best
practice of paraphrasing and synthesizing information rather
than
stringing together quotes. Review the syllabus for information
about
academic integrity and plagiarism.

6. Format for
Researched Report
The report will be created in Word using a design that conveys
professionalism. The text will be a readable size. Headings,
sub-
headings, figure captions, bullets, tables, etc., will be used to
ensure a
readable and professional design. The Works Cited list will be
properly
formatted.
Grading Criteria for
Researched Report
Purpose/Audience: Everything in the report supports the
purpose stated
in the intro, and it is consistent with the assignment scenario.
For full
points, it consistently focuses on a clearly stated position and
the purpose
of helping people in the specified job role to understand and use
this
information.
Development/Support: Descriptive details, examples,
explanations, etc.,
are used to develop the information and the recommendations;
there is no
redundant or extraneous information. For full points, the
document is full
of attention-getting and memorable details and as a result is
useful,
relevant, and actionable. It meets all requirements for sources,

7. which are
synthesized and properly cited. There is as good balance of
source
material and the writer's own interpretations and
recommendations. The
writer generally follows the best practice of paraphrasing
sources rather
than stringing together quotes.
Organization/Format: The report follows the required structure.
It
presents the content in well-structured paragraphs and uses
transitional
phrases to create smooth flow. For full points, it presents
information in a
manner that makes it easy for the reader to find, use, and
understand the
information.
Professional Ethos: The tone is conversational yet professional
and
serious. The language is characterized by active voice, concise
sentences, and correct grammar/spelling/word choice. There are
no $20
words and phrases and no wordiness. For full points, the report
conveys
the information with a strong sense of professionalism and
accountability.
Graded Components
of this Project
Synthesis Matrix for 3 articles
Project Proposal Pitch

8. Researched Article Preliminary Draft
Researched Article Final Draft