Research Paper 10-15 pages

The research report will comprise a large portion of each student’s grade. Included in the grading of that report will be compliance with the format that is provided below this paragraph. These requirements are important because they conform to standard academic writing styles. Of particular interest is the format’s Statement of the Problem.  It is just one sentence long; anything longer than one sentence will result in a reduced grade.  The instructor has found through professional experience that if a problem cannot be written in a single sentence, then the problem is not well understood and needs further definition. Write a 10 to 15 page research paper on some aspect of distribution management of the student's choosing.

Note: line spacing format for research papers is double space                                           RESEARCH REPORT FORMAT                                                                by                                                     First Last Name

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:

What is the format that students should use in their research papers?

BACKGROUND:

Here each student should comment on the background of their problem. They may indicate whether they are problems that they are trying to solve to meet a Tech course requirement or perhaps a real problem where they work. Or, they might be simply research an interesting problem. In any event, the importance of each student's problem needs to be discussed so the reader understands why he or she should read more about it.

DISCUSSION:

Now comes the part where each student must write about the research done on his or her problem. What have other experts said about the problem? This information can come from other text books, magazine articles, newspapers, or personal interviews. If the student wants to use his or her own experience, that is fine, but the experience must be justified as to its validity.

Whenever an information source is cited, it must be referenced by footnotes that include page numbers of books so that the reader can find exactly where the information came from and what the author of the information exactly said.  Note: webpage sources need only indicate the URL and the date it was accessed.  The style of footnoting used is not important; what is important is that each piece of information is referenced. Last, a bibliography must be included at the end of the paper.  An example of a bibliography showing a book entry, a magazine entry, and an internet entry can be seen at the bottom of these directions.

CONCLUSIONS:

Once the background research is completed, the next step is to outline the conclusions that can be substantiated from the research DISCUSSION. The substantiation must be thorough by saying why the research evidence supports the conclusions that are made.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

This section is used by students who want the alternative recommended in the CONCLUSION be put into action.  Therefore, this section should only be used by students who have a “real world” problem they want to solve or correct.  These recommendations should be specific as to who is to do what and preferably when. BIBLIOGRAPHY:

1. Tyworth, John E., et. al. Traffic Management: Planning, Operations, and Control. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press, Inc., 1987.
2. Muller, Lloyd H.  “Fitness and Balance.”  Ski Patrol Magazine.  Lakewood, CO: Ski Patrol, Inc., Winter 2005.
3. Defense Acquisition Guidebook.  Washington, DC: Department of Defense, http://akss.dau.mil/dag/, May 25, 2005.
4. References.  www.sole.org.  May 25, 2005