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Research Papers Can Be Daunting Sometimes Even The Idea Of Starting T

Research papers can be daunting. Sometimes even the idea of starting to think about writing a paper can stop you from even starting. One way to get over the writer's block is to create an outline. An outline is just the building block of your paper. It is where you start to put your ideas down on paper in some type logical order to help guide you in your research and writing of the course project.

Outlines are an important and underutilized writing tool. A strong outline creates a "road map" that can be used to keep your topic and message on track. The length of your outline will be determined by the components of your proposal topic. For this class, the course project is based on an outline that you will create and submit in the FINAL PROJECT only (Module 05). This week you will have an opportunity to create a practice outline that is based on a library article that is provided.

In this assignment, read the provided article and create an outline of it. The next step will be for you to write your own outline (using the format listed below) to help you write your course project. The course project outline will be a part of the final course project grade. Remember, you will be writing two outlines in this course. The first one will be here in this assignment; this is an outline of a library article.

The second one will be done separately and will be specifically about your course project topic. You will submit the second outline as a piece of the final project in Module 05.

For this assignment, follow a traditional outline format using the information below as a guide:

General Information on Outlines: Outlines can be as detailed as you want them to be. Start out with vague ideas, and as you research your topic, you can fill in the holes. Make the outline more detailed as you get closer to the writing of your project.

The sentences you use in an outline don't have to be complete sentences. They can be short ideas, words, statistical data (that have been cited). Use headings (see below) to help you get an idea of what your paper will look like as a final product. You must have two main ideas for each point.

Example of an Outline Format:

- Purpose Statement: Why are you writing this paper? What is the goal your paper? What are you hoping to do with your research? Why do you care and why should your audience care?

- Problem: List out specifics of the problem

- Main idea

- Main idea

- Original and Creative Solution to the Problem:

- Main idea

- Main idea

- Conclusion: Where you wrap it all up and re-iterate your Purpose Statement and Original and Creative Solution how you proved it.

For this assignment, you will need to read one of the provided articles and fill in the blank of the outline format that has been provided to you. You are looking for main ideas or thoughts that the author is trying to convey to you.

Below you will find a link to an article. Read it and develop an outline based on the main points in the article. While reading the article, locate and write down the main ideas and secondary ideas.

Article: Meyer, E. (2014). Navigating the Cultural Minefield. Harvard Business Review, 92(5). Link to article.

Submit your completed assignment by following the directions linked below. Please check the Course Calendar for specific due dates. Save your assignment as a Microsoft Word document. (Mac users, please remember to append the ".docx" extension to the filename.) The name of the file should be your first initial and last name, followed by an underscore and the name of the assignment, and an underscore and the date.

An example is shown below:

Jstudent_exampleproblem_101504

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Paper For Above instruction

The process of writing research papers can be overwhelming, especially at the initial stages where the challenge lies in organizing thoughts and ideas. One effective way to overcome this obstacle is through creating a detailed outline, which serves as a foundational framework guiding the research and writing process. An outline helps structure the paper in a logical sequence, keeping the focus on the central message and ensuring that all relevant points are covered systematically.

In academic writing, outlines are an underutilized but essential tool that aid writers in clarifying their ideas and maintaining coherence throughout the paper. A well-constructed outline acts as a traveling map, highlighting the main ideas, supporting points, and the flow of the argument. The length and complexity of the outline depend on the scope of the research topic, with more detailed points as the writer approaches the actual writing phase. It is important to note that the sentences used in the outline do not need to be complete; they can be brief phrases, keywords, or cited statistical data that capture the essence of the ideas.

For this particular assignment, students are instructed to read a provided scholarly article—specifically, Meyer (2014) "Navigating the Cultural Minefield" from Harvard Business Review. After reading, students are asked to develop an outline based on the main points and ideas presented by the author. The outline should follow a traditional format, incorporating key sections like purpose statement, problem identification, main ideas, solutions, and conclusion. Each point should include at least two main ideas or supporting thoughts to ensure depth and comprehensiveness.

The purpose of creating this outline is to help the writer organize and distill complex information from the article into manageable parts, ultimately facilitating the process of drafting their own research paper or project. This exercise also prepares the student for their subsequent course project, for which they will produce a second, related outline about their specific research topic. Proper citation practices and submission guidelines, including file naming conventions, are emphasized to ensure the process is methodical and appropriately documented.

References

  • Meyer, E. (2014). Navigating the Cultural Minefield. Harvard Business Review, 92(5).
  • Hall, E. T. (1976). Beyond Culture. Anchor Books.
  • Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture's Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions and Organizations Across Nations. Sage Publications.
  • Lewis, R. D. (2006). When Cultures Collide: Leading Across Cultures. Nicholas Brealey Publishing.
  • Chen, G. M., & Starosta, W. J. (2000). Communication competence and cross-cultural adaptation. Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, 29(3), 187-206.
  • Triandis, H. C. (1994). Culture and social behavior. McGraw-Hill.
  • Gertsen, M. C. (1990). Cross-cultural communication and management: An overview. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 14(4), 377-390.
  • Thomas, D. C. (2008). When Managing Cross-Cultural Teams, Avoid Outsourcing Culture. Harvard Business Review.
  • Adair, J. (2004). Effective Time Management. Pan Macmillan.
  • Bell, M. P. (2007). Organizational sociology. Oxford University Press.

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