8/10/2019 Syl -Fall 2013

1/17

1

SENIOR SEMINAR

Marketing 415-01

Fall 2013

Writing Emphasis

Stephen C. Brokaw, Ph.D., CGBP Office Phone: 785-6753Wimberly Hall 339E Dept Phone: 785-8118

Office Hours: TR 11:00 to 2:00 or by Appointmentemail: sbrokaw@uwlax.edu

Course Meeting Times

F 12:05 to 2:45 pm CWH 137MANDATORY MEETING Friday, Sept. 6

th. 12:05 to 2:45 pm. CWH 137 !!!

Please see Appendix C to thi s syll abus. This form should be completed PRIOR to the fi rst meeting, and

prin ted for hand in.

NOTE: This class meets as a whole only once during the semester. This meeting will be with the FacultyAdministrator to discuss the nature of the class. Because of the nature of this class and its intended outcomes,

the majority of the class communications will be one-on-one between individual students and the faculty

administrator. Students should make an extra effort to check their campus email and the D2L site ona regularbasis, as any administrator communication to the class as a whole will come through campus email or D2L.

Course Objectives

This course is intended to provide graduating seniors with an opportunity to develop an in-depth understanding

of a specific topic or subject area in marketing. The choice of topics and the methodology of the investigationare up to each individual student, subject to the instructors approval. Although there will be opportunities to

collaborate on background research and data collection in some instances, each student will be working

individually on the completion of the senior project. Your original thi nki ng, synthesis, and work are what we

want to develop and evaluate.

The project itself can take many different forms, depending on your needs and interests. Options you mayconsider include: experimental research, empirical studies of secondary data, career exploration,comprehensive bibliographic reviews of literature, industry studies, case writing, field studies, software

development, survey research and business plans for new ventures. Other paths toward the completion of the

senior project will be considered for approval as well.

Consistent with the mission of the UW-L College of Business Administration, this course is designed to prepare

you for your professional future by helping you to become independent learners. Your success in the future will

depend substantially on your ability to become an agent of your own ongoing education in marketing. To

remain professionally competent, you must become a self-directed, life-long student of your chosen field.

Shared Goals

This course is intended to be a collaborative partnership between the instructor and each individual student. The

course has been planned to allow the instructor and student to work together in designing a specific focus for

each individual, consistent with your goals and interests. Not all of the goals listed below are necessarilyrelevant to each of you.

8/10/2019 Syl -Fall 2013

2/17

2

To identify students areas of professional interest and strengthen their content knowledge in these fieldsprior to graduation.

To ensure that students are competent in the development and presentation of professional research studiesand reports.

To strengthen research, writing, and presentation skills.

To help students develop an undergraduate portfolio of work appropriate to use in job interviews.

To identify and correct any relevant deficiencies or weaknesses in your knowledge of marketing practiceand theory.

To create an opportunity for in-depth study of a topic that would otherwise be unavailable.

To give students the opportunity to apply the skills acquired throughout their education to this point.

To give students experience in applied research, relevant to their professional goals, prior to graduating.

Course Format

Within the first two weeks of the semester (by the WEEK OF February 6), students will identify the topic they

wish to investigate and communicate with the administrator as necessary to work on the development of aformal project proposal. A formal , wri tten proposal must be submit ted to the administrator no later than the

end of the four th week of the term. Thi s is Fri day, Sept. 27. These shoul d be BROUGHT to me on paper

AND uploaded to the D2L Drop Box site for thi s class.

NOTE: Once you have submitted the proposal you should proceed to work on the project. Yes, it will

take me some time to get through ALL the proposals. If you have done due diligence prior to submittingthe proposal any changes to the research plan should be minor. But if you sit and waityou may run out

of time to complete. You do NOT want an Incomplete for the term. Trust me.

WEEKS 1-2: DECIDING ON A COURSE OF STUDY

Students will identify the topic they wish to investigate and meet withthe instructor to work on mutually

acceptable expectations for the scope of the senior project. EMAIL me to set up an appointment. In the

email establish THREE days and TIMES IN THOSE DAYS that are best for YOU. We will hope that atleast one meets my schedule. Do NOT wait to do this. Conceptual development of the proposed project

can be accomplished in various ways, depending on the individual student and his or her interests.

The best advice is to select a topic for study that you are passionate about. Inputs to the process mayinclude: discussions with the instructor, readings, research, and contact with local experts in the field.

NOTE: You, and only you, are responsible for identifying a topic or area of interest to study for the course.

Proposal Phase. A general set of mutually acceptable expectations for the scope of the senior project will be

developed by the student and instructor prior to submission of the project proposal. The written proposal will

8/10/2019 Syl -Fall 2013

3/17

3

be graded for professionalism: usage, grammar, spelling, style, clarity, feasibility, and completeness.

The Proposal should conform tothe following general format. All sections should be single-spaced and in 12

point type. Use the headings shown below and double-space between sections. Be sure to use PAGE

NUMBERS, COLLATE Properly, and STAPLE.

Title Page. Include project title, your name, email address, and semester/year on separate lines.

[space] Add proposed degree of difficulty (your estimate). [space] List 5 key subject words that bestdescribe the topic of your proposal. List 3 key words/phrases that best describe your research

method (e.g., literature review only; telephone interviews; book reading).[space] If you plan tocollect data with human subjects, then add Approval Required byInstitutional Review Board to

the title page at the bottom.

Introduction. Explain the nature of the project, its focus and goals, and provide sufficient backgroundmaterial on the topic to make the evaluation of the proposal possible. Explain the significance of the

study. Why did you choose to pursue this investigation? How does it relate to your education and

professional ambitions?

Learning Outcomes. Identify approximately 3-6 learning outcomes relating to the topic youselected. What are youspecifically trying to learn? Complete the following sentence: At the end of

the semester I will be able to When writing your learning outcomes try to use action words such as

identify, create, name, or explain. The learning outcomes are to be specific toyourprojectand should be measurableas in, at the end of the semester you and I should be able to identify if

you have accomplished them. They should NOT be general like the course objectives listed in the

introduction portion of the syllabus. These course objectives were written to be general in nature soas to apply to a wide variety of acceptable 415 projects. Your learning outcomes relate specifically to

yourproject. (1/2 pg.)

Method of Study. This section describes the methods you will use toinvestigate the topic. What are

you going to DO for this project? (Hint: This will be the longest section and the most detailed. Towrite it well, you will need to do hours of exploratory research). It should NOT be general, like Im

going to interview 5 experts. Rather, I am going to interview the following 5 experts: John Doe,

General Manager at XYZ corporation on February 25, 2011 is a much better proposal, and havingcommitments/appointments already arranged, increases your chances of successfully completing your

project. Its advised that you make contact before submitting your proposal so you know you can

complete what you say you are going to do.

Reading - Learning typically involves some degree of reading. What (literature) are you going to

read? How much are you going to read? How are you going to SHOW what you learned from your

reading? (Please see What is literature? later in this syllabus).

o If you plan to review current literature, how many articles do you plan to review?

o If you are going to read books, which book(s) are you going to read? If you plan to read selectchapters of books, which chapters in each book are you going to read? Make sure to include the

topic of the chapter, not just list chapters 4, 5 and 8, which doesnt tell me anything.

Your proposal should include, as an appendix item, a proposed bibliography of preselected articlesand book chapters related to the topic of interest that you intend to read for the course. This will

8/10/2019 Syl -Fall 2013

4/17

4

require that you not only search for articles but also skim them for appropriateness and availability

beforeyou submit your proposal. (Keep in mindthe more you get done in the first 3 weeks of thesemester, the less you will have to do later. Likewise, the more you do beforeyou submit your

proposal, the less likely youll run into snags as you try to complete your study).

Additional Learning ActivitiesAlong with reading, there are other ways that people can learnmore about a topic, and/or contribute to what is known about a topic, such as talking with experts,

job shadowing, physically creating something, or conducting research. Creation of knowledge(contributing to what is already known) typically results in a higher DDF (see the section on DDFlater in the syllabus) and involves research, analysis and/or creative activities. Are you going to do

any additional research, in addition to reading, to learn about your chosen topic? If so, what type of

research are you planning to do (observation, experiments, survey; quantitative vs. qualitative)?When, where, how will you complete the research? Discuss your stimuli, sample and sample size.

Explain how you will analyze or evaluate your findings. BE SPECIFIC! The proposal constitutes

an agreement between the student and the instructor. The proposal should be as detailed as possible

with regard to how you will accomplish your goals.o If you are going to do personal interviews, how many and with whom?o If you plan to conduct an email survey, how will you get an adequate sample frame?

o If you plan to do job shadows, how many and with whom?

o If you are going to develop a promotional plan or business plan, what will it include?

NOTE: To simply say that you are going to do certain things in your project is dangerous. If

you say that you will interview 5 people, you need to have established preliminary contact earlyon so you do not get caught in the trap of having proposed something you cant complete.

Tangible Outcomes. What will the final report that you submit at the end of the semester look like?The learning outcomessection of your proposal discusses what you intend to learnin this course.This section (tangible outcomes) should discuss what you plan to submit at the end of the semester

to show the work and learning that occurred. A strong proposal will include a fairly detailed outline

of what you expectyour final report to look like based on the learning outcomes. While you may

not follow this preliminary outline exactly, and more subheadings/detail will probably be added orchanged, it will help to think in advancewhat the tangible outcome of your study will look like.

How will you show in your final report what you have read/learned?Make sure that what you did

and learned will show through clearly in your final report.The burden of proofthat youcompleted what you proposed- is the responsibility of the student (approximately 1/2 page).

Student Assessment of Degree of Difficulty (DDF). The degree of difficulty is an evaluation ofthe difficulty or challenge associated with the project. The proposal should include the studentsrealistic assessment of the DDF involved with the project based on the described DDF categories

discussed later in this syllabus (approximately 1/4 page). Points will be deducted from your

proposal grade if your assessment is not in line with the descriptions (i.e., a complete stretch).

Two important components of learning, and the DDF, are (1) reading, along with additional

activities to learn about a topic such as interviews with people in the field, and (2) additional

research or creative contribution. What level of literature do you plan to read? How many/much doyou plan to read? Do you plan to do any of your own research/create something new or do you plan

to report on what is already known? Please see What is knowledge? and What is primary data?

8/10/2019 Syl -Fall 2013

5/17

5

later in the syllabus.

THE FINAL DETERMINATION OF DDF WILL BE MADE BY THE INSTRUCTOR. When the

project proposal is graded and approved, it will be assigned a number between 1.0 and .65 to

indicate the instructors evaluation of the difficulty or challenge associated with the proposed

project. This weighting factor for the degree of difficulty will be used in grading your completedproject. It establishes the highest grade you can expect to earn for the course.

Timetable. Provide a weekly timeline for weeks 2-13 showing the schedule for completing eachsignificant stage of your project. It should look like the itinerary on a course syllabus.

References Cited in Proposal. Include any relevant publications or other sources that youconsulted in preparing your proposal. References should include only those sources used to prepareTHIS proposal, not what you intend to read for the project. Theproposed bibliographyof selected

readings for your project is different and should be attached as an appendix item.

Submit a hard copy of your proposal by the end of the 4th

week of class (SEPT 27 AND upload

an electronic copy to D2L. Proposals submitted after 12:00 p.m. on that date are considered

late and docked 2 points per day late. The longer you take to finalize your proposal, the lesstime you will have to work on the project. Do NOT procrastinate

GRADING OF PROPOSAL

The written proposal will be graded on:

Clarity, specificity, feasibility and originality of research objectives and methodology

Writinggrammar, word choice, sentence structure, succinctness, & organization Proposal Format and AppearanceDid you follow the directions? Is it professional looking?

COLLECTING DATA WITH HUMAN SUBJECTS REQUIREMENTS

Like most universities, UWL has an Institutional Review Board. This committee is charged with reviewingresearch plans that involve HUMAN SUBJECTS in ANY WAY. If your proposal includes gathering

information from human subjects (survey or experimental studies) you MUST have approval of this

committee prior to starting the research. If you are conducting informational interviews or job shadows,this does NOT pertain to you.

As members of the UW-L community, we are required to follow Institutional Research policies which

require review of all research proposals involving human subjects. If you plan to collect data using humansubjects, you need to do the following by 12:00 p.m. on Sept 27.

1. Complete the online training for ethical treatment of human subjects and save the certificate ofcompletion as an electronic PDF file or print the certificate and then scan it into an electronic document.

(Estimated time: 1-2 hours) The website is as follows:

8/10/2019 Syl -Fall 2013

6/17

6

http://cme.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/learning/humanparticipant-protections.asp

Following are the links to the IRB Guidelines, Informed Consent and Ethics Training and certification. .

Reviews these as they refer to numbers 2-5 below.

Informed consent:http://www.uwlax.edu/grants/compliance/irb.htm

IRB guidelines:

http://www.uwlax.edu/grants/compliance/IRB_protocol.pdf

Ethics training:

http://phrp.nihtraining.com/users/login.php

Numbers 2-5 should only take 1-2 hours and need to be contained in one electronic Word document.

Please also see examples posted on D2L.

2. Complete a narrative statementaddress points 1-8 on page 10 of guide. The directions say to number

each point; be BRIEF; and write not applicable when it is not applicable. This shouldnt be longer than a

page and a half page is more likely.

3. Write up an Informed Consent document. Follow the examples provided on D2L to the extent you can.

This will be about - 1 page.

4. Write a Debriefing document which is simply a paragraph that briefly describes the research in this

area, what you expect to learn with your study, and provide the citations for 4-5 strongly related articles

under a heading of For additional reading:.

5. Fill out the IRB application forms (attachment A and B). Check the exempt box based on criteria #2 on

page 4 of guidelines. These can be done by hand and then scanned. Before you scan it in, be sure to submitit to ME for my approval and signature. Once I have approved it, do the following:

Submit the certificate and the Word document which addresses #2-5 above AS ONE DOCUMENTin hard

copy and via the D2L dropbox by 12:00 pm Sept 27 to me AND by email to:irb@uwlax.edu. This willthen get it to the IRB.

Degree of Difficulty Factor (DDF)

At the time that the project proposal is graded and approved, it will be assigned a number between 1.0 and .65

to indicate the administrators evaluation of how challenging or difficult the proposed project is. Thisweighting factor for the degree of difficulty (DDF)will be used in the final scoring of your completed

project. It establishes the highest grade the student can expect to earn for the course. General guidelines for

determining the level of difficulty that is inherent in a project are:

http://cme.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/learning/humanparticipant-protections.asphttp://www.uwlax.edu/grants/compliance/irb.htmhttp://www.uwlax.edu/grants/compliance/irb.htmhttp://www.uwlax.edu/grants/compliance/IRB_protocol.pdfhttp://www.uwlax.edu/grants/compliance/IRB_protocol.pdfhttp://phrp.nihtraining.com/users/login.phphttp://phrp.nihtraining.com/users/login.phpmailto:irb@uwlax.edumailto:irb@uwlax.edumailto:irb@uwlax.edumailto:irb@uwlax.eduhttp://phrp.nihtraining.com/users/login.phphttp://www.uwlax.edu/grants/compliance/IRB_protocol.pdfhttp://www.uwlax.edu/grants/compliance/irb.htmhttp://cme.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/learning/humanparticipant-protections.asp

8/10/2019 Syl -Fall 2013

7/17

7

.95 to 1.0 The proposed project is rigorous and roughly equivalent to the requirements typically

associated with a 3-credit course. It will allow the student to demonstrate the very best work that s/he iscapable of doing. A project at this level will include: a literature review of current, relevant information

a discussion of how new research may improve/extend knowledge in the area; establishment of a course

of research to examine the issue; collection and analysis ofprimarydata/information; discussion and

conclusions regarding the research.

The highest level of project thinking (DDF = 1.0) has to do with questioning what we think we know,and developing a means by which that knowledge can be tested. Or, it has to do with recognizing ahole in theknowledge base, and developing a means by which that hole can be filled. It is a level of

research that is driven first by becoming well-versed in current thinking in the area (literature review of

published, peer reviewed academic scholarship) and demonstrating an understanding of the limitationsof the current level of knowledge. From here the goal is to then develop a research path that will

contribute to the development of new knowledge.

As you look across the levels of Degree of Difficulty recognize that the primary separation is rooted in

the preceding issue. As you move from the highest to lowest levels of DDF you are moving fromresearch that requires the exploration and development of new knowledge to term paper research that

simply requires the reporting of what published materials already say.

.90 The proposed project is of direct relevance to the students interests, challenging, and worthwhile

pursuing, though it does not necessarily meet the requirements typically associated with a 3-credit

course. Typically, this level of project would include a review of literature, and examination of thenature of how research can improve our knowledge/ understanding of the basic issues, but does not

include an empirical investigation through primary data collection and analysis.

.80 to .85 The proposed project is interesting and worth pursuing, though not very challenging or

rigorous. Proposals having to do with the study of industries, companies, and career paths would fall

into this category.

.65 to.75 The proposed project does not require very much effort on the part of the student. Proposals

having to do with geographic interests would fall into this category.

The above are general guidelines. The instructor reserves the right to adjust DDF according to the nature of

individual proposals. Primary data pertains to information that is specifically developed and collected for the

purpose of the immediate research. Gathering data from published sources does not make it primary data.

The preceding section does not imply that all students should select projects that are a 1.0 level. You should

develop a project that is of interest to you, and that will facilitate your transition into your marketing career.

The Degree of Difficulty Factor is a part of recognizing that this course is very different from other courses in

the curriculum. In most courses the faculty member leading the class selects the project to be done and allstudents complete the same project. Grading is based both on the expectations of how students should do the

work, as well as a comparison of how an individual does relative to others. In this course each student will be

doing a different project. The Degree of Difficulty Factor (DDF) takes into consideration differences in studentinterests and abilities. The DDF accounts for the fact that not all projects are inherently equal.

Conceptual development of the proposed project can be accomplished in various ways, depending on theindividual student and his or her interests. The best advice is to select a topic for study that you are passionate

8/10/2019 Syl -Fall 2013

8/17

8

about. Inputs to the process may include: discussions with the administrator, readings, research, and contacts

with local experts in your field of study. Once you have developed a clear sense of what you want toaccomplish, email, or (better) visit with the instructor, to reach a general agreement on the expectations and

requirements of the project before developing the written proposal. This establishes the GENERAL

acceptability of the project, and sets the overall direction. Then develop the Formal Proposal.

415 Proposals and Projects-General Comments

The following reflects observations made over the past several years with regard to Mkt-415 and theprojects/proposals that we have seen in that time. This information will give a more complete discussion of

some of the above.

What is L iterature?

1) What does the word literature mean? When you tell me that you are going to do a literature review wha

are you implying? Many students use the words, but never define WHERE the literature will come from. To usit can mean a wide variety of things. In the pursuit of true knowledge, academics generally turn to AcademicJournals. These are the peerreviewed outlets identified in the Data Base programs. This means that they

have been published after being blind reviewed by at least one other professional reader beyond the editor of thejournal. In marketing there are literally dozens of these. They run the range from general (Journal of Marketing

Research, which will show you how Calculus is used in Marketing, and the Journal of Marketing) to much more

specific types of materials (Journal of Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management, Journal of Cross-CulturalConsumer Research, etc.). These types of literature are directed by the general goal of creating and

disseminating KNOWLEDGE about the discipline, what we know about it, and how it is done.

A second type of literature would be Trade Publications. These are generally written by, and read by,

practitioners of specific aspects of industry and professions. They can come from Trade Associations, industry

members themselves, or governmental agencies that work to promote certain industries. The Wisconsin Dairy

Association would be a state level example.

Then you have the Popular Presspublications. These are the sorts of things that you all, as business majors,

should be reading some part of on a regular basis just because. Things like Time, Newsweek, Forbes,Fortune, WSJ, and the Economist would fall in this category. These represent general news, and represent what

the person on the street knows about the situation/company/industry/environment. A general guideline that I

use to determine what is popular press is whether or not you see it at the newsstands in major airports/train

stations, etc.

Then you have Government publications. These are things that are generated at the governmental level and

can cover the nature of an industry, or the data that the government has on an industry, etc. These can come

from multiple levels (just like most of the above categories). That is, it may be local(the city and county of LaCrosse gather an enormous amount of information about the local economy and expenditures), it may be statelevel, federal level, or even supranational. For instance, if you are wanting to evaluate the world of

Pharmaceuticals, and you have told me that you are going to do an analysis of where the industry may be in 5years, World Health Organization materials would be relevant.

Ask yourselves at which level you are planning to work. It has a direct impact on numbers 2 and 3 below.

8/10/2019 Syl -Fall 2013

9/17

9

2) Corporate web sites are, in general, PROMOTIONAL. They are not designed to tell you everything there is

to know about a company, but what they want you to know. They are not a substitute for Annual Reports, ortrue industry competitive analysis. If you tell me that you are going to do an industry analysis, and your

bibliography only contains company web sites (or worse, nothing at all), you havent dug deeply enough into

available literature (see #1 above).

3) Degree of Difficulty Factor is not additive in the sense that if you propose doing some of a .75 to .8 project,

and some of a .8 to .85 project that your proposal is now worth a .9, or .95. It is still a .8 to .85ish project. Theissue at hand is the level at which you are researching (see #1 above), what you are going to do with your work,and whether or not you are adding anything to the knowledge base in the area. This is not about whether or not

YOU will learn somethingyou will. It has to do with whether or not others can learn from what you have

done, and whether you can direct the discipline to new ways of thinking, or doing. Trust me, if I dont think agiven project is going to reflect a certain level of effort, I wont let you do it. But there is a BIG difference

between time commitment rigor and intellectual rigor. The DDF issue is, ultimately, about intellectual rigor,

not time spent looking at web sites.

4) Which brings me to the issue of Primary Data. Yes, interviewing someone that has the job you want is aform of primary data. However, it is not a form that instantly leads to the creation of new knowledge. It simply

informs you about what someone else already knows. The issue of primary vs. secondary with regard to DDF

goes along with the issue abovewhat is the goal of your research? Are you testing hypotheses about an issuethat you have studied? Or are you simply working as a reporter to learn about what is?

A fairly simple way to look at your own work, and determine what it is about, is to reread the proposal and seehow many times you said this is about me, and finding me a job. This is ok, in thatwe have realized over the

years that MANY of our students graduate with no idea of what is next. In part this is why 415 was created.

But, if your proposal is of this type, then your potential readership is essentially a market of 1you. It is aboutyou and your future, and will serve virtually no purpose other than to serve you as you move into the real

world. It is not about creating new knowledge, or extending the current thinking about an industry, or the

discipline itself, it is about finding you a job start. This is something that you should all be doing anyway,

without receiving credit toward degree, or a grade. It is the sort of thing that many of your real worldcompetitors for jobs have been doing since before they became marketing majors. But the intellectual rigor of

such work is low, in comparison to other types of proposed activities, and the DDF reflects this.

5) Finally, a few words about length. Do NOT ask how many pages should it be. This is NOT a race to see

who can fill the most pages first. It is about establishing a research path with a well defined end-goal, and then

performing the work necessary to reach that end goal. If your final paper does what your proposal said it would

do, then it is done, regardless of length. If you investigate the UWL Journal of Student Research guidelines(Highly Recommended)you will see that there is a 15 page, double-spaced limit on submissions. If your

research includes academic literature you will discover that most peer-reviewed articles are not much longer

than this. But you will also discover that they pack a large amount of information into that space. Be succinct.

WHAT IS THE TIME COMMITMENT OF A 3 CREDIT CLASS?

This question relates to what it means to be a full time student. A full time employee means, for mostpeople, that you work a full work-week. In this country this is usually defined as 40 hours per week.

Historically, this is also what it means to be a full-time student. The idea that a full time loadis 12 to 15 credit

hours takes into consideration the idea that CLASS TIME is NOT all that is expected. In the past the generalrule of thumb was that for EVERY hour in class, you should spend 3 hours outside of class reading, writing,

8/10/2019 Syl -Fall 2013

10/17

10

and thinking about course content. Today, this rule of thumb has been lowered to 2 hours outside for every hour

in class. For a 3 credit course, you typically have 42 hours of classroom time: 42 + (2 x 42) = 126. This is theminimum time commitment of a 3 credit 400 level course across a 15 week semester.

WHAT IS KNOWLEDGE?

Epistemology, which is a noun from the Greek, is defined as, The study or a theory of the nature and grounds

of knowledge, esp. with reference to its limits and validity. In other words, epistemology is the study ofknowledge. When do we know something? At what point can we make a knowledge claim aboutsomething and KNOW that it is true, rather than just believing it to be so? Research is about answering these

types of questions. Business decisions need to be made on the basis of knowledge, not belief. Hypothesis

testing through the use of statistical analysis is about determining if what we see has occurred by chance or istruly a factual reality.

Progress Memoranda

Twice during the semester you will submit short memos indicating your progress toward the completion of theterm project. Refer back to the timetable provided in your proposal when writing the memos. Appendix A to

this syllabus contains the form to follow for these. This is a task that you will be required to complete often

throughout your professional lives. The two Progress Memoranda should be sent simply as email attach filesAND uploaded to the D2L Drop Box. YOU are responsible for remembering to do these.

PREPARING THE FINAL WRITTEN REPORT

LENGTH

THERE IS NO PAGE LIMIT OR EXPECTATION FOR THIS PROJECT. If your final paper does what

your proposal said it would do, then it is done, regardless of length. DO NOT ask, How many pages shouldit be? Establish a research path with a well defined end-goal, and then perform the work necessary to reach

that end goal. Projects have ranged from 10 pages to 200+ pages.

More does not necessarily imply better. You may have heard the saying, Less is more. In many cases

this holds true. Unorganized, rambling and redundant writing, which may be more lengthy, is NOT viewed

positively. It is also true, though, that less often times is NOT more. Sometimes, less really is less

less depth, less content, less effort If your research includes academic literature you will discover thatmost peer-reviewed articles are not much longer than 20-30 pages, double-spaced (a common limit for

academic journals) but you will also discover that authors pack a large amount of information into that space.

Published authors are good writers. They know what they want to say, organize what they say and, thus, are

very SUCCINCT in what they say. Their points and conclusions are very clear to the reader; not buried inpages and pages of rambling. They are very conscientious; having probably revised the paper 5-10 times

before an editor even sees it. It is expected that you will do the same.

BASIC FORMATTING GUIDELINES

Your paper should be double spaced, printed on only one side, with one inch margins and in a 12 point font,like Arial or Helvetica.

8/10/2019 Syl -Fall 2013

11/17

11

Projects with a .90 DDF or higherThe following website provides specific guidelines for formatting a professional research report:

http://www.uwlax.edu/urc/JUR-online/PDF/JURsubguide2013.pdf You are expected to follow these

guidelines when formatting your MKT 415 final report. These guidelines are also required for all work

published in the UW-L Journal of Undergraduate Research.One difference I request is that the report be

in a larger 12-point font and double spaced. However, by following the JUR guidelines will make it

easier to reformat the paper for submission to the journal upon completion. You should ALL go into the pastyears of this journal. Marketing has been well represented through the years, and some of the past work cangive you an idea of what some of the 1.0 DDF students have done.

Projects with a .90 DDF or lowerThe final report should be written as a professional business report. The exact format will vary by project

but in most cases will follow the format of a traditional formal business report. You may GOOGLE Formal

Business Reporting to find guidelines and style tips for doing this.One possible source is: Technical Report

Writing Today, 7th

Edition, Chapter 13.

REFERENCES CITED AND BIBLIOGRAPHY

The references cited sectionwill list all the sources you cited in the paper. Citations are also used within the

text of your report to indicate the secondary source from which information is being drawn. In the referencescited section, sort resources into the following categories: articles, books or book chapters, websites, and

interviews by type of interview. Put sources in alphabetical order within each category. If you read material

from books, please include the chapters/pages actually read and title. Make sure your bibliographic citationsare complete (even if you got a journal article through Ebsco Host)all authors, date of publication, journal

name, volume and page numbers should be listed.

The bibliographywill list all sources read and/or utilized in your report. It will include all the references in

the references cited section, plus any sources that were read or that provided information but were not

included in the report. All references listed in the bibliography should be in alphabetical order.

REFLECTION

Appendix B to this syllabus contains the Reflection Report to be used for this. This will be the LAST

PAGE of your final paper.

GRADING

All work will be graded on the following criteria:

1) Quality of work and thorough completion of work promised in proposal

2) Degree of reading; understanding of the literature in this area

3) Writing skills: grammarspelling & word usage, organizationstructured and easy to follow, andappearance of report

4) Research (if applicable): quality of stimuli, sample & sample size, findingsspecificity, details &

graphs, and analysisobjective & logical, reliance on evidence, not biases or feelings.5) In addition, projects will be reviewed for the depth of analysis, linkages, creativity/originality, synergy,

http://www.uwlax.edu/urc/JUR-online/PDF/JURsubguide2013.pdfhttp://www.uwlax.edu/urc/JUR-online/PDF/JURsubguide2013.pdfhttp://www.uwlax.edu/urc/JUR-online/PDF/JURsubguide2013.pdf

8/10/2019 Syl -Fall 2013

12/17

12

completeness, and specificity.

6) Final written reports are due in my office by 12:00 pm on the next to the lastofficial day of classes

(Tuesday, December 10). All papers are to be submitted at my office in PRINTED form anduploaded

to the D2L Drop Box. Be sure the cover page clearly states your name, the date, and your topic.

PAPERS SUBMITTED AFTER 12:00 PM on that date will be docked 2 Points Per Day.1

Please note: Professional writing is mandatory to earn your assigned DDF.

Final grades for the course will be determined as follows:

The Proposal = 15%

Progress Memoranda (2.5% each) = 5%

Final Written Report = 80%100%

* F inal (Recorded) Grade = Earned Grade x DDF

Students earning 95% + will receive an A.

Students earning 89% to 94% will receive an A/B.Students earning 83% to 88% will receive a B.

Students earning 79% to 82% will receive a B/C.

Students earning 70% to 78% points will receive a C.Students earning 60% to 69% will receive a D.

Scores lower than a 60% will receive an F.

Academic M isconduct. Academic misconduct in any form will not be tolerated. Please familiarize yourself

with the Student Honor Code in the undergraduate catalog and the official UW-La Crosse policies on academicmisconduct and academic discipline at: http://www.uwlax.edu/stuserv/OSL/main2.html.

Students with Disabili ties. Any student with a documented disability (e.g., physical, learning, psychiatric,vision, or hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the instructor and the

Disability Resource Services Office (165 Murphy Library) at the beginning of the semester.

CLOSING NOTE

This is your opportunity to apply your education to a project that reflects your interests and abilities. It should

1Depending on the nature of the project, the instructor retains the right to modify the project due date for individual projects requiring

more time for completion. Extensions will be the exception, not the norm, so plan to have your project completed by the assigned date.Late projects will be penalized 2 points per day late.

8/10/2019 Syl -Fall 2013

13/17

13

become a primary portfolio piece, reflecting who you are and what you are capable of for prospective

employers. Your work should be complete in terms of identifying and using past research/literature to supportyour work. Your written work should be the best it can be, and should reflect professional standards

throughout. The self paced nature of this project means that you and only you know whether you are on track to

complete it according to your time table.

This Syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor (that would be me).

8/10/2019 Syl -Fall 2013

14/17

14

Appendix A

Template for Progress Reports

Name:

Project Description:

Week:

Progress Report:

What have you worked on since your last progress report?

List what you have read, actions you have taken, and/or activities you have completed.

Are you on track for completion based on your proposed weekly timetable? YES NO

How many hours did you devote to MKT 415 since your last progress report? __________

How many hours have you devoted to MKT 415 since the beginning of the semester? __________

8/10/2019 Syl -Fall 2013

15/17

15

Appendix B

Template for Reflection Report (last page of final paper)

Name:

Project Description:

___________________________________________________________________________________

Process: Did your project go as planned? If not, what stumbling blocks or road blocks did you encounter?

End Result: How would you evaluate your project now that it is done? Are you pleased with what youlearned/accomplished? Are you pleased with the tangible outcomes of your project? Why or why not?

Feelings: What do you think of this course (MKT 415) now that it is completed? (Be honest as yourcomments will help the MKT faculty when we make future curriculum decisions).

How many hours did you devoted to MKT 415 since the beginning of the semester? __________

8/10/2019 Syl -Fall 2013

16/17

16

Appendix C

Information Sheet

Please answer the following questions and fill in the form on the next page. Bring to class on first

ay.

In this class you get to study a topic of your choice. Do you have a fairly well defined idea of whatou want to study?

Yes, I know the topic area and have one or more ideas of whatI think I want to do for this class project.

I have some general topic ideas but don't really know what I would dofor the project.

I have some vague ideas about possible topic areas but really don't know.

I'm clueless and am kind of freaking out right now

1. Where do you see yourself living?

2. What jobs have you had in high school and college

3. Make a list of at least 5 jobs you thought about being/doing when you grow up

4. What 3 things would your parents say you are good at? What do they consider to

be your competitive strengths?

5. What 3 things would your friends say you are good atthink skills/personality.

6. What were your favorite 3 classes in the CBAwhy?

7. What were your favorite 3 classes outside the CBA?

8.

What are 3 possible topicsocial issues/trends/marketing areas you are interested in?

8/10/2019 Syl -Fall 2013

17/17

17

In order to learn more about you please fill out the following information sheet. (If you prefer notto answer personal questions, you can leave them blank).

Name:

Phone:

E-mail correspondence will go to your university e-mail account only so check it on a

regular basis.

Other E-mail account:

Address:

Semester you plan to graduate: Major(s):

Age:

Marital Status: Children and Ages:

Previous College Study:

Hometown & State:

Current job:

How many hours do you work a week?

Employer and Job Title:

Extra-curricular Activity (organizations/athletics)