RSWR3345
RESEARCH WRITING
Syllabus
Wayland Baptist University, Phoenix Campus, School of Business
Mission Statement: Wayland Baptist University exists to educate students in an academically challenging,
learning-focused and distinctively Christian environment for professional success and service to God and
humankind.
Term: February 23rd, 2015 thru May 16, 2015
Instructor: Dr. W. M. Talboys
Dr. Bill Talboys has been with Wayland University since 1999. He is the Dean of the Phoenix Campus of Strayer
University after having retired from the Park Service where he served as a senior educational and training specialist,
senior park ranger, and chief medic. He is an instructor in the Maricopa County Executive Management Institute and
Counselor with Emergency Services Mgt. Group EAP in the area of critical incident management. He served as Chairman
of the Board of Trustees and Trustee of Everest and Corinthian Colleges for 11 years. Dr. Talboys holds faculty positions
with Western International University, Arizona State University, Paradise Valley Community College, and Estrella
Mountain College and is a curriculum advisor to The National Fire Academy. In his academic career he has served as
Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies at Grand Canyon University, Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies at
Colorado Christian University, Business Department Chair at Parks College and has served on the faculties of The
University of Colorado, Colorado State University, Denver University, The University of Southern California’s Marshal
School of Business, Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Management and Business and Aquinas College in
Michigan. Prior to his education career, Dr. Talboys was a police patrol officer, police medic with ESU, a detective, a
supervisor, an FTO and an academy instructor. He also served 9 years active duty in the United States Marine Corps and
13 years in the Marine Corps Reserve (while serving as a police officer), retiring from law enforcement and the military
the same year. Dr. Talboys holds a doctorate from Colorado State University, Masters Degrees from Regis University and
the University of Phoenix, Bachelor Degrees from the University of Wisconsin and an AAS from SUNY. He has
authored numerous articles, texts and papers on research, humor, leadership, public safety and higher education.
Office Phone and email: 480-628-5145
Office Hours, Building, and Location: By appointment only
Class Meeting Time and Location: Thursday 5:30 pm – 9:30 pm,
Downtown Campus (CPF),
Catalog Description: Reviews and applies the basic styles of writing to both qualitative and quantitative research
practices. Discusses and demonstrates the holistic view of undergraduate research writing.
Prerequisites: ENGL1301
Required Textbook and Resources:
BOOK
Publication Manual of the
American Psychological
Association
AUTHOR
American
Psychological
Association
ED YEAR
PUBLISHER
ISBN#
6th
American
Psychological
Association
13:9781433805615
Optional Materials: Collegiate Dictionary – hard cover.
2009
Competencies & Objectives
• Understand presentations to managers for conveying useful information
• Understand basic selection of topics and materials.
• Understand the use of secondary data in support of topic.
• Understand the application of primary and secondary in research support.
• Understand how research-writing techniques can be used in the other writing application.
Course Outline
•
Role of writing in research
•
Organization and summarizing material.
•
Writing and research concepts.
•
Primary and secondary data use.
Attendance Requirements: You may miss a maximum of three (3) classes. Any work missed is your
responsibility, not mine. If you are going to miss, make sure a classmate can get information for you. Any work due
on class date is still due that day even if you are not in class. No late work is accepted under any circumstances..
Disability Statement: “In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), it is the
policy of Wayland Baptist University that no otherwise qualified person with a disability be excluded
from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any educational
program or activity in the university. The Coordinator of Counseling Services serves as the coordinator
of students with a disability and should be contacted concerning accommodation requests at (806) 2913765. Documentation of a disability must accompany any request for accommodations.”
Course Outline
Meeting One
•
Introductions, coverage of syllabus and other bureaucratic stuff.
•
What research is and what research is not.
•
Organizing your research.
•
Library use.
Meeting Two
•
Library familiarization (con’t).
•
Assignment 1
Meeting Three
•
Intro to secondary data
Meeting Four
•
The introduction section.
•
Purpose and problem statements.
•
Assignment 2.
Meeting Five
•
Literature review.
•
Structure and style.
•
The annotated bibliography.
Meeting Six
•
Methodologies.
•
Selection of study criteria.
Meeting Seven
•
Review of testing methods.
•
Understanding populations.
•
Assignment 3
Meeting Eight
•
Presentation of findings.
•
Conclusions and recommendation sections.
Meetings Nine and Ten
•
Catch up week
• Final project discussion
• Final project due
• Course Wrap-Up
This week’s emphasis will be on graduate student presentations
Course Evaluation – (100 points)
•
•
Assignments applying course concepts to practical research writing.
Final proposal.
Assessment and Scoring
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3
Final project
(Subject to change)
20 points
20 points
20 points
40 points
Grading
A
B
C
D
90 - 100
80 - 89
70 - 79
60 – 69
Grading Expectations
An A paper has perfect spelling and grammar, excellent formatting, perfect punctuation and sets up the reader with an
introduction. It delivers the content in a concise but comprehensive manner and has a good conclusion. An excellent
paper gives references, when necessary, in the proper APA format.
A B paper has perfect spelling and acceptable grammar and formatting, that is, it can use some improvement. It still
must have perfect punctuation and must set up the reader with an introduction and deliver the content in a
comprehensive manner and end with a good conclusion. A B paper will give references, when necessary, but the APA
format may need work.
A C paper might contain a few spelling errors, grammar mistakes and punctuation errors. Its format will be
questionable in that it will be hard to follow and will be lax in tense use and sentence structure. It will probably lack
references or proper format of reference section. A paper at this level is unacceptable and has either not been proofed
or edited. It will be returned and this highest grade it will ever get is a B.
A D paper is obvious in its lack of preparation, proof reading, lack of meaningful content and college level delivery.
This level is absolutely unacceptable and will be returned. The highest grade it will get will be a C with a rewrite.
An F paper will be put in the shredder.
The University has a standard grade scale
A = 90-100, B = 80-89, C = 70-79, D = 60-69, F= below 60, W = Withdrawal, WP = withdrew passing,
WF = withdrew failing, I = incomplete. An incomplete may be given within the last two weeks of a long
term to a student who is passing, but has not completed a term paper, examination, or other required
work for reasons beyond the student’s control. A grade of “incomplete” is changed if the work required
is completed prior to the last day of the next long (10 to 15 weeks) term, unless the instructor designates
an earlier date for completion. If the work is not completed by the appropriate date, the I is converted to
an F. Graduate students can figure their respective grades using a weighted factor of 1.2.