Research and Thesis
Courses:
Business Analysis & Research
Catalog Description
The focus is on the iterative process of business problem-solving through critical inquiry and written communication of analysis findings. Through business research projects, students identify relevant existing literature, engage in primary and secondary data collection, critically analyze and synthesize findings. Through drafting, revision, and formal feedback, students learn to write a literature review and formally report on findings. This process of research is essential in business to provide evidence-based strategic insights and improve business practices.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
- Be able to identify and clearly articulate business problems.
- Be able to develop specific research questions to investigate a business problem.
- Be able to conduct secondary research (including literature review and analyzing secondary data).
- Be able to draft and revise written work, leading to a clear and articulate synthesized review of existing literature.
- Be able to engage in critical inquiry to formulate business solutions/arguments based on principles, evidence or theory gathered from existing publications and representing various points of view.
- Have an awareness of different research methods.
- Have a rudimentary understanding of how to conduct primary research (including selection and utilization of appropriate research methods, development of data collection tools, recruitment of participants, data collection and analysis).
- Be able to synthesize evidence to identify insightful patterns, draw conclusions, and create written summaries (reports) of their research.
- Demonstrate advanced oral presentation skills.
Business Senior Research
Catalog Description
The first phase of a two-semester senior research sequence through which students lay the groundwork in an area of interest for the original work they are expected to undertake in Senior Thesis or Senior Capstone. Students refine their topics, review and synthesize literature related to their areas of focus, conduct research, and develop research proposals or plans for creative projects. The final course outcomes consist of both a literature review and a Senior Thesis or Senior Capstone proposal.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
- Identify focused and manageable topics.
- Synthesize in-depth information from appropriate sources representing various points of view and approaches.
- Develop research proposals or plans for creative projects.
- Organize and synthesize information and evidence to reveal insightful patterns, differences, and similarities related to the topic's focus.
- Write comprehensive papers with multiple revisions that incorporate a literature review, the research proposal or plan to be implemented in Thesis II, and other discipline-specific criteria.
Business Senior Thesis
Catalog Description
Following through on the concepts explored in Senior Research, students investigate a topic relevant to their major. The outcomes will consist of a scholarly paper and presentation.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
- Undertake scholarly inquiry within their area of concentration, including:
- the delimitation of an appropriate topic related to a problem or issue related to the student's field of study;
- a thorough review of primary and secondary research related to the problem;
- synthesis of research findings into a researchable question and/or hypothesis;
- engaging in scholarly inquiry into the question based upon the review of the literature, using accepted social science methodology and/or a grounded critical analysis.
- Write up the final version of the thesis after multiple revisions following conventions established for academic writing, including:
- clearly organized content that reflects coherent and logical development of ideas with concrete and relevant supporting evidence to extract conclusions;
- substance as measured in a paper of not less than 25 pages, at least ten of which will be devoted to a comprehensive literature review, five to a presentation of the problem and research methods, with the remainder devoted to a presentation of the findings with a conclusion. Depending on the subject matter, the conclusion may present an analysis of findings, and a discussion of options for social action and/or further areas of inquiry (recommendations for future research related to the paper);
- APA (7th ed.) format and style that is consistent with guidelines for written term papers and research reports;
- grammar and syntax so that sentence structure and paragraph development clearly convey the development of ideas and the paper is free of mechanical errors such as weakness in spelling, misuse of pronoun references or faulty punctuation.
- Effectively present and defend findings and recommendation(s) orally to an audience of peers, faculty, and professionals in the field, including:
- a professional, rehearsed rhetorical presentation in a formal setting; and
- effective use of digital and/or other audiovisual supports as necessary.
- Provide additional original supplemental materials necessary to support the thesis or arguments made in the final paper. These materials will be agreed upon in advance with the instructor and may include assessments, audiovisual presentations, instructional manuals, or other forms of documentation.
Communication Research Methods
Catalog Description
Students learn the research and analysis tools they need to be successful in the required courses: Senior Research and Senior Thesis/Capstone. This course covers social scientific quantitative and qualitative research skills used by communication scholars.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
- Read and understand a social science research journal article.
- Be able to develop specific research questions to investigate a social science topic.
- Develop a testable hypothesis.
- Design and execute a social science research study.
- Articulate the differences between quantitative and qualitative research methods.
- Be able to conduct secondary research (including literature review and data analysis) and use Mendeley.
- Be able to draft and revise writing, leading to clear and articulate synthesized reviews of existing literature.
- Be able to engage in critical enquiry to formulate arguments based on principles, evidence or theory gathered from existing publications and representing various points of view.
- Be able to synthesize evidence, draw conclusions, and summarize (report) research.
- Demonstrate advanced oral presentation skills.
Communication Senior Research
Catalog Description
The first phase of a two-semester senior research sequence through which students lay the groundwork in an area of interest for the original work they are expected to undertake in Senior Thesis or Senior Capstone. Students refine their topics, review and synthesize literature related to their areas of focus, conduct research, and develop research proposals or plans for creative projects. The final course outcomes consist of both a literature review and a Senior Thesis or Senior Capstone proposal.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
- Identify focused and manageable topics.
- Synthesize in-depth information from appropriate sources representing various points of view and approaches.
- Develop research proposals or plans for creative projects.
- Organize and synthesize information and evidence to reveal insightful patterns, differences, and similarities related to the topic's focus.
- Write comprehensive papers with multiple revisions that incorporate a literature review, the research proposal or plan to be implemented in Thesis II, and other discipline-specific criteria.
Communication Senior Thesis
Catalog Description
Following through on the concepts explored in Senior Research, students investigate a topic relevant to their major. The outcomes will consist of a scholarly paper and presentation.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
- Undertake scholarly inquiry within their area of concentration, including:
- the delimitation of an appropriate topic related to a problem or issue related to the student's field of study;
- a thorough review of primary and secondary research related to the problem;
- synthesis of research findings into a researchable question and/or hypothesis;
- engaging in scholarly inquiry into the question based upon the review of the literature, using accepted social science methodology and/or a grounded critical analysis.
- Write up the final version of the thesis after multiple revisions following conventions established for academic writing, including:
- clearly organized content that reflects coherent and logical development of ideas with concrete and relevant supporting evidence to extract conclusions;
- substance as measured in a paper of not less than 25 pages, at least ten of which will be devoted to a comprehensive literature review, five to a presentation of the problem and research methods, with the remainder devoted to a presentation of the findings with a conclusion. Depending on the subject matter, the conclusion may present an analysis of findings, and a discussion of options for social action and/or further areas of inquiry (recommendations for future research related to the paper);
- APA (7th ed.) format and style that is consistent with guidelines for written term papers and research reports;
- grammar and syntax so that sentence structure and paragraph development clearly convey the development of ideas and the paper is free of mechanical errors such as weakness in spelling, misuse of pronoun references or faulty punctuation.
- Effectively present and defend findings and recommendation(s) orally to an audience of peers, faculty, and professionals in the field, including:
- a professional, rehearsed rhetorical presentation in a formal setting; and
- effective use of digital and/or other audiovisual supports as necessary.
- Provide additional original supplemental materials necessary to support the thesis or arguments made in the final paper. These materials will be agreed upon in advance with the instructor and may include assessments, audiovisual presentations, instructional manuals, or other forms of documentation.
Interdisciplinary Methods of Inquiry
Catalog Description
An in-depth exploration of humanities-based research methods prepares humanities majors for Senior Thesis I and II. The course addresses contemporary modes of inquiry, including the role that race, class, gender, and nation play in interpretation and analysis. Other methods examined include textual analysis, phenomenology, archival historical research, etc. The process of discovering a senior thesis topic, writing a literature review, and selecting methodologies is integral to the class.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
- Recognize and define fundamental terms in contemporary social and cultural analysis.
- Connect and apply fundamental concepts of social and cultural analysis to broad research interests.
- Discuss the relative merits of different methodologies in Humanities research.
- Understand and use correct citation and bibliographic techniques.
- Identify and use key humanities journals and databases.
- Conduct a literature review on a topic which they could focus on in Senior Thesis I and Senior Thesis II.
- Construct a specific Humanities research project around one (or more) of the methodological approaches studied in class.
Interdisciplinary Studies Senior Research
Catalog Description
The first phase of a two-semester senior research sequence through which students lay the groundwork in an area of interest for the original work they are expected to undertake in Senior Thesis or Senior Capstone. Students refine their topics, review and synthesize literature related to their areas of focus, conduct research, and develop research proposals or plans for creative projects. The final course outcomes consist of both a literature review and a Senior Thesis or Senior Capstone proposal.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
- Identify focused and manageable topics.
- Synthesize in-depth information from appropriate sources representing various points of view and approaches.
- Develop research proposals or plans for creative projects.
- Organize and synthesize information and evidence to reveal insightful patterns, differences, and similarities related to the topic's focus.
- Write comprehensive papers with multiple revisions that incorporate a literature review, the research proposal or plan to be implemented in Thesis II, and other discipline-specific criteria.
Interdisciplinary Studies Senior Thesis
Catalog Description
Following through on the concepts explored in Senior Research, students investigate a topic relevant to their major. The outcomes will consist of a scholarly paper and presentation.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
- Undertake scholarly inquiry within their area of concentration, including:
- the delimitation of an appropriate topic related to a problem or issue related to the student's field of study;
- a thorough review of primary and secondary research related to the problem;
- synthesis of research findings into a researchable question and/or hypothesis;
- engaging in scholarly inquiry into the question based upon the review of the literature, using accepted social science methodology and/or a grounded critical analysis.
- Write up the final version of the thesis after multiple revisions following conventions established for academic writing, including:
- clearly organized content that reflects coherent and logical development of ideas with concrete and relevant supporting evidence to extract conclusions;
- substance as measured in a paper of not less than 25 pages, at least ten of which will be devoted to a comprehensive literature review, five to a presentation of the problem and research methods, with the remainder devoted to a presentation of the findings with a conclusion. Depending on the subject matter, the conclusion may present an analysis of findings, and a discussion of options for social action and/or further areas of inquiry (recommendations for future research related to the paper);
- APA (7th ed.) format and style that is consistent with guidelines for written term papers and research reports;
- grammar and syntax so that sentence structure and paragraph development clearly convey the development of ideas and the paper is free of mechanical errors such as weakness in spelling, misuse of pronoun references or faulty punctuation.
- Effectively present and defend findings and recommendation(s) orally to an audience of peers, faculty, and professionals in the field, including:
- a professional, rehearsed rhetorical presentation in a formal setting; and
- effective use of digital and/or other audiovisual supports as necessary.
- Provide additional original supplemental materials necessary to support the thesis or arguments made in the final paper. These materials will be agreed upon in advance with the instructor and may include assessments, audiovisual presentations, instructional manuals, or other forms of documentation.