Part 1- Assignment 3
Part 2- Assignment 4
Part 3- Discussion 4
Background to Assignment 3 and 4
Research shows that most people spend nearly one-third of their adult lives at work. Workplaces are traditionally filled with many issues (or problems) that can be concerning to those who work there. Whereas some issues can cause conflict among workers, other issues may be simply bothersome, distasteful, or worrisome. The workplace is typically an environment in which people with different personalities, communication styles, and worldviews interact. As such, certain workplace issues have been the topic of many research studies. For the rest of this course, you will identify a workplace issue that you intend to study. This workplace issue will be the topic and the research problem for Assignment 3 and Assignment 4.
ASSIGNMENT 3: Background of Your Action Research
The Problem
Regardless of the “problem” you identify at your workplace as a COMMUNITY SERVICES SOCIAL WORKER, other researchers, somewhere, have already identified and written about it in some form or another. Their research is very likely published in journals, books, or similar publications. Be assured that whereas such a problem may be at your work or community, it is also somewhere else, at another workplace (or community), in a similar or familiar form. Your workplace or community as a COMMUNITY SERVICES SOCIAL WORKER is not unique in this regard.
Find those researchers who have already researched and write about this problem that you have identified. To accomplish this task, you will use the databases in our STU Library (https://www.stu.edu/library/ ) to learn more about this problem. Be assured that this type of problem exists in other workplaces or communities. You are NOT allowed to use GOOGLE as a database or your research source for this assignment.
Instructions for Assignment #3
In doing this Assignment, use the 4 subheadings in the guidelines below. Focus and write ONLY to those requirements! In other words, stick strictly to the following topics:
1. In 10 to 15 words, identify, and name the problem at your workplace. This will be the Research Topic.
2. In one short paragraph, describe the problem at your workplace. Describe the area of conflict, concern, issue, or controversy that you have observed or that has concerned you. Present and describe this concern in a few sentences and explain or justify why it is critical for you to research this problem.
3. Put the Research Topic in the STU databases (https://www.stu.edu/library/ ) to see what has been written about this topic. Using the databases, identify and list 5 important studies that relate to your topic.
4. For each of the 5 research studies identified, you will do the following
A. Read each research study
B. Research studies must relate to the workplace (or community) problem that you have identified.
C. Write one short paragraph (about 5-7 sentences) to describe the main focus of the research (what it found or concluded and how it relates to your topic). For each paragraph, start by listing the author’s name, the title of the research study, the place where it was published (in a journal, book, etc.), and the date of publication.
ASSIGNMENT 4: Developing an Annotated Bibliography
Instructions for Assignment #4
1. Continue the research — you started in Assignment 3. Here, you will use St. Thomas University E-library (and databases) to find 5 additional research studies on your research problem/topic. You will use those 10 studies (including the 5 in Assignment 3) to create an annotated bibliography focusing on the problem at your workplace or community. You are not allowed to use GOOGLE as a database or your research source for this assignment. Information on how to access the STU databases is included in the Supplementary Readings Folder.
2. Re-name the topic which best describes that problem—that you identified in Assignment 3 regarding your workplace. This will be your revised Research Topic. Although you named the topic in Assignment 3, now you will refine and re-write the topic based on the new information that you uncovered since you started the research on your Topic. The revised description of the topic should contain no more than 12 words. Consider this to be the final Topic of your research.
3. Create an Annotated Bibliography— use the 10 publications (in #1) to create this Annotated Bibliography, following the specific steps that are described below:
Steps for Developing an Annotated Bibliography
For purposes of this Assignment #4, the Annotated Bibliography should be written as follows:
1. Use the databases in the STU E-Library
2. Use the Template for Annotated Bibliography to create each Annotated Bibliography
3. Identify the 10 research studies by the title of study, the author’s name, place, and date of publication.
4. Each citation should be written in appropriate APA Manual Style with complete sentences.
5. Each citation should contain two paragraphs, no more than 300 words, and contain any information you choose to include based on the Template.
6. Paragraph One should contain about 6 to 8 complete sentences.
7. Paragraph Two should contain 2 to 3 sentences that describe how the citation supports your research topic. This support may be in the form of research data, research results, or specific claims that relate to your topic.
8. The Bibliography should be organized in order of importance for your action research topic.
Your 2 paragraphs must include the name of the author and or publisher and should reflect some of the following topics below, not all! Include only those that are most relevant and best strengthen your argument:
1. Description of the research cited.
2. Statement of the main argument (i.e., explain what the research is about).
3. Summary of the main points presented in each study (may include at least one key quotation that highlights the summary).
4. Summary of the results of each study.
5. Statement of the Problem and the Purpose of the Research.
6. Evaluation of the usefulness of the study for your research problem.
7. Note the highlight or “take-away’ of this research.
DISCUSSION 4: Applying Action Research
Describe how your proposed action research may help in growing your organization. Identify other researchers who might support your claim.
Submission Instructions: Summary should be at least 250 words, formatted and cited in current APA style with support from at least 2 academic sources.
