MGMT 798 Management Research Project

MGMT 798 Management Research Project

MGMT 798
Management Research Project

Research Project Guidelines

Some students come to the Research Project with a fully formed idea of what they want to study. Most students may have a general idea, but no specifics and will need to have several conversations with peers, her/his academic advisor, the Chair of Marketing/Management, the Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies, and faculty. Often in these discussions, not only will student’s research ideas become more honed, but a potential research mentor will emerge.

Once the student has identified a research mentor (and the mentor has agreed to mentor the student), additional conversations regarding the focus and scope of the study may be necessary before the initial proposal can be submitted. However, within a week of the formal agreement, the student should submit to the mentor a

1-2 page summary of the proposed research, indicating its importance to the students and/or the area of management, and
very brief literature review (generally no more than 2-3 pages identifying key themes and initial sources for the research paper).

During the research phase of the project the mentor will meet with the student, offer suggestions and advice, and review the student’s initial draft of their final paper (guidelines follow).

Final Paper

As a part of their capstone research project students in the MSM program are required to prepare a paper suitable for publication. These manuscripts may be no longer than 6,000 words including abstract, text, and references. There are two types of papers that will fulfill this requirement:

General Guidelines

MANAGEMENT CAPSTONE GUIDELINES

All MSM capstone papers must use APA style. General guidelines follow; for more detailed information, consult the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (current edition).

1. Manuscripts should be double-spaced, including references and tables, on 8-1/2 by 11-1/2 white paper using 1”margins. Number pages consecutively for the abstract, text, references, tables, and figures (in this order).
2. Title page. In addition to the title of the paper the page should state: A Paper Presented to the faculty of Lasell College in Partial Fulfillment of the requirement of the Degree Master of Science in Management.
3. Acknowledgements. If students choose to include acknowledgements recognizing organizations or individuals, these should be placed on a separate page immediately following the title page.
4. Abstract and key words. On a separate page, each manuscript must include a brief abstract, double- spaced. Abstracts should be approximately 200 words and must include the following headings: Purpose of the study, Design and Methods, Results, and Implications. Below the abstract, supply 3–5 key words that are not in the title.
5. Text references. Refer to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (current edition) for style.
6. Reference list. Type double-spaced and arrange alphabetically by author’s surname; do not number. The reference list includes only references cited in the text and in most cases should not exceed 50 entries. Do not include references to private communications or submitted work. Consult the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (current edition) for correct form.
7. Tables. Prepare tables, double-spaced in separate files, number consecutively with Arabic numbers and supply a brief title for each. Place table footnotes immediately below the table, using superscript letters (a, b, c) as reference marks. Asterisks are used only for probability levels of tests of significance (*p, .05). Indicate preferred placement for each table in the text.
8. Illustrations. Photographs must be black-and-white. Figures must be professionally lettered in a sans-serif type (e.g., Arial or Helvetica). Graphics must be submitted in a suitable, common graphic format.