Race and Ethnic Minorities: Research Article Summary Guidelines

Instructions: You are responsible for selecting four research articles beyond course readings and providing summaries for each. Your research summaries must be submitted to Canvas by the listed due dates.

Select a research article from any of the journals listed under Journals in the SOCI 4540 Library Guide (Links to an external site.). Your choice of article must be related to the topic of one of the course modules. For example, if you choose to submit a summary for Module 5: Immigration and Racial and Ethnic Identity, then your choice of article must be relevant to the topic of immigration.

Your research summary should cover the following, in narrative format:

1. The primary motivation of the article (i.e., why do the authors think their study is relevant or important?) and research questions asked.
2. Theories or conceptual frameworks used in the study – including any used to support the study’s main points and any critiqued by the study
3. The data and methods used in the study (i.e., how was the study actually carried out?)
4. The primary findings of the study (i.e., what did the study actually discover?)
5. A critical assessment of the article, including:
   1. Which parts of the article did you agree with and why? What are the strengths of the article, in your opinion? For example, did the author(s) use a theory or draw a conclusion that you find particularly relevant?
   2. Which part of the article did you disagree with and why? What are the weaknesses of the article, in your opinion? For example, did the author(s) overlook an important factor or fail to take into consideration an important perspective?
6. A concluding paragraph connecting the article to other course materials and/or to contemporary events

Formatting: You must include the full citation of the research article at the end of your summary, properly formatted in ASA-style (ASA Style Guide available on Canvas). Your research summaries should be no more than two single-spaced pages in Times New Roman (font size 12) in Microsoft Word format with one-inch margins all around. A template for the assignment is available on Canvas.

Tips:

• Most research articles include an abstract with a summary of the main points and findings of the study which is useful for deciding if you are interested in the article and for understanding key points to use in your research summary.
• Choose an article that uses research methods you are comfortable with. If you choose an article using methods you do not fully understand, you can sign up for office hours to discuss it.
• Make sure you read the article thoroughly – preferably more than once – to make sure you are really understanding the arguments and conclusions being made.
• Do NOT copy and paste text directly or quote extensively from the research article – your research summary should use your own words to paraphrase the relevant points from the article.

Grading Rubric:

Comprehension (40 points)

• Clearly describes the motivation for the study
• Identifies the theories and/or conceptual framework used in the study
• Accurately describes the study’s data and methods
• Demonstrates understanding of the study’s primary findings

Critical Analysis (50 points)

• Provides a thoughtful and well-supported critical assessment of the article
• Draws clear connections between the article and other course materials and/or contemporary events

Composition (10 points)

• Paper is clearly written and organized with minimal spelling or grammatical errors
• Full citation is provided, properly formatted in ASA-style

Assignment Content

1. Throughout the past few weeks, you have learned about the type of leader you’d like to be and how you can use your leadership skills in project management. This week’s reading discussed Kotter’s eight-step model of planned organization, appreciative inquiry, and the psychological and emotional processes involved in successful change. Leading an IT project will require you to use all these skills when working with stakeholders. One of the most important project tasks is to present the scoping information to the stakeholders.

   For this assignment, you will revise your team’s project plan to present to stakeholders. Access your team’s draft of the Project Plan Template from the Wk 3 Team – Apply: Project Scope, Budget, and Timeline Stakeholder Meeting Role Play assignment, and re-save it so you can work on it individually.

   Using information from the previous weeks’ assignments and instructor feedback, revise the Project Plan Template. In Section 1 of the Project Plan, you must define the scope of the project. In the following sections, you will explain how you will implement the scope of the project and how you will manage change within the project.

   Specifically, your new project plan should include the following revisions and additions:

3. • A summary of the project in Section 1: Summary
   • A revision of the timeline from the Wk 3 Team – Apply: Project Scope, Budget, and Timeline Stakeholder Meeting Role Play assignment in Section 3: Schedule – Milestones
   • A revision of the list of stakeholders (refer to the Wk 3 – Apply: Project Management Flowchart and Summary assignment document) in Section 4: Resources
   • An analysis of impact of change that should occur based on the risk assessment in Section 6: Change Management
   • An explanation and justification for the changes made in your revision of your group’s decisions in an Appendix section
   • Cite two sources other than Intuit, Inc. company documents.

     Format your citations according to APA guidelines.

     Submit your assignment.

Please refer to the downloads for references.