Research Paper

Research Paper-Recommended Guidelines

MBA 609-Fall 2011

The paper should be typed using font size 12 and double spaced. Listed below are some suggestions for writing your research paper.

What should be the topic of my research paper?

The topic of your research paper should be something that interests you as this will determine the effort you put into writing the paper. A good strategy when searching for a topic is to read academic journals that pertain to the discipline. Examples include Sloan Management Review, Communications of the ACM, Harvard Business Review, and Business Horizons etc. When reading articles from these journals identify questions that continue to challenge scholars and see if there is one that interests you. It is advisable not to select a topic that is very broad in nature, e.g., Web 2.0. Focus on a specific aspect of Web 2.0 such as how do organizations create value using social networking and you will make the paper manageable. Do remember that if you select a topic, which is very specific in nature, then you may limit your choices of source materials for your paper. Do not select something about which a lot of work has already been done, as you want to make it challenging.

Where do I find information about my topic?

If you select your topic from an academic journal article use references at the end of the article to initiate your research. You will get several useful references that save time for you and help you develop your topic. Another way to begin your search is by surfing the Net. Create a list of keywords that you believe describes your topic of research and then begin your search on the Net. Care must be taken to ensure that you don’t waste your time when searching for information on your topic. Websites with .edu, gov, and .org extensions are generally reliable sources though .gov in some cases may contain biased information. .com websites though useful in some cases (www.cio.com and...