Category: Uncategorized

Conducting career-related research and applying those findings to your current work context can be a transformational experience. It allows us to think critically about our position in the workplace, examine industry trends and successfully manage career transitions. This assignment requires you to delve into a specific problem or challenge currently facing professionals in your field by using your liberal arts education as an interdisciplinary framework for analysis. You will conduct thorough research to understand the scope and impact of this problem, analyze its underlying causes, and propose practical, well-supported solutions. This assignment will strengthen your Communication, Critical Thinking and Technology skills (NACE, 2024

Links to an external site.

),

This assignment requires that you do the following:

A. In every field, there are issues and challenges that prevent stakeholders (practitioners, employees/service providers and clients/end-users) from achieving 100% success. These are called Problems of Practice. For this assignment, you will explore a problem of practice for your chosen field of interest (your current career or anticipated career). First, you will select a relevant and significant problem within your chosen career field. Clearly define the problem and its context and discuss its impact on the field. It is important that you use 2-3 peer reviewed articles to substantiate your problem. Essentially, what do other practitioners, experts and scholars say about your problem of practice?

Here are a few examples of problems of practice:

●      The impact of COVID 19 on 12th grade reading skills

●      The attrition rates of health administrators at low-funded hospitals

●      The lack of state funds for entrepreneurs in the cosmetic industry

●      The underrepresentation of Executive level Latinas in the nonprofit sector

Your responses in this section should address the following questions:

1. What is your problem of practice and how is this defined?
2. Why did you select this problem of practice?
3. Why is this problem significant in your field? What is its impact on your field? It is important to use your interdisciplinary, liberal arts background to identify a broad range of issues (eg. economical, social,  historical etc) that have or can surface from your problem of practice.
4. What does the research say about your problem of practice?
5. Why is it important to solve this problem?

B. Based on your research and analysis, develop one or more feasible solutions to the identified problem. Clearly articulate your proposed solutions, explaining how they address the root causes of the problem. Provide evidence-based support for the effectiveness of your solutions, drawing on existing research or proposing potential methods for evaluation. You should use 2-3 peer reviewed articles to support your solutions.

Here are a few examples of our previous problems of practice with possible solutions:

Problem of Practice	Possible Solution
The impact of COVID 19 on 8th grade reading skills	Structured approaches to academic support including free after school reading workshops and parent support groups
The attrition rates of health administrators at poorly funded hospitals	Continuing education incentives for administrators
The lack of financial support for entrepreneurs in the cosmetic industry	Seminars for entrepreneurs on accessing small business state funds
The under-representation of Executive level Black and Brown women in the nonprofit, social work sector	Executive mentoring and other professional development for Black and Brown women

Your responses in this section should address the following questions:

1. What is your proposed solution/s to your problem of practice?
2. How have other researchers/practitioners implemented your proposed solutions or elements of your solution?
3. What are the steps to building this solution?
4. What existing resources are available to build your solution and how might you scale (or expand) your proposed solution? Please include your unique skills and strengths that you have identified in Module 3 (in your padlet) that will support your implementation of this solution.

Consider any limitations that your solution might have and propose recommendations that might offset these. Limitations may include any external or internal constraints that serve as a barrier to your solution.

Your responses in this section should address the following questions:

1. What are some limitations to your proposed solution?
2. What are some internal/external constraints to your solution?

PAPER GUIDELINES

This paper is due on Thursday, April 30th. It is worth 30% of your grade. 

You should demonstrate that you can gather information on a particular subject, narrow it down to a particular focus, synthesize the information and make some scholarly, astute interpretations about the topic. A significant part of the paper should be your interpretation of the information and how your knowledge about the subject has been enriched. Please do not simply regurgitate the information you found.

An outline for this paper should include the following as well as subheadings to organize your writing:

●      Title Page (does not count in page count)

●      Introduction

●      Problem of Practice (2-3 peer reviewed articles to substantiate your problem)

●      Proposed Solutions to Problem (2-3 peer reviewed articles to support your solution or solutions)

●      Conclusion

●      References (does not count in page count)

Page Limit and Format Requirements

This paper should be 5-6 pages in length, specifically on content. Title page and reference page do not count in the page limit. Paper should be typed and double-spaced in a 12-point font (Times New Roman) with 1-inch margins. This paper should include a bibliography/reference page and should be in APA or MLA format depending on your concentration (APA for Education Studies and MLA for Humanities).

Research Sources – Review of Literature

Your paper will not be substantive unless you have substantive sources. Find 4-6 VARIED and CURRENT SOURCES including professional journal articles and professional publications. It is important to find sources that you can understand, and also challenge you intellectually.

• Sources should be timely and relevant. Best guidance for this is to find sources from the past 5-9 years (2016-2025).

• Organize your sources by sorting and classifying article/publication findings in a meaningful way, always considering your topic and areas of inquiry. Compare, contrast and connect the articles you have selected.

Rubric

UNIV400 Research Paper Rubric (1)

Criteria	Ratings	Pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeContent and Focus	4 pts4/4● Exceptionally clear, focused, interesting thesis. ● Strong, rich supporting details and examples that prove thesis. ● A meaningful conclusion explaining the importance of the research and how it can be used.3 pts3/4● Clear thesis which maintains a consistent focus from beginning to end. ● Specific supporting details are present. ● A clear conclusion as to why the research is important.2 pts2/4● Contains thesis but with inconsistent focus. ● Generalized supporting details that prove thesis. ● Conclusion tends to summarize research.1 pts1/4● Thesis statement lacks clarity and focus. ● Inadequate or missing supporting details. ● Missing a summarizing conclusion.	4 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeOrganization	4 pts4/4● Strong introduction and conclusion. ● Consistent and coherent logical progression. ● Uses clear and skillful transitions.3 pts3/4● Clear introduction and conclusion. ● Illustrates some consistency and shows some logical progression. ● Uses clear transitions.2 pts2/4● Introduction and conclusion is present but not clear. ● Show some attempt of consistency and order. ● Paper shows attempt of transitions between paragraphs.1 pts1/4● Unable to clearly identify introduction and conclusion. ● Lack of consistency and order. ● Paper shows little or no attempt of transitions between paragraphs.	4 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeStyle	4 pts4/4● Written in formal language (avoids slang completely). ● Elaborate and colorful language. ● Consistently strong and varied sentence structure. ● Direct quotes support student’s ideas. ● Paper written in student’s own words.3 pts3/4● Majority of paper written in formal language. ● Language appropriate to topic. ● Words convey intended message. ● Direct quotes support student’s ideas. ● Majority of paper written in student’s own words.2 pts2/4● Some use of formal language recognized; informal language is dominant. ● Most language is appropriate to topic. ● Able to get vague idea of message. ● Some parts of paper written in student’s own words.1 pts1/4● Paper frequently uses informal language. ● Language is not appropriate to topic. ● Message is unclear. ● Majority of paper is plagiarized.	4 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeSources/ Format	4 pts4/4Follows MLA Guidelines: ● Uses 5 or more cited sources. ● Sources meet the guidelines for types of sources. ● All parenthetical documentation is MLA correct (author’s name, pg. #). ● Works Cited page is MLA correct. ● All researched info is documented.3 pts3/4Follows MLA Guidelines with few exceptions: ● 3-4 cited sources used. ● Sources meet the guidelines for types of sources. ● Few errors noted in parenthetical documentation ● Majority of Works Cited page is MLA correct. ● Most research info is documented.2 pts2/4● Inconsistent use of MLA style guidelines. ● Less than 3 cited sources used. ● Majority of parenthetical documentation done incorrectly. ● Random MLA documentation. ● Rarely documents sources.1 pts1/4● Fails to follow MLA style guidelines. ● Less than 3 cited sources used little or no parenthetical documentation. ● Works Cited page is not understandable.	4 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeConventions	4 pts4/4Superior editing. Rarely makes errors in the following areas: ● Spelling and mechanics. ● Correct usage and grammar.3 pts3/4Careful editing. Makes few errors in the following areas: ● Spelling and mechanics. ● Correct usage and grammar.2 pts2/4Some evidence of editing: ● Extensive spelling and grammatical errors1 pts1/4Poor editing: ● Spelling and grammatical errors make it d

Summary The aim of the project is to investigate the feasibility of an E-Commerce venture. As part of this you will need to develop a concept for your own theoretical E-Commerce business, investigate it from several angles and then come to a firm conclusion about its viability. Deliverables • report (max 5,500 words). Additional research and any other relevant items can be included as appendices. Your report must include academic and reputable industry references to support your claims and decisions. Assignment Structure and Marks Allocation Descriptive answers will not achieve high marks. All sections must include evaluation, comparison and clear justification of decisions. Factors Impacting Choice of: 20% Product Supplier Platform E-Commerce Business Model Revenue Model Critically evaluate the factors you’ve considered and justify your choice of product, supplier, platform and business model (including, but not limited to benefits/drawbacks, sustainability factors, market size, scalability & costs). Show how you’ve researched and compared each element and what you’ve based it on. You are expected to compare at least two alternatives for each key decision before justifying your final choice. Financial Analysis: 25% Provide a financial analysis of your theoretical e-commerce business and use this to find the most profitable route for your business. This should include profit and loss forecast and customer acquisition costs over a minimum six-month period. Financial analysis must be based on realistic assumptions and clearly show: • Revenue calculated ex VAT • Cost per order (including product, shipping, packaging, fees and returns where relevant) • Customer acquisition cost (CAC) with justification • A clear link between your customer acquisition strategy and your financial projections Positioning In Relation to Competitors: 20% Conduct research into your e-commerce business idea. Consider major players, typical price points and USPs of competitors. Show how you intend to position your business, taking competitors into account. Your positioning must clearly influence your pricing, customer acquisition strategy and overall value proposition. High Level Customer Acquisition Plan: 25% Design a high level customer acquisition plan with a 6-month horizon, illustrating how you intend to bring traffic to your site and, if relevant, increase conversion rates and average spend and increase repeat purchases. Like all marketing plans (even simple ones) this should include objectives, resources required, timelines and expected ROI. Costs for this should be integrated into Financial Analysis. This must not be a list of tactics. You are expected to estimate: • Expected traffic from each channel • Cost per channel • Expected conversion rates • Contribution of each channel to overall customer acquisition Conclusions on Viability: 10% Using all of the above, come to a firm conclusion about the viability of your theoretical e commerce business. Your conclusion must be directly supported by your financial analysis and customer acquisition assumptions. Note: Whilst doing this project, you as academics must remain neutral and unbiased. When marking it won’t matter whether your conclusion is that the business is viable or unviable. You will be marked on the depth of research and thought processes that led you to your conclusion. Requirements: You are expected to support your work using academic sources and reputable industry evidence. This report is to demonstrate academic research and writing skills, creativity and critical thinking as well as learnings from the module. Any outside material you have used in your research must be referenced in a separate page in the References section at the back of the report. Harvard Referencing Style must be used for any external sources. The submissions will be subject to a plagiarism check through the Turnitin. If plagiarism is detected, it will result in a mark of 0. The front page should have the title, your student name and number as well as a declaration that it is your own work. Marking Rubric Category Exemplary Business Model, Product, Platform & Revenue Model (20%) Clear, well-researched and critically evaluated choices. Strong comparison of alternatives. Demonstrates deep understanding of commercial implications, scalability, costs and risks. Financial Analysis (25%) Financials are realistic, clearly structured and internally consistent. Revenue correctly calculated (ex VAT). Costs, CAC and assumptions are clearly justified. Strong link between acquisition and financial outcomes. Positioning in Relation to Competitors (20%) Strong competitor analysis with clear strategic positioning. Demonstrates clear differentiation and links positioning to pricing, value proposition and acquisition strategy. Customer Acquisition Plan (25%) Clear, structured and realistic plan. Channels are justified with estimated traffic, cost and contribution. Strong alignment with financials and objectives. Demonstrates clear commercial thinking. Conclusion on Viability (10%) Clear, well-justified conclusion directly supported by financials and strategy. Demonstrates critical evaluation and awareness of risks and limitations. The idea is: The product is a flameless ambient candle that combines LED lighting with essential oil diffusion. It is designed to replicate the look and atmosphere of a traditional candle using a realistic flickering LED lighting while also providing fragrance through essential oils rather than burning wax. The product includes a refillable scent system allowing customers to change or replace fragrances over time. The key advantage is that it removes the need for an open flame making it safer reusable and lower maintenance while still delivering the same cozy aesthetic experience. It’s like a hybrid between a candle and a diffuser combining ambiance and scent. I found one company that sold this the website is called Lifelines but it is based in America. I’m from Ireland so the competitors would be Yankee candle and La Bougie and any other you may think of. This needs to be realistic! Investigating the Viability Of An E-Commerce Business

Description and Purpose

You will complete a research paper on student learning and continuous school improvement measured by the Florida Educational Leadership Standards (FELS) by evaluating and analyzing student achievement data to support instructional and non-instructional decision making at a hypothetical school. You will review the provided data set and respond to the following: specific accountability components including achievement gaps across sub-groups and comparisons to the district and state. Once the data set(s) have been analyzed,  you will build a narrative for school improvement including but not limited to instructional priorities and goals, curriculum adaptations, targeted interventions and supports, professional development, progress monitoring plans, and communication plans to stakeholders. You will utilize course readings, current research articles (published within the last 5 years), and the Florida Education Leadership Standards (FELS) as sources of evidence to identify and design support for your school improvement plan.

Silver Grove K-8 Academy Data SetDownload Silver Grove K-8 Academy Data Set

---

Instructions

Title Section: Introduction (1–2 pages)

Your introduction should include a brief statement of what research describes as effective data analysis for school improvement. Research cited should be from course readings and articles researched by students. 

Title Section: Data Analysis (2–3 pages)

Describe the student achievement data from Silver Grove K-8 Academy Download Silver Grove K-8 Academyby addressing the specific aspects of student achievement provided (e.g., overall performance, comparisons, subject-specific proficiency, growth and/or regressions and gaps/comparisons between sub-groups). The provided data should be presented in a table format to ensure an organized and structured presentation. In this section you will look for trends and patterns in the data and identify areas of strength and weakness, high and low performing groups and any other notable patterns over time. You will analyze the data across different subgroups to identify achievement gaps or disparities.

Title Section: Narrative for School Improvement (2–3 pages)

Develop a school improvement plan that includes instructional priorities and goals, curriculum adaptations, targeted interventions and supports, acceleration and enrichment, professional development, progress monitoring, communication plans to stakeholders, and a timeline for implementation.

Title Section: FELS Analysis (1–2 pages)

Use your own research, class readings and assignments to inform, formulate and/or identify how your analysis of the data and subsequent school improvement plan that you develop in response to the data line up with the FELS. Provide your reflections on the effectiveness of how educational leaders enable continuous improvement to promote the academic success and well-being of all students using course readings, current research and the FELS as evidence for support.

Title Section: Conclusion (1–2 pages)

In your conclusion, summarize the main points made throughout the paper, reiterate key arguments, main takeaways, and address any new questions that may arise out of the findings of your analysis and recommended school improvement plan. 

Requirements for Writing, Grammar, and References

·        Technical writing and grammar are both accurate and compelling

·        Paper shows strong evidence of editing and proofreading

·        Citations within the text are accurate and consistent with APA Style, 7th edition

·        References need to be complete, comprehensive, and consistent with APA Style, 7th edition

·        Must use both course assigned textbooks as references in research paper

·        Must include 3–5 academic, peer reviewed articles as references in research paper

---

Resources

Reference the following as needed:

·        FIU Online Research Guide for StudentsLinks to an external site.

·        APA Formatting and Style Guide, 7th Edition (Purdue OWL)Links to an external site.

Academic Experts

17 Apr 2026 • 1 min read

Description and Purpose In this assignment, you will analyze your school’s School Improvement Plan (SIP) and develop timelines for successful implementation. You will also reference the Data Management Plan developed in a previous assignment to determine the data elements necessary for monitoring progress towards the goals outlined in the SIP.

Instructions Part 1 – Preparation Review your school’s School Improvement Plan (SIP) in detail.My school is Somerset Academy South Miami. Please use real life information on this school ONLY. Pay close attention to the area(s) of focus (instructional practices), measurable outcome, monitoring, and action steps outlined in the plan. Identify the key components of the SIP that will require specific timelines for implementation. Consider factors such as resources, personnel, training, and potential barriers that may impact the success of each goal. Develop timelines for each goal and objective in the SIP. Break down the action steps into manageable tasks and allocate specific timeframes for completion. Consider whether certain goals are short-term or long-term in nature and adjust timelines accordingly. Reference the Data Management Plan developed in M3 Group Assignment. Determine which data elements will be essential for monitoring progress towards each goal in the SIP. Consider how data will be collected, analyzed, and reported to stakeholders. Part 2 – Deliverables Create a visual timeline or Gantt chart that depicts the implementation schedule for the SIP. Include key milestones, deadlines, and responsible parties for each action step. Write a 1-2 page reflection on the challenges and opportunities presented by the SIP and data management plan. Discuss how the timelines you have developed will support successful implementation and progress monitoring. Resources In addition to the resources assigned on the module overview and resources page, you will need the following to successfully complete this assignment: (ATTACHED)

School Improvement Plan (CIMS)Links to an external site. Data Management Plan (M3 Group Assignment) Gantt Chart (MS Excel Chart TemplatesLinks to an external site.)

Create a 10–14 slide PowerPoint presentation with detailed speaker notes, including citations on slides and in Notes area of the slide. You are required to add a recorded voice-over in which you present and interpret data, graphics, descriptive statistics, et cetera. The voice-over does not replace your Notes section; you must still have written speaker notes for each slide.

Format your presentation as follows:

Title. One title slide. Introduction or business context. 1–3 slides, explaining the business context. Graphics and analysis. Four or more graphics slides with discussion analyzing and explaining their relevance. Be sure to add moving average and trend lines as appropriate. Include the following: Table comparing your company and competitors across variables. Competitor and industry graph and information. Two slides on descriptive stats. One slide summarizing other analysts comments. Conclusion or recommendation. 2–3 slides, explaining the application of each graphic in the chosen business context. Discussion. 1–2 slides calling for discussion and questions, and thanking everyone for their attention. References. One or more slides with APA-formatted references. Your assessment should also meet the following requirements:

Eliminate all bias from your presentation by using supported facts. Think bullets and short but complete sentences that are clear, comprehensible, and free of jargon. Include no more than five bullet points per slide, if possible. Include APA-formatted in-text citations where appropriate. Remember each bullet point and each sentence of the company, industry, and competitor information needs a citation either on the slides or in the speaker notes. Ensure your presentation is relevant to and easily understood by everyone in the audience. Remember, you will be speaking to people of all levels in the company. Your voice-over should be 8–12 minutes. Your written communication should be free of errors that detract from the overall message. Include an APA-formatted references slide at the end of the presentation.

Signature Assignment: 

Title: Legal process in Diagnosis of STIs

5 pages no include references and cover page

References 5 to 6

Students are expected to describe the legal process of STIs in the state of Florida. Out of state students may describe the legalities involved to the state of their residency. A rubric will be posted in Moodle portal. The paper should be a narrative following the APA 7th edition format and must include:

·       Reportable diseases in the United States

·       Reportable and non-reportable diseases in the state of Florida or the state of the student’s current residency.

·       Diagnostic tests including collection, transport, storage, time for processing, most and least used, and expected findings

·       Most current treatment and patient recommendations.

·       Impact of STIs and cost-effectiveness of prevention.

·       References from peer revie

Using the information provided from the Center for Disease Control (links available on the Module 5 Resources page), choose one of the 10 topics in the article and discuss:

How this topic applies to your current work or life, or

How this topic can be adapted to early childhood environments, or

How you would apply this topic to your future work with children.

Provide citations from the links to support your ideas.

Comment on at least 2 of your classmates’ posts by furthering the discussion, providing new or alternate ideas, or asking questions about their ideas. Cite your research. Be sure to revisit the Hypothesis assignment during the second half of the module to keep the ideas flowing.

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!