Research Paper Guidelines

Each student will select a current issue in Public Administration or Policy for in depth research. There are a multitude of topics, which a student could research within the scope of this course. For ideas, look ahead in the readings. The individual research project will consist of a written paper that is due on November 7, 2021.

Each paper must be 8-10 pages in length and must include: 1. A description of the current controversies or challenges regarding the issue (why it is

relevant for the study of public administration)2. A review of the literature, which includes, at a minimum:

a. An explanation of the history of this issue (major laws or regulations, milestoneevents, corresponding and competing values)

b. A discussion of some comparative perspectives on the issue (how is the issuedifferent in the public, private and nonprofit sectors; how is the issue different atthe local, state or national level of government or in different regions of thecountry; OR how is the issue different in the United States and in other countries).

c. A review of best practices regarding this issue (describe how this issue is handledin a high-performance organization or in a progressive jurisdiction).

Not included in the 8-10 pages are the following components: 1. A Title Page2. An Abstract3. Tables and Figures4. References

For this assignment, students should use books, peer-reviewed journal articles, professional association publications, and electronic sources, and possibly interviews and organizational documents as reference materials. Your writing should reflect the style, tone and approach of professional journals in our discipline, such as Public Administration Review, The Review of Public Personnel Administration, The American Review of Public Administration, and Public Personnel Management.

Students must have their topics approved by the instructor. In selecting a topic, students are encouraged to select a topic that addresses some component of one or more of the major public administration or policy issues. Within these broad issue areas, students should narrowly focus their attention to avoid the pitfalls of inadequate detail and superficial analysis.