1 MANAGEMENT RESEARCH PROJECT MPA608 Online S.docx

1
MANAGEMENT RESEARCH
PROJECT
MPA608
Online Studies Student Syllabus
© Belhaven University | April 2020
2
Course Description
This course is the second level of the three-part course that
provides the foundation for the
capstone project of the MPA degree. Students illustrate mastery
of research skills learned during
the process of coursework in an ongoing problem-solving
project of their own choosing, a
research case study, by providing a formal research proposal.
During Research Methods-Phase I, students conceptually
selected the preliminary subject for
their capstone project, either a program or organizationa l issue,

secured the necessary
permissions for research, developed a timeline for capstone
completion, identified the primary
and secondary sources for use in research, and began
development of the formal project
proposal. During this course, students will present their work to
date for peer and instructor
evaluation, both oral and written.
Student Competencies
• Recognize that man’s pursuit of knowledge begins with the
admission that God exists.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of k nowledge; but fools
despise wisdom and
instruction” (Proverbs 1:7).
• Understand that absolute and universal truth exists. “Buy the
truth, and sell it not; also
wisdom, and instruction, and understanding” (Proverbs 23:23).
• Develop a formal research proposal.
• Be able to articulate a coherent research proposal.
• Explain the purpose of proposed research.
• Situate proposed research within an existing base of
knowledge.
• Conduct a literature review of secondary research sources.

• Develop and explain a research methodology.
• Understand the advantages, limitations , and applications of
research case studies.
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Assessment Criteria
As s ignme nt Points Pos s ible
Writing Assignments (7 @ 40 points each) 280
Discussion Questions (14 @ 15 points each) 210
Unit Quizzes (7 @ varying points each) 160
Research Case Study Proposal 350
Total 1000
Grading Scale:
930+ A 93-100%

900-929 A- 90-92%
870-899 B+ 87-89%
830-869 B 83-86%
800-829 B- 80-82%
770-799 C+ 77-79%
730-769 C 73-76%
700-729 C- 70-72%
670-699 D+ 67-69%
630-669 D 63-66%
600-629 D- 60-62%
0-599 F 0-59%
Resource Inventory
American Psychological American Psychological Association.
Publication manual of the
American Psychological Association (6th ed.).
Kumar, R. (2014). Research methodology: A step-by-step guide
for beginners (4th ed.). SAGE
Publications. ISBN: 978-1446269978

Salkind, N. J. (2012). Exploring research (8th ed.). Pearson.
ISBN: 978-0205093816
The Holy Bible
Re s earch Article s : Locate articles by accessing the Belhaven
Library Online
http://belhaven. libguides.com/a z.php
http://belhaven.libguides.com/az.php
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Expectations of Online Studies Students
Atte ndance
For the attendance policy, please see the Student Online
Handbook in Blazenet.
Due Date s
A unit is considered to be Monday- Saturday. You are
encouraged to “Observe the Sabbath day
and keep it holy.” Good time management is essential to career
and academic success. Early
submissions of assignments and discussion responses are
encouraged. Assignments submitted

late will be subject to a 30% reduction for each day they are late
up to two days and will not be
accepted late after two days. Due dates are posted to the
assignments.
Communication
Communicate questions directly to the professor, except in
cases where you need to contact
technical support. Your Belhaven University email address will
be utilized for the class, so check
it frequently.
Ame ricans with Dis abilitie s Act (ADA)
Belhaven University offers students disability accommodation
in accordance with the guidelines
of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The student must make
his or her disability known to the
Office of Student Care, must provide current documentation of
the disability from an appropriate
licensed professional, and complete the Belhaven ADA Request
Form for accommodation. The
student must provide such a request to the Office of Student
Care at least two weeks prior to the
beginning of each semester for which the accommodation is
requested. Approved
accommodations will be communicated to the student and made
within a reasonable time period
after completion of the official request. Apply under the Quick
Links on the Student
Life/Services tab.

Re quire d Formatting
The required formatting for your papers, assignments, projects,
discussions, or anything else that
may be research based is the Publication Manual of the
American Psychological Association
(APA). APA information can be located by clicking on
Resources and then Academic Help on
the Canvas course page.
Re s ponsible Research
Responsible research is a critical component of education, and
any individual conducting
research must learn how to investigate, read, understand,
systematize, interpret, and finally
explain complex ideas and issues in writing. An individua l
conducting research must also
understand that ideas found in literature, media presentations,
interviews or any other form of
media do not belong to the researcher and therefore must be
given credit through proper
documentation. It is required that every person conducting
research provides proper credit
through correct use of documentation not only to prevent
plagiarism, but also to demonstrate
respect to the originator of the idea. To ensure that all papers
possess originality, faculty
members will use Turnitin. Any paper exceeding 20% of non-
origina l material or noticeable

undocumented information will be subject to a discount in
points at the discretion of the faculty.
https://www.belhaven.edu/campus_life/student-
development/ada_request.asp?_ga=2.180423975.1461500620.15
60867840-
1076324105.1532965380&_ga=2.180423975.1461500620.15608
67840-1076324105.1532965380
https://www.belhaven.edu/campus_life/student-
development/ada_request.asp?_ga=2.180423975.1461500620.15
60867840-
1076324105.1532965380&_ga=2.180423975.1461500620.15608
67840-1076324105.1532965380
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Originality
Unit writing and papers will be evaluated for originality using
Turnitin. Belhaven University
encourages a high degree of originality in writing. Quoted
material should seldom be used and
must be limited to phrases that cannot be paraphrased or
summarized without losing their
effectiveness. Students are required to cite and reference all
sources of information and images
using APA style. APA information can be located by clicking
on Resources and then Academic
Help on the Canvas course page. Non-origina lity exceeding
20% on papers will be subject to
discount at the professor’s discretion and students may be

referred to a writing lab for assistance
with originality.
Spe cific Practice s to Avoid
• Do not attempt to get a research paper from the Internet (or
anywhere else) and submit as
your paper. This is dishonest and unethical.
• Do not copy from any book, article, or encyclopedia and
submit this for your paper. This
is not acceptable research.
• Include references (including source and page numbers) which
document every source
upon which you have in any way relied for each paragraph of
your paper. If sources are
not properly referenced, the student has cheated the sources out
of deserved credit and
cheated readers out of valuable information.
• Do not use material from any other student’s paper or work
unless you give that student
full credit in reference notes.

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Summary of Assignments
Writing As s ignments
Writing assignments must be APA compliant and include a title
page, appropriate citations, and
references. The professor will post Unit Assignments on the
first day of each unit. Assignments
are due no later than 11:59 p.m. (CT) on Saturday. Earlier
submissions are encouraged.
Dis cus s ion Que stions
The professor will post discussion questions on the first day of
each weekly unit. You should
respond to the initial discussion questions no later than 11:59
p.m. (CT) each subsequent
Wednesday. Responses to classmate’s discussion questions are
due Saturda y at 11:59 p.m. for
each unit. Early postings are encouraged.
Initial discussion question responses must be a minimum of 250
words each. When indicated, a
response to a classmate must be at least 100 words. Fewer than
this will automatically result in a
significant reduction in one’s grade. One initial response and
one response to a classmate's

posting are required for each question.
You must mention the person’s name to whose comments you
are responding and quote what
aspect of his or her post you are addressing. Without either, it is
not possible to see the direction
of your comments and the comments will not receive any points.
Unit Quizze s
Students will complete unit quizzes on all reading assignments
and lectures. Quizzes are
available once all unit lectures have been viewed. Unit quizzes
must be completed by Saturday at
11:59 p.m. (CT). Only after 11:59 p.m. (CT) on Saturday will
correct answers for quizzes be
posted.
The Re s earch Cas e Study Propos al
The formal research proposal covers the array of topics
discussed and presented in the course,
and is due Saturday of Unit 7. The project paper will be
evaluated using the Unit Assignments
and Portfolio Paper rubric (Appendix E).
Prepare the research proposal using the following guidelines :
• A minimum of 20 pages not to exceed 35, typed, double-
spaced, Times New Roman font,
using APA standard for references

• Title page, including title of paper, your name, course name
and course number, date of
submission (Page 1)
• An appropriate and applicable biblical principle associated
with each major section and
subsection of the research proposal
• A Literature Review of existing secondary research sources on
your chosen subject of
research (minimum 5 pages)
• A bibliography (also called Reference Page or Works Cited)
with a minimum of 10
references are required, including the text, The Holy Bible
(New Living Translation),
books and articles from academic sources (Net Library), and
other periodicals.
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UNIT ONE
Unit Activitie s
• Review the course module.
• Explore the online Library and Academic Help pages.
• Read assigned materials.
• View lectures.

• Complete unit quiz.
• Respond to discussion questions.
• Submit writing assignment(s).
Re ading As s ignme nts
• Chapter 1 (Salk ind text)
• Chapter 1 (Kumar text)
• APA Manual Chapters 2, 4, Chapter 6 (Special Note: 6.01-
6.02 on Plagiarism, and 6.03-
6.32), and Chapter 7
• Exodus 20:15-16
Dis cus s ion Que stions : Post your initial responses to the
discussion forum by Wednesday 11:59
p.m. and respond to the discussion of others by Saturday 11:59
p.m.
• Dis cus s ion Que stion 1 (15 points)
o Prompt: Post the purpose of your proposed research.
o Requirements: 250 words minimum initial post, 100 words
minimum reply

o Prompt: Discuss the merits of the Christian worldview over
other worldviews.
minimum reply
Writing As s ignments: Submit by Saturday 11:59 p.m.
• As s ignme nt (40 points)
o Prompt: Page 1 will be an example of a bibliography (also
called List of
References or Works Cited page). List three of your secondary
research sources
(from your Literature Review) in proper APA format, of one (1)
book, one (1)
periodical, and one (1) Internet article or publication; Page 2
will present in-text
written manuscript, proper APA citations, within written
paragraphs: Paragraph 1
will properly cite the first book reference within paraphrased
manuscript;
Paragraph 2 will properly cite the second periodical reference
listed from your
bibliography page, properly quoting material within quotation
marks, and
properly punctuated reference citation (pages 172-173 APA
Manual); Paragraph 3
will properly cite the third Internet article or reference from
your bibliography
page in block quotation (without quotation marks) from Chapter
4.08.

o Requirements: Two (2) pages; not more than 500 words
http://belhaven.libguides.com/
https://blazenet.belhaven.edu/academic_help/Pages/default.aspx
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UNIT TWO
Unit Activitie s
• View lectures.
• Chapters 2 and 6 (Kumar text)
• Chapter 1, especially Figure 1.1 (Salk ind text)
• Appendix D of the syllabus (Major Components of Research
Case Study Proposals:
Section I- Introduction, subsections A-B)
• Ecclesiastes 1:13 and Proverbs 18:15

p.m.
o Prompt: Post on the forum discussion your: Statement of
research purpose,
research question, and hypothesis (your assumption of what you
think your
research will reveal).
minimum reply
o Prompt: Post on the forum discussion your: Discuss the
application of assigned
biblical principles for this week (Ecclesiastes 1:13 and Proverbs
18:15) to
graduate research.
minimum reply

o Prompt: Provide the following information, properly
organized and formatted:
Introduction
I. Overview of the organization and your focus.
A. Statement of purpose (Add appropriate biblical principle).
B. Research question (Add appropriate biblical principle).
C. Hypothesis (Add appropriate biblical principle).
D. Plan of study (Add appropriate biblical principle).
1. Major descriptive tasks (to complete the research)
2. Working objectives (to complete the research)
o Requirements: Three to four (3-4) pages (750-1000 words)
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UNIT THREE
Unit Activitie s
• View lectures.

• Chapter 1: The Role and Importance of Research, and Chapter
3A: Selecting a Problem
and Reviewing the Research (Salk ind text)
• Chapter 3: Reviewing the Literature (Kumar text)
• Appendix D of the syllabus (Major Components of Research
Case Study Proposals:
Section II-Theoretical Perspective & Literature Review)
• APA Manual
• Ecclesiastes 1:9 and Proverbs 12:5-8
p.m.
o Prompt: What is, or has been, the most interesting revelation
or illumination have
you found in your literature review of secondary research
sources contributing to
your primary research effort on the subject you have chosen to
research?
minimum reply

o Prompt: Post your Theoretical Perspective (also called Base-
of-Knowledge, or
Specialty-Subject-Area).
minimum reply
o Prompt: Submit Section II from Appendix D at the end of the
syllabus:
Theoretical Perspective (the Base of Knowledge or Specialty
Subject Area to
which you will be contributing (length: one (1) paragraph to ½
page and properly
cite reference(s) in APA format); and subsection A. Literature
Review of
secondary research sources already published on your research
subject, properly
cited in APA format, with a brief summary of each and what
they contribute to
your research base of knowledge of your research subject).
o Requirements: The Literature Review should be five (5) pages
(1250 words).

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UNIT FOUR
Unit Activitie s
• View lectures.
• Chapter 7: Data Collection and Descriptive Statistics (Salk ind
text)
• Chapter 7: The Research Design, Chapter 8: Selecting a Study
Design, Chapter 9:
Selecting a Method of Data Collection, and Chapter 13: Writing
a Research Proposal
• Appendix D: Major Components of Research Case Study
proposals, Section III -
Research Methodology
• Luke 14:28-30 and Proverbs 13:16-17

p.m.
o Prompt: Post on the forum discussion your subsection H. Plan
of Study, listing
your (1) Major descriptive tasks to complete your research, and,
(2) Working
objectives to complete your research.
minimum reply
o Prompt: Post on the forum discussion your section III.
Research Methodology,
listing your proposed subsection A. Data Collection
methodology.
minimum reply
o Prompt: Submit Section III from Appendix D at the end of the
syllabus your

Research Methodology, Subsection A. Data Collection of how
you plan on
collecting your primary research data. Also, submit Subsection
B. Data
Management and Analysis on how you plan to manage and
analyze your primary
data.
o Requirements: One to two (1-2) pages, 250-500 words for the
Research
Methodology, Subsection. Data Collection and one to two (1-2)
pages, 250-500
words for the Data Management Analysis
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UNIT FIVE
Unit Activitie s
• View lectures.

• Chapter 3B (Salk ind text)
• Chapter 9 and Chapter 14 (Kumar text)
• Appendix D, III. Research Methodology,
A. Data Collection – you will conduct surveys, interviews,
analyze records collected
from the organization, etc.
1. Establish your protocol for collecting data (quantitative or
qualitative)
2. List Primary sources of data
3. List Secondary sources of data
B. Data Management and Analyses
• Review Appendices A-C from the syllabus for potentially
necessary release forms from
primary research sources for collecting data, as necessary, in
considering potential ethical
issues in primary data collection.
• Proverbs 18:15, Exodus 23:7, and Colossians 2:8
p.m.

o Prompt: From your research on the subject, post a discussion
on your
understanding of primary research sources and secondary
research sources.
minimum reply
o Prompt: From your research on the subject, post a listing and
discussion on the
five primary research sources or methods of collecting primary
research data.
minimum reply
o Prompt: List your proposed primary research sources and a
preliminary list of
secondary research sources (your preliminary literature review)
of material
already published on your research topic. If doing surveys or
questionnaires, you
will want to distribute a minimum of one-hundred (100) for
receiving and
interpreting meaningful data (who is your proposed target

group?); if you propose
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to do interviews, you will want a minimum of twenty (20)
because one (1), two
(2), or three (3) is not a meaningful representation of the
responding target
audience (primary research sources).
o Requirements: Two (2) pages
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UNIT SIX
Unit Activitie s
• View lectures.

• Appendix D, Section III – Research Methodology, subsection
C. Research case study
applications : Advantages-Limitations
• I Kings 30:8 and Proverbs 30:8
p.m.
o Prompt: Discuss two (2) or more universal advantages and
limitations of all case
studies and properly cite (in APA format) a minimum of two (2)
references from
which you gathered this information.
minimum reply
o Prompt: Discuss the difference between primary and universal
advantages of case
study research.
minimum reply

o Prompt: List three (3) primary advantages and three (3)
primary limitations of
your proposed research. Properly cite in APA format a minimum
of three (3)
Internet-based sources or references; you may use the Belhaven
University
library.
o Requirements: Three pages (750 words)
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UNIT SEVEN
Unit Activitie s
• View lectures.
• Submit the Research Case Study Proposal.

• Read the MPA608 Instruction Manual (or syllabus), Appendix
D – follow the proscribed
format (almost like a table of contents) for organizing and
presenting your oral
presentation in the proper order
• Chapter 13 (Salk ind text)
• Chapter 13 (Kumar text)
• Isaiah 41:21, Proverbs 9:9, Ecclesiastes 1:8-9; 9:1-3, and
Proverbs 23:23
p.m.
o Prompt: Provide your advice and recommendations to other
students in this
course for developing PowerPoint slides based on your
knowledge and
experience.
minimum reply

o Prompt: What is the most useful and illuminating component
of this course of
instruction? Which component of this course of instruction
requires revision, and
why? How has the integration of biblical principles contributed
to your focus on
producing the primary assignment for this course of instruction
(the formal
research proposal)?
minimum reply
o Prompt: Integrating your understanding from the lecture and
your assigned
reading from the textbooks, develop and submit Microsoft
PowerPoint slides of
an oral presentation of Appendix D from the syllabus as if you
were going to
present your formal research proposal in front of an actual
group.

15
Re s earch Cas e Study Propos al: Submit by Saturday 11:59
p.m.
o Prompt: Submit the Research Case Study Proposal. Refer to
APPENDIX D for
further instructions to complete the proposal.
o Prepare the research proposal using the following guidelines :
▪ A minimum of 20 pages not to exceed 35, typed, double-
spaced, Times
New Roman font, using APA standard for references
▪ Title page, including title of paper, your name, course name
and course
number, date of submission (Page 1)
▪ An appropriate and applicable biblical principle associated
with each
major section and subsection of the research proposal
▪ A Literature Review of existing secondary research sources on
your
chosen subject of research (minimum 5 pages)
▪ A bibliography (also called Reference Page or Works Cited)
with a
minimum of 10 references are required, including the text, The
Holy Bible
(New Living Translation), books and articles from academic
sources (Net
Library), and other periodicals.

16
APPENDIX A
STUDENT SUPPLEMENTS
EXAMPLES OF POTENTIAL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS AND
RELEASE FORMS
Templates (may be modified)
AGENCY CONSENT FOR BELHAVEN UNIVERSITY
STUDENT GRADUATE RESEARCH
Age ncy Information: (Name , addre s s , location)
Point of Contact: (Name , title or pos ition)
Graduate Stude nt Rese arche r: (Name )
TERMS AND RELEASE
1. Belhaven University agrees to treat this case with the highest
degree of professionalism
and accepts the relationship of trust and confidence with the
client agency by this

agreement
2. All efforts will be made by Belhaven University to keep all
information received a nd
developed in the course of conducting the report in strict
confidence. However, the client
agrees not to sue Belhaven University for any breach of this
confidence by the student
researcher.
3. The client agrees to provide the necessary information
through the Freedom of Information
Act and support Belhaven University to permit timely and
acceptable completion of the
case requirements. Both the client and Belhaven University
agree to focus the work of the
student researcher according to the specifications of this
agreement.
4. Belhaven University and its representatives cannot, for any
reason, be held responsible for
any effects on the client and/or agency directly or indirectly
from the research conducted
by the student researcher. The client/agency agrees that the
research report resulting from
this contract are voluntarily provided as resource material. Any
implementation of
recommendations or undertaking of activities as a result of the
research effort is performed
at the full discretion of the client and/or agency with all risk
and liability assumed by the
client and/or agency.
I HAVE CAREFULLY READ THE ABOVE TERMS AND

RELEASE AND AGREE TO THEM.
___________________________________
Clie nt’s Signature
___________________________________
Stude nt Re s earche r’s
Signature
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APPENDIX B
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY AGREEMENT
In consideration of the opportunity to participate in the
Belhaven Graduate Research
Program as a student researcher, I hereby state that I am
informed and fully aware of the
necessity of insuring that the affairs of my clients remain
confidential. I agree that, unless I am
authorized in writing by my client to do so, I will not reveal any
information about my client’s
business to any unauthorized person, except as provided by law

on public agencies. I understand
that no person other than faculty advisors, project team
members, and my client are authorized to
discuss this case with me.
I will not:
Solicit or accept compensation for any services to clients
assigned to me while operating
under the terms of the research effort.
Recommend the purchase of goods or services from sources in
which Belhaven
University or I have an interest or represent.
Request or accept fees or commissions from third parties
associated with the rese arch
effort who have supplied goods or services to a client upon the
University counselor’s or
advisor’s recommendation.
I will assure that all surveys, questionnaires, studies or other
material developed by the
student research effort are provided to the client or client
agency only, and not used by
third parties.
___________________________ DATE:

_______________________
Student Researcher’s Signature
18
APPENDIX C
STATEMENT OF CONFIDENTIALITY
I, the undersigned, hereby confirm that all work and
information that has been revealed
between the client agency, its representatives and/or official,
and the undersigned is of …

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