Guidelines and Grading Scale for Research Paper
TEC 5133 Total Quality Systems
A. Content:
Technically, the major research paper will include the following two major portions.
a. Discussion of the fundamentals of the tool(s). This could include major historical development, working principles, main application or benefits, capabilities and limitations, application requirements, rules and so on. (50%)
b. Two application examples. The application of the tool(s) will be elaborated using at least two examples. (25% each) Those two examples will be presented separately after the above discussion of fundamentals.
B. Paper Format:
Follow APA style strictly.
C. Suggestions:
a. Start working on the paper especially the examples soon after the first class meeting.
b. Proofread the final paper before printing, each misspelling will count for one point loss in the paper.
c. Research/literature search: The majority of TQS tools and applications are scattered in papers, articles, especially books related to quality management. The chapter in your textbook is a good beginning point. But, that is not enough. You will need to cite at least three (3) additional direct references.
d. It is a good idea to develop an outline before your writing so that you may have clear vision on your writing outcome.
e. It is a good idea to use headings/subheadings to show your flow of ideas. It helps the reader(s) tremendously to easily understand your ideas and logical flow.
f. Have a sense of humor in your writing. It helps you and helps me.
D. Evaluation Guidelines:
- Is the topic consistent with the assigned/agreed area?10 points
- Is the title consistent with the content?5 points
- Is the “introduction” interesting and effective?10 points
- Does the article have enough content to support the major points?30 points
- Does the paper have clear summary or conclusion?5 points
- Are the conclusions/summary and effective and consistent with the content? 10 points
- Are there sufficient references provided?10 points
- Are references correctly cited and listed?5 points
- Is the article written free of grammatical or spelling errors?5 points
- Does the paper conform to APA style?5 points
- Does the paper have a professional appearance? 5 points
F:\PingLiu\Teaching\Total Quality Systems\Instructions\GuidelinesforResearchPaper.doc