Washington, D.C. Public Diplomacy Program Research/Consultancy

IRP 709 – M001 (42394)

Washington, D.C. Public Diplomacy Program Research/Consultancy

Precepts and Guidelines

Dr. Michael Schneider – ; (202) 413-4032

Introduction

The Research/Consultancy (Re/Con) seeks to advance professional experience of participating Maxwell-Newhouse graduate public diplomacy students in their specialized fields. The experience will add significant research and consulting skills in a problem-solving exercise. Each student or team will address the substantive policy issues and institutional concerns of a sponsoring organization.

A major report with findings and analysis, and recommendations will result from the Re/con. Students will improve their capacity to:

• Define a researchable problem, challenge or opportunity identified by the sponsoring organization
• Interview relevant officials and experts
• Conduct primary and secondary analysis of available information sources and construct appropriate data bases for analysis
• Prepare a relevant, timely, clear, thorough and cogent report and recommendation
• Present findings and recommendations to officials of the sponsoring organization

Each researcher or team can expect to spend not less than 50 hours on this project; to present the report to the sponsors and to revise the report after review by the sponsors.

Steps:

The following steps will pertain to each project. We will frequently consider and reconsider elements and be able to make adjustments as we proceed. Changes in formula and format are welcomed in order to make the project as realistic and fruitful for all concerned.

Identifying Organizational Sponsors

Before, or very soon after, the start of the semester, student research teams and the faculty sponsor will identify possible organizational sponsors and query representatives about a possible advisory project.

The organization and potential project must be central to the professional interests and career aspirations of the researchers, and meet certain sponsorship requirements (see “Responsibilities” below.)

Defining a Re/Con Project

The student team, sponsoring organization and faculty adviser will jointly determine the issue, challenges, or potential opportunities to be examined. The sponsoring organization will provide a brief Work Requestoutlining its concerns, needs, interests, any requirements, limits, confidentiality expectations, etc. (see template, attached. This format is recommended, not required; the sponsoring organization is free to use its own format.) After a discussion involving representatives from the sponsoring organization, the student team and the faculty adviser, and acceptance by the sponsor and faculty adviser, the project may proceed.

Conduct of the Project

Each research team will carry out the Re/Con. The team will send a brief one-page email weekly report/update to the organizational representative and the faculty adviser. The report will state work accomplished, raise any concerns or questions. The team, in consultation with the sponsors, will set a Work Plan with a Timeline for conduct and completion of the project. The Timeline will include known Benchmarks. The teams will briefly update the class in our bi-weekly meetings to discuss projects and compare experiences. As each team prepares its final report and presentation we will meet to consider finalization. Each team should feel free to query the organizational and faculty sponsor about any facet of the project as it proceeds.

Appropriate Issues for Analysis

This is a “real-world” project, not make-work. Thus the issues chosen for analysis should be genuine policy, organizational or procedural concerns for the sponsors.

The issues should be unclassified, although they might in some cases require confidentiality.

Varied policy, programmatic, institutional or procedural opportunities are appropriate for the organization and the research team to consider. The organization might want to move in a certain direction, incorporate a new process, product, campaign, project of endeavor and may not have exact ideas for these and thus might want the research team to help define the new direction and shape an agenda for innovation.

Responsibilities

Sponsoring Organization:

• Within two weeks of its inception, prepare and explain a Re/Con need
• Provide appropriate meeting and work space at least once a week for the Re/Con team
• Provide access to website, relevant and appropriate internal information sources
• Assign appropriate officials and staff to meet with the Re/Con team at mutually agreeable times

Student Re/Con Team:

• In consultation with the organizational and faculty sponsor, prepare a very brief research design plan, with Timetable and Benchmarks
• Conduct interviews of organizational officers and staff, outside experts and others relevant to the project
• Research the Issues, build any needed data bases, charts, graphs, multi-media tools
• Develop findings and conclusions
• Consult with the organizational sponsor and faculty sponsor
• Prepare an outline and a draft executive summary of the report
• Prepare a draft report to submit to the organizational and faculty sponsor
• Present its findings and recommendations, with PowerPoint and any handouts to the organizational and faculty sponsor by week 14 of the semester
• Make requested revisions or refinements and submit the final report in week 16.

Faculty Adviser:

• Help the students research and reach an agreement with the sponsoring organization
• Advise the students on preparation of the Work Plan, Timeline, Benchmarks, conduct of the project, including research, preparation of findings and recommendations, and final presentations
• Review the outline, the draft and final report and approve the final submission
• In consultation with the student team and organizational sponsor, grade the project, including the final report and recommendations.

Presentation and Revisions

The student team will give a brief, 15-20 minute PowerPoint presentation to appropriate officials of the sponsoring organization and the faculty adviser, after which questions and additional discussion will ensue for approximately 40 minutes. At the request of the organization’s staff, the team will consider and make revisions before submitting the report in final.

Project Evaluation

The class and faculty sponsor will review the Re/Con reports and the experience overall. The organizational sponsor will similarly submit brief comments to the faculty sponsor with recommendations for future conduct of the project.

Grading

The grade for the project will rely on assessment by the sponsor, the student team and ultimately the faculty adviser, with the following criteria in mind:

Responsiveness of the Work Plan, research, report and any recommendations to the Work Request: has the team fully understood the expectations of the sponsor, performed adequate and appropriate research? Are the recommendations responsive, both literally to the Work Request and more broadly to any unstated concern of the organization that might emerge as the research proceeds.

Timeliness of submissions, and in particular the final report and recommendations: Does the team provide updates and particularly the draft and final report and presentation on time?

Nature of relations and communication between the student team and the sponsor: Is the team able to develop positive and fruitful working relations with staff of the sponsoring organization or others involved with the research?

Accuracy, Currency, Thoroughness of the findings: Do the findings clearly relate to the problem/challenge or opportunity outlined by the sponsor and fairly summarize the situation and options for resolution or improvement?

Cogency: Do the recommendations follow logically from the findings? To what extent do they provide creative solutions for the issue/challenge or opportunity posed by the sponsor?

For each element, the faculty adviser will consider a range, from unacceptable to … minimally acceptable … fully acceptable … highly acceptable … superior.

Academic Integrity Policy

The Syracuse University Academic Integrity Policy, “ holds students accountable for the integrity of the work they submit. Students should be familiar with the Policy and know that it is their responsibility to learn about instructor and general academic expectations with regard to proper citation of sources in written work. The policy also governs the integrity of work submitted in exams and assignments as well as the veracity of signatures on attendance sheets and other verifications of participation in class activities. Serious sanctions can result from academic dishonesty of any sort. For more information and the complete policy, see

The Policy should apply to the Re/Con project in the same way as for an academic examination or written exercise: sources should be fully and accurately cited and used. Plagiarism is unacceptable.

Disability Related Accommodations

We endeavor to help all students who wish to participate in the DC PD Program to do so. We will also try our best to help students with special needs participate Research Consultancies, that are a valuable element of the DC PD Program.

According to the University: “Students who are in need of disability-related accommodations must register with the Office of Disability Services (ODS), 304 University Avenue, Room 309, 315-443-4498. Students with authorized disability-related accommodations should provide a current Accommodation Authorization Letter from ODS to the instructor and review those accommodations with the instructor. Accommodations, such as exam administration, are not provided retroactively; therefore, planning for accommodations as early as possible is necessary. The Office of Disability Services facilitates disability related support services and accommodations for students studying abroad. While support services and accommodations are intended to provide equal access, the accessibility of facilities in other countries [and in Washington, D .C.] may be limited and support services may be provided in a manner that differs from the delivery of services on the SyracuseUniversity campus. Students are advised to discuss the availability of accommodations at various international study abroad sites [and in Washington,D.C.] withSU Abroad and ODS staff.”