Research Paper Assignment- Topic and Expectations
"A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be."
~ Wayne Gretzky
Topic: What Will the World of Work Look Like in 2050.
Overview: I want you to dust off your crystal ball and make some projections with regard to work in the year 2050. I understand that it is difficult to predict the future, but the best way to prepare is to have some idea of what may be around the corner. Granted, 2050 isn't exactly "just around the corner" but it will go much faster than you can even imagine.
I recognize that you are not likely to be 100% correct, and I suspect that I will not regrade what you provide in 32 years. However, being able to discuss projections and factors influencing work with colleagues, employers, and other business leaders can help as your careers and lives unfold.
I would like your submission to address the following questions:
- What will the workforce in 2050 look like? What will be the demographics (age, gender, race, disability, religion and the unending list of others) as related to those who will be doing the work?
- Where will the work be conducted?
- What will the modern office environment look like?
- What will work schedules look like (when will work be done)?
- What will be the status of the United States in terms of its status as the "world's economic superpower"? Where will the US rank?
- How will employees and organizations deal with the never-ending pursuit of balance (work versus non-work)?
- Compare 2018 and 2050. How will work and life be the same? Different?
At the end, I want you to talk about where you think you will be in the year 2050 based on what you have reported above. What will work and non-work be like for you? I expect this to be about one-page (minimally).
Expectations: Although your opinions are important, they need to be closely linked with research. As you will find out early in the semester, research is very important to be and critically important to the reputation of Florida State University. If you are able to demonstrate to employers that have sound research skills, you are going to have more opportunities to learn and develop than those who do not.
- It is expected that this paper will be a minimum of 8 to 10 pages in length (which includes the one-page "where I will be" section at the end. This only counts the content. If you have a cover page, that does not count. The Reference Section does not count either.
- Given that this is a research paper, and much of what you come up with will rely on external sources, it is expected that you will have at least 10 legitimate references noted both in your paper and in the Reference Section. I would strongly advocate for more than 10 given the expansiveness of what has been asked. So what do I mean by "legitimate sources"?
- Peer-reviewed journal articles
- Newspaper articles (factual, not opinion) from established publications (NY Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal etc.)
- Magazine articles from established business and news publications (Business Week, Harvard Business Review, Forbes etc.)
- Government research agencies (OHSA, Office of Personnel Management etc.)
- Reports from professional associations (American Psychological Association, Academy of Management etc.)
- Data-driven reports from established research agencies (Pew Research, Gallup etc.)
Basically, it needs to be factual, scientific, data-driven and considered legitimate. Opinions from others aren't welcome typically unless they have data guiding their development.
- Reference your sources accordingly and properly in both text and Reference Section. It is better to over cite your submission that under cite. Under citing is step one to a claim of plagiarism. Be careful.
- Use whatever referencing format you have been taught/are familiar. However, you need to use it consistently throughout. I use APA for my research, but that's just what my job requires in most cases.
- One-inch margins.
- 1.5-line spacing (all other assignments are single space).
- 12-point, Times Roman Font.
- Use headings.
- Don't plagiarize, cheat, buy this off-line etc.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have absolutely no patience for this.
I want this to be at a level of quality that would allow you to present what you have come up with in front of business leaders. I know you can do it.