SMGRP COMM 3352 (Fall 2007)
Towards Becoming Effective Small Group Members
Jim Query, Ph.D.
The purpose of this page is to ID my expectations for the research project that we will be doing and the accompanying content. This document should be used in close conjunction with the Writing Standards Guide, APA guide within research papers, (see classes page), and the StyleWizard [link at the bottom of classes' page]. Handout. To ease your perusal, an outline format is employed.
OPTIONAL RISK-FREE PROSPECTI DUE DATE: OCTOBER 22, 2007.
FINAL PROSPECTI DUE: NOVEMBER 5, 2007.
FINAL REPORT DUE: DECEMBER 10, 2007.
POINT VALUE: 19.5 percent for prospectus and 19.5 percent for the final sections of the report.
PROSPECTUS AND FINAL SECTION LENGTH PARAMETERS:
While I do have reservations about specifiying an exact length, it is expected that a successful prospectus will span about 6-10 PP per person and the final paper will cover approximately 12-16 PP per person. Although you will share ideas and coordinate your activities with your group, you must author an idividual section addressing the parameters noted in this document. You must also be able to ID individual website contributions.
REQUIRED SOURCES:
At least 30 (across the group), including the text. You may also use two of the current event articles discussed in class and four net citations. It is a "good" idea to use some of your sources in the risk-free version so I may ID any concerns without penalizing you. It is required that at least half the 10 sources per person and section be used in the prospectus and at least 20 in the final sections (10 sources per person and section).
FORMAT:
All papers should adhere to the standards specified in the writing standard guide, use third person, follow correct documentation procedures (APA), must be typed using double-spacing, have page numbers and section labels (see classes page). Each individual completes and turns in their own work. Assume also that you are writing to a SMGRP COMM neophyte. A neophyte is one who is new to an area, and thus, has much to discover.
OVERVIEW :
It is often uncomfortable and awkward when working in a small group, especially when you may not have any previous knowledge of each other. These feelings are quite typical so please try not be alarmed. Note also that it is a very sound strategy to strive for a high degree of open-mindedness when tackling pressing social issues. Such situations tend to be "thorny," potentially polarizing, and fraught with dilemmas. Although I have taught small group for several years, I am still somewhat apprehensive, as I can imagine you are. We will undoubtedly experience some "speed bumps" and may struggle at various points. Together though---armed with patience, diligence, and commitment---we can push the envelope and hopefully develop action plans that could make a difference in the lives of those who are experiencing or affected by the respective issues. Make no mistake....the challenge is great but so too are the potential rewards and I thrive on such hurdles. As I have indicated in class, while your issue may extend beyond Houston and the surrounding area, it must also be present in our community. Hope you do as well. *VBS*
ASSIGNMENT EXPLICATION:
I. Introduction----Provide an overview of the issue. The goals here are to explain its nature, provide evidence about contributing factors or conditions that have fueled the issue and identify strategies which have been used to address the issue previously. Ideally, there should be some association between the suspected contributing factors (or causes) and the corresponding strategies targeting the issue. Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of at least two prior strategies. In particular, be able to decribe the extent to which these were successful, mixed results, or unsuccessful. Be sure to incorporate how evaluation challenges (discussed in class) shape your assessment. [ALL grp members complete this section.]
II. History of the Issue---Justify the selection of the issue. A successful response will focus on the issue's prevalence (how widespread it is; pull in summary statistics here. For example, 4.5 million individuals have Alzheimer's Disease), explicate key impacts of the crisis (e.g., if the problem is binge drinking, one of the impacts would be higher suicide rates among these individuals), and review existing research centering on the pressing social issue (scholarly journals would be good sources here). There is no one best way to divide this section up. It can be handled well chronologically, geographically, or by age or ethnic groups (e.g., adolescents, young adults, middle aged adults, elderly individuals; as well as Hispanic Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans. ) [At least two grp members could complete this section.}
III. Recommendations---Based on your grp's working knowledge of the issue (see I and II) as well as past strategies, develop a short and long-term action plan to lessen the nature and impacts of the issue. Be sure to revisit the class CEAs as they will be very helpful here. As much as possible, also be specific and realistic. For instance, if binge drinking is the focal issue, what campus and community organizations might be called upon to help tackle the issue? Why would such organizations be best suited to this situation? Be sure to address potential communication channels (e.g., interactive web casts, podcasts, emails, PSAs) and message campaigns that might be brought to bear on the issue. For each part of the plan, provide some cost estimates (these can be culled from prior interventions and from interviews with skilled professionals working in the area). Revisit some of the CEAs to again realize and then demonstrate how a modest amount of funding can make a significant difference. At the close of this section, explicate how we might evaluate the efficacy of any plan? Describe the types of data-collection strategies (e.g., interviews, surveys, observation, archival record analysis, etc.) and their timing. [At least two grp members could complete this section.]
IV. Feasibility---Present key arguments that support the grp's recommended action plans (see section III). Use sources to increase the cogency of your proposals. Be sure to also address how practical the plans would be and advance a justification for your conclusions. [All students complete this section.]
