Day: November 30, 2020

Write a Report on some aspect of the the United States economy that has been impacted by COVID-19.  The impact may be negative or positive and you may approach this topic from any angle that interests you. You can research a company or examine a particular topic, company, or industry.  Once you have collected information on the topic, make some recommendations for possible improvements, or discuss unexpected findings.

IDEAS TO GET YOU STARTED:

Whats happening at some of the most prominent companies in the United States, such as Google, Amazon, JC Penney,  Starbucks, McDonalds, Chuck E. Cheese, CVS,  Apple, Tesla, Exxon Mobil, Tyson Foods, American Airlines, Marriott Hotels, or Zoom, etc.
Why is the stock market doing so well while a number of companies have declared bankruptcy? (Refer to the first video we watched for homework, link in Week 15.)
How easy is for employees who have lost their jobs to obtain unemployment benefits? Who is eligible to receive these benefits? Are these benefits sufficient to cover basic needs?
Have companies changed their approach to advertising?
What has happened to the job market? Which industries have lost the most jobs? Where has there been a growth of jobs? Are there any problems in the newly created jobs? (Refer to the videos we watched for homework, links in Week 15.)
How are different companies or organizations treating employees? What changes have they made to keep employees safe? Are they adequately concerned about employees physical health? What about their mental health?
Do workers in hazardous jobs have access to benefits such as health insurance and sick leave? Should certain workers receive hazard pay?
Are companies doing enough to keep their customers safe?
Consider the impact of COVID-19 on one of the following industries:
Agriculture
Groceries
Banking
Automobiles
Real estate
Restaurants
Education
Transportation (including public transport & ride share);
Tourism (including airlines & hotels)
Clothing manufacturing
Entertainment (including movies, live theater, television, and streaming services)
Sports
Personal grooming (such as hair and nail salons)
Video communication (such as Zoom)
Social media
Health-care providers (including hospitals, doctors, dentists, vets, etc.)
RESEARCH:

Once you have selected your topic, begin your research by using the business databases available on the Oviatt Library Website (link). (Links to an external site.)
If you search Google for information, you should ensure your sources are reliable (Links to an external site.) (link).
Reliable and balanced sources will provide logos and ethos to your Report. Individual stories and personal experiences or interviews will provide
REPORT REQUIREMENTS:

Upload your Business Report to Canvas by 11:00am, Tuesday, Dec. 15.
Write 4-6 pages, single spaced, Times New Roman, .12.  (These pages do not include the Works Cited.)
Find at least four recent articles, from reliable sources, to support your research. In addition, you are encouraged to use personal experience, personal interviews, videos, podcasts, etc.
Make sure that sources used within the Report are cited in MLA in-text citation format. (For in-text citations, refer to Guffey textbook, Appendix B, or to the OWL at Purdue University (Links to an external site.).
Include a Works Cited in MLA format. (This is in addition to 4-6 pages for the Report.) Any personal interviews, podcasts, videos etc. mentioned in the Report, should also be listed in the Works Cited, as well as any graphs or tables. For more information on MLA format in a Works Cited, refer to Guffey textbook, Appendix B, or to the OWL at Purdue University. (Links to an external site.)
Adhere to the qualities of good business writing: direct, concise, well organized, with bullets where appropriate. (Refer to Chapter 12 of our textbook for more details.)
Use headings, white space between paragraphs, as well as graphs and tables if applicable.
A Title Page is NOT required
A Table of Contents is NOT required
The Report will automatically be submitted to Turnitin.com so make sure to cite all sources and use quotations when using exact words from a source.
REPORT FORMAT:

The Report should consist of the following SIX sections:
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (write this only after you have written the Report)
INTRODUCTION
BODY (several paragraphs describing the research; each paragraph will have its own heading)
CONCLUSION
RECOMMENDATIONS or SURPRISING FINDINGS
WORKS CITED
Watch this VIDEO, How to Write a Business Report:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8uF1EoIneE (Links to an external site.)

GENERAL REPORT-FORMAT GUIDELINES[1]:
When you write a report, you will want to make it easy to read and understand. Here are some guidelines to apply to any report you write:

Use lists: Whenever you can, help your reader by using lists. Give your lists visual emphasis by using bullets.
Use headings and subheadings: Use headings and subheadings to guide your reader through the organization of the report. Each section should have a clear topic statement to let the reader know what will be included in the section.
Use clear typefaces, such as Times New Roman or Arial: Avoid using more than one typeface in a document. Bold section headings for emphasis.
Use white space to enhance your information: Dense blocks of text are difficult to read and will make it more difficult for your readers to find the information they need. ….
Write the body of your report first[before you write the Executive Summary]
Maintain consistent structure: Once you determine the structure you will use, keep using it consistently throughout the report. This will make it easier for your readers to understand your report.

Textual Analysis Essay on the movie Harold and Maude link to movie  – https://lookmovie.ag/movies/view/harold-and-maude-1971

Three to Six pages in MLA Format

Dont write what you think you ought to say; instead, write what you see and what you feel.  Read a story and find the central message.  The message should not be a clich nor anything that you have heard before.  The message should be fresh and non-obvious.  To find an interesting message, you must read between the lines and find a subtext.  In the subtext is the wisdom.       

Make the message your thesis statement.

For example, Dr. Seusss Green Eggs and Ham shows that a narrow-minded attitude turns one into a life-hating curmudgeon, but when one tries something new with someone new, for the sake of trying something, one turns into a cosmopolitan with a newfound zeal for life and a variety of experiences.  You can call the essay, From Fool to Foody: Finding the Spice of Life in Green Eggs and Ham.

Organization

Your first paragraph should be devoted to explaining your thesis statement.  Can you explain what you mean by your claim in different ways?  Do what you can to clarify the thesis statement as if you were talking to a neighbor or a friend.  Do not write sweeping generalizations like People have always had an aversion to unusual food.  Sweeping generalizations always fall under one of two categories: the obviously right and the obviously wrong.  Dont state the obvious like All people eat food.         

Your body paragraphs should be a series of subclaims (topic sentences) which are supported with evidence and analysis.  Each paragraph should look as follows:       

Your last paragraph should notnotrestate the thesis statement and the major points.  I said dont restate your thesis statement and the three major points.  If you restate your thesis statement et cetera, you will bore the reader to tears and lose points.  A conclusion should be, ideally, an emphatic statement in which the reader has been prepared.  Dont write in conclusion.