Please find attached the templates for reference

Topic: Effect of e-commerce industry in today’s world 

ResearchPaper (30%)

1. Topic: no restriction

· Choose a topic that inspires you and deserves more research. Business-related topics are preferred.

2. Word count: 1,500 -2500 words

· Minimum 1500 words, excluding References, in-text citations, Executive Summary, and Appendix (if applicable)

3. Sources to be cited

· Minimum 5 credible/reliable sources, as suggested below:

1) Library database (at least 3 should be included in your paper)

2) Online magazines / newspapers / government documents

3) Statistics from encyclopedia or credible data-mining companies, such as Pew Research Center

*on the top of these 5 recognized “reliable/credible” sources, you can include other types of sources.

4. Academic Integrity/Honesty

No collusion / plagiarism / fabrication / falsification – otherwise, penalty will be applied accordingly.

Assessment Rubric

Overall Format
5%

· Margins: 1” four sides;
· Font/ size: Times New Roman/ 12 pt;
· Line spacing: double-spaced
· Every paragraph indented by 5 spaces
· Word count listed left aligned at the end of your text
· Headings & subheadings formatted (APA – bold; heading centered while subheading left-aligned)
· Title page formatted (refer to APA Title Page Format tutorial video /or the simplified title page)
· Table of contents (if your report has headings and sub-headings)
· File name (when you save and submit): your name_research report

Executive Summary
(summary of
your own report)
5%

Roughly including
· Why this topic (motivation)
· Thesis statement (the answer to your research question, hypothesis, or concern – basically, what do you want to say about the topic you choose)
· Research Method(s)
· Main points (with key evidences)
· Findings /Conclusion

Introduction
10%

· Opening sentences (relevant to the topic of your research)
· Thesis statement: purpose of your research [topic + controlling idea + (approach if possible)]; statement concerning what your research paper is about

Literature Review
5%

· Review of the article/sources you have read/studied and will be cited in your paper
· This part is more like re-editing and incorporating the content of your Annotated Bibliography Assignment (with at least 5 sources) into your Research Report.

Body Paragraphs
30%

Roughly
· Specific Headings and subheading (if applicable)
· Topic sentences /supporting details
· Rhetorical /Argumentative strategies for the structuring of paragraphs and arguments
· Supporting evidences from reliable /credible sources
· Logic, coherence, cohesion/relevance overall

Findings/ Conclusion
10%

Roughly
· Responding to your thesis statement (or hypothesis /research concern)
· Summarizing key points
· Indicating realistic or practical significance of the research /or suggesting for further studies /or calling for actions

Citation & Referencing
15%

No plagiarism; otherwise, Plagiarism Policy will be applied.

To avoid plagiarism, both in-text citations and their corresponding entries are mandatory.

APA style

Correct format of in-text-citations and entries in References

More specifications

· Minimum five credible/reliable sources (as specified in the Task Requirement)
· Ideally, at least one citation used in each body paragraph (and Introduction if necessary)
· Direct quotes cannot exceed 10% of your total word count

Readability
Register/Tone
Writing Mechanics
20%

· Research paper structure; paragraph structure
· Unity, coherence, and cohesion
· Accuracy and appropriateness of the language /proficiency level
· Proper style /register /tone – objective and academic
· NO personal pronoun, such as “you” or change of narrative pronouns
· Grammatical issues such as sentences structures, punctuations, spellings, collocations or choices of words, tense, capitalization…
Lack of accuracy or readability will lead to incomprehensibility of your report/paper. Proofreading is suggested if necessary.

How to write a research proposal

Although your finalized research paper will be different from your research proposal, you are still strongly suggested to write a research proposal at the very beginning.

Questions to address in preparing your research paper

· Do you know the due date for your research paper and have correspondingly made a schedule to deal with different components of your research paper?

· Why do you choose this topic?

· Are there any other researches done in the same field?

· What is your specific research concern? Or for what purpose are you doing this research? Write down your thesis statement.

· From which aspects are you going to address the issue? This means how many body paragraphs you might include in your paper.

· How are you going to develop your arguments?

· Problem & solution

· Cause & effect & solutions

· Comparison & contrast & evaluation

· Cost-Benefit Analysis

· Classification (Division)

· Chronology (Sequence of happenings)

· Process analysis (Flow chart)

· Historical events or anecdotal evidences

· Facts, statistics, scientific findings

· Visual arguments

· Have you found enough information to help you support your ideas in a systematic way?

· Do you have any other ideas concerning the collection of data, such as doing a survey or interview rather than just purely searching the webpage and library database?

· Are there any visual supports to enhance your arguments?

· What might be your expected conclusion?

Research Paper Guideline

1. Select a topic and write a tentative thesis statement

Choose a topic that interests you and write down what you want to know a bit more about that topic – the purpose of your research (the thesis statement)

2. Search the internet or library database for relevant information – keep CRAAP in mind

Takes notes on important information that you might include in your own paper – using paraphrasing, summarizing, or quoting skills for each idea you plan to use in your essay.

Do not forget to note down the publication information about the sources you have read in case you might/will cite the information. The information is needed for both your in-text citation and References.

3. Roughly prepare a References list (APA style)

In this program, you use APA style to format all the information/sources you have cited and alphabetize all the entries in References at the end of your paper. For formatting of each References entry, please refer to APA Documentation Guideline.

4. Make an outline based on sources and ideas you have got

The following is a recommended structure to outline your research paper:

Introduction

· Opening sentences: starting your research paper with general information concerning the topic you will focus on; using anecdote or shocking statistics/news/ historical events to start your paper in order to introduce the specific topic you will later focus on

· Introduction of the topic: specifying the topic you will work on (be advised that you use the correct and accurate term)

· Thesis statement: using specific and concise words and sentences to specify your purpose of writing this research paper – the thesis statement, which contains the central or controlling idea for the development of the whole research paper. This controlling idea decides how many body paragraphs might be included and what supporting details will be selected and properly categorized.

Literature Review

This part will first generally address how this topic (chosen by you) has been studied / researched in the academic field. Gradually you come to focus on 4-

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sources/article/studies you will cite in your paper – how they approach and talk about the topic you have interest in. The function of this part is to demonstrate that you have done a proper research and your argument is well informed; it can also lay down a background for your late citation of specific information in the source (such as direct quote, paraphrase, summary).

Body Paragraphs – Argument development

Normally you have 2-4 paragraphs dealing with different aspects of the research topic. Regarding how to develop different paragraphs, always remember what is suggested in Part 1 of Becoming an Active Reader – “Writing middle paragraphs” (7 points on p.12) and follow “Rhetorical Patterns and Paragraph Development” suggested on p.13

Body Paragraph1

Topic sentence:

1st key aspect or point of the topic you would like to talk about in this paragraph

Supporting details:

Facts, data, examples, comments/evaluations from other scholars

Body Paragraph2

Topic sentence:

2nd key aspect or point of the topic you would like to talk about in this paragraph

Supporting details:
Facts, data, examples, comments/evaluations from other scholars

Body Paragraph3

Topic sentence:

3rd key aspect or point of the topic you would like to talk about in that paragraph

Supporting details:

Facts, data, examples, comments/evaluations from other scholars

Conclusion

It functions as a summary of previously provided information. It signals the end of the paper. To achieve this purpose, you use transitional phrases such as “In summary” to begin your conclusion. In this conclusion, you may:

· re-state main or submain points in different phrases than in prior paragraphs.

· re-emphasize your thesis in different phrases than in the introduction paragraph.

· indicate future research or action as follow-ups to the point discussed in your paper.

5. Read more and start your Draft

Follow the above outline and put your ideas and supporting details into a well-structured draft of your research paper.

· Be aware that what kind of information will included in each section;

· When discussion or supporting details are needed, paraphrasing, summarizing, and direct quoting from the sources will be needed – it means you have to add the References part at the end of your draft now.

· If you hope to include some information supplementary or illuminative to the points in your paper, add Appendix after References (refer to the handout of Purdue Research Paper Sample).

Talk with the teacher concerning any confusion or uncertainty before finalizing your paper. Before the meeting, please get prepared with all the questions you would like to ask or all the points that you feel confused about – remember that the instructor enjoys your specific questions generated in the process of your writing the paper; t the earlier you can think carefully about your paper and raise corresponding questions, the better you will be prepared to write a better planned and well-thought paper.

6. Revise your rough draft

Critically read through your first draft to check out whether each section contains the right information

· whether logical flows exist;

· whether more and important information are missing;

· whether every main point has been sufficiently proved;

· whether transitional phrases have been properly used;

· whether thesis statement, and each topic sentence has been accurately and sufficiently stated;

· whether unity, coherence and cohesion have been achieved.

7. Finalize your research paper

· Read your paper for any content errors.

· Double check the facts and figures.

· Arrange and rearrange ideas to follow the logical order of argumentative/rhetorical strategies to achieve unity and coherence.

· Make sure every part is appropriately written and no big flaws or errors exist.

· All in-text citations and source references have been correctly written.

· And finally – write an abstract or an executive summary for your whole research paper.

8. Dual proofreading:

Read your own writing as many times as you can – remember you are always the most careful proofreader of your own writing. Correct all errors that you can spot and improve the overall quality of the paper to the best of your ability (you can download and use free Grammarly to check for grammar and spelling mistakes). Get someone else to read it over. Sometimes a second pair of eyes can see mistakes that you missed.

The following 2 CHECKLIST are retrieved from:

http://faculty.mdc.edu/fganivet/ENC2300/WitingPaper.htm

CHECKLIST ONE:

1. Is my thesis statement concise and clear?
2. Did I follow my outline? Did I miss anything?
3. Are my arguments presented in a logical sequence?
4. Are all sources properly cited to ensure that I am not plagiarizing?
5. Have I proved my thesis with strong supporting arguments?
6. Have I made my intentions and points clear in the essay?

CHECKLIST TWO:

1. Did I begin each paragraph with a proper topic sentence?
2. Have I supported my arguments with documented proof or examples?
3. Any run-on or unfinished sentences?
4. Any unnecessary or repetitious words?
5. Varying lengths of sentences?
6. Does one paragraph or idea flow smoothly into the next?
7. Any spelling or grammatical errors?
8. Quotes accurate in source, spelling, and punctuation?
9. Are all my citations accurate and in correct format?
10. Did I avoid using contractions? Use “cannot” instead of “can’t”, “do not” instead of “don’t”?
11. Did I use third person as much as possible? Avoid using phrases such as “I think”, “I guess”, “I suppose”
12. Have I made my points clear and interesting but remained objective?
13. Did I leave a sense of completion for my reader(s) at the end of the paper?

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IMPORTANCE

OFSOFT SKILLS IN THE WORKPLACE

IMPORTANCE OF SOFT SKILLS IN THE WORKPLACE

Running head: IMPORTANCE OF SOFT SKILLS IN THE WORKPLACE

Importance of Soft Skills in the Financial Workplace

Student: ⸙⸙⸙

COMM1101-E04

April 5, 2012

Attention:

Parts of this sample paper originally belong to different articles. They are put together here in order to show how a research paper is to be structured

Executive Summary

In recent years, with more investment made in the business world, career opportunities in the financial sector become more appealing. Whether it is an investment counselor, a financial planner, or a teller, different positions indicate different specialty knowledge and daily communications; thus, different skills will be involved. Despite the variety of skills or expertise associated with different branches and specific roles, two big categories can be identified in the financial setting: hard skills and soft skills.

Hard skills refer to the technical skills that an employee uses to accomplish a specific job. They are teachable and have less flexibility in use. In addition to hard skills, a person needs to have the appropriate soft skills. These skills are not usually the ones learned in a classroom setting. Among a long list, soft skills include interpersonal skills such as exchanging ideas, listening, and having a level of self- awareness.

When employers hire a recent graduate, they set the interview with questions covering different skills involved in the position. The questions give opportunities to the candidate to share his or her technical and social experiences. These experiences show the interviewer the soft and hard skills that the candidate possesses as well as areas where his or her weaknesses are. The search for the specific skills is to add values to the company or organization. This value is represented in a variety of ways including, for instance, effective team meetings, increase in profit, and a larger loyal customer base. Employees having both soft and hard skills will be an appropriate choice for any company, as they will allow the company to compete within the business world. The soft skills that an employee possesses provide the company with competitive advantage.

Among others, the most important three soft skills that an employee should possess in the financial workplace are exchange of ideas, listening, and having a certain level of self- awareness. These skills assist a person to express his or her thoughts clearly, engage in conversation effectively, and work efficiently in a team setting. Thus, basic training is necessary at certain point for newly recruited employees in light of the specialty of the business setting.

The sources used to develop the research portion of this paper include the NAIT library database sources as well as personal experiences within a workplace setting.

Table of Contents

Executivellllll 2

Introduction 3

Literature Review

3

Skills in the Financial Workplace 5

Hard Skills 5

Soft Skills 6

Why Both Sets of Skills Pursued 4

Preference of Soft Skills in the Financial Workplace 7

Training of Soft Skills in the Fiancial Workplace 9

Conclusion 11

References

12

Appendice (optional) 13

Introduction

In a workplace each individual works towards similar personal and company goals. This allows the vision of the company to be represented and advances employees further into their careers. In order to be effective in accomplishing goals or objectives, a graduate entry-level employee must possess both hard and soft skills. In an interview, the employer talks to candidates to ensure that they have the foundations of both sets of skills and relevant experiences. The most important skills that an employer seek during an interview are information exchange, listening, and having a certain level of self-awareness. In conjunction of personal experience and citations from different sources, this report is to identify the differences between hard and soft skills and why employers seek both of them especially the soft skills embodied in exchange of information, listening, and having a certain level of self-awareness

Literature Review

The variety of skills or expertise associated with different branches and specific roles in the financial setting can be generalized as hard skills and soft skills………

……………………………………………………………………………………….

Skills in the Financial Workplace – Hard and Soft Skills

In an academic setting, students are presented with the required fundamental skills that are used to perform functional duties within a workplace. It is suggested that “technical skills . . . are insufficient for subsequent success beyond an entry-level position, let alone professional fields”

(Laker & Powell, 2011, p. 113). This statement implies the importance of both the hard and soft skills; however, soft skills more matter for the success of a business or a senior position.

Hard & Soft Skills

The hard skills can be learned and taught, whereas soft skills are learned over time through experience. In order to be successful in a business or an organization a person needs soft skills in addition to hard skills. Soft skills are also known as interpersonal and communicative skills, and they “include the following aspects: non- verbal communication [(body language)], reinforcement, questioning, reflecting . . . listening, and self- disclosure” (Sethi & Seth, 2009, p. 33). These soft skills allow an employee to add value and strength to a company. The skills also allow a person to have distinctive traits that separate them from their coworkers; in return, providing the company with sustainable competitive advantage. The skills will be important to an employer, because they are looking to move forward, and make a profit in the most efficient way. In addition to the soft skills previously listed they can also include, “being inclusive and working collaboratively, staying open to new opportunities and being adaptable to change” (Landale, 2007, p. 24).

Why Employers Seek Both Sets of Skills

After students successfully completed a post-secondary education, they will most likely find a job in a workplace related to their studies. Over the process of interview, the employer will look for candidates that match certain criteria. The criteria should be specified, either the hard or the soft skills, in the job posting. The hard skills, as previously addressed, are the technical skills that a successful candidate must have while the soft skills are those less likely to be learned in a class setting such as communication, leadership, cognitive ability, and self-awareness. Employers must seek to find the ideal candidates that have both hard and soft skills. As Morgeson, Reider and Campion (2005) argued that “Interview questions were written to assess the [soft skills] and characteristics needed for successful performance as identified in the job analysis” (p. 595). In a different rhetoric, the hard skills promise the work properly done while the soft skills help improve efficiency and productivity in the workplace, especially in the financial sector where interaction between the agents and customers is essential. Employers must prepare and ask appropriate questions so that candidates’ responses can express the skills required and a proper decision to hire not to hire could be made by the employers. Employers are willing to pay employees a significant amount of compensation if they possess the appropriate soft skills. The interview process must also show the employer that the candidate has the appropriate technical skills for the job or the willingness to learn the skills.

It is important to have both hard and soft skills. In for-profit sectors of the business environment, the main concern is to have revenue exceeding costs. Therefore, if employees possess technical skills, they could complete the tasks for that job. If the same persons have interpersonal skills along with technical skills, they could not only be able to complete a task but also address and solve any arising conflict, satisfy the customers, and work successfully in a team atmosphere. In order to guarantee a rise in profit, employers should also have competitive advantage in developing a large customer base in comparison with other businesses. In for-profit sectors of a business environment, the main concern is to have revenue exceeding costs. Therefore, looking for people who have “the ability to work well [within] a team” becomes essential (Hoffman, 2007, p. 1) because in a workplace it is rare for any employee to work alone. Employers judge employees in alignment with the correct skills ensuring company benefit in a competitive business world. Consequently, many employers are adjusting their hiring process, seeking employees that can communicate effectively, being expert in listening and responding productively.

Importance of Soft Skills in the Workplace

There are a variety of soft skills that a person can have, but the following three are comparatively more important in the financial workplace: exchange of ideas, listening, and having a high level of self-awareness. Communication within a company allows an employee’s ideas to be heard; it also helps people work as a team. Without communication, the company would not be able to function or move forward. Employers must be able to communicate what their objectives are to their staff. If the employers could transmit their ideas effectively or explain the objectives clearly, they are unlikely to get positive and informed responses from the employees. In the same way, the employees must be able to communicate that they have understood the task or objectives, give feedback, present opinions, and discuss issues in order to help promote the business that they work for. The ability to accurately communication is an essential skill when people work in a team environment. For example, in an aquatic setting there needs to be constant interpersonal communication. If there is an emergency in a pool, the lifeguards must verbally communicate to get the victim to safety, talk to the working staff involved, deal with the public relations, and obtain any additional information regarding the victim’s pre-existing health conditions. After the paramedics respond to the aquatic emergency, the aquatic staff must explain the situation to them before releasing the victim. After after the paramedics leave, the person in charge of emergencies must write a formal report for the board of directors communicating what has happened. The immediate and clear communication in every stage is essential for saving a life, combatting panics, soothing emotions, as well as providing constructive feedback on more efficient methods responding to emergencies.

The importance of listening is no less important than communicating ideas because it hels build a sense of unity and belonging among team members. For example, as a lifeguard, it is important to listen in order to make immediate and correct decision so that detailed and focused information could be sent to other corresponding resorts while precautions must be taken to ensure the job is done appropriately. This listening ability also includes being alert to the updates of professional codes. According to Radonsky and Rego, “active listening is a state of mind that involves paying full and careful attention to the other person, avoiding premature judgment, reflecting understanding, clarifying information, summarizing, and sharing” (Radonsky & Rego, 2009, p. 23). For example, active listening for a lifeguard can be recognized as he or she begins to ask questions regarding the new guidelines of CPR made in 2010 (Travers, et al., 2010).

The third important soft skill in the workplace is self-awareness, which “enables employees to better react and interact to situations and other people” (Applegate, Timur, & Locklear, 2009, p. 43); in addition, self-awareness also indicates that the person knows how others perceive him or her and uses that information as a reference point to make corresponding action plans (p. 45). Having self-awareness is important because it helps employees clearly see where their strengths and weaknesses are; consequently, honest communication based on self-awareness will help team members and manager see the strength and potentials of each employee; thus, efficiency and productivity in the workplace will be improved. Failure to have a proper self-awareness will also lead to detrimental effect to others; for example, if marketers assume their function superior than product manufacturers in revenue generation, the value chain could never be established.

Overall, soft skills are more in demand in marketing or service areas where dealing with people or communications is more decisive for the success or failure of a business. Ultimately these skills will lead to growth and success of the company.

Training of Soft Skills in the Fiancial Workplace

Studies have been done on the importance of soft skills in the workplace. According to Klaus (as cited in Robles, 2012), 75% of long-term job success depends on people skills, while only 25% is dependent on technical knowledge (p. 454) ………………………………..

Conclusion

In a workplace setting there are many different types of people that work together to achieve objectives set by their employers. In order for a graduate to become an effective employee in a workplace they need to possess the appropriate hard and soft skills. When an interview process takes place the employer looks for a candidate that is going to add value to the company. It is the employer’s job to work with each employee to enhance the appropriate soft skills in order to make an effective work environment. The important soft skills as mentioned previously are; to communicate, to listen, and to have a level of self-awareness in relation to others. The effective use of these skills with certain technical capabilities will create an employee that is suitable for any workplace.

References

Applegate, K., Timur, A., & Locklear, K. (2009). Linking self-perception and emotional intelligence. Journal of American Academy of Business, 13(1), 43-52. Retrieved from http://libdbauth.nait.ab.ca/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.libdbauth.nait.ab.ca/docvi ew/ 197295196?accountid=12654

Hoffman, T. (2007, December 4). Nine business and soft skills techies need. Network World Canada, 23(25), 1. Retrieved from

http://libdbauth.nait.ab.ca/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.libdbauth.nait.ab.ca/docvi ew/ 198847325?accountid=12654

Laker, D. R., & Powell, J. L. (2011). The differences between hard and soft skills and their relative impact on training transfer. Human Resource Development Quarterly,

22(1), 111-122. doi:10.1002/hrdq.20063. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/hrdq.20063

Landale, A. (2007). Must have EQ: How we can develop our emotional intelligence (EQ) to make us better managers. Manager: British Journal of Administrative Management, February/ March 2007, 24-25.

Morgeson, F. P., Reider, M. H., & Campion, M. A. (2005). Selecting individuals in team settings: the importance of social skills, personality characteristics, and teamwork

knowledge. Personnel Psychology, 58(3), 583-611. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/220133511?accountid=12654

Radonsky, T., & Rego, L. (2009, July 1). Issues & observations- realizing the power of candid conversations. Leadership in Action, 29(3), 22-24. Retrieved from

http://libdbauth.nait.ab.ca/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true& db= bth&AN=43832435&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Robles, M. M. (2012). Executive perceptions of the top 10 soft skills needed in today’s workplace. Business Communication Quarterly, 75(4), 453-465. DOI: 10.1177/1080569912460400

Sethi, D., & Seth, M. (2009). Interpersonal communication: Lifeblood of an organization. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 3(3/4), 32-40. Retrieved from

http://libdbauth.nait.ab.ca/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true& db= bth&AN=47506250&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Travers, H. A., et al. (2010) CPR overview: 2010 American heart association guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiovascular care. Journal of the

American Heart Association, Part 4. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.110.970913

Appendix

Source:

Hard skills vs soft skills. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://the-mis.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/2 ?w=720

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