ENGL 112 Week 1 Discussion 1 & 2

dq 1

As discussed in this week’s lecture, the Brand of You is
created from the perception you give others through your writing. In creating
the brand of you, how do you decide what to tell, how to tell it, and what to
leave out? If given the task of introducing your personal brand through
writing, what specific characteristics or attributes of yourself would you
share? What stories would serve to provide the greatest impact? What memories
would be the most telling in introducing who you are?

Though we’ll work to answer these questions throughout the
week, let’s do a concrete exercise to get started: First, in seven words, tell
us who you are and what you do. Try to draft a phrase that serves as our
introduction to you(see examples below). Place this phrase in the
subject line of your response post and then provide us with details to show us
how this title represents your personal brand. Using vivid, concrete,
descriptive words, share an example, anecdote, or scenario that brings your
personal brand to life for your audience and provides an impression of who you
are. This example should be written as the content of your actual post and
should, at minimum, be at least one full paragraph.

Here are some examples of seven-word biographies:

• Hopeless
  romantic infatuated with all movie stars
• Creative
  entomologist enjoys bees, hives, and honey
• Desperate
  Facebook user needs to go outside

dq 2

Spend some time searching online news sources, such as
npr.org, cnn.com, msnbc.com, or your own local news outlet. Although it’s often
hard to find topics that are entirely new, the key to communicating a topic
through writing is to present it with a fresh angle. What topics are you
finding in the news today? What new angles are being presented? What current
events or social changes have prompted these new angles? (Please be sure to
include a URL with your post. If you use exact phrases or sentences from your
chosen article, be sure to place that information in quotation marks.)

ENGL 112 Week 2 Discussion 1 & 2

dq 1

Please read Carl Wilkinson’s profile, Dave Grohl and
the Foo Fighters,on pages 622–626 of your text. What writing techniques
does Wilkinson use to meet the profile genre? How do these strategies help
establish meaning, and what impression do they leave about Grohl? (Be sure to
be specific in your response, pointing to areas of the text and noting both
page and paragraph numbers.)

dq 2

Drawing on one of the strategies for writing introductions
outlined in your text or the lecture, post a draft of your introductory
paragraph(s) as your first post. Then, throughout the week, reply to your
classmates with feedback on their introductory paragraphs. Note how or why an
introduction caught your attention and explain what impression it gives you
about the essay’s larger purpose. Also explain how your classmate’s voice,
tone, or diction contributes to the overall effectiveness of the introduction.

ENGL 112 Week 3 Discussion 1 & 2

dq 1

What makes an ad succeed or flop? Think about specific print
advertisements that have either stuck with you or made you turn your eyes, and
explain what works or what doesn’t. In your response, be sure to consider the
impact the rhetorical appeals of reasoning, credibility, and emotion play in
the ad’s effectiveness.

dq 2

In what ways do people adopt a particular writing style or
voice? How does your style or voice change in different writing situations?
Please share an example in your response.

ENGL 112 Week 4 Discussion 1 & 2

dq 1

Read Discovering the Truth: The Operation of Ethos
in Anti-Smoking Advertising,by Rebecca Feldmann, on pp. 678–685 in your
text. In this essay, Feldmann dissects the way the Truth antismoking campaign
has achieved results by appealing to a teenage audience’s need for independence
and rebellion. She notes that the campaign’s strategy has encouraged teens to
stand up against the smoking industry. By accepting Truth’s agenda, however,
Feldmann asks, “how is the advertising strategy of the Truth campaign that
different from the deceiving strategies employed by tobacco advertising?” (p.
684).

On YouTube or through an Internet search, find the Truth
website and some of its antismoking videos. After learning more about the
organization and viewing some of its ads, what is your response to the question
Feldmann poses above?

dq 2

Conduct a self-analysis of a portion of your essay. In your
first response post, copy and paste the paragraph of your Rhetorical Analysis
essay that describes your chosen advertisement. After you have posted the
paragraph, explain how you might revise specific sentences to include more
vivid details so that readers can better see what you are writing about. As
peers, please also reply to some of your classmates’ posts, providing feedback
on what is working well and any suggestions you might give for more vivid
description.

ENGL 112 Week 5 Discussion 1 & 2

dq 1

Let’s use our discussion forum as a space to practice
writing and to determine the viability of possible topics. To begin, find a
topic that is currently in the news and provide us with some brief background
(the who, what, when, where,and howof the topic). Then
continue your summary by explaining the positions others hold on the topic.
What do the true believers of the issue think? What do the ultimate doubters
have to say? Finally, what is your position on the issue? Remember: The best
topics aren’t just focused on pro/con debates. Though this activity asks you to
look at the extreme sides of the issue, your opinion might fall somewhere in
the middle or contain elements of each side.

dq 2

This week’s assignment asks you to begin researching your
chosen topic and to summarize other perspectives on your issue. Begin by
reviewing the library tutorial from the class lecture. Then use the Academic
Search Premier database via the Library to begin searching for sources.
Once you have found a source, summarize it in a post below. Then discuss the
credibility of the source by identifying the author’s background, credentials,
and relationship to the topic. Make an overall assertion regarding whether or
not the source is credible, and explain why. Finally, use the APA resources in
class and Chapter 28 in your text to write out the full reference of the
source, and include that in your post.

ENGL 112 Week 6 Discussion 1 & 2

dq 1

Please read “A Gay Man’s Case Against Gay Marriage” by
Michael Bronski on pages 687–690 of your text. Then reply with your analysis of
the rhetorical situation of the essay. What is Bronski’s reason for writing?
What is his purpose and angle? Whom do you think his audience might be?
Finally, think about the writing strategies Bronski uses to achieve his overall
purpose. Based on our discussions of commentary and argumentative writing, what
strategies do you think he relies upon to present his position?

dq 2

Last week, you were introduced to the Academic Search
Premier database through the library tutorial in your lecture. Because you are
drafting this week, share one paragraph with us here that shows how you’ve
integrated a source into your writing. The source should be summarized,
paraphrased, or directly quoted. Additionally, an in-text citation and author
tag should be present. Finally, provide the full end reference in APA style
with us here as well. This is not only practice for drafting this week, but it’s
also a good way to receive some feedback from your peers on your writing.

ENGL 112 Week 7 Discussion 1 & Peer Review Team
A,B,C

dq 1

By now, you may have heard that “writing is a form of
discovery.” When we write, we may discover how we really feel about our topic,
what we really know about our topic, and what we need to know about our topic.
In this discussion, please share a few discoveries you uncovered while drafting
the commentary essay. Did you discover information about the commentary genre
itself? Did you make discoveries about your topic?

(Peer Review Team A)

By now, you may have heard that “writing is a form of
discovery.” When we write, we may discover how we really feel about our topic,
what we really know about our topic, and what we need to know about our topic.
In this discussion, please share a few discoveries you uncovered while drafting
the commentary essay. Did you discover information about the commentary genre
itself? Did you make discoveries about your topic?

(Peer Review Team B)

This week, we’ll be sharing our writing publicly in a class
peer review. In order to make this process run smoothly, please be sure to
follow the instructions noted below.

1. Find your name on the peer review assignment list
provided by your professor to determine whether you are in Group A, B, or C.

2. Once you have located your assigned group, join that
discussion area and hit “reply” to the initial prompt. In your reply, leave
feedback for your classmates with general information about your draft. Explain
the current state of your draft, your plans to add content, and your revision
plans. If you have specific questions for the peers who will review your draft,
or want to provide them with any additional information, please do so in your
initial post.

3. Attach your current draft to your initial post. This
must be completed no later than Tuesday night (midnight MT).

4. Find the two peers who have posted after you in terms of
time. Read their attached essays and any notes they left to accompany the
draft. Find the Week 7 Peer Review Worksheet in Doc Sharing and download it.
Complete the form separately for each of the two peers whose drafts you will be
reviewing.

5. Return your completed Peer Review Worksheet as an
attachment in a response post to each of your peers separately. This
must be completed no later than Friday night (midnight MT).

6. Continue to check into your group Discussion area in the
event your peers pose any follow-up questions.

**Please note: If you are the last to post in your group
before the Tuesday midnight deadline, you should review the students who post
in the #1 and #2 slot. If you are second last to post in your group, please
review the students who post in the last and #1 slot.

Be sure to ask your professor if you have any questions about the peer review
process.

(Peer Review Team C)

This week, we’ll be sharing our writing publicly in a class
peer review. In order to make this process run smoothly, please be sure to
follow the instructions noted below.

1. Find your name on the peer review assignment list
provided by your professor to determine whether you are in Group A, B, or C.

2. Once you have located your assigned group, join that
discussion area and hit “reply” to the initial prompt. In your reply, leave
feedback for your classmates with general information about your draft. Explain
the current state of your draft, your plans to add content, and your revision
plans. If you have specific questions for the peers who will review your draft,
or want to provide them with any additional information, please do so in your
initial post.

3. Attach your current draft to your initial post. This
must be completed no later than Tuesday night (midnight MT).

4. Find the two peers who have posted after you in terms of
time. Read their attached essays and any notes they left to accompany the
draft. Find the Week 7 Peer Review Worksheet in Doc Sharing and download it.
Complete the form separately for each of the two peers whose drafts you will be
reviewing.

5. Return your completed Peer Review Worksheet as an
attachment in a response post to each of your peers separately. This
must be completed no later than Friday night (midnight MT).

6. Continue to check into your group Discussion area in the
event your peers pose any follow-up questions.

**Please note: If you are the last to post in your group
before the Tuesday midnight deadline, you should review the students who post
in the #1 and #2 slot. If you are second last to post in your group, please
review the students who post in the last and #1 slot.

Be sure to ask your professor if you have any questions about the peer review
process.

ENGL 112 Week 4 Assignment

week 2

The Profile Essay

Using the plans you outlined in last week’s Profile Process
Piece assignment, you are now ready to compose the Profile essay. Be sure to
read this week’s lecture and Chapter 5 in your text for more information about
writing profiles, keeping these key components in mind:

• Profiles
  take a specific angle that shares a significant issue, important
  contribution, or surprising quality of a person, place, or event with
  which you have first-hand experience.
• Profiles
  are not full life stories; instead, they share a fresh perspective on a
  larger issue.
• Profiles
  require writers to take a close look at a subject and use detail and
  description to bring the subject to life.
• The
  subject of the Profile should focus on a local person you know, a place
  you have visited, or an event you have attended, meaning the subject
  should be a part of your local neighborhood, community, or town.
• The
  audience of the Profile essay is the local community. Imagine the readers
  as neighbors and local community members.

The best topics and angles are those that are interesting to
the writer. Be sure to choose a subject that is fascinating to you and that
you’d like to learn more about. Also consider that your chosen subject and the
angle you choose should be of interest to your audience. Outside research is
not required for this essay and is discouraged. If there has been published
information regarding your subject that will help add insight to your essay,
please include it; however, all research you do must be documented in APA style
(for in-text citations and a Reference page). Be sure to check with your
professor if you have questions about integrating research. The grading rubric
for this essay is available in Doc Sharing.

Additional requirements include

• two to
  three double-spaced pages, not including the title page;
• typed
  and submitted to the Week 2 Dropbox in Microsoft Word 2010 (.docx); and
• APA
  standards for formatting, including 12-point font, an APA cover page,
  running heads, and page numbers.

Please be sure to review the tutorial on formatting an APA
paper and title page.

Week 3

Rhetorical Analysis Planning Sheet

This week, you will be working on the Rhetorical Analysis by
starting to draft and organize your ideas. You will submit a Rhetorical
Analysis Planning Sheet this week to the Dropbox for your professor to grade.
The purpose of this assignment is to begin collecting information and putting
it in writing as you prepare for the 3- to 4-page final Rhetorical Analysis you
will submit in Week 4.

First, read this week’s lesson and begin Chapter 8 in your
text. Then go to the search engine of your choice and search for a print
advertisement to use as the subject of your Rhetorical Analysis. You will need
to provide a URL for your chosen ad, so be sure it is available online. Your
chosen ad can be current or vintage. If you would like to analyze an ad from a
different time period, type the phrase “vintage ads” into your
browser.

Choose an ad that you can analyze based on its rhetorical
appeals (reasoning, character, and emotion), and be sure the ad you choose is
intriguing to you. Please make sure that your chosen ad is appropriate for
classroom use and the workplace.

Locate the file “Week 3 Rhetorical Analysis Planning Sheet
template” in Doc Sharing. Use this template and follow the format provided to
create your planning sheet this week. You’ll need to identify and describe the
ad, draft a thesis, identify the use of rhetorical appeals, and draft a
conclusion.

At the end of your extended draft outline, copy and paste
the URL or website address for your ad (it will begin with http://) so that
your readers can also view the ad.

Successful assignments will:

1. identify
   an advertisement, current or vintage, that’s appropriate for a
   college-level audience;
2. include
   a draft of the introduction and conclusion (minimum of one paragraph
   each);
3. include
   a tentative thesis statement at the end of the introduction;
4. include
   details to establish the visual description and context of the ad;
5. identify
   the various ways rhetorical appeals are used; and
6. be
   typed and submitted as a Microsoft Word 2010 document (.docx) using
   12-point font.

Be sure to review the Week 3 Rhetorical Analysis Planning
Sheet Rubric in Doc Sharing.

Submit your assignment to the Dropbox, located at the top of
this page. For instructions on how to use the Dropbox, read these step-by-step
instructions.

See the Syllabus section “Due Dates for Assignments
& Exams” for due date information.

ENGL 112 Week 4 Assignment

The Rhetorical Analysis Final Essay

This week, you will use the drafting and planning work from
the Week 3 Extended Draft Outline to write the final three- to four-page
Rhetorical Analysis essay. Draw upon last week’s assignment, the lecture, and
textbook reading to help you understand and meet the requirements for the
Rhetorical Analysis. Other than finding your chosen ad online, no outside
research is required for this essay. Although outside research is discouraged,
you may incorporate research if it has a clear purpose in the essay. Any
research used must be formatted in APA style through in-text citations and the
end References page. It is best to check with your professor if you are
considering using research.

At the end of your Rhetorical Analysis Essay, copy and paste
the URL or website address for your ad (it will begin with http://) so that
your readers also can view the ad.

Successful assignments will:

be focused on analyzing an advertisement, current or
vintage, that’s appropriate for a college-level audience;

include a thesis statement at the end of the introduction
that conveys the overall effectiveness of the chosen ad;

include details to establish the visual description and
context of the ad;

identify the various ways rhetorical appeals are used;

be typed and submitted as a Microsoft Word 2010 document
(.docx), with 12-point font and APA formatting for margins, title page, running
heads, and page numbers (Please be sure to review the tutorial on formatting an
APA paper and title page.);

Transcript

be three to four double-spaced pages, not including the
title page; and

be submitted to the Week 4 Dropbox for grading.

Submit your assignment to the Dropbox, located at the top of
this page. For instructions on how to use the Dropbox, read these step-by-step
instructions.

See the Syllabus section “Due Dates for Assignments
& Exams” for due date information.

Plagiarism Tutorial

Click on the link above to view the tutorial.

APA Reference Materials

APA Guidelines for Citing Sources

This tutorial is a resource for citing references using the
current edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association. Highlights include purposes of citing, guidelines and examples of
how to cite sources in text and at the end of a paper, and how to format a
reference list or an entire paper.

Transcript

APA Handbook

This handbook is a resource for citing references using the
current edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association. Highlights include APA websites, practice exercises, ways to avoid
plagiarism, and guidelines and examples for how to use sources, cite sources in
TDA posts, cite in the text and at the end of a paper, edit citations, and
format a reference list or an entire paper.

American Psychological Association (APA) Style Website

This website provides answers to frequently asked questions
and lists APA manuals, style guides, and software available for sale. Purchase
is optional. Two good references are Concise Rules of APA Style and the current
edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.

ENGL 112 Week 5 Assignment

Topic Proposal and Summary

Your assignment this week asks you to choose your Commentary
topic, issue, and angle, and to begin understanding how your own position fits
into the larger conversation. To accomplish this overall goal, you’ll need to
begin by reviewing viable topics, listening to the conversations surrounding
them, and ultimately determining which topic is most fitting for the assignment
needs. You’ll then summarize the main ideas within your topic, including the
perspectives of others within the conversation. To complete this week’s
assignment, please find the Week 5 Topic Proposal and Summary in Doc Sharing.
Download it for use in recording your responses in paragraph format. Be sure to
check Doc Sharing for the Week 5 Assignment Rubric as well.

You may want to visit the Course Resources page under the
Course Home to visit the Pros & Cons of Controversial Issues site. It can
help you with topic selection. It also provides different perspectives on
topics. A link to the Library is also in the Course Resources page under
the Course Home.

Once you have completed the Topic Proposal and Summary,
submit it to the Week 5 Dropbox for grading. Be sure to meet the following
requirements.

Use the Week 5 Topic Proposal and Summary document to
complete this assignment.

Write in complete sentences and paragraphs, using correct
spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

Use the APA resources below and Chapter 28 in your text to
document your sources in APA format as full references.

Submit your assignment to the Dropbox, located at the top of
this page. For instructions on how to use the Dropbox, read these step-by-step
instructions.

See the Syllabus section “Due Dates for Assignments
& Exams” for due date information.

Plagiarism Tutorial

Click on the link above to view the tutorial.

APA Reference Materials

APA Guidelines for Citing Sources

This tutorial is a resource for citing references using the
current edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association. Highlights include purposes of citing, guidelines and examples of
how to cite sources in text and at the end of a paper, and how to format a
reference list or an entire paper.

Transcript

APA Handbook

This handbook is a resource for citing references using the
current edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association. Highlights include APA websites, practice exercises, ways to avoid
plagiarism, and guidelines and examples for how to use sources, cite sources in
TDA posts, cite in the text and at the end of a paper, edit citations, and
format a reference list or an entire paper.

American Psychological Association (APA) Style Website

This website provides answers to frequently asked questions
and lists APA manuals, style guides, and software available for sale. Purchase
is optional. Two good references are Concise Rules of APA Style and the current
edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.

ENGL 112 Week 6 Assignment

The Commentary Rough Draft

The first three pages of your Commentary rough draft are due
this week. This week’s draft should include the following.

An introduction that catches reader’s attention, provides an
overview of the topic, and presents a new or unique angle on a current event

A thesis that transitions from the introduction to the body
and clearly provides the writer’s position on the topic; the thesis should be
debatable, meaning others may disagree or have a different perspective

Discussion of background and other perspectives within the
larger conversation, represented through integration of research

Body paragraphs that explain, support, and answer the promise
of the thesis statement

Effective use of author tags, direct quotes, summary, and
paraphrases

Proper APA style for in-text citation and an end References
page

Additional Requirements

Three complete body pages (double-spaced), plus title page
and reference page

Essay typed and submitted as a Microsoft Word 2010 document
(.docx), with 12-point font and APA formatting for margins, title page, running
heads, and page numbers; please be sure to review the formatting in the APA
paper and title page tutorial

Integration of a minimum of two credible sources

Submit your assignment to the Dropbox, located at the top of
this page. For instructions on how to use the Dropbox, read these step-by-step
instructions.

See the Syllabus section “Due Dates for Assignments
& Exams” for due date information.

Plagiarism Tutorial

Click on the link above to view the tutorial.

APA Reference Materials

APA Guidelines for Citing Sources

This tutorial is a resource for citing references using the
current edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association. Highlights include purposes of citing, guidelines and examples of
how to cite sources in text and at the end of a paper, and how to format a
reference list or an entire paper.

Transcript

APA Handbook

This handbook is a resource for citing references using the
current edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association. Highlights include APA websites, practice exercises, ways to avoid
plagiarism, and guidelines and examples for how to use sources, cite sources in
TDA posts, cite in the text and at the end of a paper, edit citations, and
format a reference list or an entire paper.

American Psychological Association (APA) Style Website

This website provides answers to frequently asked questions
and lists APA manuals, style guides, and software available for sale. Purchase
is optional. Two good references are Concise Rules of APA Style and the current
edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.

Course Project

Starting the drafting process this week will not only give
you a head start on writing, but it will allow you to receive professor
feedback before the final part is due next week. Additionally, peer review will
be conducted in class next week, so you will also have feedback from peers to
guide you through the revision process. As you start drafting, remember that
the final Commentary essay (due in Week 7) must include the following
requirements.

Five full body pages, plus an APA title page and a
References page, written in Microsoft Word 2010 (.docx)

APA formatting for font, margins, spacing, running heads,
page numbers, and in-text citations

A minimum of three academic sources

A unique angle that takes a set position on a topic
currently in the news

Week 7

The Final Commentary Essay

Drawing on the Week 5 Topic Selection Prewriting activity
and last week’s draft, you are now required to submit your final, polished
Commentary essay. Be sure to review this week’s lecture for tips to guide you
through the revision process and for a checklist of assignment requirements.
Also review the Week 7 Final Commentary Rubric in Doc Sharing for additional
guidance.

The Final Commentary essay should include:

• five
  full body pages, plus an APA title page and references page, written in
  Microsoft Word 2010 (.docx);

• APA-formatted
  in-text citations;
• a
  minimum of three credible sources;
• a
  personal angle that takes a set position on a topic that is currently in
  the news; and
• 12-point
  font and APA-formatting for margins, title page, running heads, and page
  numbers. (Please be sure to review the tutorial on formatting an APA paper
  and title page.)

week 8

The Commentary Reflection and Postscript

We began this class by thinking about the different
intentions we have in conveying meaning through our written messages. You’ve
been pushed throughout this session to use writing as a means of exploring the
world around you and as a convoy for making new meaning and helping to frame
your point of view. The hard work of drafting, researching, and revising is
behind you. Now it’s time to reflect on all that you have learned and the ways
in which you have grown as a writer.

In a brief reflective postscript, please answer the
following questions as they relate to your writing process throughout the Commentary
essay:

• What
  new insights have you gained on your Commentary topic throughout the
  process of drafting, researching, and revising? Did your point of view
  change at all? If so, how or why?
• You
  began to conduct and incorporate academic research during the writing and
  planning of your Commentary essay. How well-prepared do you feel about
  conducting academic research? Please elaborate on your response.
• How
  might you contribute to the public conversation about your Commentary
  topic now that you have invested so much time writing and researching
  about it? Are there any public forums or conversations to which you might
  contribute your writing or ideas?
• Did
  you incorporate changes into your final essay based on your peers’
  feedback? If so, please describe the types of changes you made and why you
  made them. If you did not incorporate changes, please explain why.
• Did
  reviewing the work of your classmates help you to understand other points
  of view? Please explain how or why.
• Did
  reviewing the work of your classmates provide you with additional writing
  strategies? Please explain how or why.

Assignment Requirements

• Reply
  to each question above with at least one full paragraph, making your full
  postscript approximately 2 pages.
• Because
  this assignment asks you to reflect on personal experiences, you do not
  need to incorporate research or an APA title page.
• Postscripts
  should be written in first person.
• The
  post-script should be typed and submitted as a Microsoft Word 2010 document
  (.docx), with 12-point font and double spacing.
• Please
  note that Week 8 closes on Saturday at 11:59 pm MT. The Postscript
  assignment must be submitted by this date.

Please be sure to review the rubric for this week’s
assignment in Doc Sharing.

See the Syllabus section “Due Dates for Assignments
& Exams” for due date information.

Activity Description
For this assignment you will undertake an analysis based on a self-designed fictitious study that utilizes statistical analyses. You will first develop a fictitious problem to examine. It can be anything. For example, maybe you want to look at whether scores on a standardized college placement test (such as the SAT) are related to the level of income a person makes 10 years after college, or whether those who participate in a Leadership Training program were later rated as better managers compared to those who did not take the training, or whether political affiliation is related to gender. These are just a few examples. Be creative and think about what piques your interest. You might also address a problem that you may want to examine in future research for a thesis or dissertation.
You will use Excel to conduct the analysis. Write an analysis report in which you include the following:
1. Describe your research study.
2. State a hypothesis.
3. List and explain the variables you would collect in this study. There must be a minimum of three (3) variables and two (2) must meet the assumptions for a correlational analysis.
4. Create a fictitious data set that you will analyze. The data should have a minimum of 30 cases, but not more than 50 cases.
5. Conduct a descriptive data analysis that includes the following: a) a measure of central tendency; b) a measure of dispersion and c) at least one graph.
6. Briefly interpret the descriptive data analysis.
7. Conduct the appropriate statistical test that will answer your hypothesis. It must be a statistical test covered in this course such as regression analysis, single t-test, independent t-test, cross-tabulations, Chi-square, or One-Way ANOVA. Explain your justification for using the test based on the type of data and the level of measurement that the data lends to for the statistical analysis.
8. Report and interpret your findings. Use APA style and include a statement about whether you reject or fail to reject the null hypothesis.
9. Copy and paste your Excel data output to include it as an appendix to your document submission.
10. Remember, the goal of this project is to show what you have learned in the course. Therefore, this project becomes a cumulative learning project where you can demonstrate what you have learned through all the previous assignments, readings and video presentations that you have watched.
Support your paper with a minimum of five (5) scholarly resources. In addition to these specified resources, other appropriate scholarly resources, including older articles, may be included.

Length: 10-12 pages not including title and reference pages, may include spreadsheets

USE 2 articles included & 3 additional

1

Introduction:
Signature Assignment: A Statistical Study
The signature assignment, as the cliché goes, is where “rubber meets the road.” Throughout this course, you were exposed to several
statistical theories and methods to evaluate hypotheses. It is now time to display your competence of the knowledge you have acquired. The
signature assignment for this course provides an opportunity for you to apply your skills and creativity to a self­designed fictitious study that
employs statistical analyses and requires you to use your computational, analytical, and interpretive skills.
Review the resources listed in the Books and Resources area below to prepare for this week’s assignments.

Books and Resources for this Week:

Books

Reference
Statistical reasoning for everyday life.

Instruction
Review Chapters
as needed

Document/Other

Reference
Kahn, J. (2010). Reporting Statistics in APA Style.
http://my.ilstu.edu/~jhkahn/apastats.html

#1 Article
Reporting Statistics in APA Style
Dr. Jeffrey Kahn, Illinois State University

The following examples illustrate how to report statistics in the text of a
research report. You will note that significance levels in journal articles-especially in tables–are often reported as either “p > .05,” “p < .05,” “p < .
01,” or “p < .001.” APA style dictates reporting the exact p value within the
text of a manuscript (unless the p value is less than .001).
Please pay attention to issues of italics and spacing. APA style is very precise
about these. Also, with the exception of some p values, most statistics should
be rounded to two decimal places.

Mean and Standard Deviation are most clearly presented in parentheses:
The sample as a whole was relatively young (M = 19.22, SD = 3.45).
The average age of students was 19.22 years (SD = 3.45).
Percentages are also most clearly displayed in parentheses with no decimal
places:

Instruction
Read Article

2

Nearly half (49%) of the sample was married.
Chi-Square statistics are reported with degrees of freedom and sample size
in parentheses, the Pearson chi-square value (rounded to two decimal places),
and the significance level:
The percentage of participants that were married did not differ by
gender, ?2(1, N = 90) = 0.89, p = .35.
T Tests are reported like chi-squares, but only the degrees of freedom are in
parentheses. Following that, report the t statistic (rounded to two decimal
places) and the significance level.
There was a significant effect for gender, t(54) = 5.43, p < .001, with men
receiving higher scores than women.
ANOVAs (both one-way and two-way) are reported like the t test, but there
are two degrees-of-freedom numbers to report. First report the betweengroups degrees of freedom, then report the within-groups degrees of freedom
(separated by a comma). After that report the F statistic (rounded off to two
decimal places) and the significance level.
There was a significant main effect for treatment, F(1, 145) = 5.43, p = .02,
and a significant interaction, F(2, 145) = 3.24, p = .04.
Correlations are reported with the degrees of freedom (which is N-2) in
parentheses and the significance level:
The two variables were strongly correlated, r(55) = .49, p < .01.
Regression results are often best presented in a table. APA doesn’t say much
about how to report regression results in the text, but if you would like to
report the regression in the text of your Results section, you should at least
present the unstandardized or standardized slope (beta), whichever is more
interpretable given the data, along with the t-test and the corresponding
significance level. (Degrees of freedom for the t-test is N-k-1 where k equals
the number of predictor variables.) It is also customary to report the
percentage of variance explained along with the corresponding F test.
Social support significantly predicted depression scores, ??= -.34, t(225) =
6.53, p < .001. Social support also explained a significant proportion of
variance in depression scores, R2 = .12, F(1, 225) = 42.64, p < .001.

3

Tables are useful if you find that a paragraph has almost as many numbers as
words. If you do use a table, do not also report the same information in the
text. It’s either one or the other.

Based on:
American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the
American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

Reporting Results of Common Statistical Tests in APA Format. (2010).
http://web.psych.washington.edu/writingcenter/writingguides/pdf/stats.pdf

# 2 Article
University of Washington
Psychology Writing Center
http://www.psych.uw.edu/psych.php#p=339
Box 351525
psywc@uw.edu
(206) 685-8278

Copyright 2010, University of Washington stats.pdf

Read Article

4

Reporting Results of Common Statistical Tests in APA Format

The goal of the results section in an empirical paper is to report the
results of the data analysis used to test a
hypothesis. The results section should be in condensed format and
lacking interpretation. Avoid discussing why
or how the experiment was performed or alluding to whether your
results are good or bad, expected or
unexpected, interesting or uninteresting. This document is
specifically about how to report statistical results.
Refer to our handout “Writing an APA Empirical (lab) Report” for
details on writing a results section.

Every statistical test that you report should relate directly to a
hypothesis. Begin the results section by restating
each hypothesis, then state whether your results supported it, then
give the data and statistics that allowed you to
draw this conclusion.

If you have multiple numerical results to report, it’s often a good idea
to present them in a figure (graph) or a
table (see our handout on APA table guidelines).

In reporting the results of statistical tests, report the descriptive
statistics, such as means and standard deviations,

5

as well as the test statistic, degrees of freedom, obtained value of the
test, and the probability of the result
occurring by chance (p value). Test statistics and p values should be
rounded to two decimal places. All
statistical symbols that are not Greek letters should be italicized (M,
SD, N, t, p, etc.).

When reporting a significant difference between two conditions,
indicate the direction of this difference, i.e.
which condition was more/less/higher/lower than the other
condition(s). Assume that your audience has a
professional knowledge of statistics. Don’t explain how or why you
used a certain test unless it is unusual.

p values
There are two ways to report p values. One way is to use the alpha
level (the a priori criterion for the
probablility of falsely rejecting your null hypothesis), which is
typically .05 or .01. Example: F(1, 24) = 44.4, p
< .01. You may also report the exact p value (the a posteriori
probability that the result that you obtained, or one
more extreme, occurred by chance). Example: t(33) = 2.10, p = .03. If
your exact p value is less than .001, it is
conventional to state merely p < .001. If you report exact p values,
state early in the results section the alpha
level used as a significance criterion for your tests. Example: “We
used an alpha level of .05 for all statistical

6

tests.”

EXAMPLES

Reporting a significant single sample t-test (µ ? µ0):
Students taking statistics courses in psychology at the University of
Washington reported studying more hours
for tests (M = 121, SD = 14.2) than did UW college students in in
general, t(33) = 2.10, p = .034.

Reporting a significant t-test for dependent groups (µ1 ? µ2):
Results indicate a significant preference for pecan pie (M = 3.45, SD =
1.11) over cherry pie (M = 3.00, SD =
.80), t(15) = 4.00, p = .001.

Reporting a significant t-test for independent groups (µ1 ? µ2):
UW students taking statistics courses in Psychology had higher IQ
scores (M = 121, SD = 14.2) than did those
taking statistics courses in Statistics (M = 117, SD = 10.3), t(44) = 1.23,
p = .09.

Over a two-day period, participants drank significantly fewer drinks in
the experimental group (M= 0.667, SD =
Copyright 2010, University of Washington stats.pdf

1.15) than did those in the wait-list control group (M= 8.00, SD= 2.00), t(4) = -5.51, p=.005.
Reporting a significant omnibus F test for a one­way ANOVA:
An analysis of variance showed that the effect of noise was significant, F(3,27) = 5.94, p = .007. Post hoc

7
analyses using the Scheffé post hoc criterion for significance indicated that the average number of errors
was
significantly lower in the white noise condition (M = 12.4, SD = 2.26) than in the other two noise
conditions
(traffic and industrial) combined (M = 13.62, SD = 5.56), F(3, 27) = 7.77, p = .042.
Reporting tests of a priori hypotheses in a multi­group study:
Tests of the four a priori hypotheses were conducted using Bonferroni adjusted alpha levels of .0125 per
test
(.05/4). Results indicated that the average number of errors was significantly lower in the silence
condition (M =
8.11, SD = 4.32) than were those in both the white noise condition (M = 12.4, SD = 2.26), F(1, 27) = 8.90,
p =
.011 and in the industrial noise condition (M = 15.28, SD = 3.30), F(1, 27) = 10.22, p = .007. The pairwise
comparison of the traffic noise condition with the silence condition was non-significant. The average
number of
errors in all noise conditions combined (M = 15.2, SD = 6.32) was significantly higher than those in the
silence
condition (M = 8.11, SD = 3.30), F(1, 27) = 8.66, p = .009.
Reporting results of major tests in factorial ANOVA; non­significant interaction:
Attitude change scores were subjected to a two-way analysis of variance having two levels of message
discrepancy (small, large) and two levels of source expertise (high, low). All effects were statistically
significant
at the .05 significance level.
The main effect of message discrepancy yielded an F ratio of F(1, 24) = 44.4, p < .001, indicating that the
mean
change score was significantly greater for large-discrepancy messages (M = 4.78, SD = 1.99) than for
smalldiscrepancy
messages (M = 2.17, SD = 1.25). The main effect of source expertise yielded an F ratio of F(1, 24)
= 25.4, p < .01, indicating that the mean change score was significantly higher in the high-expertise
message
source (M = 5.49, SD = 2.25) than in the low-expertise message source (M = 0.88, SD = 1.21). The
interaction
effect was non-significant, F(1, 24) = 1.22, p > .05.
Reporting results of major tests in factorial ANOVA; non­significant interaction:
A two-way analysis of variance yielded a main effect for the diner’s gender, F(1, 108) = 3.93, p < .05,
such that
the average tip was significantly higher for men (M = 15.3%, SD = 4.44) than for women (M = 12.6%, SD
=
6.18). The main effect of touch was non-significant, F(1, 108) = 2.24, p > .05. However, the interaction
effect
was significant, F(1, 108) = 5.55, p < .05, indicating that the gender effect was greater in the touch
condition
than in the non-touch condition.
Reporting the results of a chi­square test of independence:
A chi-square test of independence was performed to examine the relation between religion and college
interest.
The relation between these variables was significant, X2 (2, N = 170) = 14.14, p <.01. Catholic teens were
less
likely to show an interest in attending college than were Protestant teens.

8
Reporting the results of a chi­square test of goodness of fit:
A chi-square test of goodness-of-fit was performed to determine whether the three sodas were equally
preferred.
Preference for the three sodas was not equally distributed in the population, X2 (2, N = 55) = 4.53, p < .05.
Thanks to Laura Little, Ph.D., UW Department of Psychology, for providing the examples reported here

MGT5028-8 > Hypothesis Testing, T-Tests, Cross-Tabulations, and Chi-Square

Week 8 Assignment: Create and Analyze a Self-Designed Statistical Study

Activity Description
For this assignment you will undertake an analysis based on a self-designed fictitious study
that utilizes statistical analyses. You will first develop a fictitious problem to examine. It can be
anything. For example, maybe you want to look at whether scores on a standardized college
placement test (such as the SAT) are related to the level of income a person makes 10 years after
college, or whether those who participate in a Leadership Training program were later rated as
better managers compared to those who did not take the training, or whether political affiliation
is related to gender. These are just a few examples. Be creative and think about what piques your
interest. You might also address a problem that you may want to examine in future research
for a thesis or dissertation.
You will use Excel to conduct the analysis. Write an analysis report in which you include the
following:
1. Describe your research study.
2. State a hypothesis.
3. List and explain the variables you would collect in this study. There must be a

minimum of three (3) variables and two (2) must meet the assumptions for a
correlational analysis.
4. Create a fictitious data set that you will analyze. The data should have a minimum

of 30 cases, but not more than 50 cases.
5. Conduct a descriptive data analysis that includes the following: a) a measure of

central tendency; b) a measure of dispersion and c) at least one graph.
6. Briefly interpret the descriptive data analysis.
7. Conduct the appropriate statistical test that will answer your hypothesis. It must be

a statistical test covered in this course such as regression analysis, single t-test,independent t-test, cross-tabulations, Chi-square, or One-Way ANOVA. Explain your justification for using the test based on the type of data and the level of measurement that the data lends to for the statistical analysis.

8. Report and interpret your findings. Use APA style and include a statement about whether you reject or fail to reject the null hypothesis.
9. Copy and paste your Excel data output to include it as an appendix to your

document submission.
10. Remember, the goal of this project is to show what you have learned in the course.

Therefore, this project becomes a cumulative learning project where you can
demonstrate what you have learned through all the previous assignments, readings
and video presentations that you have watched.
Support your paper with a minimum of five (5) scholarly resources. In addition to these specified resources, other appropriate scholarly resources, including older articles, may be included.
Length: 10-12 pages not including title and reference pages, may include spreadsheets
Your response should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts that are
presented in the course and provide new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your
response should reflect scholarly writing and current APA standards where appropriate. Be sure
to adhere to Northcentral University’s Academic Integrity Policy.
Learning Outcomes
9.0 Determine alpha (p-values) values and interpret p-levels as related to statistical significance.
10.0 Utilize statistical software such as Excel to conduct data analysis.
11.0 Analyze the use and applicability of statistics in personal, professional, and academic
applications, and as a tool for research.

NURS 6053/NRSE6053 INTERPROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONAL AND SYSTEMS LEADERSHIP

Week 1 Discussion

Review of Current Healthcare Issues

If you were to ask 10 people what they believe to be the most significant issue facing healthcare today, you might get 10 different answers. Escalating costs? Regulation? Technology disruption?

These and many other topics are worthy of discussion. Not surprisingly, much has been said in the research, within the profession, and in the news about these topics. Whether they are issues of finance, quality, workload, or outcomes, there is no shortage of changes to be addressed.

In this Discussion, you examine a national healthcare issue and consider how that issue may impact your work setting. You also analyze how your organization has responded to this issue.

To Prepare:

Review the Resources and select one current national healthcare issue/stressor to focus on.

Reflect on the current national healthcare issue/stressor you selected and think about how this issue/stressor may be addressed in your work setting.

NURS 6052/NURS5052/NRSE6052 Essent of Evidence

Week 2 Quiz

Question 1What type of study is described in the following excerpt?

An interprofessional team wants to test a new intervention to see whether it will improve central-line associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rates. Subjects were randomized into either the intervention or the control group by pulling a slip of paper with either a one or a two written on it from a manila envelope (those pulling ones were randomized to the intervention group; those pulling twos were randomized to the control group). When the study began, the intervention group received the intervention and the control group received equal attention. Data was collected and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive statistics were used to report the data.

What type of research article is this?

Question 2What type of information would help you identify a research study as qualitative? (Select all that apply.)

Question 3The methods used in conducting a systematic review are specific and rigorous.

Question 4Mixed-methods studies are a combination of which two methodologies?

Question 5In qualitative studies, results are reported using words or themes.

Question 6You are forming a team to do a systematic review of the literature about interventions to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Which of the following would be your first step?

Question 7Which of the following is a type of quantitative research study?

Question 8 What type of study is described in the following excerpt?

Surveys to evaluate nurse satisfaction, medical errors, depression and anxiety, and demographics were given to 5,432 nurses from hospitals of various sizes and geographic locations; some had nurses working 8-hour shifts and 12-hour shifts. Nurses were asked to complete the survey. Upon completion of the survey, nurses were invited to participate in video conference focus groups and one-on-one interviews with a research assistant by video conferencing. Survey results were reported using descriptive statistics, and themes were identified and reported from the data collected in the focus groups and one-on-one interviews.

Question 9Which of the following statements is true of narrative reviews? (Select all that apply.)

Question 10In a systematic review with a meta-analysis, researchers combine the results of each of the individual studies to create a larger sample size (and therefore greater power), then re-run the statistics to capture the true magnitude of the effect. The single-effect measure calculated and reported when the results from all the studies are combined is called what?

Question 11In quantitative studies, results are reported using words or themes.

Question 12What types of information would help you identify a research study as quantitative? (Select all that apply.)

Question 13What kind of study is described in the following excerpt?

Question 14What type of literature may a systematic review include to be considered Level 1 evidence on the Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt levels of evidence hierarchy?

Question 15Randomized controlled trials are which type of research?

Question 16Order the following types of research evidence reviews in order of rigor from most rigorous to least rigorous:

Question 17When trying to determine what type of research study is described in an article, which two sections of the article will give you the best information to make that determination?

Question 18Both literature reviews and systematic reviews are types of research evidence reviews.

Question 19A key characteristic of a systematic review is that it contains a meta-analysis.

Question 20Which of the following types of research can be categorized as primary research? Select all that apply.

NURS 6052/NURS5052/NRSE6052 Essent of Evidence

Week 9 Assignment

Evidence-Based Project, Part 5: Recommending an Evidence-Based Practice Change

The collection of evidence is an activity that occurs with an endgame in mind. For example, law enforcement professionals collect evidence to support a decision to charge those accused of criminal activity. Similarly, evidence-based healthcare practitioners collect evidence to support decisions in pursuit of specific healthcare outcomes.

In this Assignment, you will identify an issue or opportunity for change within your healthcare organization and propose an idea for a change in practice supported by an EBP approach.

To Prepare:

Reflect on the four peer-reviewed articles you critically appraised in Module 4.

Reflect on your current healthcare organization and think about potential opportunities for evidence-based change.

The Assignment: (Evidence-Based Project)

Part 5: Recommending an Evidence-Based Practice Change

Create an 8- to 9-slide PowerPoint presentation in which you do the following:

Briefly describe your healthcare organization, including its culture and readiness for change. (You may opt to keep various elements of this anonymous, such as your company name.)

Describe the current problem or opportunity for change. Include in this description the circumstances surrounding the need for change, the scope of the issue, the stakeholders involved, and the risks associated with change implementation in general.

Propose an evidence-based idea for a change in practice using an EBP approach to decision making. Note that you may find further research needs to be conducted if sufficient evidence is not discovered.

Describe your plan for knowledge transfer of this change, including knowledge creation, dissemination, and organizational adoption and implementation.

Describe the measurable outcomes you hope to achieve with the implementation of this evidence-based change.

Be sure to provide APA citations of the supporting evidence-based peer reviewed articles you selected to support your thinking.

Add a lessons learned section that includes the following:

A summary of the critical appraisal of the peer-reviewed articles you previously submitted

An explanation about what you learned from completing the evaluation table (1 slide)

An explanation about what you learned from completing the levels of evidence table (1 slide)

An explanation about what you learned from completing the outcomes synthesis table (1 slide)