A. Purpose and Definition:

A Project Paper is defined as a good-quality analysis of a topic related to general public administration, health care management or public safety. Consistent with the Department of Public Administration's Mission Statement, the purpose of the Project Paper/Portfolio is to:

1. Contribute to the student's professional development in an area of special emphasis chosen by the student.
2. Provide an opportunity for the student to further develop and demonstrate analytic and writing skills, often including the ability to learn from observation, engage in applied research, and persuasively communicate to others what has been learned.
3. Encourage faculty-student collaboration on a one-to-one basis.
4. Contribute to the public administration professions and the clients of these professional service fields.

B. Research Strategies

The Project Paper uses one or more of the following research strategies:

1. Summarizes and synthesizes existing knowledge in such a way as to contribute to professional practice and instruction.
2. Applies theories, concepts and techniques to practical situations, often evaluating and making recommendations for improvement of either the theories, concepts, and techniques or the professional practice to which they have been applied.
3. Formulates new concepts and hypotheses based on exploratory research.
4. The above research strategies may either be qualitative or quantitative. Generating new data and testing hypothesis is not appropriate for the Project Paper.

The Project Paper should clearly reflect some application or integration of concepts drawn from the MPA curriculum (including the emphases where applicable). In other words, it is vital to demonstrate the ability to apply concepts and practices developed in the MPA curriculum.

C. Format

The text should be a minimum of 20 pages in length, double-spaced, exclusive of cover pages and appendices. The format of the Project Paper must include:

1. Title Page: See Appendix C for a sample.
2. Table of Contents: Generally the headings and subheadings of the paper (with page numbers), plus appendices.
3. Abstract: This is a 100-300 word (approximately one typewritten page) summary of the paper including: the issue or problem solved, the research methods used, and the major conclusions or findings contained in the paper.
4. Text: The paper does not require an exhaustive review of the literature nor an exploration of a totally new area. Because it is important that you demonstrate an understanding of the relevant management and policy analysis concept, this will require some review and citation of relevant literature. It is equally important to demonstrate an ability to integrate and apply concepts drawn from the range of your academic experience in the MPA program.
5. At minimum, the text of your paper should include the following parts (although the chapter or section headings of the paper need not correspond precisely to these titles):
   • Introduction: the objective(s) and significance of research, relationship of author to topic or subject organization, method(s) of research, and general format of the paper (an overview or road map to its parts)
   • Background to the issue being examined
   • Analysis: a discussion of the problem and an application of the concepts. (This section should be a minimum of four pages.)
   • Conclusions and/or recommendations
   • References
   • Appendices-Glossary-definitions of important terms used in the paper. Each appendix should have a title sheet with the appendix letter or number and the appendix title (in upper case), centered.

D. Style

1. The accepted manual of style is The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA), Washington, DC: American Psychological Association (latest edition).
2. Papers must be free of typographical and grammatical errors.

E. Enrollment/Registration

1. Students must enroll in the core course, PAD/EPS 696 Project Paper/Portfolio Seminar.
2. The Project Paper or Portfolio must be completed during the semester that the student enrolls for the course, except that Withdrawals are allowed during the first nine weeks of the regular semester or during the first two-thirds of the course during summer semester.
3. Incomplete grades are not allowed.
4. As with all other Public Administration core courses, this course cannot be repeated.

F. Additional Notes

1. Some students choose to explore sensitive topics and may wish to substitute a fictitious name of the organization under analysis.
2. Your final paper is not returnable.
3. Please indicate if it is appropriate to use your final Project Paper or Portfolio as an example for other students. Otherwise, we will assume it is confidential.
4. Students must submit the final draft of the project paper as a "hard copy" and an electronic file.

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II. Portfolio

A A Portfolio is defined by Kenneth D. Moore as "a systematic, organized collection of evidence designed to illustrate a person's accomplishments and to represent progress made toward reaching specific goals and objectives" (Moore, 1998).

B. The Portfolio requires that you showcase your academic work in ten of the 18 major areas listed in Table 1 below. The Portfolio includes your original, graded papers, interviews, presentations, computer program documentation, etc.

C. Packaging in terms of attractiveness and organization is important:

1. Cover page (see Appendix for a sample).
2. Table of Contents and dividers are required.
3. A list of ten areas out the 18 listed you select from Table 1 in Appendix A.
4. An Index including each of the ten areas you have chosen for your Portfolio plus course and activity (see Table 2, Appendix for a sample)
5. A brief Introduction that explains why you chose to do the Portfolio.
6. For each of the ten areas, write two pages, double-spaced as follows:
   • Prepare a one-page summary of the paper or activity.
   • Prepare a reflective statement on the insights you have gained for the desired outcome (refer to Table 1). Include three specific examples in your discussion.
   • Conclude your reflective statement with:
     • a description of how you have applied what you have gained in your professional life (e.g. job or internship)
     • implications for the future (e.g. new or enhanced knowledge, skills and abilities).

E. All policies for the Project Paper Seminar are in effect for the Portfolio (see Project Paper section above).

F. Areas to be covered in the Portfolio (choose ten from Table 1 below):

The areas listed in Table 1 below were adapted from the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration's (NASPAA) Standards for Public Administration Programs (Standard 4.21 Common Curriculum Components) which include, but are not limited to, the following areas:

Common Curriculum Components:

1. Management of public service organizations

• Human resources
• Budgeting and financial process
• Information including computer literacy and application

2. Application of quantitative and qualitative techniques of analysis

• Policy and program formulation, implementation and evaluation
• Decision making and problem solving

3. Understanding of the public policy and organizational environment

• Political and legal institutions and processes
• Economic and social institutions and processes
• Organization and management concepts and behavior

Table 1-Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Related to Common Curriculum Components

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities	Types of Desired Outcomes	Course or Activity
1.11 Knowledge of Political Environments	Understanding of basic democratic processes.  Understanding of American federalism.	PAD 680  PAD 683
1.12 Knowledge of Social Environments	Understanding of social forces.  Understanding of increasing diversity.	PAD 680 PAD 684
1.13 Knowledge of Economic Environments	Understanding of basic economic values and systems.  Understanding of basic political economies.	PAD 680 PAD 684
1.21 Awareness of Moral Dilemmas	Examination of morality and integrity.	PAD 680  PAD 681  PAD 682
1.22 Awareness of Ethical Guidelines	Exposure to codes of ethics such as the ASPA Code of Ethics	PAD 680  PAD 681  PAD 682
1.23 Commitment to Public Service	Demonstrated involvement in public service activities
1.31 Negotiating Skills	Development of skills in active negotiations.	PAD 681  PAD 682  PAD 683  PAD 684  PAD 685
1.32 Team Building Skills	Development of team building skills.	PAD 681  PAD 682  PAD 685  PAD 644
1.33 Motivation Skills	Development of an awareness of approaches to motivation and development of practice skills.	PAD 681  PAD 682  PAD 685  PAD 644
1.41 Planning Skills	Awareness of the role of planning in management and development of special skills in planning techniques.	PAD 681  PAD 684  PAD 685
1.42 Decision- making Skills	Awareness of decision-making approaches and the development of special analytical skills in decision making.	PAD 680  PAD 681  PAD 682  PAD 683  PAD 684  PAD 685  PAD 686 PAD 687 PAD 688
1.43 Controlling Skills	Awareness of systems of organizational control and the devleopment of special skills in using project, financial and personnel control systems.	PAD 681  PAD 682  PAD 684  PAD 685 PAD 687
1.44 Evaluation Skills	Awareness of approaches to program evaluation to and measurement techniques and the development of skills in using these techniques.	PAD 681  PAD 682  PAD 684  PAD 685  PAD 686  PAD 687 PAD 688
1.51 Facility in the Use of Information Technologies	Understanding of emerging trends in information technology and the development of skills to effectively incorporate computer skills into management activity.	PAD 681  PAD 665  PAD 666  PAD 620  PAD 686  PAD 687 PAD 688
1.52 Facility in Analyzing and Using Information.	Demonstrated ability to summarize and evaluate information.	PAD 684  PAD 685  PAD 686  PAD 687 PAD 688
1.53 Personal Presentation Skills	Demonstrated ability to make an effective oral presentation.	PAD 682
1.61 Life-long Learning Skills	Demonstrated capacity to recognize that organizational change is likely to occur and the need to be professionally adaptive.	PAD 682
1.62	Membership in a professional organization

III. Academic Integrity

The Public Administration Department takes seriously the College's policies on academic integrity. Academic dishonesty is a major violation of College Policy, which can result in the failure of a course, as well as in a range of disciplinary actions, from an official warning to suspension or dismissal from the college. Any student suspected of such a violation will be subject to charges. Please refer to this page for more details:  http://www.brockport.edu/policies/docs/policy_on_student_academic_dishonesty.pdf.  You are expected to know this policy and to follow it. Any violation of the policy will result in a grade of E for the course. If you have any questions about the policy please contact your instructor immediately. The complete list of academic policies is available on the College at Brockport's Student Policies web site at www.brockport.edu/policies/index.php.

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IV. References

• The American Heritage Dictionary, second college edition. (1976). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Co.
• Moore, K.D., (1998). Classroom Teaching Skills. United States of America: The McGraw Hill Companies.
• National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA). (1993) "Guidelines for developing a master's degree program." Retrieved December 9, 1999, from http://www.naspaa.org
• Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th edition). (1994). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
• Department of Public Administration's Self Study Report to the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration. Volume 1. (1997).
  

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Appendix: Table 2 Sample Index for Portfolio

Appendix: Project Paper and Portfolio Sample Cover Page (on an 8.5 x 11 sheet)

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