Critical Thinking Project

Critical Thinking Project Part 1:

Introduction

 

 

Part 1: Introduction

Draft due November 9

 

The purpose of Section 1 is to introduce the topic of your research paper. Read Scenario 1, Scenario 2, and Scenario 3, then choose one of the assignments to complete. Once you have chosen an assignment, then scroll down to the page until you reach the format for your chosen assignment. The required information for each assignment is listed below the assignment format.

 

Scenario 1

You work for the top restaurant marketing company in the country. A top-rated restaurant hired your company has been losing money. You’ve been assigned to figure out how to help a restaurant increase their revenues. Start the assignment by conducting research, then presenting alternatives/solutions to your client. Your ultimate goal is to offer solutions/alternatives that address the problem. Your solutions should take finances and feasibility into consideration.

 

Here are some examples for this topic:

• McDonald’s needs healthier menu
• In n’ Out needs breakfast menu
• Boiling Crab needs more space/faster service
• Jack in the Box needs cleaner restrooms
• You can also add or remove products from a restaurant’s menu (popular topic)
• One person thought Jack in the Box (downtown SJ) needed cleaner bathrooms
• Jamba Juice needs warning labels for their super shots

 

 

Scenario 2

You are the top problem solver in your field. A company has come to you because they have a product that had been a “game changer,” that is to say the product was one that was very successful in the past, but now the product seems obsolete and in great need of updating. Your task is to conduct research, then offer alternatives and solutions to make the product successful again. Your ultimate goal is to offer solutions/alternatives that address the problem. Your solutions should take finances and feasibility into consideration. Your solutions should take finances and feasibility into consideration.

 

Here are some examples for this topic:

• Apple iphones need flexible housing/screen
• A once-popular video game needs to re-add some old features
• Electric cars need longer batteries
• Choose a problem that exists within your field of study.

 

 

Scenario 3

You are the top systems analyst in your field. Although your methods are unusual, you get results. You are an expert at figuring out problems that lie within a process. A client has come to you seeking alternatives and solutions for a process that needs corrections. You start by conducting research, then presenting alternatives or solutions to your client. Your ultimate goal is to offer solutions/alternatives that will make the process more efficient. Your solutions should take finances and feasibility into consideration.

 

Here are some examples for this topic:

• Address future world famine
• California roads need fixing
• EVC needs more parking
• Better health care system

 

 

 

Format and Guidelines for Part 1

 

Scroll down until you get to the format for the scenario you chose. The format and guidelines for Scenario 2 and Scenario 3 are the same. Complete Section follow the required format and include the required information.

 

Scenario 1:

Introduction: Provide background information of the restaurant that will make a person want to visit the restaurant. Do not talk about the restaurant’s problem too much—that will come in the research project Part 2.

Here are some questions that you should address in your introduction:

• Why do people go to the restaurant?
• What do people like and dislike about the restaurant?
• How does the food taste?
• What are some of the popular food items?
• What is the restaurant’s specialty?
• How is the service?
• What does the restaurant look like?
• Does the restaurant feel like home, like all the chain restaurants, dirty, happy, dreary…?
• Is there a parent company or one company that owns the restaurant? What else does the parent company own?
• In what way(s) does the company help its community?
• Current news about the restaurant or parent company.
• What does research and/or journal articles have to say about the company/restaurant?

 

In addition to the above information, include any other information you think others need to know about the company, product, or process. Remember, you are trying to make others interested in your project so they will support your project.

 

Required information for Assignment 1:

• If a company/restaurant is involved:
  • Describe history and current status of the restaurant
    • Describe the origins of the restaurant/company
    • What type of food do they serve?
    • Who is their target audience? Who are likely customers?
    • Who are their competitors?
    • What was the restaurant like when it was doing well?
  • Name of CEO/owners
    • Is the company privately held?
      • If the company/restaurant is privately held, then use a pseudonym for the owners.
    • Is the company listed on any of the stock exchanges?
  • Provide financial information about the business
    • Describe how well the company/restaurant is doing at this time
      • Use financial information, such as sales and profit
    • If the company/restaurant is privately held, then use financial information from a publicly held company.
  • Locations
• Where does the company do business?
• Any talk of expansion?

 

Required resource for all Assignment 1:

• Incorporate three (3) resources as a reference for Part 1. References to the articles must be incorporated into the text of your Part 1. (See CTP Introduction file posted on Canvas, Appendix I, page 3 for a partial list of acceptable publications)

• You must provide a copy of the first page of the article and a brief summary written on the back of the copy. This summary must be attached to the last page of Part 1.
• Begin preparing a Works Cited page
  • This page is a list of works that you used to meet the resource requirement.
• The resources include
  • Research journals (See Research Project Introduction file posted on Canvas, Appendix I, page 3 for a partial list of acceptable publications)
  • Textbooks

 

 

Assignment 2 and Assignment 3

Introduction: Provide background information on the company, product, process, or condition so a reader will want to use the product, own the company, or understand the process or condition. Do not talk about the restaurant’s problem too much—that will come in CTP Part 2.

Here are some questions that you should address in your introduction:

• Describe the company involved with the product, process, or condition.
• If the company is a non-profit organization, then provide background information on the organization.
• Describe the product, process, or condition.
• What does the product look like?
• What does the product do?
• Why do people use the product?
• How/why does the process or condition affect the user?
• What do others say about the company, product, process, or condition?
• What is the reputation of the company or product?
• How commonly used is the process or condition?
• Are there alternatives to the process?
• Was the condition created by humans or nature?
• How/why was the condition created?
• In what way(s) does the company help its community?
• Current news about the company, condition, product, or process.
• What does research and/or journal articles have to say about the company, condition, product, or process?

 

In addition to the above information, include any other information you think others need to know about the company, product, or process. Remember, you are trying to make others interested in your project so they will support your project.

 

 

Required information for Assignment 2 and Assignment 3

• If a product, process, or condition is involved:
  • Describe the history and current status
    • Who was the inventor, developer, and/or person responsible?
    • Describe the product or process
      • Why was the product invented?
      • What is the purpose of the product or process?
    • Who uses the product or process?
    • How and when is product or process used?
    • How many units are being used?
    • How often is the process used?
    • How much money does the product generate?

• Describe the importance (significance) of the product

• Why is the product worth using?
  • Does the product save time?
  • Does the product help make a job easier?
  • Is the product entertaining?
  • Does the product save lives?
• Why does the process or condition need to be changed?
  • Will the change save lives?
  • Will the change save time?
  • Will the change help the environment?
  • Will the change improve the future?
• Required resource for all Assignment 2 and Assignment 3:
  • Incorporate three (3) resources as a reference for Part 1. References to the articles must be incorporated into the text of your Part 1. (See Research Project Introduction file posted in Module 6, Appendix I, page 3 for a partial list of acceptable publications)
• You must provide a copy of the first page of the article and a brief summary written on the back of the copy. This summary must be attached to the last page of Part 1.
• Begin preparing a Works Cited page
  • This page is a list of works that you used to meet the resource requirement. Save this list because you will continue adding references to your list of works cited for Part 2 and Part 4.

 

• The resources include
  • Research journals (See Research Project Introduction file posted in Module 6, Appendix I, page 3 for a partial list of acceptable publications)
  • Textbooks