I chose the topic: The economic challenges in the healthcare industry

Research Paper Requirement

The Research Paper, seven to eight full pages (exclusive of title and reference pages) in length, should demonstrate understanding of the reading assignments, class discussions, your own research and the application of new knowledge. It must consist of a minimum of three (3) scholarly sources plus the textbook.

For your final research paper, you will develop a high-quality essay with a focus on health management topics such as:

• strategic planning and policy
• accountability of and/or relationships among board, medical staff and executive management
• financial management
• human resources management
• systems management
• plant and facility management
• comprehensive systems of services
• quality assessment and assurance
• professional, public, community or inter organization relations
• governmental relations or regulation
• marketing
• education
• research
• law and ethics

The quality of your research paper should be of such consistency that it could be submitted to the Richard J. Stull Student Essay Competition in Healthcare Management.  Please check out the following web site for further information and a sample undergraduate essay.

http://www.ache.org/Faculty_Students/student_essay.cfm

Writing the Research Paper

The Research Paper:

• Must be seven to eight double-spaced pages (excluding the title and reference pages) in length and formatted according to APA style.
• Must include a cover page that includes:
• Must include an introductory paragraph with a succinct thesis statement.
• Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
• Must conclude with a restatement of the thesis and a conclusion paragraph.
• Use APA style as shown in the approved style handbook to document all sources.
• Must include a Reference page formatted according to APA style.
• Must include at least three outside, scholarly sources in addition to the textbook.

Research Requirements

Academic research and papers must meet certain standards of quality recognized by the academic community.  What constitutes quality academic research?

• Primary (original) sources written by experts in the field of study.
• Secondary sources supported by research in primary sources.
• Credible sources (experts in the area of study).
• Relevant research (materials pertinent to the area of study).
• In academic writing, the use of peer-reviewed journal articles (journal articles reviewed by recognized experts in the relevant field of study) is required.
• Educational websites may be appropriate, in some cases, but should be evaluated carefully.

What sources are not acceptable for academic research and referencing?

• Encyclopedias
• Dictionaries
• Wikipedia, other wikis, or blogs
• Websites and other sources that do not provide quality researched materials (do not use credible sources to support the information in the document).

All research must reflect professional academic protocol and must be documented according to APA standards.