Online Guide to Writing and Research. Retrieved July 14, 2003 from
http://www.umuc.edu/prog/ugp/ewp_writingcenter/writinggde/welcome.shtml

Procedures for Completing the Research Project Notification and Human Subjects Protection Form. Retrieved June 16, 2003 from http://www.ed.umuc.edu/staff/faculty/detech/pedagogy/proceduresform.html

University Of Maryland University College Policy Manual Policy 130.25: Conducting Research Involving Human Subjects. Retrieved June 16, 2003 from http://www.ed.umuc.edu/staff/faculty/detech/pedagogy/policy%20manual.html

1. Best practices and appropriate technologies to align information technology decisions with organizational goals.
2. Research methods to support both operational and strategic management decisions regarding information technology issues.
3. Integration and communication of major concepts in information technology.
4. Current and emerging issues and trends in information technology.

1. Demonstrate ability to organize and summarize complex technical information into a suitable executive presentation.
2. Collaborate with class peers, putting into practice interpersonal and communication skills.
3. Identify the major issues in the development of information technology for application in electronic commerce and evaluate their application on practical and/or theoretical bases.
4. Assess the impact of information technology on an organization's climate and competitive position.
5. Demonstrate the connections between information architecture, management philosophy, and corporate infrastructure.
6. Evaluate the implications of major trends (such as the growing globalization of the marketplace) for the US knowledge industry.
7. Analyze business cases and determine best practices to align information technology with organizational goals.
8. Assess connectivity and determine suitable information architectures for creating and managing a virtual organization.

• A Professional Paper is based on research conducted solely by the author. Examples include, but are not limited to:
  
  
  
  1. Academic, professional, or trade journal articles,
     
  2. Case studies,
     
  3. Policy analyses, policy proposals, project management reviews, and program evaluations,
     
  4. Pre-procurement or pre-implementation analyses of new technologies or best practices,
     
  5. Grant proposals. 
  
  
• The length, style, and format of the final draft of any Professional Paper are defined largely by the nature of the audience and the standards employed in that particular segment of the profession. Audiences and venues for publication and dissemination of final drafts may include but are not limited to:
  
  
  
  1. The readership of academic, professional, or trade journals, including online journals,
     
  2. Conferences conducted and organized by professional associations,
     
  3. Political institutions (Congress, state legislatures, regulatory boards, etc.),
     
  4. Management teams (government and non-profit agency directors, boards of directors, CEOs and CIOs, etc.), and
     
  5. Funding organizations (National Science Foundation, National Institutes for Health, etc.).
  
  
• Any Professional Paper, written for UMUC Europe Graduate Programs, regardless of audience, length, style, or format, uses the APA citation style and reference style.

• the purpose of the research, research questions, and preliminary thesis;
  
• the boundaries of the research area;
  
• an outline of the research sub-topics;
  
• the methodology used, i.e. literature or field research;
  
• a preliminary reading list.
  
• Literature review and research assumptions: A 5 – 6 page paper summarizing the academic and professional literature most relevant to the student’s topic and making explicit the student’s theoretical and conceptual assumptions.