1. SCOM 450 Final Product Assignment

2. Information Literacy Objectives Integrate organizational theory and organizational research into a study of organizational communication in real world settings Formulate an initial research question about organizational communication based on existing scholarship and theories Revise research question based on first-hand observations Identify necessary areas of inquiry/investigation based on organizational observations

3. Information Literacy Objectives Judge the number of observations necessary to accurately form conclusions about organizational communication Distinguish multiple perspectives from observations Defend the chosen theoretical approach to use for analyzing the organization Explain how at least one alternative organizational communication theory could illuminate the organization

4. Methodology Naturalistic observations of everyday communication episodes and events (primary source of data) Participant-observation and interviews (designed to collect stories, accounts, and explanations) An historical framework for developing key questions, and identifying issues to explore A narrative format will be used to describe and analyze the data

5. Process Prior approval from the JMU IRB One-page proposal to organization outlining the purpose & time frame as well as data collection methods to be used Initial research question grounded in current research literature Locate & evaluate literature for its relevance to the RQ

6. Process After literature review, identify questions of concern to scholars and professionals. Adapt questions to organization Develop relationships in organization, make observations, conduct interviews Through reflection journals, begin to make connections between observations & theoretical concepts Search for evidence to support claims Produce final product

7. Assessment Research question Literature review (adapt rubric for literature review) Reflection journal entries (what, so what, now what) Final product (adapt rubric for writing feedback form)