Requirements #1

HA210 : The Class : Hotel Industry : Requirements #1

Project Requirements #1

HA 210-Guest Service Management
Dr. Gary Vallen

WEB COURSE
SEMESTER TERM PROJECT

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS #1

With regard to your HA 210 Web Course Semester Term Project requirements, the following thoughts should be considered. Any questions specific to your unique project can be raised individually with the professor by e-mail (preferably by e-mail) or by telephone if time is an issue at (928) 523-1702.

The HA 210 Web Course Semester Term Project (here after called the HA 210 Project) has been subdivided into three separate sections labeled "Project Requirements #1" and "#2 and #3." You are currently reading HA 210 Project's "Project Requirements #1." This first subsection serves to introduce you to the project, get your creative juices flowing a bit, answer any early questions you may have, and generally begin the overall process.

As stated, there are a total of three separate Project Requirements sections for the student to address over the course of the semester. Please take these subsections at your own personal pace. The timelines the professor has established are set at a minimum pace. In other words, you must move at least as quickly as the pace established on the weekly module outlines. However, many students may be able to develop their term project at an accelerated pace. Students may be able to complete sections of their HA 210 Project faster on a week-by-week basis in comparison to the weekly outlines set in the web course syllabus.

Let's take a moment to discuss the web links in each weekly module of the HA 210 class. There are web links for the HA 210 Project listed for every week (every topic page)--the syllabus shows semester project links for each of fifteen weeks. In spite of the fact that this web button link is presented each of fifteen weeks (units/topics), there are in fact just three "Project Requirements" subsections for the student to address. Each of these Project Requirements pages simply repeat themselves a number of weeks in a row before moving to the subsequent Project Requirements subsection. Generally, this first Project Requirements #1 will be shown for roughly four weeks. Around week #4 (chapter #4, Module 5) the student will be able to access Project Requirements #2. And later, around week #7 (chapter #7, Module 6) the student will be able to access the final Project Requirements #3.

General Overview:
The HA 210 Project is designed to function as a current events project might operate in a U.S. History or Civics class. However, instead of researching some unique aspect of governmental bureaucracy, the student is asked to research some hospitality industry topic that he or she is particularly interested in investigating. In the past, students have worked through a wide-range of topics from major chain operations (say, the history of Marriott Hotels) to single properties (the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee). But more preferable is a look at some current event, aspect, methodology, or approach found in the industry. Tell us about credit card fraud, fenced/boxed rates, new trends in global distribution, or???… A brief list to get you thinking is attached to this Project Requirements #1 sheet.

Once a project idea begins germinating, the student should determine the quality and extent of information currently available in various mediums. Search a library near your home, examine various industry periodicals and research journals, use Check-In Check-Out for a foundation, and absolutely look throughout the web. Be certain the topic you have selected will interest you, have available references, and provide meaningful learning to other students in your class.

One word of warning, Check-In Check-Out can be used only minimally. You may get a sense of your topic, a definition, and even some direction from the textbook (in the bibliography section, you may even get some thoughts on where to find related information). But with respect to your research, you must wholly supplement the text. The text must be no more than a small foundation or small contributor to your overall external research.

Overview of Requirements:
The HA 210 Project has four sections to it, though the first section is little more than an FYI to the professor-it is not graded. The first graded section is a small paper outlining the information you have discovered related to your topic. Please be certain this small paper is not written with any "filler." Give the professor your facts, clearly and concisely with little whitewash and little wasted time/space.

The second graded section is a look at five separate web sites of the student's choosing. Of course, these web sites need to support (or oppose) the premise of the student's paper with discussion related to or supplementing the student's personal views. For this graded section, students are asked to identify the five web sites with complete addresses (if you can provide links, all the better), summarize the web site, and explain how it supports or opposes your premise. You must make such comments (summary of the site and its impact on your topic) five separate times, once for each web site identified. Of course, you may find more than five and comment on these as well. Five is the standard for a "B" quality paper.

And finally, the student must post the research paper, the five web sites, and specific comments related to these web sites in the virtual conference center. All students will post their papers and related web site discussions in the virtual conference center. The last graded segment of the HA 210 Project is the students' attendance in the virtual conference center. Each student must read papers/web sites from at least three other students and comment on each. Ask a question, make a statement, relate their findings to something you know or possibly even to your own paper topic. You will be graded on the quality of your commentary and the fact that you indeed visited and read at least three student papers. Again, you may read in excess of three other student papers; three is the standard for "B" quality work.

Grading:
Sections of the HA 210 Project will generally be graded in the following manner. Some variation occurs according to the subsection being graded, but students always have the right (and are even encouraged) to discuss grades with the faculty member. Simply e-mail the professor with your specific questions.

The first 35 percent of your HA 210 Project comes from Project Requirements #1 (the identification of topic and related initial paper). An additional 35 percent of your HA 210 Project comes from Project Requirements #2 (the identification of five web sites and related summaries/discussions specific to the paper topic). The final 30 percent of the student's HA 210 Project comes from Project Requirements #3 (posting your paper and web sites discussion to the virtual conference center, reading at least three other student papers and web sites, and commenting on same.

Restated, your semester HA 210 Project grade is a function of:

Project Requirements #1 worth a possible 35%
Project Requirements #2 worth a possible 35%
Project Requirements #3 worth a possible 30%
- Grand Total possible… 100%

Grading is generally based on the following generic criteria (where applicable):

10% for	*Professionalism*--Quality of approach. Use of industry accepted formats. Citation of sources, etc.
10% for	*Verbiage*--Use of appropriate verbiage and vocabulary. Avoidance of slang words and/or profanity. Integration of industry jargon where appropriate, etc.
10% for	*Difficulty of Material*--How challenging was the project. Did the student dig into research areas which were technically or logically difficult. Or did the student merely focus on "easy" stuff, etc.
10% for	*Depth of Coverage*--Breadth and depth of research. Was this a comprehensive approach to the topic or did it simply cover the surface issue, etc.
10% for	*Integration of Individual Parts*--How well did the paper flow. Were sections organized logically taking the reader along a designed path. Was the paper organized. Did the paper contradict or repeat itself, etc.
20% for	*Level of Interest*--Did the topic stimulate student interest. Did it stimulate professor's interest. Was the material presented in a creative, exciting, and contemporary manner, etc.
15% for	*Use of Collateral Materials*--Did student supplement the paper with exhibits, web links, summaries, graphs, charts, etc.
15% for	*Quality of Overall Paper*--This is a catch-all for everything else. How well did the paper accomplish answering the premise it set out to originally discuss. How did the quality of the paper compare with other student projects, etc.
100% for	*Grand Total*--A total of each section listed above.

Assignment; Project Requirements #1:
For this first Project Requirements #1 subsection, the student has two primary responsibilities. The first, asks the student to start early. The sooner the student begins working on the HA 210 Project, the sooner the student will reach the final stages-each of which requires a bit of waiting time as other students post their projects in the virtual conference center. Therefore, all students are encouraged to get started as soon as possible.

Getting started requires a bit of brainstorming by the student. A simple list of ideas is attached to this Project Requirements #1 sheet. This list is not exclusive nor exhaustive. The student is asked to start with this list to generate ideas. However, students are encouraged to come up with their own topics. When students develop their own topics, they are more dedicated to the concept and perform with higher levels of excitement and dedication.

Once you have an idea for a topic, begin streamlining it. It is better to look at energy management system interfaces to electronic locking systems than it is to look at energy management systems in general. The first is more managable, specific, and limited in scope. The latter is too broad and never-ending.

Now that you've streamlined your idea, ask yourself if there are references, mediums, and information sources available for the topic. Look around. Check the library nearest you, certainly check the web, etc. If you are certain you have landed on a great topic, then take a moment to e-mail the professor.

That is step #1, e-mail the professor. Tell the faculty member your idea, what your premise (hypothesis) or general stance on the topic might be. Tell the professor that you have found considerable references and at least five web sites to support your topic. And wait for a response. The professor in all likelihood will support your idea. Once in a while, another student has already selected the same topic (and beat you to it, by submitting first to the professor). Other times, the professor may second guess you and tell you this topic is not as "do-able" as it appears. Be prepared for some compromise and suggestions.

Now you are ready for step #2. Write a two or three page paper about your topic. The paper should have the following components:

A clearly stated premise or hypothesis or research statement of some type. It might read something like "This paper is designed to…"
Written in third-person, professional tone.
At least a few references and citations.
Either footnotes or endnotes are fine.
Exhibits and graphs, etc. should be clearly labeled and referenced in the body of the paper.
Length should be two or three-pages, single-spaced. However, the paper should be long enough to thoroughly discuss the topic. This suggested length is the standard for a "B" quality paper.
Title page and bibliography/references pages do not count in the overall length of the paper.

Once written, the paper should be posted to the virtual conference center. The professor would also like a copy of the paper physically submitted to him by "snail mail" and/or electronically by e-mail.

Congratulations, you have just completed the first 35 percent of the HA 210 Project.

Once you have finished you should:

Go back to The Hotel Industry

E-mail Gary Vallen
or call (928) 523-1702 (Professor Vallen)