Welcome to FSM Orientation Spring 2009

1. Welcome to FSM OrientationSpring 2009

2. OrientationSpring 2009Even if you have done the Orientation before you should do it again. Bonus points available. We will really get moving now…….

3. Your responsibility • Even if you have read this orientation presentation before, it contains new information. Don’t skip any slide!.

4. Your responsibility • You are responsible for everything in this orientation – and will be graded on how you use it. • Do your own work and submit on time; don’t make excuses. • For events beyond your control, let me know immediately, NOT after the fact, when it’s too late to do anything for you.

5. Incomplete Work You are responsible to get your work completed and turned in by due dates. Work submitted before due dates may earn bonus points.

6. Incomplete Work No student earns a grade of incomplete An incomplete (I) may be granted in highly unusual situations (deployment, medical confinement).

7. Introduction • Your Instructor • Word about Honesty • Due Dates and Extensions

8. Your Instructor • Dr. Fred L. Wilson • (325) 223-0085 • fwilson@airmail.net • www.geocities.com/writescience All syllabi, assignments, and due dates are at this site.

9. Due Dates and Extensions • Assignments are due on the date specified. • Due dates found at web site. • Bonus for early work; penalties for late • Extensions may be requested, however • You must request in advance • Must be circumstances beyond your control • Instructor must approve; not automatic

10. Due Dates and Extensions • Assignments are due on the date specified. See http://www.geocities.com/writescience/assignment3.xls

11. Key Things To Master • APA Style • Cover Page • Title • Cover page format • Abstract • Writing • Reference List

12. Key Things To Master • Basic Concepts of Essay Writing • Basics • Types of papers • Subject • Style • Approach

13. Key Things To Master-Basics • Choosing a topic • Two basic types of topic • Expository and Factual • Interpretive

14. Choosing a Topic • Expository and Factual • Explains or describes something • Expository and Factual • Interpretive

15. Choosing a Topic • Expository and Factual • Explains or describes something • Requires fact-finding and research • The most important word is fact • Everything is such a paper must be accurate and documented • Most of your papers will be this kind

16. Choosing a Topic-Documentation • Everything must be documented • No room for opinion

17. Choosing a Topic-Documentation • Everything must be documented • Example • A sentence such as “William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet is the best play ever written in English” would be wrong.

18. Choosing a Topic-Documentation • Everything must be documented • Example • However • “Many scholars have stated that William Shakespeare’s Ham letis the best play ever written in English.” • Acceptable, if you can document this.

19. Interpretive Paper • Embodies feelings or interpretations • May include point of view • A persuasive paper is an example of an interpretive paper. • Example • “William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet is the best play ever written in the English language” would be acceptable. • However you must prove it. The proof can be based on arguments from your own point of view

20. Interpretive Paper • Warning • Even in an interpretive paper, statements of fact must be document by citation to acceptable sources.

21. Picking a Topic • Scope • A topic should interest you and be manageable in terms of RESOURCES available. • Resources include materials you can find and the time available to produce the paper.

22. Picking a Topic-Scope • Scope • Must be limited and well-defined • 1. Avoid general topics such as “The history of the fire service.” • 2. Focus on something specific, such as “How sprinkler systems save lives and mitigate losses.” • 3. It is better to do a good job on a simple topic rather than a poor job on a complex topic.

23. Picking a Topic-Scope • Remember • A good or poor result may have nothing to do with either the quality of your writing skills or the fact/opinions y ou present in the paper. • Most important is have you sufficiently covered the topic you chose.

24. Picking a Topic-Approval • Make sure your instructor approves your topic. • This should be a “no brainer.” • Some papers (FSM 350, FSM 401, FSM 450) mandate instructor approval • Before submitting even a proposal, discuss your topic with your instructor. A simple e mail usually works.

25. Picking a Topic-Approval • In case of disapproval • Don’t fight it! You will have many opportunities in life to take a stand when time (and your grade) isn’t as important.

26. Picking a Topic-Approval • Be prepared to change your topic • Even after approval, it is possible to change (with approval again) based on • Inadequate material available • Too much material available • What you discover/uncover may change your interpretation or opinion.

27. Picking a Topic-Start early • Don’t procrastinate • The longer you wait before beginning a paper, the more likely it is that either the materials you need or the time for research/writing will be unavailable.

28. Style • All FSM course require APA Style • Cover Page (assigned) • Abstract • Body of the paper • References

29. APA Style • Use your manual (APA 5th edition) • Use italics instead of underlining • Review capitalization rules • Capitalize proper nouns • Capitalize first word of title • Capitalize first word after a colon • Capitalize all important words in titles of periodicals • One space between words or after punctuation mark

30. APA Style • Two basic formats to learn • Periodical • Mellers, B. A. (2000). Choice and the relative pleasure of consequences. Psychological Bulletin, 126, 910-924 • Book • Beck, C. A. & Sales, B. D. (2001). Family mediation: Facts, myths, and future prospects. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

31. APA Style • Beware of software packages that promise to guide you through APA style • Use the OWL website for easy-to-follow instructions http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_apa.html

32. APA Style • See some examples of correct reference formats at this website http://www.geocities.com/writescience/SampleReferences.doc

33. Title • A brief succinct summary of your paper A title should summarize the main idea of the paper simply and, if possible, with style. It should be a concise statement of the main topic and should identify the actual variables or theoretical issues under investigation and how the relationship between them. An example of a good title is “Effect of Integrated Fireground Management on Improved Safety for Fire Fighters.” See Section 1.06 in your APA manual. • Cover • The same for all assignments • The sample format is required

34. Cover • Check this course website for sample cover sheets. These are required. http://www.geocities.com/writescience/GoodCoverGoodfellow.doc http://www.geocities.com/writescience/GoodCoverParkland.doc

35. Title • A brief succinct summary of your paper A title should summarize the main idea of the paper simply and, if possible, with style. It should be a concise statement of the main topic and should identify the actual variables or theoretical issues under investigation and how the relationship between them. An example of a good title is “Effect of Integrated Fireground Management on Improved Safety for Fire Fighters.” See Section 1.06 in your APA manual.

36. Title • The title should: • Be double spaced • Capitalize all important words

37. Writing • Formatting • Computer is not a typewriter • Let word processor do automatic wrap. Do not press RETURN at the end of a line • APA style requires just one linear space after a word, or after a punctuation mark. • Use 12 point type, either Times or Ariel • Follow APA rules on all four margin setups • Avoid wasted space • MS Office 2006 is not compatible with many computers; for this edition save as .rtf file

38. Syntax • This is how you make your work clear • Make nouns, pronouns, and verbs agree • Every firefighter needs their body in good shape • All firefighters need to be in good shape. • The second one is right; the first wrong. Why? • Avoid starting sentences with conjunctions (But, And, etc.) • Avoid starting sentences with “there are.’ • Every paragraph needs just one topic. • Every sentence should follow the one before in a logical way.

39. Active Writing • Straightforward sentences • Generally subject, verb, object • Example: “The fire chief commands the fundamental level of any disaster response.” • NOT: “A response to a disaster remains the final perogative of the fire chief.” • See APA manual and Little, Brown book for examples

40. Active Writing • Clear Syntax (this is really important) • Check your spelling. More than 5 spelling errors and your paper will be returned unmarked. • Make parts of speech agree: pronouns and noun’s; subjects and verbs • Every truck must serve many functions. • NOT “Every truck serves their different functions.” • Paragraphs have a topic and logical flow of sentences

41. Active Writing • Clear Syntax • Sections have a logical flow of paragraphs

42. Active Writing • Seven “C”s of Good Writing • Clarity - Clear sentences • Conciseness - Short and Sweet • Correctness - Accurate information • Coherence - Hangs together • Credibility - Makes sense • Creativity - Looks good • Completeness - ‘nuff said?

43. Content • Must relate to assignment • Topic must indicate clear relationship to Fire Service • Normally your instructor must approve your topic • Your title must clearly set out your topic • Bad title: Management Theory • Better title: Use Motivation Theory to Perform Fireground Performance

44. Content • Must relate to assignment • For FSM 350, 401, 450 you will be making proposals for paper topics • Normally your instructor must approve your topic • When you submit a proposal the following paper must be on the approved topic

45. Content • Must relate to assignment • Every paper is a “management” paper, not a “how-to-do-it” or a technical paper. • Must relate to assignment • A paper written for another course may not be submitted for any FSM IS course. • Accurately apply management theory • Management styles – not a cafeteria where you can mix and form your own style. Management applies principles, it does not define approaches.

46. Content • Accurately apply management theory • Don’t misapply McGregor • Theory X, Theory Y are part of the same thing; they may not be treated independently

47. References • Every statement of fact must be documented by citation to a reference. • Quoting, or paraphrasing, without citing the original work, is plagiarism • Works cited must be credible. • Use web sources sparingly and with care to ensure reliability. Anything may appear on the web. • List references that are cited, nothing more, in the References. • Every reference must be cited • Every citation must be referenced.

48. References • Some sources are never acceptable • Examples: Wikipedia (on line); Readers’ Digest • Sources must be credible – accepted by professionals as reliable. • Learn how to list references. • Hint: your APA software may actually mislead you.

49. References • Here are some examples: good and bad • Wrong • Byron Christopher. "An Attractive Japanese Export." Time. March 2, 1981. v117 p74(1) • Right • Byron Christopher (2000, 2 March). An attractive Japanese export. Time, 117, 74.

50. References • Here are some examples: good and bad • Wrong • Anthony, W. P., Gales, L. M., & Hodge, B. J. (1996). Organization theory: A strategic approach. (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. • Right • Anthony, W. P., Gales, L. M., & Hodge, B. J. (1996). Organization theory: A strategic approach (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.