writing manual 7th edition

Running Head: SPMT WRITING MANUAL 1

DEPARTMENT OF SPORT MANAGEMENT WRITING MANUAL

June, 2016 7th Edition


TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................. …………….4 RIGHT WAYS TO WRITE WELL ...................................................................................... …………….4 Why Write……………………………………………………………………..……… ....... …………….4 Why Bother to Improve Your Writing Skills? ...................................................................... …………….5 Get Ready to Write ................................................................................................................ …………….5 Clear and Concise .................................................................................................................. …………….6 Tense…………………. ......................................................................................................... …………….6 Continuity…………. ............................................................................................................. …………….6 Plagiarism….. ........................................................................................................................ …………….6 Non-Sexist/Discriminatory Language ................................................................................... …………….7 GUIDELINES TO GOOD GRAMMAR .............................................................................. …………….7 Parts of Speech ...................................................................................................................... …………….7 Subject-Verb Agreement ....................................................................................................... …………….8 Plurals……… ........................................................................................................................ …………….8 Technical versus Narrative. ................................................................................................... ………….…8 Possessives… ........................................................................................................................ ………….…8 Dangling Modifiers ............................................................................................................... ………….…9

POINTS TO PROPER PUNCTUATION ............................................................................. ………….…9 Principles to Remember ........................................................................................................ ………….…9 Capitalization… ..................................................................................................................... ……….……9 Commas……. ........................................................................................................................ …………….9 Hyphenation… ...................................................................................................................... ………….. 10 Italics (Underlining) .............................................................................................................. ……….…..10 Miscellaneous: Colons, Dashes, Parentheses, Numbering Paragraphs ................................ ……….…..10 Numbers…… ........................................................................................................................ …….……..10 Quotation Marks .................................................................................................................... …….……..11 Extended Quotations ............................................................................................................. .…………..11 PRACTICAL GUIDELINES FOR WRITING ASSIGNMENTS ........................................ …………...11 Abstract……. ......................................................................................................................... …………...11 Memos………………….. ..................................................................................................... ……….…..12 Letters ……… ...................................................................................................................... ........... .…..13 Resume…………. ................................................................................................................. …………...14 Electronic Communications .................................................................................................. ……….…..15 Article Critique ...................................................................................................................... ……….…..17 Journals…….. ........................................................................................................................ ………..….17 Research Paper ...................................................................................................................... ………..….18


Margin……… ....................................................................................................................... …………..18 Spacing……… ...................................................................................................................... …………..18 Heading……. ......................................................................................................................... …………..18 Pagination……. ..................................................................................................................... …………..18 Corrections……. ................................................................................................................... …………..18 Font………………….. .......................................................................................................... …………..19 Citing Sources in Text…. ...................................................................................................... …………..19 One Work By Multiple Authors.. .......................................................................................... …………..19 Table/Graphs……… ............................................................................................................. …………..19 Oral Presentations……. ......................................................................................................... …………..19 Interviews……. ..................................................................................................................... …………..20 Essay Examinations…. .......................................................................................................... …………..21 Outline…………………………………………………………………………………………………..21 Appendix A: Sample Table of Contents ............................................................................... …………..23 Appendix B: Sample Cover Page ......................................................................................... …………..25 Appendix C: Example of a Reference Page ......................................................................... …………..27 Appendix D: Example of a Resume ..................................................................................... …………..29 Appendix E: Example of a Cover Letter .............................................................................. …………..32 Appendix F: Sample Legal Brief for 486 ............................................................................. …………..34 Appendix G: Example of Marketing Case Brief ................................................................... …………..38 Appendix H: Purdue University Online Web References…………………………………………...... 43


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The faculty members in the Slippery Rock University Sport Management Department are committed to improving the writing abilities of our students. The material covered in English 102 significantly contributes to this effort. The Writing Manual was written by the faculty in the Sport Management department, and is intended to supplement information provided by individual professors within the department. Hopefully, by using this manual, you will be more successful in your career at SRU and better prepared as a professional in the sport industry. This manual is written for sport management majors and should be utilized in conjunction with the American Psychological Association Manual 6th Edition (2010). The examples provided in this text are designed to provide students with a general idea of formats and are not meant to replace specific instructions provided by the professor. This manual addresses the process of writing, provides constructive ideas about how to improve writing within our discipline, help you write more effectively at SRU, and prepare you for writing projects you will confront in the job market. RIGHT WAYS TO WRITE WELL Writing in any discipline is not an easy task. Such work requires concentration, patience, and effort. Most of us struggle to communicate effectively on paper, but with practice and hard work we can learn to improve our writing skills. There is no miracle pill we can take to make us effective writers; however, there are some basic principles that writing specialists believe will improve our skills.

According to Bates (2008) there are eight guidelines for effective writing: 1. Be concise and keep sentences and paragraphs short in length 2. Clearly state your purpose 3. Get straight to the point 4. Be specific and avoid abstractions 5. Know your audience 6. Write to be understood, not to impress 7. Use the active voice; put action into your verbs 8. Omit unnecessary words, phrases, and ideas WHY WRITE? According to Walvoord (2006), professors assign a writing exercise because it: * Gives students an opportunity for self-expression and creativity * Encourages students to read an assignment before given date * Promotes active learning * Helps apply what is learned * Helps students go into more depth in a study * Helps students organize and summarize ideas * Helps students retain more information * Enhances students understanding of subject matter * Keeps students in the practice of writing * Trains students in the form of writing they will use as professionals * Teaches students to use basic grammar, spelling, and punctuation * Provides a basis for grading * Helps identify students needing assistance


WHY BOTHER TO IMPROVE YOUR WRITING SKILLS?

• Students who write effectively receive better grades than students who do not write well • Writing is a lifelong skill; as a student/professional you will be required to write memos, reports, etc. Anyone

who hopes to direct or coordinate any activity must write well (Hairston, 2011) • A job application that is written poorly reflects on the person who wrote the application, and the individual may

be refused employment before he/she has the chance to demonstrate professional competence. Most employers believe that possessing adequate writing skills is a valuable asset for a prospective employee

GET READY TO WRITE

• Don’t wait to begin until the night before the assignment is due! • Remember your audience - Who will read the paper? What is the purpose? • Follow your professor’s instructions - they will be grading the paper, therefore the criteria set by them should

be followed. LOOK AT THE RUBRIC FOR THE ASSIGNMENT • Plan your semester ahead of time and consider when assignments/exams are due. • Prioritize assignments and work on those papers that are due first • If your assignment involves other students as part of a group, meet frequently before the assignment is due,

divide the work equally, proofread each other’s work, and make sure there is a logical flow between sections • Devise an organizational plan for your writing assignments.

o make notes o organize your notes into an outline o use sub headings o divide each topic into sub-topics

• Set goals for yourself; short and long term aims. • Use the Writing Center – Bailey Library, sponsored by the English Department. The Writing Center helps

students with writing problems e.g. organization, writing styles, paragraph and sentence structure, and vocabulary.

• Proofread papers before handing them into your professor Check for: - Typing errors - Spelling mistakes - Grammatical errors - Overall fluency and coherence - Punctuation, capitalization, and word usage

• Critically analyze the finished product. Ask yourself these questions: 1. Have I addressed the issue/s? 2. Does it make sense? 3. Did I express myself clearly and succinctly? 4. Is there a clear organizational structure to this paper/assignment? 5. Did I substantiate the points that I made? 6. Did I use objective, non-discriminatory language? 7. Will the reader understand my points, ideas, etc?


If you answered “no” to any of these questions, then there may be a need to revise the document to address these concerns. This may improve your chances of getting a better grade!! HELPFUL HINTS TO IMPROVE YOUR STYLE Hint #1 – Be clear and concise Only say what needs to be said! Long words, sentences, and paragraphs may bore the reader, and your main points may be obscured in an attempt to impress the reader. AVOID: Jargons/arrogance - overuse of technical words and phrases: (use “mover”, not “relocation specialist”) Wordiness - using many words when one is enough: (use “although” instead of “in spite of the fact that”) Redundancy - Using similar words to express an idea; (don’t use “necessary requirement”) PRACTICE: • Write for the reader - know your audience and adjust accordingly: (students or professionals) • Use simple words - instead of complicated terms: (clear instead of unequivocal) • Active words - and not passive: (impressive instead of was impressed) • Short sentences - 18-20 words per sentences is preferable HINT #2 - Tense Shifting verb tense throughout a paper also may confuse your reader. Remember to remain consistent with a verb tense used in a particular section:

HINT #3 - Continuity Presenting your ideas in a systematic, orderly manner helps to guide the reader from the opening paragraph to the conclusion, and prevents them from becoming frustrated while reading the paper. One method for developing continuity involves the effective use of punctuation. By avoiding an over-use and /or under-use of punctuation, you are able to show relationships between ideas and writing in a conversational tone. Another method uses transition words (although, however, in addition) to link similar and contrasting thoughts. However, improper use of punctuation and transitional words/phrases may confuse the reader. Hint #4 – Plagiarism Writing assignments given by professors at SRU require originality. Plagiarism involves using someone else’s words, ideas, or concepts as your own without giving credit. This is termed “stealing” and has severe consequences at SRU and in your professional work. The student code of conduct at SRU states: “No student either singly, or in concert with others, shall willfully commit acts of dishonesty; this includes, but is not limited to the buying, selling, or trading papers, projects, computer programs, or other academic assignments; but is not limited to (1) copying, (2) plagiarizing/submitting the work of others, or purchased work, and, (3) fabricating of information,” How to avoid plagiarism: 1. Do not use/copy other students’ work, or cut and paste from the internet.

The punishments for plagiarism include: 1. Censure (warning) 2. Academic probation 3. Suspension from the university


2. Acknowledge borrowed material by using quotations and/or in text citations. 3. Practice paraphrasing material and then compare with the original. HINT #5 - Non-Sexist/Discriminatory Language

How to Avoid Sexist Language: 1. Interchange the use of he/she; him/her; female/male, or use plural form, they/them 2. Use language that encompasses both sexes, e.g. exclude/re-word the gender pronoun “man” as a generic word to express all people

3. Do not assign certain activities/professions to people on the basis of gender, (foreman, housewife, and chairman)

4. Avoid patronizing women (the feminine/weaker sex). Reference to women’s appearance, marital status, and family are not appropriate unless you refer to a man in the same context 5. Avoid female designations (actress, stewardess) How to Avoid Discriminatory Language 1. Nouns that refer to specific racial and ethnic groups change often; therefore be familiar with the preferred term to using any identifiers

2. Racial and ethnic groups are referred to by using proper nouns and are capitalized (e.g. Black and White as opposed to black and white)

3. Do not use demeaning or derogatory references to racial and ethnic groups GUIDELINES TO GOOD GRAMMAR Often the difference between a poorly written paper and a well written paper is the writer’s ability to properly select the parts of speech that comprise the sentences and paragraphs of the report. A basic understanding of word choice is vital to improving one’s writing skills. A. Parts of Speech

• Noun – a person, place, thing, idea, quality, or action. Common nouns name classes of persons, places, things, or ideas (woman, cities, etc). Proper nouns name a particular person, place, or thing and are always capitalized even in the reference page (Pennsylvania, Morrow Field House). Collective nouns are groups that are considered as a unit (audience).

• Pronoun - often takes the place of a name, and must refer to nouns (he, she, and we). AVOID using “it” as a pronoun or a noun.

• Verb - express action (barking, climbed) or state of being (is, can, and could). Linking verbs connect parts of a sentence (appear, look, become). Verbs also expresses time change of an action (walk, walked, walking).

• Adverb - modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Adverbs describe when, where, how, and why an action happened (successfully, happily)

• Adjective - describe (brown bird), or limit (six chairs) nouns and pronouns. Adjectives can answer “what kind” or “how many”.

• Conjunctions - connect words, phrases, or clauses. Coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, nor). Subordinating conjunctions (although, since, because) introduce dependent clauses, and connect them to independent clauses. Correlative conjunctions are used in pairs (both, either/or, neither/nor).

Language is a significant factor in defining the roles that people play. Sexist and racist language assumes superiority of one gender/race over another and limits the roles of people in society.


• Prepositions – connect the elements of a sentence into a logical manner – to relate one noun to another noun or a verb. Prepositions always have an object and are placed before a noun or pronoun.

• Interjection - used to express surprise or emotion. An interjection is generally followed by a comma, and not grammatically related to other words in a sentence (wow, hey, stop)

B. Subject-Verb Agreement One mistake commonly made by writers is to have the number of subjects not equal to the verb, (e.g. The section (subject) of seats is near the band). HINTS:

• If you use plural subjects (more than one) then use the plural form of the verb, and if you cite a singular subject then use the singular form of the verb (women are working; woman is working).

• You must correctly identify the sentence’s subject! (The box of books is on the shelf). • Compound subjects require the plural verb (Alex and Chris play trumpet). • Singular subjects joined by or or nor use the singular verb (Neither the dog nor the cat is here).

C. Plurals Generally, adding an “s” or “es” to the noun indicates the plural (glove = gloves). However, some nouns are more difficult to identify: singular plural singular plural addendum addenda hypothesis hypotheses alumnus alumni matrix matrices analysis analyses medium media axis axes memorandum memoranda bacterium bacteria phenomenon phenomena basis bases parenthesis parentheses crisis crises synopsis synopses criterion criteria synthesis syntheses datum data thesis theses D. Technical versus Narrative

o Unless told otherwise (e.g. journal entry), you should avoid writing in a narrative tone. For example, when writing critiques, research papers, etc., using the pronoun “I” is not appropriate, instead refer to yourself in the third person (author, researcher, writer). Also, limit the use of the pronoun “we” unless referring to yourself and co-authors.

o The word “only” should carefully be used - if at all. Misplacement of “only” may change the entire meaning of the sentence.

o Using “just” as an adjective to describe a subject generally is not appropriate and should be omitted (use “the two of us” instead of “just the two of us”).

E. Possessives

o Indicating ownership for a singular noun usually is done by adding “‘s” (player’s, coach’s). o Because plural nouns end in an “s”, you need only add an apostrophe (cats’, balls’) o It’s is the contraction for “it is”; its/its’ is the possessive form. o Avoid confusing that possessive with the plural form: Ms. Jones’s car (possessive); the Joneses (plural),

and the Joneses’ car (plural possessive).


F. Dangling Modifiers Dangling modifiers are sentence items that do not refer to the appropriate noun or pronoun. One result of a dangling phrase is that the reader may become confused about the action taking place in a sentence. For example: “After moving to Alaska, his arthritis seemed to disappear” - because the arthritis did not move to Alaska, a better sentence would be, “After he moved to Alaska, his arthritis began to disappear”. HINT: You should make sure that all items in a sentence refer to the correct subject. *Adding a noun or pronoun to the modifier should correct this mistake. POINTS TO PROPER PUNCTUATION Principles to remember:

1. Period (.) - used at the end of completed statements and command sentences. 2. Question mark (?) - indicates a question/inquiry. 3. Exclamation mark (!) - used to emphasize strong emotion/surprise. 4. Comma (,) - used to indicate a “pause” in the sentence.

-separates two clauses joined by a conjunction (,and I ,or) -separates items in a series -set off elements in dates, addresses, cities, town, etc. -inserted after a lengthy introductory phrase

5. Colon (:) introduce long quotations. -set off a series of items that are separated by commas -after a colon, the first letter of the next word is capitalized

6. Semicolon (;) - separate two independent clauses not joined by a comma -separate items in a series that already contain commas

Capitalization

• Capitalize formal names of tests (Stroop Color-Word Interference Test). • Capitalize major words and all other words of four letters or more, in headings titles, and subtitles outside

reference lists, for example, “A Study of No-Win Strategies.” • Capitalize names of conditions, groups, effects, and variables only when definite and specific. (Group A was the

control group; an Age x Weight interaction showed lower weight with age.) • Capitalize the first word after a comma or colon if, and only if, it begins a complete sentence. For example,

“This is a complete sentence, so it is capitalized” • Capitalize specific course and department titles (SRU Department of Sport Management). • Capitalize nouns before numbers, but not before variables (Trial 2, trial x). • Do not capitalize names of laws, theories, and hypotheses (the law of effect). • Do not capitalize when referring to generalities (any department, any introductory course).

Commas

• Do not use commas to separate parts of measurement (9 lbs 5 oz). • Use commas before “and in list, for example, height, width, and depth. • Use commas between groups of three digits, for example, 1,453. • Use commas to set off a reference in a parenthetical comment (Patrick, 2014) • Use commas for series within a paragraph or sentence. For example, “three choices are (a) true, (b) false, and (c) don’t know.” • Use semicolons for seriating if there are commas within the items. For example, (a) here, in the middle of the

item, there are commas; (b) here there are not; (c) so we use semicolons throughout. • Use commas in exact dates; for example, April 18, 2014 (but not in April 2014).


Hyphenation • Do not hyphenate and superlative words (widely used test, best informed students). • Do not hyphenate common prefixes (posttest, prewar, multiphase, nonsignificant) unless needed for clarity (pre-

existing). • Do not hyphenate foreign, letter, numeral terms (a priori hypothesis, Type A behavior) when the meaning is clear

without it (least squares solution, heart rate scores). • Do not hyphenate if a noun comes first (a therapy was client centered, results of t tests). • Hyphenate adjectival phrases (role-playing technique, high-anxiety group, two-way analysis). • Hyphenate compound adjectives preceding nouns (client-centered therapy, t-test scores) unless the compound

adjective involves a superlative (best written paper). • Hyphenate if the base is an abbreviation or compounded (pre-UCS, non-college bound). • Hyphenate if the base word is capitalized or a number (pre-Freudian, post-2014). • Hyphenate if the words could be misunderstood without a hyphen (re-pair, un-ionized, co-worker). If in doubt,

consult a recently published dictionary. Standards change. For example, “data base” is now “database.” and “life-style” is now “lifestyle.”

Italics (Underlining) • Do not italicize or underline common foreign abbreviations (vice versa, et al., a priori). • Do not italicize or underline for mere emphasis. • Italicize or underline the titles of books and articles, species names, introduction of new terms and labels (the

first time only), words and phrases used as linguistic examples, letters used as statistical symbols, and volume numbers in reference lists.

Miscellaneous: Colons, dashes, parentheses, numbering paragraphs

• Do not use “and/or”. Write things out. For example “Monday, Tuesday, or both” is preferable to “Monday

and/or Tuesday.” • Do not use a colon or other punctuation after an introduction which is not a complete sentence • Use a dash (-) when there is a sudden interruption like this one--zoiks!--in the flow of a sentence. Overuse

“weakens the flow of the writing” (APA, 2010, p. 81). • Use parentheses to introduce an abbreviation; Stadium Managers Association (SMA). • Use appendixes (appendices) as the plural of appendix. Use datum as singular, data as plural. Use matrix as singular, matrices as plural.

Numbers

• Spell out common fractions and common expressions (one-half, Fourth of July). • Spell out large numbers beginning sentences (Thirty days hath September…). • Spell out numbers which are inexact, or below 10 and not grouped with numbers over

10 (for example, one-tailed t test, eight items, nine pages, three-way interaction, five trials). • Use numerals for number 10 and above, or lower numbers grouped with numbers 10 and above (for

example, from 6 to 12 hours of sleep). • To make plurals out of numbers, add s only, with no apostrophe (the 1950s) • Treat ordinal numbers like cardinal numbers (the first item of the 75th trial…) • Use combinations of written and Arabic numeral for back-to-back modifiers (five 4- point scales). • Use combinations of numerals and written numbers for large sums (over 3 million people). Use numerals for exact statistical references, scores, sample sizes, and sums (multiplied by 3, or 5% of the Sample). Here is another example: “We used 30 subjects, all two year olds, and they spent an average of 1


hr 20 min per day crying.” • Use metric abbreviations with figures (4 km) but not when written out (many meters distant). • Use the percent symbol (%) only with figures (5%) not with written numbers (five percent). • How to start a sentence with year – like “1985 marked the beginning of…”

Quotation Marks

• Use quotation mark for an odd or ironic usage the first time but not thereafter • Use quotation marks for article and chapter titles cited in the text but not in the reference list. (In Smith,

2013), “APA Style and Personal Computers,” computers were described as “here to stay” (p. 311). Extended quotations

• Add emphasis in a question with italics, immediately followed by the words (italics added) in brackets. • Brackets are not necessary when changing the first letter of a quotation to upper case. • For quotations over 40 words in length, indent and single space the whole block. Always provide author, year,

and page citation. • Expand or clarify words or meanings in a quotation by placing the added material in quotes. For example,

“They (the Irish Republican Army) initiated a cease-fire.” • Use three dots with a space before, between, and after each (ellipsis points) when omitting material, four if the

omitted material includes the end of a sentence (with no space before the first). Do not use dots at the beginning or end of a quotation unless it is important to indicate the quotation begins or ends in midsentence.

Do NOT use quotes to…

• Cite a linguistic example; instead, underline or italicize the term (the verb gather). • Hedge, cast doubt, or apologize (he was “cured”). Leave off the quotes. • Identify endpoints on a scale; underline or italicize instead (poor to excellent). • Introduce a key term (the neoquasipsychoanalytic theory).

PRACTICAL GUIDELINES FOR WRITING ASSIGNMENTS (Examples of assignments are distinguished in italics)

I. ABSTRACT

An abstract summarizes an entire article, chapter, or book. Although an abstract is written in your own words, do not include personal opinions. The purpose of an abstract is to provide enough information that allows the reader to decide whether he/she wants to read the remainder of the paper. Give lots of information in as few words as possible. Include:

• Statement of the scope and purpose of the work. • Summary of the contents • Statement of the conclusions and/or results.


For example:

Adaptation to Transition: The Woman Athlete’s Experience with Intercollegiate Sport Retirement

M.E. Poorstudent

A paucity of research exists that explores the sport retirement experiences of intercollegiate woman athletes. The purpose of this study was to apply selected elements from Schlossberg’s (2015) model of adult transitions to the athletic context. Ninety-two Slippery Rock University women athletes who competed in varsity sports between 2000 and 2016 reported personal experiences with athletic retirement. Data were then obtained from a random sample of 200 former athletes using the 57-item modified questionnaire. Results suggested that Schlossberg’s (2015) model may be an effective tool for analyzing the college sport retirement experience. Nearly half of the women in this study endured a difficult transition away from college sport. The mode of retirement influenced the subjects’ adaptability to leaving intercollegiate sport.

II. MEMOS AND LETTERS

A. Memos: - Must be clear, concise, and direct. - Memos are written to: • Announce a promotion or new staff member • Provide minutes of a recent meeting • Announce a scheduled meeting or change in meeting time or place • Set an agenda for an upcoming meeting • Respond to a memo received • Request an action • Respond to a memo received • Summarize or report on a recent decision • Provide an update on an ongoing situation • Summarize the content of a long report (Vitality, 2008).

-Should include:

§ the date § names(s) of the recipients § name of the sender(s) § summary/content § names(s) of people to receive copies § include copy for the files

-Guide to effective memo writing

• keep the memo brief • use short words, sentences, paragraphs • know exactly what you want to communicate


TO: XXX XXX FROM: ______________________(signature) Ima N. Charge, Chairperson Sport Management Department DATE: January 1, 2016 RE: Writing Skills Memo This is a reminder for you to prioritize our discussion relative to the writing skills memo I sent on October 20, 2015. It is imperative that we begin to discuss this issue, and take some action. I am requesting you address this topic in your first committee meeting in January, and report back to me no later than February 15, 2016. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

B. Letters Regardless of the purpose for writing a letter, your correspondence will create a first impression in the mind of the receiver. Letters that are neatly typed, creative, and grammatically correct help to enhance the letter’s content and prompt the receiver to take action/respond to your letter. The body of the letter should be single spaced with double spaces between paragraphs - unless otherwise told. Try to keep the length to 3 - 4 paragraphs and one page. Sentences should be direct and logically flow from one idea to the next. For example: Your address City, State, zip code Date Name of receiver Address City, state, zip code Dear Ms____: (NEVER “To Whom It May Concern”) Thank you for expressing an interest in pursuing your undergraduate degree at Slippery Rock University. The enclosed information hopefully will answer any questions that you may have concerning SRU’s Sport Management Department. Slippery Rock University has been, and continues to be, one of the country’s foremost Sport Management institutions dedicated to the preparation of professional sport managers. Our students complete specialized coursework and are exposed to practical experiences through internships and practica. All classes are by a team of qualified faculty who are committed to enriching the educational experiences of our students. Sincerely, Anita A. Boss, Ph.D., Chairperson

For example: MEMO


III. Resume

Purpose:

The purpose of a resume is to help you get an interview. It is an overview of your relevant education, skills, and experiences. It should be:

• Easy to read • Consistently formatted • Highlights accomplishments and skills • Provides quantifiable information • Tailored to the job you are seeking •

Format: There are three types of resumes:

1. Chronological- start with the most recent job dates, and work backwards. See Appendix D. 2. Functional- highlights responsibilities, rather than dates and times. 3. Combination- combines your skills and responsibilities with a brief work history.

Building your Resume

• Start with your name, address, phone number and professional email address • Education: List most recent degree first. Do not abbreviate your degree, Include your major and minor, • name of college or university, date of graduation and QPA if 3.0 or higher. • Professional Development: Conferences, workshops, certifications • Experience: Provide information that is relevant to the field and quantifiable e.g. supervised four volunteers;

market your skills, experiences, and responsibilities. • Involvement/Activities: Include your extracurricular activities, Sport Management Alliance (SMA)

involvement (highlight any leadership roles), highlight activities related to the position or the employer’s needs.

• Honors: List all academic and athletic honors, scholarships, awards, dean’s lists, honor roll. • References: Obtain permission from individuals before listing them as a reference. List 3 to 5 references

on a separate sheet. The following information should be provided: Name, position, company name, company street address, company city, state, zip, Phone and email.

• To view a sample resume See Appendix D. Tips:

• Start with your name, address, phone number and email address • Make sure spacing is consistent • Use readable fonts. Common fonts are 10-12 point Arial or Times New Roman • Fonts should match your cover letter font • One inch margins must be on top, bottom, left, and right sides of page • Never use slang or texting language • Print on quality paper or resume stationary • Use the same stationary for your cover letter • Begin sections with action verbs. Do not use pronouns • Provide accurate information • No typographical errors

o Schedule an appointment with a Career Counselor from the Office of Career Education & Development to review your resume before sending it. The office is located in Room 124 Bailey Library or call 724-738-2028. For more information on how to write your resume visit the website at: http://www.sru.edu/academics/enrollment/career/Pages/index.aspx


Source: Office of Career Education & Development (2016, March). Retrieved from http://www.sru.edu/life-at-sru/career-education-and-development/career-services IV. ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS Email is one of the most frequently used methods of communication today. Like every other form of communication, you must write effectively and use proper etiquette when sending electronic mail or correspondences. By using proper language and email etiquette tips you will convey a professional image, be more efficient and avoid legal liability. The following are guidelines for writing effective e-mails and tips for email etiquette (Jerz & Bauer, 2011): Email Etiquette

1. Write a meaningful professional subject line.

Professionals receive a lot of emails and many times they scan the subject line in order to decide whether to open, forward, file or trash a message. Do not write a vague subject line or leave it blank. Take a moment to write a subject line that accurately describes the content.

INCORRECT: Subject: “Quick question.” If the question is quick, why not just ask in the subject line? CORRECT: Subject: Request for Registration Pin Code Upon reading this revised, informative subject line, the professor immediately starts thinking about responding, not about whether it will be worth to open the email. 2. Make sure your email includes a courteous greeting and closing. Use a formal greeting such as “Dear Dr. ____________” and closing “Sincerely”.

3. Address professionals with the appropriate title or level of formality (Mr. Ms. Mrs. Dr. Dean, Vice President, Provost, and President) and make sure you spelled their name correctly. If you don't know their title, look it up on the website or in a phone directory.

4. Write the purpose of your email out clearly. Provide any details necessary for the reader to make any decisions or take any actions. By including all information necessary, you help to expedite the response to your email.

5. Identify yourself clearly

You will get a faster, more useful response if you provide your recipient with your name and contact information.. When contacting someone cold, always, include your name, occupation, and any other important identification information in the first few sentences.

6. Keep the message focused and readable.

a. Avoid abbreviations and emoticons in business emails. They are generally inappropriate. b. Skip lines between paragraphs. c. Avoid fancy typefaces. Don’t depend upon bold font or large size to add nuances. Your recipient’s email

reader may not have all the features that yours does. Use asterisks to show *emphasis*. d. Use standard capitalization. Using All-CAPS comes across as shouting, and no caps invokes the image of lazy teenager. Regardless of your intention, people will respond accordingly.


7. Use proper structure and layout. Use short paragraphs and blank lines between each paragraph. When making points, number them or mark each point as separate to keep the overview.

8. Distinguish between formal and informal situations. Don’t use informal language when contacting professors or administrators. Always know the situation, and write accordingly. It is okay to use abbreviations and nonstandard punctuation and spelling when texting or in chat rooms, but these linguistic shortcuts are not acceptable in formal situations.

9. Avoid slang or rambling within your email. Just because text messages use abbreviations, that is not a reason to include them in your professional email. Your email should be concise. Not only is the reader a busy person, but he or she may be reading your email on a mobile device. A shorter, to-the-point email is much easier to read and respond to than a lengthy, confusing one. 10. Avoid Instant Messaging and Texting. The use of instant messaging and texting language is inappropriate in professional emails.

11. Proofread.

If you are asking someone else to do work for you, take the time to make your message look professional. Use proper spelling, grammar & punctuation. While your spell checker won’t catch every mistake, at the very least it will catch a few typos.

12. Avoid attachments.

You will probably get faster results if you just copy-paste the most important part of the document into the body of your message. You want to reduce the number of steps your recipient will need to take in order to act on your message. If the recipient actually needs to view the full file in order to edit or archive it, then sending an attachment is appropriate.

13. Don’t assume privacy.

Don’t send anything over e-mail that you wouldn’t want posted with your name attached. E-mail is not secure. Your emails can be intercepted. In some organizations, the e-mail administrator has the ability to read any and all e-mail messages (and may fire you if you write anything inappropriate).

14. Respond promptly.

If you want to appear professional and courteous, make yourself available to your online correspondents. Each e-mail should be replied to within at least 24 hours and preferably within the same working day.


IV. ARTICLE CRITIQUE Professors often will ask you to critique an article from a scholarly journal. There are guidelines you should follow if no criteria for this analysis are provided. Remember the main reason for critiquing an article is to objectively analyze what is good/bad about the article. You should adhere to the word limit imposed by the professor. The following information should be included:

• Discuss what kind of article you are critiquing • Discuss the audience for whom you are writing

§ specialist in the field § generalists § practitioners

• Describe what the writer does to communicate to an audience § Is the language clear and understandable? § Does the author use jargon and unfamiliar terms? § What specific knowledge does the author assume the reader has? § What organizational structure is used to enhance readability and comprehension (e.g. sub-

headings, tables, etc)? • Examine how the writer creates logical connections in the material:

§ paragraph length § transitional words/phases § repetition of key words and phrases

• Summarize the purpose of the article. What is the author trying to say? • Discuss the specific function of each section of the article • Does the author cite other studies? How many? Are the references current? • What did you learn from reading and critiquing the article?

V. JOURNALS

The purpose of keeping a journal is to record thoughts, perceptions, and feelings regarding information discussed in class and contributing experiences out of class. Many students believe that writing a journal is merely an exercise in creative writing and not an organized writing assignment. Not so! It is customary for the professor to assign a specific word length per entry and a specific number of entries. There are certain conventions that must be followed for this writing experience to be successful:

• Adhere to the specific instructions provided by the professor, e.g. number of entries, word length, format

• Whereas most students think that a journal should be handwritten, it is preferable that the student organize his/her thoughts prior to writing them down, therefore a typed product is usually more polished

• Professors who ask students to write journals are expecting more than a summary of the lecture presented.

Insights based on personal experiences with experiences with regard to concepts presented are recommended


Format

1. First, establish a focus for your comments. 2. Organize your thoughts into a logical form. 3. Pay attention to grammar, punctuation, length, and word usage. 4. Ensure that you detail your journal entry. 5. Treat your journal entry similar to any other writing assignment, and do not leave it until the last moment. Give thought to your entries. 6. Utilize sub-headings and/or dates to separate entries where appropriate. 7. Keep journal entries in chronological order bound in a loose-leaf or spiral notebook or in a computer file (MS Word, blog, etc) 8. Just because a journal is expressing your thoughts and ideas does not mean you are free to write in an unprofessional manner.

For example: Journal Entry (Topic: Women in Sport) Material contained within today’s class was interesting and insightful. The topic of women in sport is very dear to my heart. As a former woman athlete, I certainly indentified with many of the discriminatory practices outlined in the lecture. I remember that when I was 10 years old, I desperately wanted to play baseball. I had played in the neighborhood with all the boys since I was little. I could hit the ball further than the rest of them, and catch and throw as well as anyone. When the try-outs came for the local little league team, I was excited and confident that I would earn a place on the team. Imagine how disappointed I was when the names were posted and mine was not on the list. My only option was to play softball, and I did so for my high school team and a co-ed league that was sponsored by my local church. How interesting for me to see that the men played all of the important positions; pitcher, catcher, shortstop, and centerfield. They always batted first, and the women played a peripheral role on the team. We were expected to take care of the equipment and to provide food/refreshments at the end of the game. Until today, I was never really aware of the sexist nature of these practices. I was interested to learn how strong the socialization process is in perpetuating sex role stereotyping. We accepted our subservient roles on the co-ed team because we were socialized to do so. VI. RESEARCH PAPER The purpose of a research paper is to thoroughly explore a specific topic. Generally, a research paper includes an introduction, review of literature, summary, and reference list. Your professor should outline the criteria that she/he expects you to follow for the assigned research paper. The information is based on research completed about the topic. NO PERSONAL OPINIONS OR REFLECTIONS should be included. Some APA guidelines include:

A. Margins: - left justified, one inch all around. Page number is inclusive of one inch margins. If page number is in upper right corner, double space and then begin text.

B. Running Head - Include a Running Head on all pages. C. Spacing: - all manuscript lines must be double (2) spaced except

a. following a centered uppercase main heading (3 spaces) b. reference list (2 spaces for each source and 2 spaces between) c. Table of Contents information - double space between section, and single space within sections

D. Headings: - different levels used to organize the manuscript into sections (see APA manual) E. Pagination: - all pages must be chronologically ordered beginning with the title page. Each page

number must appear in the upper right-hand corner of the top margin. F. Corrections: - The copies submitted to your professor should be reviewed and corrected beforehand,

and must not show visible marks and corrections. It is advisable to have someone at the SWC Writing Lab review your paper for obvious grammatical errors. You should always proof-read/spell-check your papers before handing them in.


G. Font: - All copies of a research paper must be clean copies using 11 or 12 point Times New Roman or similar font.

H. Citing of sources in text: - Paraphrasing or quoting directly from a source requires you to credit the source. Parentheses are used to separate the source from the text. All sources cited in text must be included in the reference section. One work by multiple authors: When a work has two authors, always cite both names. With two authors join them with “and” in running text; use an ampersand (&) in parenthetical material and on the reference list.

• As Abney and Crow (2016) demonstrated……. • …as has been shown in previous research (Abney & Crow, 2016)

For a comprehensive look at how to create a reference list, visit Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab (OWL) at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/05/ Review Appendix H for how to reference. I. Tables/Graphs: - may be used to present information in a small amount of space. All table/graphs must be referred to in text, and information presented in the table/graphs should enhance information given in text – not duplicate it. Each table should be numbered and titled using Upper and Lowercase, underlined For example: Table 2 Respondent’s Annual Income Annual Income Male Female Total Less than $9,999 68 62 130 $10,000-$19,999 12 7 19 $20,000-$29,000 3 1 4 $30,000-$39,999 3 0 3 $40,000-$49,999 2 0 2 $50,000-$59,999 0 0 0 $60,000-$69,999 0 0 0 $70,000-$79,000 3 0 3 $80,000-$89, 9999 0 0 0 $90,000-$99,999 0 0 0 Over $100,000 VII. ORAL PRESENTATIONS The purpose of an oral presentation is to communicate to an audience a summary of a written document/assignment. There are some golden rules to follow if you want to be a successful orator.

1. If you are given a time limit to present, do not exceed the limit. Professors often look for how well you can synthesize the material.

2. Should you have only 10 minutes to present your information, do not rush through the material. Go

slowly and completely present your main themes/concepts. 3. Practice your presentation several times. Time yourself and practice in front of a mirror/friend. This

will help you to feel more comfortable with the material.


4. Do not read the material from your notes. Use index cards - write down specific points and be able to expand on this information while maintaining contact with your audience.

5. Use visual aids/handouts/slides. This technique enhances the quality your presentation and keeps the

audience focused. Be creative and use software other than PowerPoint to engage the audience.

6. Dress appropriately for a formal presentation in front of your peers, (no shorts, cut-offs, t-shirts, hats). This demonstrates that you are serious about the assignment and understand your professional responsibilities.

7. Concentrate on your delivery – how you communicate the information (avoid excessive “uhms,

“aahhs”, “you know”, and “like”) and your mannerisms (do not stand with your arms folded, hands in pockets, or move around while speaking).

IX. INTERVIEWS An interview may be conducted face-to-face or by phone. The purpose of conducting an interview is to collect information about a person/group. Before the Interview:

• Review the literature and write down questions about certain topics. • Know something about the people you will be interviewing - Who knows about this topic? What were their

experiences? How can I reach them? • Arrange for an appointment to meet with, or call them. Perhaps a follow-up with a letter to remind them of

the date, and include some information about your plans during the interview. Remember, get permission to tape record the interview so that you quote material accurately. Meet with her/him in a place where they feel comfortable.

• Make sure that your tape recorder works! Know how to operate the recorder, and double-check the batteries and tapes that you plan to use.

• Have all of your questions written out. Practice how you will greet your subject, inform them of the procedure, and remind them that they may decline to answer any question or stop the interview at any time.

• Send interview questions beforehand. Check with the person you are interviewing to see if they would like a copy of the questions emailed prior to the interview.

During the interview:

o Do not talk too much. Do not rephrase the answers in your own words, instead ask them to clarify. Do not cut-off the person as he/she speaks.

o Keep your interviews on task - do not allow her/him to change topics. o Be flexible with the timing. Inform him/her of the time needed to complete the interview, however plan on

using more time. After the interview:

o Immediately after the interview, transcribe the tape recordings and rewrite your notes. Write as much about the interview while the information is still fresh in your mind:

o Avoid doing too many interviews in a brief amount of time. If you are not able to transcribe your material as soon as possible, the information may be too overwhelming and difficult to reflect upon.

o Send a thank you note and/or a copy of the results to everyone interviewed.


X. ESSAY EXAMINATIONS

• The purpose of including essay questions on exams is to see how well students can apply learned material and effectively communicate their know-ledge. Remember, a professor is more concerned about QUALITY - NOT QUANTITY! Apps (2010) outlined recommendations for taking tests.

Before the Exam:

• Stay current with reading assignments throughout the semester. Regularly review your notes and phrase questions that could be asked.

• Determine how the assignments relate to the topics discussed in class. • Determine the format of the professor’s exams. Ask former students who have taken the class, or ask the

professor for an example of an essay question. • Do not begin studying the night before an exam! A systematic, long-term approach to study allows you to

fully understand the material. Review before the test, but do not expect that a few all-night cram sessions will be adequate preparation.

During the Exam:

• Arrive early to the exam and review your notes one last time. Try to sit in your regular seat. § When you receive the exam, review the directions and jot down any additional oral instructions.

Look for KEY words that provide an idea of what you are to discuss for each question. § Define - Clearly write the meaning of what you are expected to define. Show what differentiates this

definition from everything else. § Explain - Show the how, why, and causes of what you are to explain. § Analyze - Indicate what you are supposed to analyze and show the relationship of the parts to each other

and to the whole. § List - Complete sentences may not be necessary. Describe each term. § Compare/contrast/delineate - Show how the items you are asked to compare are similar and different -

contrast by showing how the items differ from each other. § Outline - May not need complete sentences. Use short phrases to indicate the main points and provide

supporting information. § First, answer those questions you are most confident in answering. § Answer the question completely - avoid giving extra information, or repeating the same concepts. It is

not necessary to re-state the question § Using scrap paper, write an outline of how you will answer the question to ensure all information you

want to include will be in the answer, and written in a logical manner. § Unless your professor tells you otherwise, write your answers in complete sentences. § Leave space at the end of each answer in case you want to add more information later. § Write neatly! A professor who cannot read your writing may miss certain points and perhaps penalize

your grade. § Review all of your answers. Be sure that all questions are answered completely, and correct

punctuation and grammatical mistakes. § If you are running out of time, outline your answers rather than leave questions blank - you

may receive partial credit. After the Exam:

§ Once you are finished, work on your other classes/assignments - do not get caught up with reviewing the exam in your mind.

§ When you receive your corrected exam, review comments/ corrections and ask the professor if you are confused about his/her comments.


§ Make notes about the mistakes you made and how they can be corrected before you take any future tests.


Appendix A Sample Table of Contents


TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 MANAGERIAL SUMMARY....... ........................................................................ ...............4 1.1 Objectives and Methodology .......................................................................... ...............4 1.2 Findings ........................................................................................................... ...............5 1.3 Conclusions ..................................................................................................... ...............7 1.4 Recommendations ........................................................................................... ...............7 2.0 BACKGROUND .................................................................................................... .............10 2.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................... .............10 2.2 Job Satisfaction ............................................................................................... .............10 2.3 Employee Retention ........................................................................................ .............13 2.4 Manager’s Strategies to Motivate Employees ................................................ .............16 2.5 Differences between Part-Time and Full-Time Employees ............................ .............19 2.6 Managing Part-Time Employees .................................................................... .............24 2.7 Summary ......................................................................................................... .............26 3.0 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES ................................................................................. .............28 3.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................... .............28 3.2 Overall Objective ............................................................................................ .............31 3.3 Specific Objectives ......................................................................................... .............31 4.0 METHHODOLOGY ............................................................................................. .............31 4.1 Selection of Participants .................................................................................. .............31 4.2 Selection of Instrument ................................................................................... .............32 4.3 Pilot Study ....................................................................................................... .............33 4.4 Collection of the Data ..................................................................................... .............34 4.5 Treatment of Data ........................................................................................... .............35 4.6 Summary ......................................................................................................... .............35 4.7 Analysis of Results .......................................................................................... .............36 4.8 Data Analysis .................................................................................................. .............36 4.9 Interpretation of Results .................................................................................. .............36 5.0 CONCLUSIONS ..................................................................................................... .............54 5.1 Recommendations ........................................................................................... .............54 6.0 REFERENCES ....................................................................................................... .............58 7.0 APPENDIXES ........................................................................................................ .............62 7.1 APPENDIX A: Landmark Employee Motivation Questionnaire .................. .............62 7.2 APPENDIX B: Giant Eagle Get-Go Gas Card Raffle Ticket ........................ .............67 8.0 TABLES AND FIGURES ..................................................................................... .............38 8.1 TABLE 1: Respondent Age and Gender ....................................................... .............38 8.2 FIGURE 1: Race and Ethnicity of the Respondents ...................................... .............38 8.3 TABLE 2: Respondent Annual Income ........................................................ .............39


Appendix B Sample Cover Page


SPMT Writing Manual for the Sport Management Department of Slippery Rock University

“Student Name” Slippery Rock University

89 - 101

August 1, 2016


Appendix C Example of a Reference Page


REFERENCES

Aiello, F., Grover, R., Andrews, B., & Herszkopf, J. (2005). Knowing what your employees want in the workplace: A source of competitive advantage. Competition Forum, 3(2), 261-269. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com Brown, W., & Yoshioka, C. (2003). Mission attachment and satisfaction as factors in employee retention. Nonprofit Management & Leadership, 14(1), 5-18. Retrieved from http://search.ebsochost.com Campbell, L., & Chalmers, J. (2008). Job quality and part-time work in the retail industry: An

Australian case study. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 19(3),

487-500. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com, doi: 10.1080/09585190801895569

Chiu, S., & Chen, H. (2005). Relationship between job characteristics and organizational

citizenship behavior: The meditational role of job satisfaction. Social Behavior &

Personality: An International Journal, 33(6), 523-539, Retrieved from

http://search.ebscohost.com

Claes. R., & Heymans, M. (2008). HR professionals’ views on work motivation and retention of

older workers: A focus group study. Career Development International, 13(2), 95-111.

Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com

De Vos, A., & Meganck, A. (2009). What HR managers do versus what employees value:

Exploring both parties’ views on retention management from a psychological contract

perspective. Personnel Review, 38(1), 45-60. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com

Dionne-Proulx, J., Bernatchez, J., & Boulard, R. (1998). Attitudes and satisfaction levels

associated with precarious employment. International Journal of Employment Studies,

6(2), 91-114. Retrieved from http://search.ebsochost.com


Appendix D Example of a Resume


YOUR NAME

Home Address ● School Address ● Mobile # ● Email Address

_____________________________EDUCATION__________________________________________ Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Degree expected May 2016 B.S. Sport Management, Minors in Business Administration & Spanish GPA _________________________ WORK EXPERIENCE_____________________________________ Group Sales Associate, Reading Phillies May 2013 to August 2014

• Sold $31,129 in group and individual tickets • Recorded 1,121 sales calls including renewals and prospective cliental • Managed 485 reserved seat groups; researched and booked group clients, processed and printed orders,

maintained relationships with group leader, retained groups for future seasons • Organized marketing campaign for special events including Fan Appreciation Night, Wing Fest and

Chili Fest; 7 business participants in Fan Appreciation Night, 11 Wing Fest Participants, 6 Chili Fest Participants

• Managed Berks Hearing Professionals Hometown Hero Program • Assisted in on-field and game entertainment

Director of Facilities & Signage, Special Olympics May 2012 to October 2012

§ Manage facility team for Western PA Regional Special Olympic § Directed three separate facilities prior to and during event, including concessions for each facility § Created and managed signage for all facilities

Junior Associate & Ticketing Assistant, Reading Phillies May 2011 to August 2011

§ Managed ticket window along with organizing and distributing Will Call § Regularly practiced guerilla marketing techniques and marketed upcoming events § Promoted and sold game tickets, packages, special events tickets and season ticket renewals § Directed game day operations including give-a-ways, customer service and in-game promotions

Event Management, Manor Golf Club May 2011 to August 2012

§ Managed and organized weekend tournaments, weeklong golf camp and tournament database Sport Management, Reading Express May 2011 to June 2011

§ Sold individual game tickets and season packages § Created game day manuals used by all game day staff, including game day script

Stadium Operations, Lancaster Barnstormers June 2010 to July 2011

§ Maintained both the inside and outside of the stadium § Performed routine operations such as marketing, maintenance, and customer service


Peer Mentor: Compass Leadership Program/First Year Leader Scholar August 2010 to May 2012 Program, Slippery Rock University

§ Presented leadership workshops including diversity, communication, conflict resolution and values & ethics

§ Managed Compass Leadership Program database consisting of over 2,500 student participants Student Ambassador, SRU Call Center September 2009 to January 2010

• Called SRU alumni to receive donations for the Annual Scholarship Fund

_________________ UNIVERSITY ACTIVITIES__________________________ Sport Management Alliance, Treasurer August 2010 to Present

• Budgeted the Sport Management Co-Op account of $15,000 and Foundation account of $10,000 House Council-Building E, Vice-President/Parliamentarian September 2010 to May 2011

• Represented over 350 residents; planned, marketed, promoted and executed socials for the building First Year Leader Scholar Program September 2010 to May 2010

• Participated in leadership workshops, completed a global research project, service leadership project and personal leadership

____________ PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS____________________ Association of Luxury Suite Directors August 2012 to Present

_________________________ REFERENCES__________________________________ Dr. Catriona Higgs, Professor of Sport Management Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania 101 ECB, Slippery Rock University, PA 16057 (724)-738-2788 [email protected]


Appendix E

Example of a Cover Letter


Matt Fairchild, Director of Facilities and Operations

Florida Gulf Coast University RE: Spring Facilities and Operations Internship Dear Mr. Fairchild I am currently a Sport Management major at Slippery Rock University seeking a spring 2013 Facilities and Operations Internship position with Florida Gulf Coast University. My coursework and principle experiences through various sport opportunities have made me a suitable applicant for the position. Listed below are the ways I meet several of the duties listed in the job description. • WILLINGNESS TO WORK GAME/EVENT NIGHTS WHICH WILL INCLUDE WEEKENDS

AND POSSIBLY SOME HOLIDAYS My time at the Florida Gulf Coast University would be fully focused on my responsibilities as an intern. I would be coming to your organization wanting to take part and learn from as many experiences as I can make myself available for. Also, with my previous practical experiences I had to work late night baseball games and tournaments, making me able to meet this duty.

• WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF MS OFFICE INCLUDING WORD, EXCEL. With my past practical experiences with Kent State University, Mahoning Valley Scrappers and the Grove City YMCA I had multiple responsibilities that required me to use Word and Excel such as flyers and databases. Also, through our curriculum as Slippery Rock University we are required to complete projects that use both Word and Excel.

• 40 HOURS A WEEK For Sport Management at Slippery Rock University we are required to complete an internship for a 12 week period with 40 hours a week • HAVE A STRONG WORK ETHIC, PLEASANT TELEPHONE DEMEANOR, MUST BE

A TEAM PLAYER I have always worked well and have been motivated by a group of people or team. At Slippery Rock University I have been a member of Alpha Omicron Pi since Fall of 2009 and have held 2 positions; Vice President of Academic Development (Spring of 2100-Fall of 2011) and New Member Educator (Spring 2012). Also, in my previous practical experience with Kent State University I worked with ticketing department and made daily phone calls to season ticket holders and other groups

As a member of the Florida Gulf Coast University staff, I know I could be valuable asset to your organization and would go above and beyond the requirements of this position. Please contact me by telephone at 330-235-2429, or via email at [email protected] to further discuss how I can contribute to your organization. Thank you in advance for your time and I look forward to speaking with you soon.


Appendix F Sample Legal Brief for 486


Case Name and Citation TOM MYERS vs. NELSON LEVY 348 III. App. 3d 906; 808 N.E.2d 1139 (2004) Appellate Court of Illinois Summary of the Key Facts in Case Plaintiff, Tom Myers, was a 1966 graduate of Lake Forest High School (LFHS) in Lake Forest, Illinois and lived there for 34 years. Myers had been the head football and baseball coach for over a decade at LFHS before he was fired from his football position on January 24, 2001. Myers stated that the cause of his termination was a direct result of the slander and liable committed by defendant Nelson Levy. Nelson Levy was a resident of Lake Forest where his three sons attended LFHS. Levy’s two oldest sons had played football under Myers and graduated with any incidents or problems with the program. During this time, Levy is quoted in a letter to Lake Forest eighth grade male athletes in 1997 saying Myers is a role model for children and a kind, fair man who builds player self-confidence. Levy’s third son then started into the varsity program after that letter was written. Levy’s third son and Myers’ son both competed against each other for the starting quarterback position on Myer’s football team, where Myer’s son received the majority of the playing time. On October 16, 2000, LFHS superintendent Dr. Jonathan Lamberson, and Principal Jill Bruder received a letter from Levy that demanded the termination of Myers as the football coach. The reasoning from Levy was that Myers did not care about injured athletes, set a bad example, and made athletes feel poorly about their performance and abilities. Following the letter, on November 8, 2000, Levy sent Lamberson a petition letter signed by other parents in the support of firing Myers. The issue of slander was that while dealing with the parents and trying to get this petition signed, Levy made continuous comments that damaged the reputations of Myers. The issue of liable was raised the day after Myers was fired when the Chicago Sun-Times published a comment from Levy stating that the community and parents have been unhappy with Myers for over a decade. On February 25, 2001, the Chicago Times printed another comment from Levy stating that Myers has been an incompetent coach for over a decade. In the original suit, Myers sued Levy for defamation and false light invasion of privacy claims as well as tortuous interference with prospective economic advantage. Levy claimed that his comments were immune to liable due to the Noerr-Pennington doctrine. The court originally ruled that Coach Myers was a public figure and that since the parent’s statements were to a government body asking for the body to take action, they were privileged statements without malice. Myer’s appealed this decision. Issue Presented by the Case There are multiple issues presented in the appeals case. The first issue was to determine if the statements made by Levy to the superintendent were immunized by the Noerr-Pennignon doctrine. The second issue was whether or not Levy committed liable by proving Levy acted with malice. The crucial question was “Did Nelson Levy commit liable that directly resulted in the losses obtained by Tom Myer?”


Plaintiff Argument Myers claims the reason he was fired was a direct result of the defamatory statements made by Levy. He holds to the belief that Levy is guilty of defamation, false light, and tortuous interference with prospective economic advantage or business opportunity. Myers addressed both issues by stating that Levy’s comments to the school officials were not immunized because the Noerr-Pennington doctrine does not extend to defamatory statements acted with malice. Myers claims to prove malice by showing that Levy’s opinion of the coach only changed after his son lost out on playing time to the coach’s son. By stating a complete contradictory opinion from a few years previous. Levy was knowingly making false statements written to the school officials and the spoken to the two newspapers. Defendant Argument Levy claims that his comments to the school officials were immunized due to U.S. Supreme Court ruling of the Noerr-Pennington doctrine. This states that “parties who petition the government for governmental action favorable to themselves cannot be sued under the Sherman Anti- Trust Act, even though their actions are motivated by anti-competitive intent.” The defendant said that his comments were privileged because of this doctrine and therefore he could not be sued for implementing his right to petition the government. Up until this case, there had never been ac case tried in Illinois extending his doctrine to defamatory and false-light claims. Holdings The judge ruled in favor of the prosecution two to one on the three counts of the indictment. The judge reversed the summary judgment rulings on both the defamatory and false light counts but affirmed the original ruling Levy did not commit tortuous interference with prospective economic advantage. Court Reasoning The judged ruled that based Kuwik v. Starmark Star Marketing & Administration Inc., that three occasions give reason for a defamatory statement to be privileged including a situation where the person making the statement has a personal interest. The qualifies Levy’s statement as privileged. Next, the prosecution must prove the three elements of false-light showing that the statements portrayed the coach inaccurately to the public, the comments would be considered highly offensive to a reasonable person, and the defendant acted with malice, or making the statements knowing that they were false or with disregard to whether they were true or not. Because of the evidence presented by the prosecution showing that the defendant only changed his opinion once his son started to lose playing time and then continued to make comments such as calling the coach a “joke” and “buffoon”, the Appellate Court ruled that the prosecution proved malice. The defendant’s entire defense rested on the protection from the Noerr-Pennington doctrine. The judge ruled that the defamation and false light did not come during the decision making but instead during the petitioning to influence that decision. Therefore, the Noerr- Pennington doctrine does not apply because the acts were not committed during the call to


action of the government body, and the doctrine cannot be applied in situations of malice. therefore, the summary judgment on defamation and false light were reversed and the defendant found guilty. The third charge of this suit was not reversed because Superintendent, Dr. Jonathan Lamberson and Principal Jill Bruder both testified that Coach Myer was not fired due the pressure from Levy or any other parents. The judge ruled in favor of the prosecution two to one because the Noerr-Pennington doctrine did not extend to malice.


Appendix G

Example of Marketing Case Brief


1. Issues Tyrone Willingham served as the head coach for the University of Notre Dame’s football team from 2002 through the 2004 regular season. The case study presents various aspects affected by Willingham’s tenure as the head coach of the Irish. Moreover, the issues presented are related to the brand equity of Notre Dame – one of the most tradition rich football programs in the country. Influences that were examined include perception of the brand as it relates to the coach, team, university, and market communities. Many positive impacts of Coach Willingham were presented throughout the article. Further, the negative aspects presented were related more to team performance on the field and in recruiting. Unfortunately for Willingham, these are two of the most important factors to the tenure of the coach, a school’s merchandise sales, and perceptions of the equity of the program. Tyrone Willingham serves as the protagonist of the case study. His objectives included winning football games, recruiting top-rated prospects, directing a program that portrays a positive image off the field, and serve as an influential leader for the university. Willingham faced challenges from many different areas such as: expectations related to Notre Dame Football, the institution’s ability to admit top-rated prospects compared to opponents, being the first African American coach in the history of Notre Dame Athletics, and Willingham was not the first choice for the position. Moreover, Bruening and Yon Lee (2007) emphasized that Notre Dame experienced success, star players, strong reputation and tradition, conference and schedule benefits, an entertainment package, significant media coverage, positive location, competitive forces, and support in the years before Tyrone Willingham. These issues highlight of parts of brand equity for college athletics except for the head coach. The issues related to Tyrone Willingham’s impact on Notre Dame’s brand equity relate to both of those and extends beyond them. As Notre Dame was attempting to resurrect its football program they also had to deal with the following: an age discrimination suit, a booster confessing to spending money on players, the expulsion of four players for sexual misconduct, and immediately preceding Willingham’s hiring George O’Leary resigned after it became known that he lied on his resume (Bruening and Yon Lee, 2007). In addition to developing a winning football team, Willingham was also faced with bringing Notre Dame out of the negative light that descended on the program in the years leading to his hiring.

2. Perspectives The following facts related not only to Notre Dame’s on-the-field performance but also to their performance in other areas. Notre Dame’s last national championship came in 1988 under Lou Holtz and the team’s last bowl victory came in 1994. Willingham won 10 games during his first season but the team lacked consistency following the initial season. In 2004 Willingham was fired after the conclusion of a 6-5 regular season and Notre Dame being voted the most popular football program in the country. During his tenure, Willingham’s teams maintained a team GPA in the range of 2.79 and 2.911. Beyond the field, Willingham consistently garnered praise from administrators, alumni, faculty, and students. He took an active role in the admissions program, helped to enhance minority enrollment, worked to involve the student body in the game-day experience, and assisted in recruiting for fellow coaches. Willingham reached out to the faculty at Notre Dame to help ensure they understood his program did not expect to receive preferential treatment and that he understood they were all part of the same family at Notre Dame (Bruening and Yon Lee, 2007).

3. Knowledge Bruening and Yon Lee (2007) reported that people looked at Willingham as a positive figure for African-Americans, academic integrity, and character, while others felt that moving in a different direction was necessary for the university to move forward on the football field.


SWOT Analysis of Tyrone Willingham as the University of Notre Dame’s head football coach

Stre

ngth

s

• Emphasized and incorporated integrity throughout all aspects of the program;

• Values and character development of players was a priority;

• Maintained positive relations with alumni, especially former football players;

• Academic status of the football program reached an all-time high;

• Developed strong relationships with all aspects of the campus community (administration, students, and faculty);

• Actively participated in the admissions process of general students;

• African-American applications and admittance increased during Willingham’s tenure;

• Great leader who helped improve performance among the entire athletic department;

• Strong contributions to the South Bend community, especially the “Pain the Town Green” initiative;

• Did not meet or exceed expectations for on-the-field performance of the team;

• Inability to capitalize on opportunity to connect/recruit African-American players;

Weakness

Opp

ortu

nitie

s

• Benefactor of exclusive deal with NBC; • Is not a member of a conference so the

university keeps all bowl game payouts; • First African-American head coach in Notre

Dame athletics and one of only five Division 1 head football coaches;

• Tap into the high-level, African-American athlete by helping them better identify with the university;

• Notre Dame’s football tradition-rich past and the consequential expectations;

• Dropping of NBC’s ratings during Notre Dame broadcasts;

• Notre Dame does not have the appeal to the high school recruit that it does to older generations;

• Long held perceptions that Notre Dame is a place for affluent, whit students;

• The university’s ability to benefit from booster support, sales, and bowl payouts;

• Decreasing numbers in game preview luncheons;

• Development showed an overall decrease from 2002 to 2004

Threats

Through the above SWOT analysis, it appears as though there were considerably more benefits to keeping Tyrone Willingham as the head coach at Notre Dame compared to the negatives. However, the following options serve as alternatives to firing Willingham. The University of Notre Dame has traditionally maintained a five year time period for coaches to prove themselves at the institution (Coyne, 2004). Such a plan is in place due to the uniqueness of coaching at a place such as Notre Dame. The school could have maintained its belief that, in most cases, it takes up to five years to develop a winner at Notre Dame. Temple (2005) emphasized that academic standards at Notre Dame have risen significantly in recent years. These standards are significantly higher than those experienced during Notre Dame’s most recent national championship. If winning football games is as important as firing a coach with an overall winning record indicates, academic standards could be returned to those of previous years. Willingham was given the “suggestion” that he should change offensive coordinators due to the offense’s performance during his second and third season. Changes on the coaching staff could have allowed Willingham another season or two to prove his worth.


Notre Dame prides itself by playing an independent schedule allowing them the freedom to choose who they play. To the contrary, most programs are members of a football conference, and therefore, they are locked into a certain number of games each season. The benefit of playing in a conference is that teams can earn access to high-level bowl games based on their performance during the conference schedule. Further, the scheduling opportunities allow schools to schedule weaker opponents during breaks in the conference schedule. The university should strongly consider joining a conference in order to give their coaches and players a better chance of experiencing success.

4. Actions In simple terms the decision to be made was whether to retain Tyrone Willingham as the head coach or to go in a different direction. When making this decision there were countless influences and potential impacts to be considered. Was Notre Dame willing to deal with the consequences that firing its first African-American head coach could have related to new and improved relationships with a more diverse population? Should the university put its prestigious, academic/athletic reputation on the line by firing a coach whose teams earned the highest grade point average in team history, upheld the ideals of the university, and still had a winning overall record? NBC and Notre Dame have a unique agreement in that NBC broadcasts all Notre Dame home football games (Bruening and Yon Lee, 2007). This contract has served to benefit multiple academic aspects of the campus community. Should the university risk dwindling television ratings and uncertain sales due to poor on-the-field performance when these finances help many aspects of the university? These three decisions to be made were very important parts of the ultimate decision regarding Tyrone Willingham’s tenure as the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame. This is not to say that they were the only influences in the process, but they represent three of the significant decisions to be made. The following SWOT analysis will further examine the decision making process.

5. Actions The evaluation criteria regarding Tyrone Willingham’s fate as the head coach at the University of Notre Dame represents a wide scope of factors. The criteria included:

• The on-field performance of the players and coaches, wins and losses, and coaching strategies; • Willingham’s ability to attract top-rated prospects; • Effects of team’s performance on revenue generating sources such as the NBC contract and apparel/merchandise

sales; • Compliance with the academic ideals and standards of the university; • Relationship development and maintenance with administration, alumni, faculty, and students; • Positive image portrayed by having an African-American head coach in the school’s most recognized varsity sport.

Right, wrong, or indifferent these were the main criteria used in evaluating Tyrone Willingham’s tenure as the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame. Obviously, various factors were weighted more Tyrone Willingham was fired following the 2004 regular season; Kent Baer served as the school’s interim coach for their bowl game. Ultimately, Charlie Weis was hired as a permanent replacement and is still serving as the school’s head coach.


6. Consequences Tyrone Willingham was the first African-American head coach in Notre Dame’s history. His presence facilitated a strong connection with minority alumni and to a more diverse pool of potential students. The relationships could become strained given the fact that Willingham has an overall winning record and was fired on the eve of attending a bowl game. Further, he was not given the traditional five years. When firing a coach who had a winning record at an institution struggling to regain past glory, there is a significant risk of not hiring an adequate replacement. Failing to acquire such a replacement would result in a poor image being portrayed regarding Notre Dame’s football program. Further, if Willingham were to experience success during his next head coaching position the perception of Notre Dame’s decision would negatively reflect on the school’s decision. Finally coaching changes disrupt progress of athletic programs. By requiring a new coach, new systems and philosophies must be learned by players. This process takes time that many places are not willing to provide to new coaches.

7. What was learned? Through conducting a case study examining brand equity and a head coach several things became apparent. A head coach results in a boost to brand equity if that coach has a long-record of success. This boost is a result of increased media attention, sponsorship opportunities, and the likelihood of on-the-field success. The head coach relates most directly to the on-field performance that heavily influences product perception. Notre Dame receives strong representation contributions in the antecedents related to the organization, media, support, and competition based mainly on the historical traditions and success of Notre Dame Football. These result in significant brand awareness, associations, and loyalty; consequently, Notre Dame has experienced financial success because of these and despite inconsistent performance on-the-field. The perceived quality of the football team falls under the head coach. If he wins, it will be perceived the coach is a significant part of the success. On-the-field success translates into increased brand equity as it relates to media exposure, apparel and merchandise sales, and potential student applicants. If Notre Dame is able to regain consistent success on the field they will be able to further capitalize on their established brand equity.


Appendix H Purdue University Online Web References


PURDUE UNIVERSITY ONLINE WRITING CITATIONS Article From an Online Periodical Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication). Title of article. Title of Online Periodical, volume

number(issue number if available). Retrieved from http://www.someaddress.com/full/url/

Example: Bernstein, M. (2002). 10 tips on writing the living Web. A list apart: For people who make websites, 149.

Retrieved from http://www.alistapart.com/articles/writeliving Article From an Online Scholarly Journal Article With Digital Object Identifier (DOI) Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number, page

range. doi:0000000/000000000000 or http://dx.doi.org/10.0000/0000 Without DOI Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number.

Retrieved from http://www.journalhomepage.com/full/url/ Example with DOI: Brownlie, D. (2007). Toward effective poster presentations: An annotated bibliography. European Journal of

Marketing, 41, 1245-1283. doi:10.1108/03090560710821161

Wooldridge, M.B., & Shapka, J. (2012). Playing with technology: Mother-toddler interaction scores lower

during play with electronic toys. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 33(5), 211-218.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2012.05.005

Example without DOI:

Kenneth, I. A. (2000). A Buddhist response to the nature of human rights. Journal of Buddhist Ethics, 8.

Retrieved from http://www.cac.psu.edu/jbe/twocont.html

Article Database

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number, page

range. Retrieved from http://www.someaddress.com/full/url/


Example:

Smyth, A. M., Parker, A. L., & Pease, D. L. (2002). A study of enjoyment of peas. Journal of Abnormal

Eating, 8(3), 120-125. Retrieved from

http://www.articlehomepage.com/full/url/

Abstract

Example

Paterson, P. (2008). How well do young offenders with Asperger Syndrome cope in custody?: Two prison case

studies [Abstract]. British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 36(1), 54-58.

Hendricks, J., Applebaum, R., & Kunkel, S. (2010). A world apart? Bridging the gap between theory

and applied social gerontology. Gerontologist, 50(3), 284-293. Abstract retrieved from Abstracts in

Social Gerontology database. (Accession No. 50360869)

Newspaper Article

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of Newspaper. Retrieved from

http://www.someaddress.com/full/url/

Example

Parker-Pope, T. (2008, May 6). Psychiatry handbook linked to drug industry. The New York Times. Retrieved

from http://well.blogs.nytimes.com

Electronic Books

Example:

De Huff, E. W. (n.d.). Taytay’s tales: Traditional Pueblo Indian tales. Retrieved from

http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/dehuff/taytay/taytay.html

Davis, J. (n.d.). Familiar birdsongs of the Northwest. Available from http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?

inkey=1-9780931686108-0


Kindle Book

Example:

Stoker, B. (1897). Dracula [Kindle DX version]. Retrieved from Amazon.com

Chapter/Section of a Web Document or Online Book Chapter

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication). Title of article. In Title of book or larger document

(chapter or section number). Retrieved from http://www.someaddress.com/full/url/

Examples:

Engelshcall, R. S. (1997). Module mod_rewrite: URL rewriting engine. In Apache HTTP Server version 1.3

documentation (Apache modules). Retrieved from

http://httpd.apache.org/docs/1.3/mod/mod_rewrite.html

Peckinpaugh, J. (2003). Change in the Nineties. In J. S. Bough and G. B. DuBois (Eds.), A century of

growth in America. Retrieved from GoldStar database.

Online Book Reviews

Examples:

Zacharek, S. (2008, April 27). Natural women [Review of the book Girls like us]. The New York Times.

Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/27/books/review/Zachareck

-t.html?pagewanted=2

Castle, G. (2007). New millennial Joyce [Review of the books Twenty-first Joyce, Joyce's critics: Transitions

in reading and culture, and Joyce's messianism: Dante, negative existence, and the messianic self].

Modern Fiction Studies, 50(1), 163-173. Available from Project MUSE Web site:

http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/modern_fiction_studies/toc/mfs52.1.html


Dissertation/Thesis from a Database

Example:

Biswas, S. (2008). Dopamine D3 receptor: A neuroprotective treatment target in Parkinson's disease.

Retrieved from ProQuest Digital Dissertations. (AAT 3295214)

Online Encyclopedia and Dictionaries

Example:

Jürgens, R. (2005). HIV/AIDS and HCV in Prisons: A Select Annotated Bibliography. Retrieved from

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/alt_formats/hpb-dgps/pdf/intactiv/hiv-vih-aids-sida-prison-

carceral_e.pdf

Data Sets

Example:

United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. (2008). Indiana income limits [Data file].

Retrieved from http://www.huduser.org/Datasets/IL/IL08/in_fy2008.pdf

Graphic Data (e.g. Interactive Maps and Other Graphic Representations of Data)

Example:

Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment. (2007). [Graph illustration the SORCE Spectral Plot May 8, 2008].

Solar Spectral Data Access from the SIM, SOLSTICE, and XPS Instruments. Retrieved from

http://lasp.colorado.edu/cgi-bin/ion-p?page=input_data_for_ spectra.ion

Qualitative Data and Online Interviews

Example:

Butler, C. (Interviewer) & Stevenson, R. (Interviewee). (1999). Oral History 2 [Interview transcript].


Retrieved from Johnson Space Center Oral Histories Project Web site: http://

www11.jsc.nasa.gov/history/oral_histories/oral_histories.htm

Online Lecture Notes and Presentation Slides

Example:

Hallam, A. Duality in consumer theory [PDF document]. Retrieved from Lecture Notes Online

Web site: http://www.econ.iastate.edu/classes/econ501/Hallam/index.html

Roberts, K. F. (1998). Federal regulations of chemicals in the environment [PowerPoint slides].

Retrieved from http://siri.uvm.edu/ppt/40hrenv/index.html

Non-periodical Web Document, Web Page, or Report

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication). Title of document. Retrieved from http://Web address

Example:

Angeli, E., Wagner, J., Lawrick, E., Moore, K., Anderson, M., Soderland, L., & Brizee, A. (2010, May 5).

General format. Retrieved from http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

Computer Software/Downloaded Software

Examples: (Specialized software only! Do not site Word or Excel for example)

Ludwig, T. (2002). Psych Inquiry [computer software]. New York: Worth.

Example downloaded from website

Hayes, B., Tesar, B., & Zuraw, K. (2003). OTSoft: Optimality Theory Software (Version 2.1) [Software].

Available from http://www.linguistics.ucla.edu/people/hayes/otsoft/

E-mail

Example:

(E. Robbins, personal communication, January 4, 2001).


Online Forum or Discussion Board Posting

Example:

Frook, B. D. (1999, July 23). New inventions in the cyberworld of toylandia [Msg 25].

Message posted to http://groups.earthlink.com/forum/messages/00025.html

Blog (Weblog) and Video Blog Post

Examples:

J. Dean. (2008, May 7). When the self emerges: Is that me in the mirror? [Web log comment]. Retrieved from

http://www.spring.org.uk/the1sttransport

Psychology Video Blog #3 [Video file]. Retrieved from

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqM90eQi5-M

Audio Podcast

Example:

Bell, T., & Phillips, T. (2008, May 6). A solar flare. Science @ NASA Podcast.

Podcast retrieved from http://science.nasa.gov/podcast.htm

Video Podcasts

Example:

Scott, D. (Producer). (2007, January 5). The community college classroom [Episode 7].

Adventures in Education. Podcast retrieved from http://www.adveeducation.com

writing manual 7th edition

Documents