Informative Report on Implementation of an Innovation

Touchstone 2.2: Informative Comparison/Contrast Draft
SCENARIO: Imagine that your workplace has experienced significant change recently, and your department is expected to respond to change with innovation. Your immediate manager has asked you to determine one specific innovation for your department; you will be responsible for the implementation of this innovation.
Your manager has asked you first to create an informative report in which you explore how this innovation might be implemented. Once they approve or provide feedback on this, they would like you to create a recommendation report for the department manager.
ASSIGNMENT: You must create an informative report in which you identify the innovation that you would like to implement and then compare and contrast two possible methods of implementation for the innovation. For example, if the innovation is implementing a new inventory database, your essay might compare and contrast two inventory management software products. This report should not include a recommendation but instead should be strictly informative, offering a detailed comparison.
The purpose of informative writing is to convey information. Informative writing is unbiased, and the goal is to present concepts and research objectively. Specifically, you will research several methods for implementing your chosen innovation, ultimately focusing on two of them. In your report, you will compare and contrast two of these methods based on two or three factors that you choose (e.g., cost, technology requirements, accessibility, etc.). Your audience for this assignment is your supervisor.
Remember that for this report, you are not trying to persuade or convince the audience that one method is better or worse than the other; you are instead informing the reader about the similarities or differences between the two methods in an objective manner.
In order to foster learning and growth, all work you submit must be newly written specifically for this course. Any plagiarized or recycled work will result in a Plagiarism Detected alert. Review Touchstones: Academic Integrity Guidelines for more about plagiarism and the Plagiarism Detected alert.
A. Assignment Guidelines
DIRECTIONS: Draft a double-spaced, 3-4-page (750-1000 words) informative comparison/contract report in which you:
-Include an introduction that informs readers of the problem to be solved and the innovation that you have proposed.
-The introduction should end with a thesis statement that conveys the two methods of implementation you will be comparing and contrasting, as well as the 2-3 factors of comparison/contrast that you will be discussing.
For example, if the innovation you’d like to implement is more rapid communication between teams, you could discuss two different instant messaging tools that the company could implement and compare/contrast them through the lenses of cost, usability, and efficiency.
-Include 4-6 body paragraphs organized according to either the point-by-point or block method for comparison/contrast writing, which you learned about in this unit.
-Using APA format, cite and reference 2-4 credible primary or secondary sources that you used to learn about these methods of implementation and the points of comparison/contrast you chose.
-End with a concluding paragraph that restates your thesis in different words and provides a closing thought.
-Write in the informative mode throughout the composition, using objective language.
-Minimize mechanical and stylistic errors.
Answer the reflection questions listed below.
B. Reflection Questions
DIRECTIONS: Below your assignment, include answers to all of the following reflection questions.
-Did you use the point-by-point or block method to organize your body paragraphs? What made you decide to organize your essay in this way? (3-4 sentences).
-Consider the experience of writing in the informative mode. How was this different from other writing assignments you have done? Did you find it difficult to refrain from providing your opinion on the different methods you explored? (2-3 sentences)
-How did you use technology throughout this process, both in writing your report and finding sources? (2-3 sentences).
Remember that the writing process is a recursive process, and your first draft of an essay is rarely your last. Which part of the draft did you struggle with the most, and why? Since you will be revising this Touchstone in the next unit, think about how you can improve the draft once you continue the writing process with revision and editing. (3-4 sentences).
C. Rubric
Advanced (100%) Proficient (85%) Acceptable (75%) Needs Improvement (50%) Non-Performance (0%)
Comparison/Contrast Elements (20 points)
Properly apply elements of comparison/contrast writing.
Accomplishes all of the following: Makes a clear and meaningful connection between two implementation methods; effectively organizes body paragraphs in one of the two prescribed ways; consistently uses transitional words or phrases to compare/contrast ideas. Accomplishes 2-3 of the following: Makes a clear and meaningful connection between two implementation methods; effectively organizes body paragraphs in one of the two prescribed ways; consistently uses transitional words or phrases to compare/contrast ideas. Accomplishes 2 of the following: Makes a clear and meaningful connection between two implementation methods; effectively organizes body paragraphs in one of the two prescribed ways; consistently uses transitional words or phrases to compare/contrast ideas. Accomplishes 1-2 of the following: Makes a clear and meaningful connection between two implementation methods; effectively organizes body paragraphs in one of the two prescribed ways; consistently uses transitional words or phrases to compare/contrast ideas. Does not make a connection between the two implementation methods; the essay lacks organization and words or phrases characteristic of comparison/contrast writing.
-Thesis Statement (10 points)
Include a thesis statement that reflects the clear purpose of comparing/contrasting two elements.
Accomplishes all of the following: Has created a clear, focused, and detailed thesis statement expressed in a single sentence; thesis states the central claim of the essay; thesis statement effectively communicates the two subjects that will be compared or contrasted and the two or three main points of comparison/contrast. Accomplishes 2-3 of the following: Has created a clear, focused, and detailed thesis statement expressed in a single sentence; thesis states the central claim of the essay; thesis statement effectively communicates the two subjects that will be compared or contrasted and the two or three main points of comparison/contrast. Accomplishes 2 of the following: Has created a clear, focused, and detailed thesis statement expressed in a single sentence; thesis states the central claim of the essay; thesis statement effectively communicates the two subjects that will be compared or contrasted and the two or three main points of comparison/contrast Accomplishes 1-2 of the following: Has created a clear, focused, and detailed thesis statement expressed in a single sentence; thesis states the central claim of the essay; thesis statement effectively communicates the two subjects that will be compared or contrasted and the two or three main points of comparison/contrast Does not have an identifiable thesis statement and/or the thesis statement is extremely unclear or unfocused; there are no subjects being compared or contrasted.
Research (15 points)
Use and appropriately cite research sources to support an informative composition.
Accomplishes all of the following: Cites all outside sources following APA conventions; references 2-4 credible primary or secondary sources. Accomplishes 1-2 of the following: Cites all outside sources following APA conventions and references 2-4 credible primary or secondary sources. Accomplishes 1 of the following: Cites all outside sources following APA conventions; references 2-4 credible primary or secondary sources. Partially accomplishes 1 of the following: Cites all outside sources following APA conventions; references 2-4 credible primary or secondary sources. Does not cite sources, or citation is consistently inappropriate. Do not reference sources and/or sources that are not credible or appropriate.
-Organization (10 points)
Exhibit competent organization, flow, and writing techniques.
Accomplishes all of the following: Includes an introduction with a strong thesis statement; includes an adequate number of body paragraphs (4-6); includes effective topic sentences for all body paragraphs; includes a conclusion with an effective closing thought; the sequence of sentences and paragraphs is logical. Accomplishes 4-5 of the following: Includes an introduction with a strong thesis statement; includes an adequate number of body paragraphs (4-6); includes effective topic sentences for all body paragraphs; includes a conclusion with an effective closing thought; the sequence of sentences and paragraphs is logical. Accomplishes 3-4 of the following: Includes an introduction with a strong thesis statement; includes an adequate number of body paragraphs (4-6); includes effective topic sentences for all body paragraphs; includes a conclusion with an effective closing thought; the sequence of sentences and paragraphs is logical. Accomplishes 1-3 of the following: Includes an introduction with a strong thesis statement; includes an adequate number of body paragraphs (4-6); includes effective topic sentences for all body paragraphs; includes a conclusion with an effective closing thought; the sequence of sentences and paragraphs is logical. Is missing multiple required components of a composition, or all of the components are ineffective; the sequence of sentences and/or paragraphs is consistently illogical.
-Style and Tone (10 points)
Establish an informative tone and make thoughtful choices.
Accomplishes all of the following: Demonstrates thoughtful and effective word choices; uses a wide variety of sentence structures; establishes a consistently objective and impersonal tone that is appropriate to an informative composition. Accomplishes 2-3 of the following: Demonstrates thoughtful and effective word choices; uses a wide variety of sentence structures; establishes a consistently objective and impersonal tone that is appropriate to an informative composition. Accomplishes 2 of the following: Demonstrates thoughtful and effective word choices; uses a wide variety of sentence structures; establishes a consistently objective and impersonal tone that is appropriate to an informative composition. Accomplishes 1 of the following: Demonstrates thoughtful and effective word choices; uses a wide variety of sentence structures; establishes a consistently objective and impersonal tone that is appropriate to an informative composition. Consistently demonstrates poor word choices and/or repetitive sentence structures; the tone is consistently subjective, and personal observations and opinions dominate the composition.
-Conventions (10 points)
Minimize errors in standard English grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
Includes virtually no minor errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Includes fewer than 5 minor errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Includes 5 minor errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Includes more than 5 minor errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. There are consistently significant errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, formatting, and usage.
-Reflection (5 points)
Answer reflection questions thoroughly and thoughtfully.
Accomplishes all of the following: Demonstrates thoughtful reflection; consistently includes insights, observations, and/or examples in all responses; follows or exceeds response length guidelines. Accomplishes 2-3 of the following: Demonstrates thoughtful reflection; consistently includes insights, observations, and/or examples in all responses; follows or exceeds response length guidelines. Accomplishes 2 of the following: Demonstrates thoughtful reflection; consistently includes insights, observations, and/or examples in all responses; follows or exceeds response length guidelines. Accomplishes 1-2 of the following: Demonstrates thoughtful reflection; consistently includes insights, observations, and/or examples in all responses; follows or exceeds response length guidelines. Does not answer the majority of reflection questions, or the majority of answers do not follow response length guidelines.
D. Requirements
The following requirements must be met for your submission to be graded:
-Double-space the essay and use one-inch margins.
-Indent the first line of each paragraph by ½ inch.
-Use a readable 12-point font.
-All writing must be appropriate for an academic context.
-Composition must be original and written for this assignment.
-Use of generative chatbot artificial intelligence tools (ChatGPT, Bing Chat, Bard) in place of original writing is strictly prohibited for this assignment.
-Plagiarism of any kind is strictly prohibited.
-Submission must include your name, the name of the course, the date, and the title of your composition.
-Submission must include your informative comparison/contrast draft and reflection questions with the components described in the guidelines above.
-Include all of the assignment components in a single file.
-Acceptable file formats include .doc and .docx.
E. Additional Resources
The following resources will be helpful to you as you work on this assignment:
Purdue Online Writing Lab's APA Formatting and Style Guide
This site includes a comprehensive overview of APA style, as well as individual pages with guidelines for specific citation types.
Frequently Asked Questions About APA Style
This page on the official APA website addresses common questions related to APA formatting. The "References," "Punctuation," and "Grammar and Writing Style" sections will be the most useful to your work in this course.
APA Style: Quick Answers—References
This page on the official APA Style website provides numerous examples of reference list formatting