- Define a problem statement that, in your opinion, would be useful and practical for you to investigate.
- Organize your sources by sorting and classifying their findings in a meaningful way, always considering your original topic and problem.
- Write a literature review that would seem to offer the greatest potential for developing a good theoretical framework, using 7 to 10 references.
- Develop the theoretical framework incorporating its basic functions as discussed in the text.
- Generate a set of testable hypotheses based on your research question and the theoretical framework.
- Introduction (setting up the discussion)
- The problem is … [people are carrying more and more luggage onto airplanes, resulting in delays in boarding and continued problems for flight attendants and gate agents]
- It’s important because … [the airline industry is vital to the economy; no one likes delays; customers must not abandon airline travel for other options]
- Solving it would result in … [improved customer experience, resulting in better economic stability for the airlines]
- Literature Review (what has already been ‘said’ in this ‘conversation’)
- Previous research in this area has shown …
- Ideas that keep coming up in articles and other sources are … [the desire to carry on is driven by several factors: security of personal valuables, convenience, baggage charges, fear of lost luggage and wait time at arrival airport]
- Pros and cons [how these sources support and/or contradict each other]
- Solutions explored so far include … [size and number limits, baggage fees, improved tracking of luggage]
- Summary of lit review findings (where we are now with this problem)
- Researchers seem to keep trying to … [find solutions focused on limits to the plane’s carry-on capacity and reducing fear of lost luggage]
- Research Question (what new question/solution will be investigated)
- What would happen if … [customer time were the focus of improvement, specifically, if promptness of delivery to the carousel at arrival were improved? How important is it to customers that their baggage arrive quickly at the pickup point?]
- Theoretical Framework (how the question arises logically from the literature review)
- The dependent variable(s) is/are … [delays in boarding, problems for flight attendants and gate agents, others….]
- The independent variable(s) is/are … [amount of carry-on baggage]
- Hypotheses (what testable speculations arise from the identified independent variables)
- Customers who are confident that their bags will arrive at the carousel for pick-up within 10 minutes of exiting the plane will be more likely to check baggage rather than carry it
- Customers who value quick pickup of luggage upon arrival will be more likely to check baggage rather than carry it.
Your report must contain the sections outlined in the following guide. APA formatting standards must be followed throughout. The paper does not have to be lengthy; perhaps 750 to 1500 words. The introduction, research question, and hypothesis statement sections should be short and succinct. Most of the word count in your report will be in the literature review and theoretical framework sections.