Week 8- Literary Review

When writing my 2 pages this week, I can see how all of these steps prepared me for this weeks assignment.  After doing the annotated bibliography last week, I knew which article gave me which portion of my research, based on my outline, which we also went through this week.  I was able to piece the paper together pretty easily since I already had the references set up per the annotated bibliography.  Placing the outline was a little different for me.  I usually place the pieces together in a different way, not as organized, but I still hope to be as coherent as if I had an outline.  I have learned certain things in this class that I definitely will be applying to future assignments.  I'm also glad to have accomplished this class at the beginning of my time at Brandman.  I think everyone should so they can apply what you learn from this and the Analytical Thinking course.  They taught me a lot to have a successful career as a student.

Annotated Bibliography

Upon finding the sources I needed for the Annotated Bibliography, it was a little more challenging.  I had to go back to the previous sites and refresh my memory of them.  Plus the new sites I looked at.  Most of the information out there on Laissez-Faire leadership is basically repeating each other.  As a matter of fact, most the information on all the different types of leadership styles, mirror each other.  It doesn't give me much room to elaborate.  I can compare and contrast a bit.  And ultimately, I've learned which leadership style I want to stay away from.  Laissez-faire leadership really seems to hurt the organizations more than anything.  You can have successful laissez-faire leadership in very small companies, with very motivated employees that already each know what their roles are.
With the annotated bibliography, I moved out of our Leatherby Libraries and extended out into Google Scholar.  I found some interesting and different articles that I am able to use.  This will help me for the entire research project as a whole.

Academic Integrity

After this weeks assignment, I can see how people can accidentally plagiarize.  I have definitely done that before.  Properly siting their sources will definitely help that, and when in doubt, I have learned, site the source.
Another form of plagiarism, and also academic integrity, as well as copy right, is when you buy papers online.  You are knowingly trying to pass another person's work off as your own.  Sometimes people think that because they buy them, it's theirs, but it is still not your work.  It's a really horrible way to hurt your career as a student, so I hope people think about what they are doing and try to make the right decisions.
Copy right is something I never really thought of while working on my classes.  I never realized that when I build a project and I may copy something off of the internet, without the company's permission it's copy right infringement.  As well as watching a movie in class for the purpose of learning, is copyright if again, without the company's permission.
I will definitely be double checking my work in the future to make sure I am not making any of these mistakes, because I care about academic integrity, as well as my career as a student.

Week 5, Empirical Research Article

As I stated last week, I changed my subject, since there really aren't peer reviewed articles on NFL Cheerleaders pay.  I wanted to research Laissez-Faire leadership so I can get a better understanding of what it is and how it impacts an organization.

First and foremost, Laissez-faire leadership is a "non-authoritatiran leadership style" where leaders "try to give the least possible guidance to subordinates." (Skogstag, Aasland, Hetland, Matthiesen & Einarsen, 2014) So basically, they are very hands off, and even ostracizing to their people.

What I also found from this is that production seems to go down and behaviors are relatively negative.  I do know that this is the kind of leader I do NOT want to be.  Of course, I don't feel it is possible for me to be hands off or not talk to my people and see how they are doing, what their needs are or check on how productivity is going.  I'm a very hands on leader, hopefully not crossing the line into micro-managing.  I hope to gain some insights as I conduct more research on ways that I can be an even better leader, and definitely what to avoid doing.

Reference:

Laissez-Faire Leadership. (n.d). In Business Dictionary online.  Retrieved from 

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/laissez-faire-leadership.html

Skogstag, A., Aasland, M.S., Hetland, J., Matthiesen, S. B., and Einarsen, S. (2014). The relative effects of constructive, laissez-faire, and tyrannical leadership on subordinate job satisfaction: Results from two prospective and representative studies. Zeitschrift fur Psychologie, 222(4), 221-232. Retrieved November 26, 2014, from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.libproxy.chapman.edu/eds/detail/detail?vid=3&sid=dac0c716-36b6-40a0-a6e9-c4ed0088c0d1%40sessionmgr4003&hid=4113&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWlwLHVpZCZzaXRlPWVkcy1saXZl#db=pdh&AN=2014-49512-005

Week 4 is amazing

This week, I have learned so many different ways to research.  I thought that I knew how to do advanced searches, but I now see I knew nothing.
First off, I had to change my topic from the NFL cheerleaders, since there are no books on and no peer reviewed journals on, to laissez-faire leadership style and how it impacts an organization.  Choosing this, of course, because I'm working towards an Organizational Leadership degree.  
I started on our "Finding Articles" step by step, page by page.  As I'm clicking the spots on the search engine, my mouth is dropping because I didn't realize all of these different options.  While I didn't necessarily learn more about my subject, I did find many different articles and peer reviewed journals that can help me more and more with this subject and answering the question I chose, if it is accepted.  I did also find the article that I will be using for this weeks assignment.
 

NFL Cheerleaders, fair wages and my research

    I picked a topic I really wasn't too interested in, that I don't have a huge opinion on, so that I can learn during the class and form an opinion.  I saw an online petition earlier in the year and it got me wondering what ever came of that?  So, not knowing how the research in the class was going to pan out, I took on this topic of the NFL cheerleaders barely getting minimum wage.

     Unfortunately, I am struggling on the subject during the class expectations for research.  While I can find tons online about the subject in magazine, news paper and journal articles, but nothing peer reviewed or books.  I can understand the books, but I'm surprised I'm the first person to bring up this subject.  I know it's not the most controversial subject…it's not very academic…but it seems worthy of some research.  You see discussions about fare wages and bringing up the minimum wage around the country.  You see articles about slave wages out of the country.  But we don't hear too much about the cheerleaders in a multibillion dollar franchise coming home with chump change.  I was never a cheerleader in school, and I'm far from one today.  I just think it's interesting and hope they can also get what they deserve.   

I have mainly been doing Google and Yahoo searches.  I have checked in the Leatherby Libraries that we can access through our University website, but again, have not found any peer reviews.  I hope as the week go by, I can learn new ways to research this subject.  I actually want to write a paper on it in another class, when I have the opportunity.  

I am in another class doing research for a topic.  I have to do a subject that will not be opinionated, which is hard, because we all have opinions on just about every topic we've heard of.  Legalizing marijuana, healthcare for Vets, increasing minimum wage, etc.  So I picked the NFL Cheerleaders and if they should increase their earnings.  
Since I have no opinion on it, I can conduct my research unbiased, and maybe form an opinion after I've looked at the facts.  Facts being, what they get paid, what they do, if they get opportunities to perform and make money for special events, etc.  I am trying to form the research the way it's put in our text showing "A model for research" (Badke, pg 26). I also want to find out how many former cheerleaders turned celebrity. I know for some, this would have been a passion of theirs from childhood, but from what I have researched so far, the stipulations and pay, are not something that young girls should be striving to be in their future.  Yes, that is an opinion I've already gained from the research.
While I can find a lot of news articles and business journals that touch on this topic, I cannot find peer reviewed journals on the subject.  There aren't the scholarly references I'd like to find, but the subject isn't a typical subject you may find in an academic environment for research.  
I am hoping this class and the other class I am taking will really help me with the future of my schooling.  I am on my 2nd term at Brandman, so I still have another year and a half that this will be preparing me for.  

Reference:

Badke, W. (2011). Taking Charge. In Research Strategies Finding Your Way Through The Information Fog (4th ed., p. 26). Bloomington: IUniverse.

Initial Set Up Blog For Class

Hi, my name is Amber.  I just retired from the Air Force in August and this is the start of my 2nd term at Brandman University.  So, until I finish school, or get a good job, I am a stay at home mom and student.  My kids have said that I'm a better mom now that I'm not in the military.  So, I will enjoy that while I can.

Personally, I spend a lot of time with my children.  I am a single mom of 2.  I have a son and a daughter, or as I call it, the best (and worst) of both worlds.  I like to cook, listen to music, read, watch "my shows" and I love white wine.  I brought back about 300 from Germany and Italy with me here to the U.S. I am actually from San Francisco and got back to the state 14 months ago.  

Academically I am persuing a degree in Organizational Leadership in Supply Chain.  I worked Supply Logistics when I was in the Air Force, so I figured I'd stick to what I know.  I originally wanted to do Social Work, but to really work in the field, I would need to pursue my Masters, and that would take a few years to complete.  I have 2 Associates, one in Logistics and one in General Studies.  I have 2 years left until I complete my Bachelors and then I would like to get a certificate in Human Resources.  

I'm also a SF Giants and 49er fan.  I love basketball.  My kids have me watch WWE every week.  And both my kids are involved in sports.  We stay pretty busy and I enjoy whatever down time I can get.
Other than that…not much else to say.  Looking forward to class.
I can always use help with my research techniques as well as my writing.
-Amber