Making an Informed Recommendation

Week 5 Assignment

What to submit/deliverables: A recommendation letter and its explanation based on analysis of relevant sources.

What you need to complete this assignment:

Required Resources

Your timeline. You will create this in the template in Chapter 5 web text and submit it following the instructions below.

Workplace sources found in Chapter 5 of the web text:

Inventory Manager's Recommendation Letter.

Showcase Loss Prevention Manager's Recommendation Letter.

One optional resource from the list below:

Employee Handbook Excerpt.

Showcase Ethics Pledge [PDF] (signed by all employees).

Online Auction Posting for Tech Equipment.

Scope Invoice.

Inventory Manager's Email.

Copy of the Police Report Filed After the Incident.

Steps to complete:

Step 1: Review the timeline you created in the Week 3 Assignment (and the feedback you received from your instructor) to reacquaint yourself with the currently known facts of the incident.

Step 2: Examine the additional sources provided (Chapter 5 of the Webtext) and determine how you will use them to formulate a recommendation.

Use the space provided in the web text to record your notes on these sources.

Step 3: Find one additional source to help support your recommendation. This source must be quoted or paraphrased in the body of your letter. Your source should contain information that provided sources do not include. Additional support and guidance are provided in Chapter 5 of the webtext.

Step 4: Write a letter of recommendation based on your reasoning and supported by your sourcing using the template provided in Chapter 5 of the webtext. As you write your recommendation, consider the following:

Provide recommendations for the scenario with an explanation of how that recommendation addresses different aspects of the problem.

Include a reference to the two managers' letters to indicate that you have thought critically about the scenario by considering more perspectives than just your own.

Support all conclusions and recommendations with a short quote or paraphrase from an outside source.

Remember to include in-text citations and Source List citations for all outside sources quoted or paraphrased in your letter.

Note: You may include all or parts of the recommendations of either manager or your recommendation may be completely different. Be certain to demonstrate a logical thought process for your conclusions, including how outside sources and required sources were analyzed and used.

Step 5: This course requires the use of Strayer Writing Standards (SWS). The library is your home for SWS assistance, including citations and formatting. Please refer to the Library site for all support. Format your work according to the SWS. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

Note: The example letters are of varying quality, so take that into consideration when reviewing the format and content. Make sure your writing is professional and includes appropriate language, organization, and grammar.

Step 6: Download your completed assignment from Chapter 5 of the webtext.

Step 7: Submit your assignment on the Week 5 Assignment page.



About this Assignment

Skill Being Assessed: Problem Solving.

What is the value of doing this assignment?

We find solutions in our daily lives based on the facts around us. For example, you may suggest that your child wear a jacket if the weather report seems chilly. Perhaps you provide some professional guidance to a colleague struggling with a decision at work. For both your personal and professional lives, understanding HOW and WHY you come to these recommendations is an important part of solving problems accurately.

This assignment builds on your first assignment (the timeline) by asking you to consider and create recommendations based on your understanding of the facts and then to explain your thought process and reasoning behind them.

Your goal for this assignment is to: Engage your problem-solving skill by evaluating sources and recommending possible disciplinary actions for the employees involved in the workplace incident.



The specific course learning outcome associated with this assignment is:

Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems using reasoning.