Overview
BUSI 604
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DISCUSSION ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
You will complete 4 Discussions in this course. Discussions are collaborative learning
experiences. Therefore, you are required to provide a thread in response to the provided prompt
for each Discussion. Each thread must be at least 500 words and demonstrate course-related
knowledge. The thread is due at 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Thursday of the assigned module. In
addition to the thread, you are required to reply to 2 other classmates’ threads. Each reply must
be at least 250 words and is due by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Sunday of the assigned module, with the
exception of Module 8: Week 8, which is due on Friday.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Thread — The thread must have a clear, logical flow and state major points clearly. Major
points must be supported by good examples or thoughtful analysis. The assertions in the
thread must incorporate at least 1 peer-reviewed* article, not including the course textbook
and other scholarly articles, cited in current APA format. Competency in current APA format
is required of all Business graduates of Liberty University, as set forth by the policy of both
the graduate faculty and the administration.
2. Replies — Each reply must be clear and coherent and focus on a meaningful point made in
another student’s thread. Each reply must be substantive**, incorporating at least 1 scholarly
article, not including the course textbook, cited in current APA format.
3. All scholarly* articles and peer-reviewed articles cited must have been published within the
last 5 years.
4. Each thread and reply must integrate at least 1 biblical principle.
5. The reference list must be in APA format, using a “hanging indent.” Where only 1 version of
the Bible is cited in the narrative, do not include the version in the reference list. But when
more than 1 version is cited in the narrative, then you can include the versions of the Bible in
the reference list.
6. When linking scholarly articles, use the How to Create a Persistent Link resource under the
Discussion Resources section on each Discussion page in Canvas.
7. Posts must adhere to all other writing and formatting expectations in the grading rubric.
*Peer-Reviewed v. Scholarly:
In short, “scholarly” means the article was written by an expert for an audience of other experts,
researchers, or students. “Peer-reviewed” takes it one step further and means the article was
reviewed and critiqued by the author’s peers who are experts in the same subject area.
Essentially, “peer review” is an academic term for quality control. Each article published in a
peer-reviewed journal was closely examined by a panel of reviewers who are experts on the
article’s topic (that is, the author’s professional peers … hence the term “peer review”). The
reviewers assess the author’s proper use of research methods and the significance of the paper’s
contribution to the existing literature and check on the author’s works on the topic in any
discussions or mentions in citations. Papers published in these journals are expert-approved …
and the most authoritative sources of information for college-level research papers.
Articles from popular publications, on the other hand (like magazines, newspapers, or many
sites on the internet), are published with minimal editing (for spelling and grammar, perhaps, but
typically not for factual accuracy or intellectual integrity). While interesting to read, these
articles aren’t sufficient to support research at an academic level.
BUSI 604
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But with so many articles out there, how do you know which are peer-reviewed?
you to limit your search to scholarly or peer-reviewed articles only. Most internet search
engines (like Google and Yahoo) can’t do this for you, leaving you to determine for yourself
which of those tens of thousands of articles are peer-reviewed.
key term, but you’re not sure if it’s popular or scholarly, there are ways to tell—ask the
librarians at Jerry Falwell Library, and they are happy to help.
**What Is Substantive Interaction?
collaborative learning requires each student to read and spend time reflecting on others’
postings and then respond in a substantive manner to the postings of others. In composing
substantive responses, you can do several things, such as:
o Compare/contrast the findings of others with your research.
o Compare how the findings of others relate and add to the concepts learned in the
required readings.
o Share additional empirical knowledge regarding global business or international
experiences you may have had relative to the postings of others.
the Discussion as equivalent to being in a class, thus always maintaining professional
communication standards (no “IM” shorthand or informal jargon, please).