Final Project – Impact of Technology

Project Overview

For the final project please create a persuasive essay based on the following scenario:

You and a team of spirited partners are starting up a small- medium sized ____ [Insert your idea here] _______ business. You are tasked with assessing and making recommendations (to your business partners) for different social and mobile media applications that your new business will use to A. conduct and B. promote your new start-up business. Consider: which tools/applications (apps) should you adopt and why? How will the tools/apps influence the way you conduct or promote the business?  Your task for this project is to create the persuasive dialog (an essay) and a high-quality presentation that makes the case for which social media channels and mobile apps your business will adopt. The other part of this is to discuss which MS Office tools your business will adopt and why.

Your essay should focus on a specific business and there should be a strong rationale as to how the tools/apps you recommend can help that particular business. For example, your new business is a bakery, which tools/apps would you suggest for a bakery and why? If the business is a bed-and-breakfast or a fitness gym or a hydroponics vendor which tools/apps would you suggest and why?. Different businesses utilize different tools. Further note that for a persuasive essay your points must be grounded in research, not based merely on common knowledge or assumption, and your points should include proper citations as evidence (MLA 6 or 7 format).

There should be three facets to your research: first, research how businesses such as the one you’ve selected are using social media applications to promote their business, i.e.: interact with customers, form connections, share content, promote their brand, monitor competition, and build their customer base. Then research how businesses such as yours use mobile applications to conduct business e.g.: process orders, take money, maintain schedules, and utilize tools as a part of the product. Finally, how could your business use productivity tools within the business, i.e.: MS Office tools. Your essay and presentation should include at least the following:

• Three MS Office applications (three different applications with multiple examples of how to use each)
• Three mobile applications for conducting business (the tools you use to get things done, include at least one that is industry-specific)
• Three social/mobile applications for promoting the business (advertising, engaging/connecting with customers)

Notes: Please include no more than two of the following: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and/or Pinterest. A website is NOT an acceptable example of social or mobile application.

Important note: generic essays or presentations, i.e. essays or presentations that are not concretely tailored to a specific type of business and supported by research, will not be considered and you will be given no opportunity to redo. If you have any questions about this requirement please contact the instructor. 

Guidelines – Persuasive Essay

Draft a 5+ page persuasive essay in MS Word. Essay guidelines:

1. Follow standard format for a persuasive essay: Introduction-Body-Conclusion.
2. Craft your persuasive essay in the first-person voice pitching directly to your business partners;
3. In your essay’s introduction briefly discuss what you intend to accomplish in the ensuing paragraphs – specify which tools will you discuss. This is your thesis. Clearly state what you intend to accomplish, and hook the audience in so they are excited.
4. Your points should be grounded in research vs. common knowledge. Discuss how businesses such as yours are benefitting/can benefit from the use the applications and the potential impact for your client.  
5. Your analysis of the tools/apps should include facts and references to back up your claims; include citations to scholarly research that supports your points;
6. Use MLA documentation style throughout your essay;
7. Utilize MCC’s eTutoring tool and have your essay reviewed.
8. Save and submit your essay with your initials:  Project Essay YI (your initials).docx;

Final Project Presentation Draft

Once your research is completed and your essay written, the next step is to create a visual aid (PowerPoint presentation) to assist you in presenting your research orally.  Your presentation must also incorporate feedback given about your essay. Presentation guidelines:

Presentation Design and Technical Requirements:
	Design the presentation as if you will use it to accompany an (oral) presentation, in other words: Use the first-person voice;Do not put the entire “script” on any of the slides, instead: paraphrase your talking points and;Put the dialog/details (what you, the speaker, will say when each slide comes on screen) into the Notes Pane area;Emphasize visual content, keep bulleted text to a minimum, and use SmartArt on at least three slides. Use ample  visual content: SmartArt, Charts, Tables, Graphics/Photos/Clip Art, Videos, or simple text in Shapes, Text boxes, or WordArt. If your slides contain mostly bulleted text and pictures then you have not met this requirement;Create a consistent style and a polished professional look.
	Use MLA (6 or 7) format; Include in-text references in the Notes Pane area; include source information on slide where appropriate and; Include corresponding references on the Works Cited slide; do not include sources that you didn’t directly quote;If you include graphics from the Internet and they too should be properly cited w/ parenthetical or in-text reference in Notes Pane area of the slide and a corresponding reference on a Works Cited slide.
	A Customized Design Theme Background.
	An Animation Scheme and Transition applied consistently throughout the presentation.
	Address a specific business, generic presentations will not be considered and no opportunity to redo will be granted.
Presentation Content – Include the Following:
	A Title Slide w/a catchy title.
	An Introductory slide (what is your point of view? what are your intentions? what are you going to convince your audience of during the presentation? This is your thesis. Hook the audience in.)
	Main points—highlight the 9 tools included in the essay.  Make sure the text in the Notes Pane correlates with the points on the slide and that the talking break points are obvious.
	A Summary/Conclusion slide w/strong conclusion – Your conclusion should connect to what you discussed during the presentation and drive the points home. How will investing in these tools effect your company/way of doing business?
	A Works Cited slide listing the sources cited throughout the presentation. Please list the number of each slides containing a citations in the Notes Pan of the Works Cited page. Please note that your sources will be verified.
	A “Credits” slide to include the title (write the title in Title Case, not in all capital letters; don’t underline); the course name, # and section; your name, the date submitted (do not use the date format with slashes), and the instructor’s name.
	Minimum 12 slides/the depth and breadth of a 5+ page research paper.
	Save as ‘ Project Draft’ with your initials, for example:  Project Draft LW.pptx and upload to Bb.

Project Grading – Due dates are posted in Bb and will be strictly adhered to. Deliverables must be submitted in order and by the due dates and will only be reviewed once. Presentations must address any feedback provided for the essay. Presentations that do not will only receive a maximum of 40 points. Please note that Original Projects are 30% of the course grade. The project will be weighted as follows:

Project Deliverables	Points Possible
Research Essay	100
PowerPoint Presentation Final	100