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The Analytical (Problem-Solving) Report

Overview: When you submit this assignment, submit one Word document with three
parts: (1) A one-page letter or memo proposing to study a problem and write a full
report on it. (In its rough draft stage, this short proposal will be posted on the
Discussion Board and your editing group will critique it. When it is revised and
accepted, it will become the first part of your finished assignment.) (2) The full
follow-up report. (3) Your brief memo of reflection/self-evaluation commenting on
the process and strategies you used to complete the assignment.
Purpose: The words "problem-solving" and "analytical" are synonyms. Your
analytical report should define a problem, analyze it, and then recommend a
practical solution. Select a problem in your work place, school, or community. Be
sure it is real; do not use a published case or create a fictitious situation. Because
you will be working with a real problem, be sure to disguise the real names of people
or organizations that might be embarrassed by your findings. Respect the
confidentiality of your information.
Reader: Your report must address one specific readeryour primary audience
who is in a position to implement your solution(s). Do not write your report to me. I
will act as a secondary reader and assess how effective you are in persuading your
primary or target reader to accept your ideas.
Research: If you select a problem about which you already have first-hand
knowledge (i.e., facts and evidence to support your position), then you will minimize
the amount of research you have to do. Obviously, your report must support its
claims with researchfirst-hand research such as interviews and questionnaires,
and second-hand research such as library or Internet readingsand all this
research must be properly documented. Be sure to use APA style documentation.
Topics: Problem situations include such things as people not being adequately
trained for their jobs; resources not being used wisely; appropriate technology not
being used or not being used correctly; poor communication in an organization; bad
layout or design of a workspace; missing, broken, or outdated equipment. See below
for a list of specific topics former EDEC-206 students chose for their reports.
Getting Started: When you have settled on an appropriate topic and reader, write
a one-page proposal or letter of intent to your reader. (Your reader is the person
who will actually be able to carry out any recommendations you make.) Explain your
interest in the topic and your plan to research and write about it. Ask your reader
for whatever approval, support, cooperation, or assistance you need in order to
carry out your plan. Write the report itself as a follow-up to this proposal.

Titles of Recent Problem-solving Reports


The following titles show the kinds of topics former EDEC-206 students chose for
their analytical reports. Note: these are not general topics; instead, each problem is
specific to one company or organization. (In many of these titles, you will find the name
of that specific organization.) In each case, the student is writing about a situation
that he or she has lived through or understands from personal experience.
How to Make OfficeMates Nexxus Lighter and Easier to Maneuver (The Nexxus is a 200lb., four-server workstation.)

A Feasibility Study of Protective Measures to Slow the Kootenay Rivers Erosion


Effects on the Skookumchuck Polishing Pond: Why The Tembec Pulp Mill Should Choose
the Woody Debris Method (This study, done by a student who worked for the Tembec Pulp Mill
last summer, researched four methods for riverbank protection: rip rap, woody debris, submerged
wooden posts, and dykes. It looked for a solution that would offer the best protection, would not
involve capital expenditure, and would increase operational costs only slightly.)
Three Ways to Improve the Leader-In-Training Program at YMCA Kamp Kanawana
Proposal: A Web-based Career Advice Center for Lycee Louis Massignon Students Who
Plan to Continue their Studies Abroad
Should the Subway restaurant at 7919 Newman Blvd. offer a delivery service?
Reorganizing McGill Drivesafes Executive Structure for Efficiency
Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome Needs an Exterminator to Eliminate Hornet and Wasp
Problems
Managing And Optimizing Children's Rest Time: A Reworking of Naps and Snacks at
Elmwood Day Camp

Preservation or Development: What should be done with the land in the Western part
of Pierrefonds Borough?
Five Ways to Improve the Training of Volunteers at Montreal General Hospital
The McGill Badminton Team: How to Improve Coaching Strategies
The West Island Transit Development: A Solution for the Rush Hour Commute
Improving the Efficiency of Current Procedures in the Accounts Opening Department
at Investor Inc.s Main Office
Parking Lot Problem: Relieving Traffic Congestion at the Rosemere Train Station

Privacy Policy vs. Mutually Beneficial Cooperation between MISN and ISS (The
International Students Services (ISS) and the McGill International Student Network (MISN) do not
share email listings of students. This report explained why they arent sharing, explored the problems
this lack of sharing creates, and proposed a compromise.)
McGill's Faculty of Engineering: The Need for a New Event Financing System
Reducing Internet Piracy: Why and How MUN TV Should Take Advantage of Internet
Opportunities for Television Distribution
Breaking the Cycle: A Program to Promote and Share Knowledge between McGill Racing
Team Generations
A Proposal to Increase the Safety of Greenskeepers at Rive-Sud Golf Club
E-Business Problem: Taking West Van Auto Spa Online
Fighting Substance Abuse at Elmwood High School: A Three-Pronged Approach
Improving the Productivity of McGill Students Suffering from Sleep Deprivation
A Web-based Communication System for Staff at Selwyn Day Camp
Proposal: A Redesign for McGill's "Old Weight Room"
The Euler Reader: A New Chapter in Accessible Education for the Visually Impaired
Improving Management of our Town Dump: Redesign the Recycling Program, Increase
and Improve Signage, and Increase and Enforce Fines for Illegal Dumping
A Safety Plan for the Construction Workers Who Build and Maintain Acrobranches
Rope-Course
Team Building: How West Islands Minor-League Hockey Teams Should Be Re-organized
McGill Building Services Problem: Improving Building Access During Silent Hours
Creating a Recycling Program for Loyola School
Alternatives to Diesel in Chittenden East School Buses
A Green Idea: Three Ways to Improve the SAQ's Recycling Initiatives
Lengthening the McDonald Building Shop Times for Extra-curricular Activities
Organizational Problem at McGill: Lack of Group Study Space for Engineering Students

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