Performance Analysis Report Project Guideline

Public Administration 7410 – Performance Analysis

This report should be treated as an exercise in developing analytical and critical skills,

and as an opportunity to express research in the form of a reasoned, consistent

argument. Below I have outlined the report topic and broad guidelines that students will

follow in writing this assignment.

Students will research a particular performance issue in a government or non-

government agency of their choice. Students will examine the factors associated with the

performance issue in their chosen organization. Students will also discuss the broader

literature on the topic by analyzing related research including scholarly articles, books,

organizational websites, internal documents, government documents, or other

creditable sources. Students will then write brief literature review that incorporates

important related themes of the topic. Students will also develop appropriate

hypotheses and identify data sources that contain information on the concepts /

variables in these hypotheses. Finally, students will propose appropriate methods of

analysis that will help test these hypotheses and conclude with expected findings and

study significance.

The paper will be typed, double-spaced, with one-inch margins on the sides, top,

and bottom and 12 font size. Ideally the paper should be 8-10 pages long, 12 pts in Times

New Roman, double-spaced, excluding references and data tables, diagrams and figures.

The paper should be written in the APA format while observing the rules of correct

spelling and sentence structure.

Different sections of this report are:

1. Introduction—Outline the context of the study including the performance issue and

background of the agency you are interested in studying for this report. Fully describe

the study topic and discuss why the research is necessary.

• Brief Description of the study and closely related factors / issues

• It is helpful to start with the broader problem / outcome concern and then

narrow it down to the specific topic

• Purpose of research:

2. Literature Review—Theoretical perspective is developed, leading to a specific testable

hypothesis. Relate your description in 1 above to the literature that help explain the key

relationships in your topic.

• What is status of current research? Synthesize the different contexts of the

existing research on the topic.

• What are some of the key empirical research on the topic?

• What are the key findings and how are these studies relevant to your

topic?

• What is the exact question you would examine in your paper?

• What are the concepts under investigation?

2

3. Hypothesis—formal articulation of how “A” is expected to affect “B” (e.g., positively or

negatively). From the exact question in 2 above, develop testable hypotheses.

• How do the concepts relate?

• What are the key variables in your research question?

• What are your key dependent and your key independent variable?

• What is the exact relationship you expect between your dependent and

independent variables?

• Explicitly state the relationship between your variables

4. Method and data—description of how you are going to measure your constructs and

test your hypothesis. Reiterate the purpose of your research. This is not only for the

reader but also for yourself. It will help you make sure that your method meets the

purpose.

• Write up how you would go about doing the research.

• What data are you using? What is the source of that data?

• How are you measuring your variables? How have other researchers

measured those or similar variables?

• What methods (this is the statistical methodology) would you use?

• What do you EXPECT to find? This is your hypothesis (es).

5. Findings & Conclusion—in this section you will write about the expected findings of

your analysis. You will also relate these findings with your literature review and finally,

you summarize your findings and their significance for the particular field of research.

• Are increases (or decreases) in the independent variable associated with

increases (or decreases) in the dependent variable?

• What does this imply for practice, and future research?