Einsteins Secret to Amazing Problem Solving

When

faced with a problem, what do you do to solve it? There are many ways

to approach a problem. In this first Case Assignment, you will apply

basic research and word processing skills to write a brief review of

problem-solving techniques found in an Internet search.

There
are multiple elements to this Case Assignment. Please make sure that
you follow the requirements very carefully and double-check your work
against the requirements before uploading.

****Please note: Microsoft Word products are available for free to
Trident students through your web-based student email. You can access
your student email through the TLC portal by clicking on the envelope
icon in the upper right-hand corner of the TLC portal page.********

Case Assignment

This assignment is designed to help you develop an understanding of
how to conduct Internet research and evaluate the quality of the
research. You will also develop Microsoft Word skills, and for the Mac
user – Word for Mac.

Assignment Instructions:

STEP 1: Before you begin your search, review the Trident Writing Style Guide, located on the Trident TLC Home page:

Skim the entire document, and focus your reading on pages 16-18.
When looking for references on the Internet, review the questions posed
under “Identifying Credible and Reliable Sources” before using any
Internet sources for this and all of your assignments requiring
research. If you can answer all of the questions posed positively when
looking at a particular site, then you can be pretty sure you have
located a good reference; if it doesn’t measure up one way or another,
it’s probably a site to avoid. The key to the whole process is to think
critically about what you find on the Internet; if you want to use it, you are responsible for ensuring that it is reliable and accurate.

STEP 2: Review and bookmark the following websites for Word tutorials:

Word 2013 training courses, videos and tutorials:
https://tinyurl.com/k5c4t88

Word 2010 training courses, videos and tutorials:
https://tinyurl.com/oqzhto4

Word for Mac Training:
https://tinyurl.com/k3vwfj7

STEP 3: Write a 2- to 3-page paper reviewing how you
researched Problem Solving using the Internet. Find two websites on
Problem Solving to use in writing your paper. Using Dr. Timothy Mullen’s
Trident University Writing Style Guide, determine the reliability and
validity of the two websites on Problem Solving.

Mullen, Timothy. 2014. Trident University Writing Guide. Accessed on July 28, 2015 at https://mytlc.trident.edu/index.php

Your paper should discuss the following:

• How you found your websites/references on Problem Solving and how
  you applied the key guidelines to identifying credible Internet sources.
• Compare the two methods of Problem Solving that you found and comment on which you think is most useful to you.
• Report any issues you had conducting your research and/or formatting your document in Microsoft Word.

STEP 4: Format your paper to the Assignment Expectations below.

Assignment Expectations

Format your paper using the following parameters:

1. Center the title, your name, and date on a separate page. Use Times New Roman and 14 point font.
   1. Bold the title only
2. Set Left and Right margins at 1 inch
3. Number the pages
4. Insert a footer
5. Introduction:
   1. Left justified
   2. Times New Roman, 12 point font
   3. Line spacing at 1 ½
6. Middle Paragraphs
   1. Use bulleted list in one paragraph
   2. Insert a picture or chart
7. Conclusion
   1. Right justified
   2. Times New Roman, 11 point font
   3. Line spacing at single
8. Complete a word count of the entire document and report it at the end of your document before the References section.
9. Include a References section using the guidelines
   from the Trident University Writing Style Guide provided above. Include
   this site as a reference in addition to the two sites you found on
   Problem Solving.
10. Upload your document as a Word doc or pdf into the Case drop box by the module due date.

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When

faced with a problem, what do you do to solve it? In this SLP

assignment you will apply a systematic approach to problem solving. SLP

1 is divided into two (2) parts. In Part I, of the

assignment, you will read three (3) articles that present variations on

step-by-step problem solving strategies and then select one (1) of these

strategies; you will engage in pre-writing to develop a solution to a

problem scenario. In Part II of the assignment, you will present a synthesis of your ideas about solving the problem. As Voltaire said, “No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking.”

There are multiple elements to this SLP. Please make sure that
you follow the requirements very carefully and double-check your work
against the requirements before uploading.

Part I

Preparation and Pre-writing: Follow the steps below to explore a problem through reading and writing –

1. Choose one (1) of the problem scenarios as a topic choice for your paper

Scenario 1: You have worked at your company for
eleven (11) years. You have returned to college to earn a Bachelor’s
degree in order to increase your chances for a promotion. You are nearly
finished with your degree; a supervisor’s position in a competing
company becomes available in another state. The start date is in two (2)
weeks, during your final exam period for your courses. The position
offers a $15,000 per year salary increase, a car allowance, and
relocation expenses. Your former supervisor works for the company and is
recommending you for the position based on your outstanding job
performance; if you want the job, it’s yours. All of the other
supervisors at this level in the company have Master’s degrees. You know
that you would be expected to earn your Bachelor’s degree and continue
on to a Master’s degree. Your present company offers tuition
reimbursement, but the new company does not.

Scenario 2: Your child comes home from school with
an assignment sheet for a school project. He / she is very excited about
the project and begins work immediately, doing research on the Internet
and gathering materials. You read over the assignment sheet and notice
that your child is not including all of the required items in the
project, and you have some ideas for how to improve the quality of the
presentation. You recently read an article in a parenting magazine about
the importance of a child developing responsibility for his / her own
learning. You recall the many ways in which your parents took over your
school projects. You, on the other hand, want to encourage your child’s
confidence in his / her ability to complete a project independently. The
next day, you are at the grocery store when you see a parent of a
student in your child’s class. That parent has spent over $30 in
supplies for the science project and is taking a day off of work to put
the pieces of the project together.

Scenario 3: You have two jobs—one during the week
from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, and one on Saturday from 3:00 pm to 11:00 pm.
You are taking two classes—one that meets from 6:00 to 10:00 pm, and one
class online. You have two kids—one who plays soccer, and one who is in
band. You have two elderly parents who no longer drive. You have two
siblings—one who lives two (2) miles away, and one who lives in another
state. You have two (2) papers due in your classes the same week that
one (1) of your children has a soccer tournament, and the other child
has a band concert. You are coaching the soccer team, and you are in
charge of fundraising for the band. You have a goal to complete your
degree in two (2) years. Your doctor tells you that your blood pressure,
your cholesterol, and your weight are too high and recommends several
medications that cost you nearly $200 per month after your insurance
co-pay.

Scenario 4: You are a sales representative for a
company that encourages staff to log time in the field and away from the
office. You are expected to begin and end your day at the office. You
notice that each day when you arrive and return another co-worker is
already there, and you wonder whether this person spends most of his /
her time at the office. At your weekly sales meeting, you are informed
of your co-workers’ outstanding sales performance. You suspect that this
co-worker is spending more time flattering the boss instead of working
leads in the field, and as a result is getting the best client
referrals. Your own sales numbers have steadily decreased since this
other sales representative was hired.

2. Read the following articles:

• “Einstein’s Secret to Amazing Problem Solving (and 10 Specific Ways You Can Use It),” located at https://tinyurl.com/5ft7lm
• “The Problem Solving Process,” located at https://tinyurl.com/yjngchc
• “Interpersonal Conflict and Effective Communication,” located at https://tinyurl.com/5nvvlj

3. Select one (1) of the step-by-step problem solving strategies
outlined in one (1) of the articles. Using the chosen problem solving
strategy as a model, brainstorm ideas for each of the steps to develop a
solution to the problem scenario you chose.

Part II Synthesizing and Writing: Now that you have developed a solution to the problem by pre-writing about your ideas –

Write a paper in which you:

1. Analyze the problem scenario that you have chosen, and organize your
   analysis into sections that correlate to each step in the selected
   problem solving strategy.
2. Apply each step within the selected problem solving strategy to related elements of the scenario that you have chosen.
3. Suggest alternative actions to the situation(s) within the scenario
   that correspond to each of the steps within the selected problem solving
   strategy.
4. Speculate on whether or not the same problem-solving strategy would be effective if used with different scenarios.

The paper should follow guidelines for clear and organized writing:

• Write at least one paragraph for each of 1-4 above using complete sentences.
• Address main ideas in body paragraphs with a topic sentence and supporting sentences.
• Adhere to standard rules of English grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and spelling.
• After you have reread and edited your paragraphs, add an introductory paragraph and concluding paragraph.
• Your introductory paragraph should begin with a broad sentence such as “There are many approaches to solving any problems…” or “When faced with a problem I find…” Then continue with more specific information about what you will discuss in your paper.
• Your concluding paragraph should summarize your problem solving
  approach and reflect on the things you have learned from the assignment.

SLP Assignment Expectations

In addition to the above writing guidelines, your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

1. Center the title, your name, and date on a separate page. Use Times New Roman, 14 point
   1. Bold the title only
2. Set Left and Right margins at 1 inch
3. Number the pages
4. Include a References section using the guidelines from the Trident University Writing Style Guide (Mullen, Timothy. 2014. Trident University Writing Guide. Accessed on June 20, 2016 at https://mytlc.trident.edu/index.php). Include this site as a reference in addition to the three articles that you read on problem solving.
5. Upload your document as a Word .doc or .pdf into the SLP 1 dropbox by the module due date.

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