ITEC355
Production Operations Management
Reviews - Fall 2011

How many reviews will I do?

Each student will write at least one article review. The number you write in the course will be explained in the course syllabus.

Can I do a review with someone else?

Not in this course. It is an individual essay. You might be asked to do a class presentation about your review.

What's the scenario?

Write as though you've been asked by a colleague who is in general management and wants an evaluation of something interesting and up to date in the field of operations management. He wants your short businesslike repoort and opinion about the topic you select.

How do I pick an article to review?

You will pick an article from a journal or in-depth magazine in the field. You should pick a subject of interest to you, from your course work. You should pick an article from a business publication such as the Harvard Business Review or from the list of sources on the website, or a comparable article from a publication in your field with operations impact.

What kind of article?

The easiest articles to write a critical review of are ones in which the author advocates a particular position. Peer-reviewed journal articles do this; they discovered something they thought people might use. Other articles advocate something specific but are written for a general audience. The hardest articles to write a critical review of are articles which are already reviews, such as news articles. They do not advocate something, but try to present views, and usually make the appearance of presenting both sides. If you are considering advanced graduate work in your future, you might prefer a peer reviewed article in a major operaitons journal. Consult your librarian for help with identifying appropriate publications, and finding out if journals are peer reviewed.

Where do I find lists of articles?

In this course some of the readings have a short list of peer reviewed journal and other articles at the end. Pick articles from one or more of these lists on the subject you wish to study. You should also be running across articles about businesses or enterprises with a new operational or supply chain idea which you want to review; these should be in some of the heavyweight sources in the business reading community, rather than the newspaper or trade magazine or popular press. Or consult your instructor for a list of good sources of articles about operations and production management.

What kind of article is good to choose?

The easiest articles to write a critical review of are ones in which the author advocates a particular position. It's your job in this paper to critique the point of view advocated. Peer-reviewed journal articles do this; they discovered something they thought people might use. Other articles advocate something specific but are written for a general audience. The hardest articles to write a critical review of are articles which are already reviews, such as news articles. They do not advocate something, but try to present views, and usually make the appearance of presenting both sides. If you are considering advanced graduate work in your future, you might prefer a peer reviewed article in a major operations journal. Consult your librarian for help with identifying appropriate publications, and finding out if journals are peer reviewed.

How do I get the article?

You should access the abstract and full-text version through the Library website, and skim these articles to see if it is what the initial information suggests in terms of your interest. You should get down to a couple of candidates this way. Then read the full text and choose one to review in your paper. The library has prepared a resources guide to help you go directly to the full text journals.

Do I have to tell you my choice?

YES! You must always register your article choice with your instructor. No two people may do the same article. You should consult your instructor in advance to make sure the article you've chosen is suitable in his view. The instructor will post the list of articles chosen as they are registered. There's a deadline in the schedule for submitting your article citation, abstract, and brief commentary.

How long should the review be?

The review should be approximately 3-4 pages. I am not too concerned about length, but it should be enough to summarize the point of view of the article, and to offer a cogent critique of it.

What should I talk about?

Your review should include a summary of what the article says, a brief discussion of the most important findings or results, and your critical analysis of the findings. Your analysis should include discussing whether the findings are correct, in the sense that they fit the model the author is describing; any assumptions or opinions the article author employs; and whether the model is realistic or practical, in the sense that one could apply the results in a real world situation. Defend the positions you take about the article; be sure to indicate clearly where you are voicing your opinion. You should also give your conclusions and commentary about the article-- how useful is the idea or model presented for practising business people to read. Follow the rubric to understand all the grading criteria for a good review.

How do I write the review?

You write the review in Word, following professional writing standards.

Can I submit a draft?

YES! You have to. It's not graded, but you have to get a peer to read it. If you ask me, I will always give a draft a quick read with some feedback-- for that you can email it to me. You are free to consult with me in advance for assistance in choosing the article to write about, and, during your writing, about how to prepare or present your case.

What about this peer review thing?

You need to GET A PEER REVIEW OF YOUR PAPER DRAFT at the Bizcomm center. You can make an appointment with them for the peer review. You may also schedule time to trade papers with another student and get your peer review and comments there. Of course you can always show your draft to someone at the Bizcomm center, and it's a good idea.

How do I show that I had a colleague read it?

There is a form posted that you use to document who reviewed it. It is also a good way for your reviewer to comment on your paper, and should help you write your final version.

How do I submit the review?

Follow the schedule for the class. You upload the final article to the learning system under the appropriate assignment.

Can I get help?

You are free to consult with me in advance for assistance in choosing the article to write about, and during your writing about how to prepare or present your review.

How will we be graded?

Grading of the article review will be based on the criteria in the Rubric for Article Reviews.

Who will grade the review?

This semester the instructor will grade your review.