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HR 405 Research Guide

This guide will support students in completing the Individual Paper: Critical Analysis assignment.

Individual Paper: Critical Analysis Assignment

Your assignment requires you to find an article that is relevant to the course topics so that you can critically analyze it. This article must be reputable and relevant. There are two approaches to finding the article you want to analyze. This guide will guide you in each approach so that you can choose your article seamlessly.

While the topic of the article remains your decision, these are the major topics covered in your course:

  • Strategic Human Resource Management 
  • Legal Framework and Diversity
  • Analyzing and designing the jobs  
  • Human Resource Planning
  • Recruitment and Selection
  • Training, Development, and Career Planning
  • Performance Management
  • Compensation Management and Employee Benefits
  • Occupational Health and Safety, Employee Management Relations

Try to think of a topic that interests you that is related to the suggestions above. You will ultimately need to narrow your research topic, but these can help you get started. You are welcome to choose other topics that are relevant to HR.

If you are struggling with finding a topic please refer to the following guide. It will help you learn how to narrow your topics and find relevant keywords.

If you have any questions about your topic or chosen article, please contact your instructor for more guidance. The library can assist you in doing research and evaluating resources but cannot choose your topic for you or guide you in the assignment requirements.

Getting Started

There are many academic journals in the library collection that cover HR topics. Your assignment recommends two:

  1. Journal of Business Ethics
  2. Journal of Business & Management

We will learn how to browse those journals and find new journals that may also be relevant.

Finding a Known Journal

The Journal of Business Ethics is recommended in your syllabus. Follow these steps to browse the journal in the library collection.

1. Open the Journal Finder tool from the library website.

arrow pointing toward Find a Journal webpage from library homepage menu

2. Copy/paste or type in the journal title.

journal of business ethics online search

3. Open the database where the journal is located. Use the database with the best coverage (when browsing we recommend using the most recent volumes and issues).

database availability

4. Open recent volumes and issues OR search by keyword inside the individual journal.

search within the publication link or browse most recent volumes

Finding Additional HR Journals

1. Open the Journal Finder tool from the library website.

2. Type in "HR" or an HR related topic.

type "HR" into journal finder

3. Review the titles and continue with step 3 from above.

Databasics: Find a Journal

The following video goes through the steps above and may be of additional use to you.

An alternative to browsing individual journals would be to use a topic suggested above or one that you are interested in and research it in the library. Typically, HR topics are found in the academic business databases. Start by reviewing the "How to start my research" guide and then use those skills to search in the business databases listed below.

Business Databases