For the Research Paper assignment, you are to choose one of the following subject areas and prepare a well-organized and well-researched paper regarding the HAZMAT aspects of the selected topic. Subject areas to consider are the following:
1. Chemical, Biological, and Nuclear Agents and Incidents
2. Role of Specific Air Monitoring and Detection Devices in Terrorist Related Hazardous Materials Incidents
3. Interagency Disaster Management: Preparedness and Response to a Terrorist Incident
4. Contact the HAZMAT team for your current town, city, or county/parish. Talk with them and find out their activities and plans for improving their capabilities in the increasingly complex world we live of terrorism, crime, and traditional HAZMAT duties. How do they train and how do they change their approach to incidents as a result of that training? What do they feel are their greatest weaknesses? Their greatest strengths?
Once you have chosen one of the subject areas listed above, investigate the selected topic for the most up-to-date information regarding the subject as it relates to HAZMAT.Your paper must contain at least three (3) Internet sources, in addition to one professional journal article or resource (i.e., textbook, not the course textbook) related to the profession. The Ebsco Database (Business Source Complete) is a very good source of journals for articles related to these topics.
Submit the Research Paper typed in MS Word using the APA Style format, double-spaced, with 1-inch margins (top, bottom, and sides). The project must be submitted in 12pt. Times New Roman font, and with proper APA heading guidelines followed. Evaluations will use the 60/40 Rule based on 100 points, where 60% of the paper grade is discerned by overall content, with 40% of the grade according to the following:
Points will be deducted for the following APA formatting deficiencies:
- Lack of valid in-text citations
- Reference list that does not meet APA requirements
- Lack of a valid title page
- Not using appropriate font size , margins, double-spacing, or proper APA headings
- Lack of page header with page number
- Bad grammar, spelling, and punctuation
- Lack of originality. Points will be deducted based on the percentage of the paper that is comprised of non-original work. For example, if 20% of the paper consists of paragraphs that have been simply copied and pasted into the paper, 20 points will be deducted.