For your paper, you will select a topic and write a concrete research question. Listed below is guidance for selecting a topic and framing an effective research question.

The course textbook table of contents lists the key elements of logistics and the supply chain. Select one of the chapter topics and consider how that aspect of logistics relates to aviation and the aerospace industries. Potential topics include: the role of logistics in the value chain; customer service; customer relationship management, purchasing and procurement management; inventory management; transportation management; integrated supply chain management; warehousing; materials management; quality management; production and manufacturing; global supply chain management; facility management; operations management; planning and control of the supply chain; performance evaluation and management; risk management; environmental management; ethical behavior in logistics and the value chain. Any of these topics or a combination of several can be reviewed and related to the aviation and aerospace industries as the basis for your review of the research literature.

Conduct a search in the Hunt Library using the tentative topic of your paper as keywords for the search. Consider whether there are sufficient recent, credible reference sources available to support your research effort.

When you have a suitable tentative topic, begin to craft a research question that meets the following criteria.

• The question should be stated as a stand-alone question, grammatically correct. (Do NOT say: “I will discuss the topic of how …” or “My paper will address what factors ….” State a real question as a question that will be directly answered by the findings from the research and professional articles found in the library.)
• The question should address a single primary topic, not containing multiple sections or caveats.
• The question should be open-ended, and NOT a yes or no style question.
• The question should be objective and avoid preamble constraints and inherent bias in wording. (Do NOT ask: “How does use of high-altitude jets for transportation contribute to global warming and pollution?” Instead, be objective and ask: “What are the pros and cons of the use of jet aircraft for materials transport?”
• The question should be possible to realistically answer using research findings and opinions from the research and professional literature found in the Hunt Library.
• Provide at least one valid reference source from the Hunt library you intend to use in your paper.