Transcript Dissertation Proposal Pointers

© Dr. Lisa M. Baumgartner
Associate Professor
Texas A&M University
3 December 2014 G.R.A.B. Presentation
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Need committee approval to advance to data
collection (also need IRB approval prior to
data collection ).
Shows your ability to conceptualize a
problem, create relevant research
questions/hypotheses, propose a method of
investigation (methodology) and discuss
possible solutions.
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Problem (Kilbourn, 2006). ***READ THIS***
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Action
Source
Primary Source
Context
Theoretical Framework: This is the lens that you are
looking through and may come from the literature
you read (e.g. Mezirow’s transformative learning
theory; Bandura’s social cognitive theory; etc).
Conceptual framework: Uses concepts from several
theories to form lens through which data is
interpreted.
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Research questions (qualitative): Emerge from the
problem and are “smaller” than the purpose of
the study.
Purpose: Explore how adults incorporate
HIV/AIDS into their identities
◦ Questions: 1) What are the components of the identity
incorporation process? 2) What is the nature of learning
that occurs in the process?
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Methodology: Principles that guide our research
practices. (McGregor & Murname, 2010).
Method: Tools used to carry out research (e.g.
surveys, interviews, tests) which are shaped by
the methodology.
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Chapter 1
◦ Introduction/Background (build argument for study)
◦ Statement of problem and purpose of study
(includes research questions)
 Short section that really provides the cogent
arguments for doing the study
◦ Significance of study
◦ Definitions
◦ Some people put an explicit section concerning the
theoretical or conceptual framework in this chapter
also. I have seen that also done in chapter 3.
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* Your chair rules
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Funnel: Start broad and narrow your focus to
the problem.
Just saying that no research exists on your
problem is not a good enough reason to do a
study.
List practical and theoretical contributions
your study could make.
Be selective in your definitions. Remember,
the definitions are how YOU define these
terms in your study.
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Focus on literature relevant to buttressing
argument for dissertation.
CRITIQUE the literature in subareas—don’t
just report (see Torocco’s integrated lit
review).
You should back to the lit review and update
it when you finish your study.
Sometimes committees want areas of
literature added or deleted.
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Design of Study (assumptions of qual)
◦ Particular method of analysis (basic qual study,
narrative analysis, phenomenology etc)
Participant Selection (criteria for selecting participants)
Data collection (interviews, observations, justify WHY
you are doing what you are doing throughout)
Data analysis
Trustworthiness/Consistency (reliability/validity)
Researcher Orientation/Bias
I’ve seen theoretical or conceptual frameworks in this
chapter
* Your chair rules 
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Write chapter in future tense for proposal.
You MUST go back and change the chapter
based on what really happened in the field
before the final defense of your dissertation.
Have strong rationales for why you are doing
what you are doing and explicitly explain
them.
Anafara, V. A., & Mertz, N. T. (2006). Theoretical frameworks in
qualitative research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishers.
Kilbourne, B. The qualitative dissertation proposal. Teachers College
Record, 108, 529-576.
McGregor, S. L., & Murname, J. A. (2010). Paradigm, methodology and
method: Intellectual integrity in consumer scholarship.
International Journal of Consumer Studies, 34 (4), 419-427.
Toracco, R. J. (2005). Writing integrative literature reviews: Guidelines
and examples. Human Resource Development Review, 4(3),
356-367.