Transcript Slide 1

Introduction to the Study
With
Sarah Matthey, M.A.
Dissertation Editor
Need Help With Writing?
• If you are working on course
papers or KAMs, contact the
writing tutors.
• If you are in your dissertation or
EdD capstone course (9000 or
8090), contact a dissertation
editor.
Agenda
This presentation will include
1. Overviews of the prospectus and proposal.
2. Descriptions of content to include in the
introductory chapter or section.
3. Overview of the dissertation/doctoral study.
4. Tips on writing drafts and handling feedback.
Process
Complete coursework and/or KAMs
Prospectus
Proposal
Dissertation/Doctoral study
Independent, not alone
Prospectus
Overview
Purpose: Describes intended research; helps you select
committee and write proposal.
Audience: Sent to faculty you want to invite onto
committee and to faculty chair of your program.
Content:
• Five sections: Title page, problem statement, historical
context, theory and method, selected references
• Three appendices: Resume or c.v., diss/doc study
completion timeline, proposed committee
http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/399.htm
Proposal
Overview
Purpose: Describes intended research; helps you
prepare for oral and Institutional Review Board (IRB)
application
Audience: Committee and university research reviewer
(URR); Writing Center editors (via WIRE)
Content: All proposals must follow APA 6th edition
Chapter/Section 1: Introduction
Chapter/Section 2: Literature Review
Chapter/Section 3: Research Method
References list
Appendices
Proposal
Writing strategy
First, write: Chapter/Section 2: Literature Review
• Requires you to learn keywords, databases;
• Teaches you history, theories, key studies, methods,
and findings about your topic.
Then, write: Chapter/Section 3: Research Methods
• Requires you to articulate proposed study’s method,
design, participants, data collection/analysis
procedures, instruments, and ethical measures.
Finally, write: Chapter/Section 1: Introduction to Study
• You can’t introduce someone you do not know.
Purpose and Content
Sets tone for the document: establishes voice, credibility.
Helps readers understand what to expect in your study.
Subheadings
Introduction
Problem Statement
Nature of the Study
Research Questions
and Hypotheses
Purpose of the Study
Theoretical Base or
Conceptual Framework
Operational Definitions
Assumptions
Limitations
Scope
or delimitations
Significance of Study
Transitional statement
Introduction
Clear statement: [Identify topic] is significant because [explain
details].
Dissertation
• 2-4 pp. summary of literature demonstrating gap
• Refer to richer discussions of literature in chapter 2.
Doctoral study
• 2-4 pp. summary of local problem
• Refer to richer discussions of literature in section 2.
• DBA
• Study connects to applied business research
Problem Statement
Revise template language:
There is a significant problem in this rural school district.
That problem, specifically, is the persistent achievement
gap. [Rudimentary]
Instead, write a detailed, direct statement:
Sixth-grade students in this rural school district failed to
achieve state standards in math in 2008 and 2009. Lack
of funding for middle-school math teachers’ professional
development could contribute to this problem because….
Show, don’t tell
Chapter/Section 1
Nature of the Study
Summary of methods: must be consistent with ch./sec.3.
Discuss content with committee chair and methodologist
(doctoral study).
Details depend on topic and method to be used:
• Quantitative studies: Describe two or more variables
and a conjectured relationship between them.
• Qualitative studies: Describe need for greater
understanding of this study topic.
Refer readers to detailed discussions in ch./sec. 3.
Qualitative
Chapter/Section 1
Research Questions
Expand or understand a
phenomenon
– What is the nature of…?
– What are the lived
experiences of…?
Includes no hypotheses
Study driven by induction
and exploration
Conceptual Framework
heading in ch/sec. 1
Quantitative
Understand relationship
between two+ variables
– What is the relationship
between A and B?
– What is impact of X on Y?
Includes hypotheses
Study grounded in theory
Theoretical Base heading in
ch/sec. 1
Chapter/Section 1
Theoretical Base/Conceptual Framework
Select your method to help you answer your research
questions. What questions do you want to ask?
Theoretical Base (quant.) or
Conceptual Framework (qual.) explain clearly:
• Dissertation: Ideas from the literature that provide
basis for your proposed study,
or
• Doctoral study: Ideas from the local setting that
support or justify your proposed study.
Purpose of the Study
Logical, explicit statement:
The purpose of this study is [this].
Aim for one paragraph (approx. half a page)
Chapter/Section 1
Operational Definitions
Provide definitions for technical terms, jargon, or
familiar words used in specialized ways in your
study
Do not define familiar definitions of familiar terms
(e.g., data, perceptions).
Definitions should be paraphrased.
Chapter/Section 1
Assumptions to Delimitations
Assumptions: Limitations you have purposefully not
controlled (e.g., participants will complete the survey
accurately and truthfully—cannot force participants to be
honest; your potential bias as a qualitative researcher)
Limitations: Limitations beyond your control (e.g.,
findings will be limited to CEOs’ perceptions and, as such,
might not be generalizable to midlevel managers)
Scope or delimitations: Limitations you have
purposefully imposed (e.g., only psychologists, not
psychiatrists, will be invited to participate)
Chapter/Section 1
Significance of Study: Dissertation
Describes
• How the study will fill a gap in the literature;
• A professional application of study;
• Potential positive social changes (potential
improvement of immediate conditions in
context of your study by potential application
of findings of your study; “this study could [not
will] bring about social change by….”).
Significance of Study: Doctoral Study
Describes
• How the study can be applied to the local
problem in which the study is based;
• A professional application of study;
• Potential for positive social change (potential
improvement of immediate conditions in
context of your study by potential application of
findings of your study; “this study could [not
will] bring about social change by….”).
Transitional Statement
• Brief summary (1-2 para.) of key (not all)
points of the study—do not simply list headings.
• Do not copy and paste exact sentences from
previous parts of the introduction.
• An overview of the content of the remaining
chapters/sections in the manuscript;
• Ends with a clear transition to chapter/section 2.
Dissertation/Doctoral Study
Overview
Purpose
Circulate your original research to social scientists.
Demonstrate that you can
• muster convincing arguments;
• follow rules for rigorous, formal discussion.
Audience
Faculty: Committee; university research reviewer.
Educated readers outside of your field:
• Academic community (publishers, peer scientists);
• Writing Center (Form and Style Review editors).
Dissertation/Doctoral Study
Overview
Content details
• A formal document arguing for a thesis.
• Original
• Substantial
• Uses the scientific method
• Starts with a hypothesis and uses original
collected data to support it.
Rubrics
http://researchcenter.waldenu.edu
Excellent
resources
to keep
you
moving
http://researchcenter.waldenu.edu/
Scroll down and click dissertation rubric or
rubric (research option) for doctoral studies
Proposal formatting
Dissertation/Doctoral study template
Copy and paste sections of your draft into template for
automatic formatting in APA 6th edition of headings,
margins, page numbers, and Table of Contents
http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/549.htm
1. Scroll down and click Template
2. Select Basic Dissertation Template (6th ed.)
(works for dissertation and doctoral studies)
Planning tips
1. Read other dissertations or doctoral studies.
•
•
•
•
Go to http://library.waldenu.edu/
Click Books tab on library home page;
Select Dissertations from drop-down menu;
Click Connect to Walden Dissertations Only.
See illustrations on following two slides.
http://library.waldenu.edu
http://library.waldenu.edu
More planning tips
Write sections that you are in the mood to write.
Write every day, if only an annotation.
Keep your work simple, clear, and unambiguous by
writing short sentences in varied sentence
structure.
Print different drafts on differently colored paper.
Get help when you need it.
Readers’ comments
You think you’re being clear, but readers tell you
you’re unclear. Why?
• Because you are immersed in your work;
• Because you committee supports you;
• Because educated readers outside of your field
(and readers in your field) do not know everything
you know.
Readers’ comments
You may reasonably expect:
• Criticism and questions;
• Corrections;
• Comments that ask you to explain more
clearly, elaborate on, and complete your
thoughts.
• Rejection . . . of document drafts, not of you.
Before submitting drafts
to faculty…
• Review the rubric—can you check every box?
• Edit your work, line-by-line.
• Ask an educated reader outside of your field to
read it critically (not as family or friend).
• Submit drafts to editors at the WIRE
1. Three total reservations (one per chapter/section).
2. Two reservations per calendar month.
3. One revision review per chapter/section—no
reservation necessary.
http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu