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

ProspectusOverview

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

ProposalOverview

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

ProposalWriting 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.

SubheadingsIntroduction Operational Definitions

Problem Statement Assumptions

Nature of the Study Limitations

Research Questions Scope

and Hypotheses or delimitations

Purpose of the Study Significance of Study

Theoretical Base or Transitional statement

Conceptual Framework

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 1Nature 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.

Chapter/Section 1Research Questions

Qualitative

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 1Theoretical 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 1Operational 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 1Assumptions 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 1Significance 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 StudyOverview

PurposeCirculate your original research to social scientists.Demonstrate that you can

• muster convincing arguments;• follow rules for rigorous, formal discussion.

AudienceFaculty: Committee; university research reviewer. Educated readers outside of your field:• Academic community (publishers, peer scientists);• Writing Center (Form and Style Review editors).

Dissertation/Doctoral StudyOverview

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.

Rubricshttp://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 formattingDissertation/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 WIRE1.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