Replace Term 1 Disseration Topics
Theoretical/Conceptual Framework
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Checklist:
☐ Identify the guiding framework. Present the key concepts, briefly explain how they are related, and present the propositions that are relevant to this study.
☐ Explain how the framework guided the research decisions, including the development of the problem statement, purpose statement, and research questions.
☐ If more than one framework is guiding the study, integrate them, rather than describing them independently. Do not select a separate framework for each variable/construct under examination.
☐ Do not exceed two pages. A more thorough discussion of the theoretical/conceptual framework will be included in Chapter 2.
Nature of the Study
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Checklist:
☐ Provide a brief discussion of the methodology and design to include a description of the data collection procedure and analysis. Do not include specific details regarding why the methodology and design were selected over others. More detailed information will be included in Chapter 3.
☐ Cite the seminal works related to the selected methodology and design. Avoid references to general textbooks such as those by Creswell and Trochim.
☐ Indicate why the selected research methodology and design are the best choices for the study by explaining how they align with the problem and purpose statements as well as the research questions. Do not simply list and describe various research methodologies and designs.
☐ Devote approximately one to two pages to this section.
Research Questions
Hypotheses
H10. Text…
H1a. Text…
H20. Text…
Checklist:
☐ Present research questions that are directly answerable, specific, and testable within the given timeframe and location identified in the problem and purpose statements.
☐ Include the exact same variables/constructs, participants, and location that were mentioned in the problem and purpose statements. No new variables/constructs should be introduced.
Significance of the Study
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Checklist:
☐ Describe why the study is important and how it can contribute to the field of study.
☐ For applied studies, explain how the results might both be significant to leaders and practitioners in the field and contribute to the literature. For PhD studies, explain how the results advance the guiding framework and contribute to the literature.
☐ Describe the benefits of addressing the study problem, achieving the study purpose, and answering the research questions. Whereas the problem statement should articulate the negative consequences of not conducting the study, this section should highlight the positive consequences of completing the study.
Definitions of Key Terms
Checklist:
☐ Alphabetize and bold terms that are directly related to the dissertation topic if they are not commonly used or understood.
☐ Paraphrase the definitions of the terms using complete sentences and provide a citation for each one.
☐ Do not define theories, conceptual frameworks, statistical analyses, methodological terms, or the variables/constructs that are under examination.
Summary
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Checklist:
☐ Briefly restate the key points that were discussed in the chapter. Review the headings and/or table of contents to ensure that all the key points are covered.
[Ed1]Tip: Research questions beginning with “To what extent…” or “Under what conditions…” yield more meaningful data than questions that generate yes/no responses such as “Is Variable 1 significantly related to Variable 2?”
[Ed2]A paragraph is not required to introduce the research questions and hypotheses; a single sentence noting the research questions and hypotheses is sufficient.
[Ed3]Subquestions are allowed if you want to examine more in-depth research questions. For example, if the first research question has two subquestions, they would be denoted as RQ1a and RQ1b.
[Ed4]Repeat this process for each research question.
[Ed5]Hypotheses are only listed in quantitative and mixed methods studies.
[Ed6]The hypotheses must align with the research questions so that RQ1 matches H1, etc.
[Ed7]Repeat this process for each hypothesis.
[Ed8]Tip: Consider the professional and academic audiences who might be interested in the study results and why.
[Ed9]Replace “Term 1” with the first term and provide the definition and citation(s). Repeat this process for all the key terms. [Ed9]