Posted: March 12th, 2023

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Consider how a researcher decides to investigate a problem in the field of education. As a researcher, one of your first decisions will be to decide whether to do a project study or a dissertation. For this Discussion, you will compare these two options. EdD Dissertation Checklist: Qualitative The following checklist provides guidance for reporting on EdD qualitative dissertations. A dissertation involves multiple steps, including (a) identification of the problem, purpose, theoretical foundation or conceptual framework, and the development of research question(s) to address them; (b) review of the background and context related to the problem; (c) systematic collection and analysis of data to inform a solution or strategy that addresses the practice-focused question(s); and (d) findings(s) and recommendation(s) for educational practice based on that analysis. All items on the checklist should be addressed, although some may not be relevant to your particular study or may not necessarily be in the order that works best for your dissertation. Please consult with your committee; however, the checklist should work well in the absence of other considerations. · Instructions for students: · Indicate on the checklist the page number (use the actual document page number, not the MS Word pagination) where the appropriate indicator is located. · Respond to comments from the committee in each comment history box. Do not delete previous commentsjust add your response in the appropriate space. · Instructions for the chair and/or committee members: · Provide specific feedback in the comment history column. Do not delete previous commentsjust add your response in the appropriate space. · If you made detailed comments on the draft (using track changes and comments), you can make reference to the draft rather than restate everything in the checklist comment history section. Date: (click here and type today’s date)       Student’s Name:       Student ID:       Program:       Committee Members’ Names: Chairperson:       Member:       University Research Reviewer:       Front Matter Checklist Items Comment History Title       Most important conceptual issue investigated. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Qualitative tradition applied. Participant group to which the study applies. Abstract Describe the research problem and why it is important. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Identify the purpose of the study. State the conceptual framework. Summarize the key research question(s). Describe, concisely, the overall research design, methods, and data analysis procedures. (Include N and selection criteria.) Identify key results, conclusions, and recommendations that capture the heart of the research (for the final study only). Conclude with a statement on the implications for positive social change. Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study Checklist Items Pg/NA Comment History Introduction (Note that APA section 3.03 does not allow a heading called Introduction; it is assumed that the first part of a manuscript is the introduction.) Describe the topic of the study, why the study needs to be conducted, and the potential positive social change implications of the study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Preview major sections of the chapter. Background Briefly summarize research literature related to the scope of the study topic.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe a gap in practice in the discipline that the study will address. End the section with why the study is needed. Problem Statement State the research problem.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Provide evidence of consensus that the problem is current, relevant, and significant to the discipline. Frame the problem in a way that builds upon or counters previous research findings focusing primarily on research conducted in the last 5 years. Address a meaningful gap in practice supported by current research literature. Purpose of the Study Provide a concise statement that serves as the connection between the problem being addressed and the focus of the study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Indicate the research paradigm. Include the intent of the study (such as describe, compare, explore, develop). Present the concept/phenomenon of interest. Research Question(s) State the research questions.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Conceptual Framework for the Study Identify and define the concept/phenomenon that grounds the study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe concisely the conceptual framework (for qualitative studies, the contextual lens) as derived from the literature with more detailed analysis in Chapter 2. State the logical connections among key elements of the framework with a reference to a more thorough explanation in Chapter 2. State how the framework relates to the study approach and key research questions as well as instrument development and data analysis where appropriate. Nature of the Study Provide a concise rationale for selection of the design/tradition including references to primary sources for the chosen tradition.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Briefly describe the key concept and/or phenomenon being investigated. Briefly summarize the methodology (from whom and how data are collected and how data will be analyzed). Definitions Provide concise definitions of key concepts or constructs.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Define terms used in the study that have multiple meanings (e.g., socioeconomic status, educator, health service professional). Do not include common terms or terms that can easily be looked up in a dictionary. Include citations that identify support in the professional literature for the definition or operational definition. Assumptions Clarify aspects of the study that are believed but cannot be demonstrated to be true. Include only those assumptions that are critical to the meaningfulness of the study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe the reasons why the assumption(s) was/were necessary in the context of the study. Scope and Delimitations Describe specific aspects of the research problem that are addressed in the study and why the specific focus was chosen.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Define the boundaries of the study by identifying populations included and excluded and conceptual frameworks most related to the area of study that were not investigated. Address potential transferability. Limitations Describe limitations of the study related to design and/or methodological weaknesses (including issues related to limitations of transferability and dependability).       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe any biases that could influence study outcomes and how they are addressed. Describe reasonable measures to address limitations. Significance Identify potential contributions of the study that advance knowledge in the discipline. This is an elaboration of what the problem addresses.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Identify potential contributions of the study that advance practice and/or policy, as applicable. Describe potential implications for positive social change that are consistent with and bounded by the scope of the study. Summary Summarize main points of the chapter.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Provide transition to Chapter 2. Chapter 2: Literature Review Checklist Items Pg/NA Comment History Introduction (Note that APA section 3.03 does not allow a heading called Introduction; it is assumed that the first part of a manuscript is the introduction.) Restate the problem and the purpose.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Provide a concise synopsis of the current literature that establishes the relevance of the problem. Preview major sections of the chapter. Literature Search Strategy List accessed library databases and search engines used.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       List key search terms and combinations of search terms (with more detailed search terms located in an appendix if appropriate). Describe the iterative search process by explaining what terms were used in what database to identify germane scholarship. In cases where there is little current research, and few (if any) dissertations and/or conference proceedings, describe how this was handled. Conceptual Framework Identify and define the concept/phenomenon.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Synthesize primary writings by key theorists, philosophers, and/or seminal researchers related to the concept or phenomenon. Provide key statements and definitions inherent in the framework. Describe how the concept or phenomenon has been applied and articulated in previous research and how the current study benefits from this framework. Literature Review Related to Key Variables and Concepts Provide an exhaustive (typically 50–75 sources) review of the current (within past 5 years) literature drawn from acceptable peer-reviewed journals or sound academic journals. Additional sources may be included that are older than 5 years.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe studies related to the constructs of interest and chosen methodology and methods that are consistent with the scope of the study. Describe ways researchers in the discipline have approached the problem and the strengths and weakness inherent in their approaches. Justify from the literature the rationale for selection of the variables or concepts. Review and synthesize studies related to the key concepts and/or phenomena under investigation to produce a description of what is known about them, what is controversial, and what remains to be studied. Review and synthesize studies related to the research questions and why the approach selected is meaningful. Summary and Conclusions Concisely summarize major themes in the literature.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Summarize what is known in the discipline related to the topic of study. Summarize what is not known in the discipline related to the topic of study. Describe how the present study fills at least one of the gaps in the literature and will extend knowledge related to practice in the discipline. Provide transitional material to connect the gap in the literature to the methods described in Chapter 3. Chapter 3: Research Method Checklist Items Pg/NA Comment History Introduction (Note that APA section 3.03 does not allow a heading called Introduction; it is assumed that the first part of a manuscript is the introduction.) Restate study purpose as described in Chapter 1.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Preview major sections of the chapter. Research Design and Rationale Restate research questions exactly as described in Chapter 1.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       State and define the central concept and/or phenomenon of the study. Identify the research tradition. Provide rationale for the chosen tradition. Role of the Researcher Define and explain your role as observer, participant, or observer-participant.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Reveal any personal and/or professional relationships the researcher may have with participants, with emphasis on supervisory or instructor relationships involving power over the participants. State how any researcher biases and/or power relationships are managed. Describe other ethical issues, as applicable (these could include doing a study within one’s own work environment, conflict of interest or power differentials, and justification for use of incentives) and the plan for addressing these issues. Methodology Participant Selection Identify the population, if appropriate.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Identify and justify the sampling strategy. State the criterion/criteria on which participant selection is based. Establish how participants are known to meet the criterion/ criteria. State number of participants and/or cases and the rationale for that number. Explain specific procedures for how participants will be identified, contacted, and recruited. Instrumentation Identify each data collection instrument and source (observation sheet, interview protocol, focus group protocol, video-tape, audio-tape, artifacts, archived data, and other kinds of data collection instruments).       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Identify source for each data collection instrument (published or researcher produced). Permission to use is included in the appendix. If historical or legal documents are used as a source of data, demonstrate the reputability of the sources and justify why they represent the best source of data. Establish sufficiency of data collection instruments to answer research questions. For published data collection instruments Present who developed the instrument and the date of publication.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Explain where and with which participant group it has been used previously. Describe the appropriateness for the current study (that is, context and cultural specificity of protocols/instrumentation) and whether modifications will be or were needed. Describe how content validity will be or was established. Address any context- and culture-specific issues specific to the population while developing the instrument. For researcher-developed instruments Present basis for instrument development (literature sources, or other basis, for example).       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe how content validity will be/was established. Establish sufficiency of data collection instruments to answer the research questions. Procedures for Recruitment, Participation, and Data Collection (for students collecting their own data) Thoroughly describe recruiting procedures.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe how participants will be provided informed consent. For each data collection instrument, provide details of data collection: · Location of data collection events. · Frequency of data collection events. · Duration of data collection events. · Recording of data collection events. Explain how participants exit the study (e.g., debriefing procedures). Describe any follow-up procedures (such as requirements to return for follow-up interviews, treatments). Data Analysis Plan Include: · Connection of data to a specific research question. · Type of and procedure for coding. · Type of analysis. · Any software used for data management. · Manner of treatment of discrepant cases.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Trustworthiness Credibility (internal validity): Describe appropriate strategies to establish credibility, such as triangulation, prolonged contact, member checks, saturation, reflexivity, and peer review.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Transferability (external validity): Describe appropriate strategies to establish transferability, such as thick description and variation in participant selection. Dependability (the qualitative counterpart to reliability): Describe appropriate strategies to establish dependability, such as audit trails and triangulation. Confirmability (the qualitative counterpart to objectivity): Describe appropriate strategies to establish confirmability, such as reflexivity. Intra- and intercoder reliability (where applicable). Ethical Procedures Describe the treatment of human participants including the following (include actual documents in the Institutional Review Board [IRB] application): · Institutional permissions, including IRB approvals that are needed (proposal) or were obtained (completed dissertation); include relevant IRB approval numbers in the final dissertation. · Ethical concerns related to recruitment materials and processes and a plan to address them. · Ethical concerns related to data collection and/or intervention activities (these could include participants refusing participation or early withdrawal from the study and response to any predicable adverse events and a plan to address them).       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe treatment of data (including archival data) including issues of · Whether data are anonymous or confidential and any concerns related to each. · Protections for confidential data (data storage procedures, data dissemination, who will have access to the data, and when data will be destroyed). Other ethical issues as applicable (these issues could include doing a study within one’s own work environment; conflict of interest or power differentials; and justification for use of incentives). Summary Summary of main points of the chapter.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Transition to Chapter 4. [Content of Proposal Ends Here. See APA Form and Style Check at the End of the Checklist.] Chapter 4: Results Checklist Items Pg /NA Comment History Introduction (Note that APA section 3.03 does not allow a heading called Introduction; it is assumed that the first part of a manuscript is the introduction.) Review briefly the purpose and research questions.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Preview chapter organization. Setting Describe any personal or organizational conditions that influenced participants or their experience at time of study that may affect interpretation of the study results (e.g., changes in personnel, budget cuts, and other trauma).       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Present participant demographics and characteristics relevant to the study. Data Collection State numbers of participants from whom each type of data were collected.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe location, frequency, and duration of data collection for each data collection instrument. Describe how the data were recorded. Present any variations in data collection from the plan presented in Chapter 3. Present any unusual circumstances encountered in data collection. Data Analysis Report process used to move inductively from coded units to larger representations including categories and themes.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe the specific codes, categories, and themes that emerged from the data using quotations as needed to emphasize their importance. Describe qualities of discrepant cases and how they were factored into the analysis. Results Address each research question (chapter may be organized by research questions or by patterns or themes).       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Present data to support each finding (quotes from transcripts, documents). Discuss discrepant cases/nonconfirming data as applicable. Include tables and figures to illustrate results, as appropriate, and per the current edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. Evidence of Trustworthiness Credibility: Describe implementation of and/or adjustments to credibility strategies stated in Chapter 3       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Transferability: Describe implementation of and/or adjustments to transferability strategies stated in Chapter 3 Dependability: Describe implementation of and/or adjustment to consistency strategies stated in Chapter 3 Confirmability: Describe implementation of and/or adjustment to consistency strategies stated in Chapter 3. Summary Summarize answers to research questions.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Provide transition to Chapter 5. Chapter 5: Discussion, Conclusions, and Recommendations Checklist Items Pg /NA Comment History Introduction (Note that APA section 3.03 does not allow a heading called Introduction; it is assumed that the first part of a manuscript is the introduction.) Concisely reiterate the purpose and nature of the study and why it was conducted.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Concisely summarize key findings. Interpretation of the Findings Describe in what ways findings confirm, disconfirm, or extend knowledge in the discipline by comparing them with what has been found in the peer-reviewed literature described in Chapter 2.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Analyze and interpret the findings in the context of the conceptual framework, as appropriate. Ensure interpretations do not exceed the data, findings, and scope. Limitations of the Study Describe the limitations to trustworthiness that arose from execution of the study. These should be used to revise what was written in Chapter 1 for the proposal.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Recommendations Describe recommendations for further research that are grounded in the strengths and limitations of the current study as well as the literature reviewed in Chapter 2. Ensure recommendations do not exceed the study boundaries.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Implications Describe the potential impact for positive social change at the appropriate level (individual, family, organizational, and societal/policy). Ensure implications for social change do not exceed the study boundaries.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe methodological, theoretical, and/or empirical implications, as appropriate. Describe recommendations for practice, as appropriate. Conclusion Provide a strong “take home” message that captures the key essence of the study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       APA Form and Style Check Checklist Items Comment History Citations and Referencing All citations have been crosschecked to ensure that there are corresponding references (and that there are no references that do not have associated citations). Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       All sources are cited correctly per APA formatting requirements (e.g., studies listed in alphabetical order by first author; no first names of authors). Grammar, Spelling, and Syntax The paper has been thoroughly checked for grammar, spelling, and syntax errors. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       For the final dissertation, the dissertation has been checked for correct verb tense representing a completed study. Headings Headings are used, consistent with the Walden Dissertation Template. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Use of the Writing Center Template The Writing Center EdD Dissertation Template (APA, 6th edition) was used to construct the proposal and/or doctoral study so that all formatting is correct. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Use of Academic Integrity Check An anti-plagiarism report was run with the exclusions setting set to “Exclude < 4 words”. Previous submissions (false matches) should also be excluded. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       EdD Dissertation Checklist: Mixed Methods The following checklist provides guidance for reporting on the mixed methods EdD dissertations. A dissertation involves multiple steps, including (a) identification of the problem, purpose, theoretical foundation or conceptual framework, and the development of research question(s) to address them; (b) review of the background and context related to the problem; (c) systematic collection and analysis of data to inform a solution or strategy that addresses the practice-focused question(s); and (d) findings(s) and recommendation(s) for educational practice based on that analysis. All items on the checklist should be addressed, although some may not be relevant to your particular study or may not necessarily be in the order that works best for your dissertation. Please consult with your committee; however, the checklist should work well in the absence of other considerations. · Instructions for students: · Indicate on the checklist the page number (use the actual document page number, not the MS Word pagination) where the appropriate indicator is located. · Respond to comments from the committee in each comment history box. Do not delete previous commentsjust add your response in the appropriate space. · Instructions for the chair and/or committee members: · Provide specific feedback in the comment history column. Do not delete previous commentsjust add your response in the appropriate space. · If you made detailed comments on the draft (using track changes and comments), you can make reference to the draft rather than restate everything in the checklist comment history section. Date: (click here and type today’s date)       Student’s Name:       Student ID:       Program:       Committee Members’ Names: Chairperson:       Member:       University Research Reviewer:       Front Matter Checklist Items Comment History Title       Type of mixed-methods study. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Main issue investigated. Participant group. Abstract Describe the research problem and why it is important. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Identify the purpose of the study. State the theoretical foundations and/or conceptual frameworks as appropriate. Summarize the key research question(s). Describe, concisely, the overall research design, methods, and data analysis procedures. (Include N and selection criteria.) Identify key results, conclusions, and recommendations that capture the heart of the research (for the final study only). Conclude with a statement on the implications for positive social change. Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study Checklist Items Pg/NA Comment History Introduction (Note that APA section 3.03 does not allow a heading called Introduction; it is assumed that the first part of a manuscript is the introduction.) Describe the topic of the study, why the study needs to be conducted, and the potential positive social change implications of the study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Preview major sections of the chapter. Background Briefly summarize research literature related to the scope of the study topic.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe a gap in practice in the discipline that the study will address. End the section with why the study is needed. Problem Statement State the research problem.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Provide evidence of consensus that the problem is current, relevant, and significant to the discipline. Frame the problem in a way that builds upon or counters previous research findings focusing primarily on research conducted in the last 5 years. Address a meaningful gap in practice supported by current research literature. Purpose of the Study Provide a concise statement that serves as the connection between the problem being addressed and the focus of the study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Indicate that a mixed methods paradigm is being used. Include the study intent (such as describe, compare, correlate, explore, develop). Present the independent, dependent, and covariate variables and/or concept/phenomenon (as appropriate to the particular study). Research Question(s) and Hypotheses State the research questions.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       For quantitative components, state the null and alternative hypotheses that identify the independent and dependent variables being studied, the association being tested, and how the variables are being measured. Theoretical Foundation and/or Conceptual Framework for the Study Most studies have either a Theoretical Foundation or Conceptual Framework; if you have both, include both sections. Theoretical Foundation Identify the theory or theories and provide the origin or source.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       State concisely the major theoretical propositions and/or major hypotheses with a reference to more detailed explanation in Chapter 2. Explain how the theory relates to the study approach and research questions. Conceptual Framework Identify and define the concept and/or phenomenon that ground the study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe concisely the conceptual framework (for qualitative components, the contextual “lens”; for quantitative components, the body of research that supports the need for the study) as derived from the literature with more detailed analysis in Chapter 2. State the logical connections among key elements of the framework with a reference to a more thorough explanation in Chapter 2. State how the framework relates to the study approach and key research questions, as well as to the instrument development and data analysis, where appropriate.       Nature of the Study Provide a concise rationale for selection of the design and/or tradition including references to primary sources for the chosen tradition.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Briefly describe the key study variables (independent, dependent, and covariate in quantitative components) or concept/phenomenon (qualitative components. Briefly summarize the methodology (from whom and how data are collected and how data will be analyzed). Definitions Provide concise definitions of key concepts or constructs.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Define terms used in the study that have multiple meanings (e.g., socioeconomic status, educator, health service professional, among others). Do not include common terms or terms that can easily be looked up in a dictionary. Include citations that identify support from the professional literature for the definition or operational definition provided. Assumptions Clarify aspects of the study that are believed but cannot be demonstrated to be true. Only include assumptions critical to the meaningfulness of the study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe the reasons why the assumption(s) was (were) necessary in the context of the study. Scope and Delimitations Describe specific aspects of the research problem that are addressed in the study and why the specific focus was chosen (issue of internal validity).       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Define the boundaries of the study by identifying populations included and excluded and theories and/or conceptual frameworks most related to the area of study that were not investigated (this is an issue of external validity). Address potential generalizability (quantitative components) or transferability (qualitative components). Limitations Describe limitations of the study related to design and/or methodological weaknesses (including issues related to limitations of internal and external validity, construct validity, and confounder variables).       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe any biases that could influence study outcomes and how they are addressed. Describe reasonable measures to address limitations. Significance Identify potential contributions of the study that advance knowledge in the discipline. This is an elaboration of what the problem addresses.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Identify potential contributions of the study that advance practice and/or policy, as applicable. Describe potential implications for positive social change that are consistent with and bounded by the scope of the study. Summary Summarize the main points of the chapter.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Provide transition to Chapter 2. Chapter 2: Literature Review Checklist Items Pg/NA Comment History Introduction (Note that APA section 3.03 does not allow a heading called Introduction; it is assumed that the first part of a manuscript is the introduction.) Restate the problem and the purpose.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Provide a concise synopsis of the current literature that establishes the relevance of the problem. Preview the major sections of the chapter. Literature Search Strategy List accessed library databases and search engines used.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       List key search terms and combinations of search terms (with more detailed search terms located in an appendix, if appropriate). Describe scope of literature review in terms of years searched as well as types of literature and sources searched, including seminal literature as well as current, peer-reviewed literature. In cases where there is little current research, and few (if any) dissertations and/or conference proceedings, describe how this was handled. Theoretical Foundation (as appropriate) Name the theory or theories.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Provide origin or source of the theory. Describe major theoretical propositions and/or major hypotheses, including delineation of any assumptions appropriate to the application of the theory. Provide a literature- and research-based analysis of how the theory has been applied previously in ways similar to the current study. Provide the rationale for the choice of this theory. Describe how and why the selected theory relates to the present study and how the research questions relate to, challenge, or build upon existing theory. Conceptual Framework (as appropriate) Identify and define the concept and/or phenomenon.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Synthesize primary writings by key theorists, philosophers, and/or seminal researchers related to the concept or phenomenon. Provide key statements and definitions inherent in the framework. Describe how the concept or phenomenon has been applied and articulated in previous research and how the current study benefits from this framework. Literature Review Related to Key Variables and Concepts Provide an exhaustive (typically 50-75 sources) review of the current (within past 5 years) literature drawn from acceptable peer-reviewed journals or sound academic journals. Additional sources may be included that are older than 5 years.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe studies related to the constructs of interest and chosen methodology and methods that are consistent with the scope of the study. Describe ways researchers in the discipline have approached the problem and the strengths and weakness inherent in their approaches. For Quantitative Components Review and synthesize studies related to the key independent, dependent, and covariate variables to produce a description and explanation of what is known about the variables, what is controversial (i.e., mixed findings by researchers), and what remains to be studied.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Review and synthesize studies related to the research questions. For Qualitative Components Review and synthesize studies related to the key concepts and/or phenomena under investigation to produce a description of what is known about them, what is controversial, and what remains to be studied.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Review and synthesize studies related to the research questions and why the approach selected is meaningful. Summary and Conclusions Concisely summarize the major themes in the literature.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Summarize what is known in the discipline related to the topic of study. Summarize what is not known in the discipline related to the topic of study. Describe how the present study fills at least one of the gaps in the literature and will extend knowledge related to practice in the discipline. Provide transitional material to connect the gap in the literature to the methods described in Chapter 3. Chapter 3: Research Method Checklist Items Pg/NA Comment History Introduction (Note that APA section 3.03 does not allow a heading called Introduction; it is assumed that the first part of a manuscript is the introduction.) Restate the study purpose as described in Chapter 1.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Preview major sections of Chapter 3. Setting Explain why the setting is relevant to the study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe the attributes of the environment (e.g., physical setting, scope and size of the organization, and key members of the organization that impact the study). Research Design and Rationale Restate research questions as described in Chapter 1.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       State and define central concept and/or phenomenon of the study. Identify and justify the mixed-methods design and how the two data collection and analysis strategies work together as the best approach to answering your research questions (e.g., quantitative qualitative or qualitative quantitative). Describe why both methods are important to addressing the research question. Provide rationale for the chosen data collection analysis and interpretation of timing decisions (e.g., concurrent and sequential), including how the integration between quantitative and qualitative data occurs. Role of the Researcher Define and explain your role as observer, participant, or observer-participant.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Reveal any personal and/or professional relationships the researcher may have with participants, with emphasis on supervisory or instructor relationships involving power over the participants. State how any researcher biases and/or power relationships are managed. Describe other ethical issues, as applicable (these could include doing a study within one’s own work environment, conflict of interest or power differentials, and justification for use of incentives) and the plan for addressing these issues. Methodology Participant Selection Identify the population, if appropriate.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Identify and justify the sampling strategy. State the criterion/criteria on which participant selection is based. Establish how participants are known to meet the criterion/criteria. State the number of participants and/or cases and the rationale for that number (for quantitative components, if applicable, justify the sample size using power analysis that includes justification for the effect size, alpha level, and power level chosen). Explain the specific procedures for how participants will be identified, contacted, and recruited. Describe the relationship between saturation and sample size (qualitative components). Instrumentation Qualitative Components Identify each data collection instrument (observation sheet, interview protocol, focus group protocol, videotape, audiotape, artifacts, archival data, and other kinds of data collection instruments).       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Identify the source for each data collection instrument (published or researcher produced). Include the permission to use in the appendix. For published data collection instruments, identify: · Who developed the instrument. · Where and with which participant group it has been previously used. · Appropriateness to the current study. · How content validity will be/was established. · Any context- and culture-specific issues unique to the population while developing the instrument. For researcher-developed instruments, identify: · Basis for instrument development. · Literature sources. · Other bases for legitimacy (or validity) of the instrument (such as pilot study). · How content validity will be/was established. Quantitative Components For published instruments, provide: · Name of developer(s) and year of publication. · Appropriateness to the current study. · Mention of permission from developer to use (include the permission letter in the appendix). · Published reliability and validity values relevant to their use in the study. · Where and with which populations the instrument has been used previously and how validity/reliability are/were established in the study sample.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       For researcher-developed instruments, provide: · Literature sources. · Other bases (such as pilot study). · Evidence you will provide for reliability (e.g., internal consistency and test/retest). · Evidence you will provide for validity (e.g., predictive and construct validity). For all instruments, establish sufficiency of instrumentation to answer research questions.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Intervention/Treatment (as appropriate) Identify materials and/or programs applied as treatment or manipulation.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Provide information on the developer of the materials and/or programs. · If published, state where, how, and with what populations they were used previously. · If researcher developed, state the basis for their development and how they were developed. Provide evidence that another agency will sponsor intervention studies (such as clinical interventions). Procedures for Recruitment, Participation, and Data Collection (for students collecting their own data) Thoroughly describe recruiting procedures.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe how participants will be provided informed consent. Describe how data are collected. Explain how participants exit the study (e.g., debriefing procedures). Describe any follow-up procedures (such as requirements to return for follow-up interviews, treatments). For each data collection instrument, provide details of data collection: · Location of data collection events. · Frequency of data collection events. · Duration of data collection events. · Recording of data collection events.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       For intervention studies, as appropriate and in addition to what is described for all studies: Describe clearly and thoroughly the nature of the treatment, intervention, or experimental manipulation; how it will be designed and administered; and by whom and to whom it will be administered.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       For studies using archival data, as appropriate and in addition to what is described for all studies: · Include all procedures for recruitment, participation, and data collection associated with the main study. · Describe the procedure for gaining access to the data set. · Describe necessary permissions to gain access to the data (with permission letters located in the appendix). · If historical or legal documents are used as sources of data, demonstrate the reputability of the sources and justify why they represent the best source of data.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Data Analysis Plan Quantitative Components Identify software used for analyses.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Provide detailed explanation of data cleaning and screening procedures as appropriate to the study. Restate the hypotheses from Chapter 1 (null and alternative) and, for each, describe in detail the analysis plan including · Statistical tests that will be used to test the hypothesis. · Rationale for inclusion of potential covariates/confounding variables. · How results will be interpreted (key parameter estimates, confidence intervals/probability values, odds ratios). · Explanation of data cleaning and screening procedures as appropriate to the study. Qualitative Components Include: · Type of coding. · Type of analysis. · Any software used for data management. · Manner of treatment of discrepant cases.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       State the plan for how quantitative and qualitative data will be integrated in the analysis.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Threats to Validity Describe threats to external validity (e.g., testing reactivity, interaction effects of selection and experimental variables, specificity of variables, reactive effects of experimental arrangements, and multiple-treatment interference, as appropriate to the study) and how they will be/were addressed.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe threats to internal validity (e.g., history, maturation, testing, instrumentation, statistical regression, experimental mortality, and selection-maturation interaction, as appropriate to the study) and how they will be/were addressed. Describe any threats to construct or statistical conclusion validity. Trustworthiness Credibility (internal validity): Describe appropriate strategies to establish credibility, such as triangulation, prolonged contact, member checks, saturation, reflexivity, and peer review.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Transferability (external validity): Describe appropriate strategies to establish transferability, such as thick description and variation in participant selection. Dependability (the qualitative counterpart to reliability): Describe appropriate strategies to establish dependability, such as audit trails and triangulation. Confirmability (the qualitative counterpart to objectivity): Describe appropriate strategies to establish confirmability, such as reflexivity. Intra- and intercoder reliability, where applicable. Ethical Procedures Describe the treatment of human participants including the following (include actual documents in the Institutional Review Board [IRB] application): · Institutional permissions, including IRB approvals that are needed (proposal) or were obtained (completed dissertation); include relevant IRB approval numbers in the final dissertation. · Ethical concerns related to recruitment materials and processes and a plan to address them. · Ethical concerns related to data collection and/or intervention activities (these could include participants refusing participation or early withdrawal from the study and response to any predicable adverse events and a plan to address them).       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe treatment of data (including archival data), including issues of: · Whether data are anonymous or confidential and any concerns related to each. · Protections for confidential data (data storage procedures, data dissemination, who will have access to the data, and when data will be destroyed). Other ethical issues as applicable (these issues could include doing a study within one’s own work environment, conflict of interest or power differentials, and justification for use of incentives). Summary Summarize the main points of the chapter.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Transition to Chapter 4. [Content of Proposal Ends Here. See APA Form and Style Check at the end of the Checklist.] Chapter 4: Results Checklist Items Pg/NA Comment History Introduction (Note that APA section 3.03 does not allow a heading called Introduction; it is assumed that the first part of a manuscript is the introduction.) Review briefly the purpose and research questions.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Preview the organization of Chapter 4. Setting Describe any personal or organizational conditions that influenced participants or their experience at the time of the study that may affect interpretation of the study results (e.g., changes in personnel, budget cuts, and other trauma).       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Present participant demographics and characteristics relevant to the study. Data Collection State numbers of participants from whom each type of data was collected.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe location, frequency, and duration of data collection for each data collection instrument. Describe how the data were recorded. Present any variations in data collection from the plan presented in Chapter 3. Present any unusual circumstances encountered in data collection. Data Analysis Report the process used to move inductively from coded units to larger representations, including categories and themes.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe the specific codes, categories, and themes that emerged from the data using quotations as needed to emphasize their importance. Describe qualities of discrepant cases and how they were factored into the analysis. Results (order of presentation depends on the specific design) Qualitative Components Address each research question (chapter may be organized by research questions or by patterns/themes).       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Present data to support each finding (quotes from transcripts, documents). Discuss discrepant cases and/or disconfirming data, as applicable. Include tables and figures to illustrate results, as appropriate, and per the current edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. Quantitative Components Report descriptive statistics that appropriately characterize the sample.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Report statistical analysis findings, organized by research questions/hypotheses, including: · Exact statistics and associated probability values. · Confidence intervals around the statistics, as appropriate. · Effect sizes, as appropriate. Report results of post-hoc analyses of statistical tests, if applicable. Report any additional statistical tests of hypotheses that emerged from the analysis of main hypotheses, as appropriate for the study. Include tables and figures to illustrate results, as appropriate, and per the current edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association Evidence of Trustworthiness Credibility: Describe implementation of/adjustments to credibility strategies stated in Chapter 3.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Transferability: Describe implementation of/adjustments to transferability strategies stated in Chapter 3. Dependability: Describe implementation of/adjustment to consistency strategies stated in Chapter 3. Confirmability: Describe implementation of/adjustment to consistency strategies stated in Chapter 3. Intra- and intercoder reliability, if applicable: Describe implementation of/adjustment to consistency strategies stated in Chapter 3. Summary Summarize answers to research questions.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Provide transition to Chapter 5. Chapter 5: Discussion, Conclusions, and Recommendations Checklist Items Pg/NA Comment History Introduction (Note that APA section 3.03 does not allow a heading called Introduction; it is assumed that the first part of a manuscript is the introduction.) Concisely reiterate the purpose and nature of the study and why it was conducted.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Concisely summarize key findings. Interpretation of the Findings Describe in what ways findings confirm, disconfirm, or extend knowledge in the discipline by comparing them with what has been found in the peer-reviewed literature described in Chapter 2.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Analyze and interpret the findings in the context of the theoretical and/or conceptual framework, as appropriate. Ensure interpretations do not exceed the data, findings, and scope. Limitations of the Study Describe the limitations to generalizability and/or trustworthiness that arose from execution of the study. These should be used to revise what was written in Chapter 1 for the proposal.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Recommendations Describe recommendations for further research that are grounded in the strengths and limitations of the current study as well as the literature reviewed in Chapter 2. Ensure recommendations do not exceed the study boundaries.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Implications Describe the potential impact for positive social change at the appropriate level (individual, family, organizational, and societal/policy). Ensure implications for social change do not exceed the study boundaries.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe methodological, theoretical, and/or empirical implications, as appropriate. Describe recommendations for practice, as appropriate. Conclusion Provide a strong “take home” message that captures the key essence of the study. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       APA Form and Style Check Checklist Items Comment History Citations and Referencing All citations have been crosschecked to ensure that there are corresponding references (and that there are no references that do not have associated citations). Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       All sources are cited correctly per APA formatting requirements (e.g., studies listed in alphabetical order by first author; no first names of authors). Grammar, Spelling, and Syntax The paper has been thoroughly checked for grammar, spelling, and syntax errors. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       For the final dissertation, the dissertation has been checked for correct verb tense representing a completed study. Headings Headings are used, consistent with the Walden Dissertation Template. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Use of the Writing Center Template The Writing Center EdD Dissertation Template (APA, 6th edition) was used to construct the proposal and/or dissertation so that all formatting is correct. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Use of for Academic Integrity Check An academic integrity/anti-plagiarism report report was run with the exclusions setting set to “Exclude < 4 words”. Previous submissions (false matches) should also be excluded. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       EdD Dissertation Checklist: Quantitative The following checklist provides guidance for reporting on quantitative EdD dissertations. A dissertation involves multiple steps, including (a) identification of the problem, purpose, theoretical or conceptual framework, and development of research question(s) to address them; (b) review of the background and context related to the problem; (c) systematic collection and analysis of data to inform a solution or strategy that addresses the practice-focused question(s); and (d) findings(s) and recommendation(s) for educational practice based on that analysis. All items on the checklist should be addressed, although some may not be relevant to your particular study or may not necessarily be in the order that works best for your dissertation. Please consult with your committee; however, the checklist should work well in the absence of other considerations. · Instructions for students: · Indicate on the checklist the page number (use the actual document page number, not the MS Word pagination) where the appropriate indicator is located. · Respond to comments from the committee in each comment history box. Do not delete previous commentsjust add your response in the appropriate space. · Instructions for the chair and/or committee members: · Provide specific feedback in the comment history column. Do not delete previous commentsjust add your response in the appropriate space. · If you made detailed comments on the draft (using track changes and comments), you can make reference to the draft rather than restate everything in the checklist comment history section. Date: (click here and type today’s date)       Student’s Name:       Student ID:       Program:       Committee Members’ Names: Chairperson:       Member:       University Research Reviewer:       Front Matter Checklist Items Comment History Title       Type of relationship between variables. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Key variables (independent and dependent). Applicable population. Abstract Describe the research problem and why it is important. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Identify the purpose of the study. State the theoretical foundations. Summarize the key research question(s). Describe, concisely, the overall research design, methods, and data analysis procedures. (Include sample size ( N) and selection criteria.) Identify key results, conclusions, and recommendations that capture the essence of the research (for the final study only). Conclude with a statement on the implications for positive social change. Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study Checklist Items Pg/NA Comment History Introduction (Note that APA section 3.03 does not allow a heading called Introduction; it is assumed that the first part of a manuscript is the introduction.) Describe the topic of the study, why the study needs to be conducted, and the potential positive social change implications of the study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Preview major sections of the chapter. Background Briefly summarize research literature related to the scope of the study topic.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe a gap in practice in education that the study will address. End the section with why the study is needed. Problem Statement State the research problem.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Address a meaningful gap in practice supported by current research literature. Provide evidence that there is a consensus in research literature that the problem is current, relevant, and significant to the overall educational specialization (e.g., Adult Education, Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment) Frame the problem in a way that builds upon or counters previous research findings focusing primarily on research conducted in the last 5 years. Purpose of the Study Provide a concise statement that serves as the connection between the problem being addressed and the focus of the study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Indicate that this is a quantitative study. Include the intent of the study (such as compare, correlate, explore, develop). Present the independent, dependent, and covariate variables (if applicable). Research Question(s) and Hypotheses State the research question(s).       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       State the null and alternative hypotheses that identify the independent and dependent variables being studied, the relationship being tested, and how the variables are being measured. Theoretical Framework for the Study Identify the theory or theories and provide the origin or source.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       State concisely the major theoretical propositions and/or major hypotheses with a reference to more detailed explanation in Chapter 2. Explain how the theory relates to the study approach and research questions. Nature of the Study Provide a concise rationale for selection of the design including references to primary sources for the chosen design.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Briefly describe the key study variables (independent, dependent, and covariates). Briefly summarize the methodology (from whom and how data are collected and how data will be analyzed). Definitions Provide concise definitions of the independent variable(s), dependent variable(s), and any covariates (with more detailed descriptions of variables described in Chapter 3).       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (catalick here)       Define terms used in the study that have multiple meanings (e.g., socioeconomic status, educator, school administrator). Do not include common terms or terms that can easily be looked up in a dictionary. Include citations from the professional literature to support the definition or operational definition. Assumptions Clarify aspects of the study that are believed but cannot be demonstrated to be true. Only include assumptions critical to the meaningfulness of the study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe the reasons why the assumption(s) was/were necessary in the context of the study. Scope and Delimitations Describe specific aspects of the research problem that are addressed in the study and why the specific focus was chosen.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Define the boundaries of the study by identifying populations included and excluded and theories most related to the area of study that were not investigated (this is an issue of external validity). Address potential generalizability. Limitations Describe limitations of the study related to design and/or methodological weaknesses, including issues related to limitations of internal and external validity, construct validity, and confounding variables.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe any biases that could influence study outcomes and how they are addressed. Describe reasonable measures to address limitations. Significance Identify potential contributions of the study that advance knowledge in the discipline. This discussion is an elaboration of what the problem addresses.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Identify potential contributions of the study that advance practice and/or policy, as applicable. Describe potential implications for positive social change that are consistent with and bounded by the scope of the study. Summary Summarize main points of the chapter.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Provide transition to Chapter 2. Chapter 2: Literature Review Checklist Items Pg/NA Comment History Introduction (Note that APA section 3.03 does not allow a heading called Introduction; it is assumed that the first part of a manuscript is the introduction.) Restate the problem and the purpose.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Provide a concise synopsis of the current literature that establishes the relevance of the problem. Preview major sections of the chapter. Literature Search Strategy List accessed library databases and search engines used.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       List key search terms and combinations of search terms, with more detailed search terms located in an appendix, if appropriate. Describe scope of literature review in terms of years searched as well as types of literature and sources searched, including seminal literature as well as current peer-reviewed literature. In cases where there is little current research, and few dissertations and/or conference proceedings, describe how this was handled. Theoretical Foundation Name the theory or theories.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Provide origin or source of the theory. Provide the rationale for the choice of this theory. Describe major theoretical propositions and/or major hypotheses, including delineation of any assumptions appropriate to the application of the theory. Provide a literature- and research- based analysis of how the theory has been applied previously in ways similar to the current study. Describe how and why the selected theory relates to the present study and how the research questions relate to, challenge, or build upon existing theory. Literature Review Related to Key Variables Provide an exhaustive (typically 50–75 sources) review of the current (within past 5 years) literature drawn from acceptable peer-reviewed journals or sound academic journals. Additional sources may be included that are older than 5 years. If current research studies have not been done, include a rationale for using studies older than 5 years to establish your gap.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe studies related to the constructs of interest and chosen methodology and methods that are consistent with the scope of the study. Describe ways education researchers have approached the problem and the strengths and weakness inherent in their approaches. Justify from the literature the rationale for selection of the variables or concepts. Review and synthesize studies related to the key independent and dependent variables to produce a description and explanation of what is known about the variables, what is controversial (i.e., mixed findings by researchers), and what remains to be studied. Review and synthesize studies related to the research questions. Summary and Conclusions Concisely summarize major themes in the literature.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Summarize what is known in the discipline related to the topic of study. Summarize what is not known in the discipline related to the topic of study. Describe how the present study fills a gap in the research about practice and will extend knowledge in the discipline (e.g., educational technology, higher education). Provide transitional material to connect the gap in the literature to the methods described in Chapter 3. Chapter 3: Research Method Checklist Items Pg/NA Comment History Introduction (Note that APA section 3.03 does not allow a heading called Introduction; it is assumed that the first part of a manuscript is the introduction.) Restate the study purpose as described in Chapter 1.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Preview major sections of the chapter. Research Design and Rationale Concisely state the study variables (independent, dependent, covariate, mediating, and/or moderating variables, as appropriate).       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Identify the research design and its connection to the research questions. Explain any time and resource constraints consistent with the design choice. Describe how design choice is consistent with research designs needed to advance knowledge in the discipline. If conducting an intervention study, defend the choice of intervention. Methodology Population Define the target population.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       State target population size (if known) or approximate/estimated size. Sampling and Sampling Procedures Identify and justify the type of sampling strategy.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Explain specific procedures for how the sample will be drawn. Describe the sampling frame (inclusion and exclusion criteria). Explain how the sample size was determined. Procedures for Recruitment, Participation, and Data Collection (for students collecting their own data) Thoroughly describe recruiting procedures and particular demographic information that will be collected.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe how participants will be provided informed consent. Describe how data will be collected. Explain how participants exit the study (e.g., debriefing procedures). Describe any follow-up procedures (such as requirements to return for follow-up interviews, treatments). Intervention/Treatment (as appropriate) Describe clearly and thoroughly the nature of the treatment, intervention, or experimental manipulation, how it will be designed and administered, and by whom and to whom it will be administered.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Identify materials/programs applied as treatment or manipulation. Provide information on the developer of the materials and/or programs. If published, state where, how, and with which populations the instrument was previously used. If researcher-developed materials, state the basis for development and how the materials were developed. Provide evidence that another agency will sponsor intervention studies (Walden University cannot sponsor an intervention). Archival Data (as appropriate) Include all procedures for recruitment, participation, and data collection associated with the main data set from which the archived data will be drawn.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe the procedure for gaining access to the data set. Describe necessary permissions to gain access to the data. If historical or legal documents are used as sources of data, demonstrate the reputability of the sources and justify why they represent the best sources of data. Instrumentation and Operationalization of Constructs For published instruments, provide: · Name of developer(s) and year of publication. · Appropriateness to the current study. · Permission from developer to use the instrument (include permission letter in an appendix). · Published reliability and validity values relevant to their use in the study. · Where and/or with what populations the instrument was previously used and how validity/reliability are/were established in the study sample.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       For all researcher-created instruments, provide · Basis for development (literature sources or other bases for development, such as a pilot study). · Plan to provide evidence for reliability (e.g., internal consistency and test/retest). · Plan to provide evidence for validity (e.g., predictive and construct validity). Establish sufficiency of instrumentation to answer research questions.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Operationalize each variable by describing · How each variable is measured or manipulated. · How the variable/scale score is calculated. · What the scores represent.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Data Analysis Plan Identify software used for analyses.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Provide explanation of data cleaning and screening procedures as appropriate to the study. Restate the research questions and hypotheses here as written in Chapter 1. Describe in detail the analysis plan including the elements below including · Statistical tests that will be used to test the hypothesis(es). · Procedures used to account for multiple statistical tests, as appropriate (e.g., Holmes or Bonferroni). · Rationale for inclusion of potential covariates and/or confounding variables. · How results will be interpreted (key parameter estimates, confidence intervals and/or probability values, odds ratios). Threats to Validity Describe threats to external validity (e.g., testing reactivity, interaction effects of selection and experimental variables, specificity of variables, reactive effects of experimental arrangements, and multiple-treatment interference, as appropriate to the study) and how they will be and/or were addressed.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe threats to internal validity (e.g., history, maturation, testing, instrumentation, statistical regression, experimental mortality, and selection-maturation interaction, as appropriate to the study) and how they will be and/or were addressed. Describe any threats to construct validity. Describe any threats to statistical conclusion validity (if appropriate). Ethical Procedures Describe the treatment of human participants including the following (include actual documents in the Institutional Review Board [IRB] application): · Institutional permissions, including IRB approvals that are needed (proposal) or were obtained (completed dissertation); include relevant IRB approval numbers in the final dissertation. · Ethical concerns related to recruitment materials and processes and a plan to address them. · Ethical concerns related to data collection and/or intervention activities (these could include participants refusing participation or early withdrawal from the study and response to any predicable adverse events and a plan to address them).       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe treatment of data (including archival data), including issues of: · Whether data are anonymous or confidential and any concerns related to each. · Protections for confidential data (data storage procedures, data dissemination, who will have access to the data, and when data will be destroyed). Other ethical issues as applicable (these issues could include doing a study within one’s own work environment, conflict of interest or power differentials, and justification for use of incentives). Summary Summary of design and methodology of the inquiry.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Transition to Chapter 4. [Content of Proposal Ends Here. See APA Form and Style Check at the End of the Checklist.] Chapter 4: Results Checklist Items Pg/ NA Comment History Introduction (Note that APA section 3.03 does not allow a heading called Introduction; it is assumed that the first part of a manuscript is the introduction.) Review briefly the purpose, research questions, and hypotheses.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Preview the organization of Chapter 4. Data Collection Describe the time frame for data collection as well as actual recruitment and response rates.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Present any discrepancies in data collection from the plan presented in Chapter 3. Report baseline descriptive and demographic characteristics of the sample. Describe how representative the sample is of the population of interest or how proportional it is to the larger population if nonprobability sampling is used (external validity). If covariates are included in the design, provide results of basic univariate analyses that justify the inclusion of the covariates. Treatment and/or Intervention Fidelity (as appropriate) Describe whether the treatment was administered as planned and any challenges that prevented planned implementation as described in Chapter 3.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe any adverse events (those with serious consequences) related to the intervention. Results Report descriptive statistics that appropriately characterize the sample.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Evaluate statistical assumptions as appropriate to the study. Report statistical analysis findings, organized by research questions and/or hypotheses, including · Exact statistics and associated probability values. · Confidence intervals around the statistics, as appropriate. · Effect sizes, as appropriate. Report results of post-hoc analyses of statistical tests, if applicable. Report any additional statistical tests of hypotheses that emerged from the analysis of main hypotheses, as appropriate for the study. Include tables and figures to illustrate results, as appropriate, and per the current edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association Summary Summarize answers to research questions.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Provide transitional material from the findings and introduce the reader to Chapter 5. Chapter 5: Discussion, Conclusions, and Recommendations Checklist Items Pg/NA Comment History Introduction (Note that APA section 3.03 does not allow a heading called Introduction; it is assumed that the first part of a manuscript is the introduction.) Concisely reiterate the purpose and nature of the study and why it was conducted.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Concisely summarize key findings. Interpretation of the Findings Describe in what ways findings confirm, disconfirm, or extend knowledge of educational practice by comparing them with what has been found in the peer-reviewed literature described in Chapter 2.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Analyze and interpret the findings in the context of the theoretical framework, as appropriate. Ensure interpretations do not exceed the data, findings, and scope. Limitations of the Study Describe the limitations to generalizability and/or trustworthiness, validity, and reliability that arose from execution of the study. These outcomes should be used to revise what was written in Chapter 1 for the proposal.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Recommendations Describe recommendations for further research that are grounded in the strengths and limitations of the current study as well as the literature reviewed in Chapter 2. Ensure recommendations do not exceed the study boundaries.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Implications Describe the potential impact for positive social change at the appropriate level (individual, family, organizational, and societal/policy). Ensure implications for social change do not exceed the study boundaries.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe methodological, theoretical, and/or empirical implications, as appropriate. Describe recommendations for practice, as appropriate. Conclusion Provide a strong “take home” message that captures the key essence of the study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       APA Form and Style Check Checklist Items Comment History Citations and Referencing All citations have been crosschecked to ensure that there are corresponding references (and that there are no references that do not have associated citations). Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       All sources are cited correctly per APA formatting requirements (e.g., studies listed in alphabetical order by first author; no first names of authors). Grammar, Spelling, and Syntax The paper has been thoroughly checked for grammar, spelling, and syntax errors. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       For the final dissertation, the dissertation has been checked for correct verb tense representing a completed study. Headings Headings are used, consistent with the Walden Dissertation Template. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Use of the Writing Center Template The Writing Center EdD Dissertation Template (APA, 6th edition) was used to construct the proposal and/or dissertation so that all formatting is correct. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Use of Academic Integrity Check An anti-plagiarism report was run with the exclusions setting set to “Exclude < 4 words.”. Previous submissions (false matches) should also be excluded. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)      

EdD Project Study Checklist: Qualitative

·

The following provides guidance for reporting on EdD qualitative project studies.

· All items may not be relevant to your particular study; please consult with your chair for guidance.

· The checklist items may not necessarily be in the order that works best for your doctoral study. Please consult with your committee; however, the checklist should work well in the absence of other considerations.

· Instructions for students:

· Indicate on the checklist the page number (use the actual document page number, not the MS Word pagination) where the appropriate indicator is located.

· Respond to comments from the committee in each comment history box. Do not delete previous commentsjust add your response in the appropriate space.

· Instructions for the chair and/or committee members:

· Provide specific feedback in the comment history column. Do not delete previous commentsjust add your response in the appropriate space.

· If you made detailed comments on the draft (using track changes and comments), you can make reference to the draft rather than restate everything in the checklist comment history section.

Date: (click here and type today’s date)      

Student’s Name:       Student ID:      

Program:       Committee Members’ Names:

Chairperson:       Member:       University Research Reviewer:       Front Matter Checklist Items Comment History Title       Most important conceptual issue investigated. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Qualitative tradition applied. Participant group to which the study applies. Abstract Describe the overall problem and why it is important. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Identify the purpose of the study. State the theoretical foundations and/or conceptual frameworks, as appropriate. Summarize the key research question(s) as statements. Describe, concisely, the overall research design, methods, and data analysis procedures. (include number of participants) Identify key results, conclusions, and project as an outcome (for the final study only). Conclude with a statement on the implications for positive social change and local applications. Section 1: The Problem Checklist Items Pg/NA Comment History The Local Problem Describe the local problem that prompted the study. Discuss the gap in practice in appropriate scholarly language.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Situate the problem within the larger population or educational situation. Rationale Present the rationale or justification for the problem choice. Present support from data, including appropriate personal communications.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Answer the question, “Who thinks this is a problem other than you?” Conclude with the purpose or intent of the study. Definition of Terms Define and cite any special terms associated with the problem—including variables and/or conceptual terms.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Present citations from scholarly literature or local documents—no dictionaries or Wikipedia, etc. Significance of the Study Present the significance of the study problem.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe how studying this problem might be useful to the local educational setting. Research Question(s) Begin with a paragraph statement to frame the questions in relation to the problem and purpose of the study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       State the research questions. The questions should investigate the nature of the problem and the best solution to the problem. Review of Literature The first review of literature in the EdD Project Study addresses the problem. Conceptual Framework Identify and define the concept and/or phenomenon that grounds the study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Concisely describe the conceptual framework (a description of the body of research that supports the need for the study) as derived from the literature. State the logical connections among key elements of the framework. State how the framework relates to the study approach and key research questions, as well as to instrument development and data analysis, where appropriate. Review of the Broader Problem Present an overview of topics covered in the review and indicate how the search was conducted. (Search terms and efforts to find related research should be explained.)       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Provide a critical review of the broader problem associated with the local problem addressed in the study. Demonstrate saturation; 25-40 current (within 5 years of study completion), peer-reviewed sources in addition to the framework references and seminal works as needed. Discuss any relevant public data. Include a critical analysis of the body of literature (and should not read like an annotated bibliography). Implications Discuss implications for possible project directions based on anticipated findings of the data collection and analysis.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Include tentative directions for the project deliverable, but the findings of the research must inform the development of the project. Avoid stating outcomes and project as a foregone conclusion. Summary End with a transition statement that contains a summary of key points of the section.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Present an overview of the content of remaining sections. Section 2: The Methodology First part of Section 2 relates to proposal stage / second half relates to final study and includes results Checklist Items Pg/NA Comment History Qualitative Research Design and Approach Describe how the research or evaluation design derives logically from the problem and research (guiding) question.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Provide a description of the qualitative tradition or research design that will be used. Justify the choice of research design with explanations why other likely choices would be less effective. If conducting an evaluation, include the type of evaluation (goal-based, outcomes based, formative, or summative), justification for using this type of evaluation, the goals for a goal-based evaluation, the outcomes and performance measures that will be utilized as indicators, and the overall evaluation goals. Participants Describe the criteria for selecting participants.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Justify the number of participants, balanced with depth of inquiry. (In general, the fewer the participants the deeper the inquiry per individual.) Describe the procedures for gaining access to participants. Explain methods of establishing a researcher-participant working relationship. Present measures that will be taken for the protection or participants’ rights, including confidentiality, informed consent, and protection from harm. Data Collection Describe and justify the data for collection. The data must be appropriate to the type of evaluation and to the qualitative tradition chosen.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Identify each data collection instrument and source (observation sheet, interview protocol, focus group protocol, video-tape, audio-tape, artifacts, archived data, and other kinds of data collection instruments).       Identify the source for each data collection instrument (published or researcher produced).       If historical or legal documents are used as a source of data, demonstrate the reputability of the sources and justify why they represent the best source of data. Establish sufficiency of data collection instruments to answer research questions.       Provide processes for how and when the data are to be generated, gathered, and recorded.       Describe the systems for keeping track of data and emerging understandings (research logs, reflective journals, cataloging systems).       Explain the procedures for gaining access to participants.       Present the role of the researcher—including past/current professional roles at the setting, past/current professional relationship with the participants, how these roles and relationships may affect data collections, and the researcher’s experiences or biases that are related to the topic. Data Analysis Present how and when the data will be analyzed—including coding procedures and software applications, when appropriate.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe the evidence of quality and procedures to assure accuracy and credibility of the findings (e.g., member checks, triangulation, peer debriefing, clarifying researcher bias, etc.).       Explain the procedures for dealing with discrepant cases. Limitations If this is an evaluation study, present the limitations of the evaluation.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       [Content of Proposal Ends Here. See APA Form and Style Check at the end of the Checklist.] Section 2: The Methodology (do not repeat section heading) (For Final Study) Checklist Items Pg/NA Comment History Data Analysis Results Clearly review the process by which the data were generated, gathered, and recorded.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Build the findings from the problem and research question(s). Present patterns, relationships, and themes as findings supported by the data and aligned with the research questions. Account for all salient data in the findings and appropriately handles discrepant cases. Discuss the evidence of quality how the study followed procedures to address accuracy of the data (e.g., member checks, triangulation, etc.) Refer to appropriate evidence in appendixes (sample transcripts, researcher logs, field notes, etc.) Summarize outcomes logically and systematically in relation to the problem and research question(s) and to the larger body of literature on the topic, including the conceptual/theoretical framework. Describe the project deliverable as an outcome of the results. The student and committee must meet to discuss the findings and the most appropriate project based on the findings. Committee approval is required before the student may proceed to write Section 3--The Project. Section 3: The Project (For Final Study) Checklist Items Pg/NA Comment History Introduction Present a brief description of the proposed project. Remember that the project is the artifact or deliverable that students create based on the findings from their research. This completed, doctoral-level product is placed in Appendix A of the final study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       There are 4 basic genres of projects: Evaluation Report (for an evaluation study) · Explains purpose of evaluation, criteria, & major outcomes · Addresses local needs · Meets standards for PE—length varies—plan on 15-30 pages Curriculum Plan · Includes purpose, level, learners, scope, & sequence · Describes materials, units, & lessons in detail (objectives, activities, assessments, teacher notes, and evaluation plan) · Specifies details of plan—minimum of 9 week curriculum plan Professional Development/Training Curriculum and Materials · Includes purpose, goals, learning outcomes, & target audience · Outlines components, timeline, activities, trainer notes, & module formats · Provides materials (PPTs, etc.), implementation plan, & evaluation plan · Specifies hour-by-hour detail of training—minimum of 3 full days of training Policy Recommendation with Detail (position paper) · Includes background of existing policy/problem, summary of analysis/findings · Presents major evidence from both literature and research · Outlines recommendations—connected to the evidence—related to audience · Appropriate length varies by topic—plan on 15-30 pages Describe the goals of the proposed project. Rationale Present a scholarly rationale of why the project genre was chosen including considerations of the data analysis in Section 2, and how the problem will be addressed through the content of the project.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Review of the Literature Present a scholarly review of literature related to the specific genre of project. (Must not repeat themes from Section 1 review of literature.)       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Explain how the genre is appropriate to address the problem and criteria from the research and/or theory used to guide development of the project. Present a thorough, critical, interconnected analysis of how theory and research support the content of the project, including discussion of findings from Section 2. Indicate how search was conducted, including search terms and efforts to find related research. Demonstrate saturation through the use of 25-40 recent (within 5 years of study completion date), peer-reviewed sources. Present justification if not meeting minimum number of sources or if other types of sources are used. Project Description Present the needed resources, existing supports, potential barriers, and potential solutions to barriers.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Discuss the proposal for implementation, including a timetable. Explain the roles and responsibilities of student and any others involved. Project Evaluation Plan Unless the project genre was an evaluation, present the type of evaluation planned for the project deliverable (goal-based, outcomes based, formative, or summative).       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Provide a justification for using this type of evaluation. Explain the overall goals of the project (for a goals-based evaluation) or outcome measures that will be utilized (for an outcomes-based evaluation). Discuss the overall evaluation goals. Include a description of the key stakeholders. Project Implications Summarize possible social change implications.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Provide importance of the project to local stakeholders and in larger context. Section 4: Reflections and Conclusions (For Final Study) Checklist Items Pg/NA Comment History Project Strengths and Limitations Ground a discussion of project strengths and limitations in addressing the problem in the appropriate literature.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Focus discussion on project deliverable, not research or local site. Recommendations for Alternative Approaches Describe ways to address the problem differently based up work of the study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Present alternative definitions of the problem and alternative solutions to the local problem. Scholarship, Project Development, and Leadership and Change Describe what was learned about the processes—specific to the research and development of the project. Use scholarly language throughout.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Present reflective analysis about personal learning/growth of self as a scholar, practitioner, and project developer—specific to the research and development of the project. Reflection on the Importance of the Work Reflect and discuss on the importance of the work overall, and what was learned.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Implications, Applications, and Directions for Future Research Describe the potential impact for positive social change at the appropriate level (individual, family, organizational, and societal/policy).       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Ensure implications for social change do not exceed the study boundaries. Describe methodological, theoretical, and/or empirical implications, as appropriate. Describe recommendations for practice and/or for future research, as appropriate. Conclusion Provide a strong “take home” message that captures the key essence of the study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Appendix A: The Project (For Final Study) Checklist Items Comment History Include all components of project in Appendix A. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Meet standards of genre at a scholarly doctoral level. Refer to genre examples/standards in rubric for Section 3. Ensure immediate applicability to setting and problem. Use appropriate language for stakeholders or audience. Include only original products. APA Form and Style Check Checklist Items Comment History Citations and Referencing All citations have been crosschecked to ensure that there are corresponding references (and that there are no references that do not have associated citations). Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       All sources are cited correctly per APA formatting requirements (for example, studies listed in alphabetical order by first author; no first names of authors). Grammar, Spelling, and Syntax The paper has been thoroughly checked for grammar, spelling, and syntax errors. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       For the final doctoral study, the doctoral study has been checked for correct verb tense representing a completed study. Headings Headings are used, consistent with the Walden Doctoral study Template. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Use of the Writing Center Template The Writing Center Doctoral Study Template (APA, 6th edition) was used to construct the proposal and/or doctoral study so that all formatting is correct. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Use of Academic Integrity Check An anti-plagiarism report was run with the exclusions setting set to “Exclude < 4 words”. Previous submissions (false matches) should also be excluded. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)      

EDD Prospectus Form Comment by Research: Please note that right hand margin comment boxes with an arrow in the bottom right-hand corner need to be expanded to see the entire feedback. Comment by Research: Greetings! Your committee will be reviewing your document and will be adding comments in balloons like this. The capstone process is iterative, and all comments are meant to help you improve your study and ensure you meet minimum standards as you move forward.

Students | Complete your

EDD project study or

EdD

dissertation

prospectus

using this form. Write using a scholarly tone and include in-text citations and APA 7 reference entries, w

here

appropriate. Note that the areas shaded in green provide directions to help you complete the form. Your responses should be inserted in the white areas. The stem sentence prompts should not be altered or removed as this helps you to write a grammatically correct problem and purpose statements. Words noted with an asterisk * can be clicked on to view additional resources. You will find the appropriate rubric standards mentioned several times as you must meet all rubric standards to pass the prospectus milestone.

For additional resources, refer to the

Doctoral Research Coach

* and the Walden

EDD Doctoral Study

* webpage. Submit this completed form into

Taskstream/

MyDR

* for formal evaluation and feedback when your committee chair indicates that you are ready to do so.

Student’s Name | Replace this text with your name. Student ID | Replace this text with your ID.

Study Type | Click to choose a study type. Study Approach | Click to choose an approach.

Will the data be collected within a local setting? | Click here to choose a response. If yes, review the

IRB Website*

, including the “ red flag” section.

Program and Specialization* | Replace this text with your program and specialization. Submission Date | Click arrow to select a date.

*Remember that your study focus must be within the realm of your program and specialization area. If there are any questions or concerns about the appropriateness of the study topic, please reach out to your chair to discuss. Your chair can reach out to the program coordinator for clarification if needed.

Rubric Standard #1 | Complete > Does the research plan contain all the required elements?

Title * (Click on this title to be linked to more information) Provide a concise (aim for 15 words or fewer) working title for this study. Include the main topic, variables/concepts under investigation, and the relationship between them. A title should be fully explanatory when standing alone and needs to include the most critical key words. Do not use colons and do not write a question. Have one specific name for your concept or variables throughout your document to ensure

align

ment. Replace this text with your working title. Supporting Literature * (Click on this title to be linked to more information) The first step in developing your study is to search the literature* related to the general area you want to investigate. Provide approximately 15 brief summaries of recent ( within the past 5 years), scholarly ( peer-reviewed *) articles that support/justify/informs your current and relevant problem from your discipline or professional field and/or local setting. Dissertations and other capstones are not peer-reviewed sources. Include the complete APA 7 reference entry followed by (a) an in-text citation; (b) what was studied; (c) what was found; and (d) why this research is important in relation to your study. This evidence provides the justification for your

research problem

. Replace this text with your response. Rubric Standard | Justified > Is evidence presented that this problem is significant to the discipline and/or professional field, and local site if applicable? The prospectus should provide relevant statistics and evidence and other scholarly facts that point to the significance and urgency of the problem. Research Problem* (Click on this title to be linked to more information) Now that you have read and summarized some of the recent literature to understand your problem, in one sentence what is your research problem? * Please remember that for a project study your problem must relate to a meaningful gap * in practice.

A

dissertation must relate to a meaningful gap in the research about a practice. The problem that will be addressed through this study is… Replace this text with your response. Rubric Standard #2 | Meaningful > Has a meaningful problem related to practice been identified in the research literature, and local site if applicable? Addressing the stated problem should be the logical next step, building on what is already known, and staying within the student’s area of professional practice. Rubric Standard #5 | Original > Does this planned capstone have the potential to make an original contribution? Addressing the problem should result in an original contribution to the field and/or local site. Rubric Standard #9| Objective > Is the topic approached in an objective manner? The framing of the problem should not reveal bias or present foregone conclusions. Please provide three pieces of evidence below to show that the problem is meaningful to the discipline and research literature. If the study is a project study or a dissertation that uses a local setting as the data collection site, evidence must also be included to justify the use of the local setting. For a dissertation not using a local site, at least three pieces of evidence from the research literature must be presented. Replace this text with your response. Rubric Standard #3 | Justified > Is evidence presented that this problem is significant to the discipline and/or professional field, and local site if applicable? The prospectus should provide relevant statistics and evidence and other scholarly facts that point to the significance and urgency of the problem. Purpose * (Click on this title to be linked to more information) To address your stated research problem, what is the purpose of your study? Will you describe, compare, determine, explore, examine, etc.? Complete the purpose sentence below and be sure to clarify your variables/concepts of interest.

Your purpose statement should reflect and

align* to your problem statement. The purpose of this Click to choose an approach. study is to Replace this text with your response. Rubric Standard #8 | Aligned > Do the various aspects of the research plan align? To ensure a solid foundation is built at the prospectus stage, alignment is needed among all study elements including the problem and purpose statements, evidence, framework,

research question

s, and methodology. Framework (Conceptual or Theoretical) * (Click on this title to be linked to more information) What

theory(ies) and/or concept(s

) support (frame) your study and who are the original author(s)? Provide an in-text citation with your response, and the complete APA reference entry with a summary in the Supporting Literature section. Please note that a conceptual framework aligns with a qualitative study, a theoretical framework aligns with a quantitative study, and for a mixed method study it may be either depending on the design so please confer with the methodologist on your committee. The theory(ies) and/or concept(s) that support this study include Replace this text with your response. How do these theory(ies) and/or concept(s) inform your research problem, purpose, and methodological decisions? The logical connections between the framework presented and my study…. Replace this text with your response. Rubric Standard #4 | Grounded > Is the problem framed to enable the researcher to either build upon or counter the previously published findings on the topic? For most fields, grounding involves articulating the problem within the context of a theoretical or conceptual framework. Research Question(s) and Hypotheses (if applicable) * (Click on this title to be linked to more information) List the question(s) that you plan to use to address your applied education problem. Your question(s) must be able to address the problem, align with your purpose statement, and be appropriate for the study approach. For a quantitative study, also note the corresponding hypotheses (null and alternative). To ensure alignment, the

research question(s

) should be worded like the purpose statement. Replace this text with your response. Rubric Standard #8 | Aligned > Do the various aspects of the research plan align? To ensure a solid foundation is built at the prospectus stage, alignment is needed among all study elements including the problem and purpose statements, evidence, framework, research questions, and methodology. Research Methodology and Design * (Click on this title to be linked to more information) What systematic approach (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed method) and research design (basic qualitative, case study, quasi-experimental, correlational, etc.…) do you plan to use to address your research question(s)? Please note a mixed method study requires competency in both qualitative and quantitative methodology as well as how to combine these into a mixed method design. Please discuss with your committee if a mixed method approach is the best option and remember that you can continue any additional research after graduation. In the space below, justify your choice of approach and design, with citations from the literature, and discuss how your methodology aligns to your problem, purpose, and research questions. Replace this text with your response. For your planned research design, discuss the type of data you intend to collect and how you plan to collect the data (i.e. secondary databases such IPEDs, self-designed interview protocol, online survey initially published by Pearson, interviews of teachers, etc.…). Briefly summarize the setting of your data collection, such as “planning semistructured interviews with approximately 10 to 12 fourth grade teachers from three school districts that have a total of 103 fourth grade teachers”. For my planned research design, I will use the following data sources Replace this text with your response. What limitations, challenges, and/or barriers might you need to address while conducting this study (e.g., access to participants, access to data, requirements for storing data, your role at the research site or other ethical / IRB considerations, permission to use the instrument, instrumentation fees, etc.)? Please click here * to review the most common IRB issues and how to schedule an appointment with an IRB member to discuss any concerns. If one of the barriers is to collect the data, then reconsider this study idea. Without data, you have no study. You cannot complete your program without a study. Replace this text with your response. Rubric Standard #7 | Feasible > Can a systematic method of inquiry be used to address the problem? The tentative methodology demonstrates that the researcher has considered the options for inquiry, selected an approach that has the potential to address the problem, and considered risks and burdens placed on research participants. Significance * (Click on this title to be linked to more information) How does your study have the potential to make an original contribution toward addressing a gap in practice and to positive social change? This study is significant in that Replace this text with your response. Rubric Standard #6 | Impact > Does this study have the potential to affect positive social change? As documented in the Significance section, the anticipated findings and project, if applicable, should have the potential to support the mission of Walden University to promote positive social change. Rubric Standard #9| Objective > Is the topic approached in an objective manner? The framing of the problem should not reveal bias or present foregone conclusions.

Partner Site Masking Self-Check * Walden capstones typically mask the identity of the partner organization. The methodological and ethical reasons for this practice as well as criteria for exceptions are outlined here (link to posted guidance). ☐ Check here to confirm that you will mask the identity of the organization in the final capstone that you publish in ProQuest. ☐ Check here if you perceive that your partner organization’s identity would be impossible to mask or if there is a strong rationale for naming the organization in your capstone, please check this box so that your Program Director can review your request for an exception.

End of Form

Use the rubric below to check your work and the appendix to assist if questions arise.

Rubric

Student Self-Check: Revisions are part of the doctoral process but checking to ensure all requirements have been met can reduce the need for multiple revisions. Please review the rubric requirements in its entirety and check to ensure all have been fully met in your prospectus. If anything needs to be strengthened, make those revisions prior to submitting to Taskstream/MYDR for formal review.

Rubric Standard #1 | Complete > Does the research plan contain all the required elements?

Rubric Standard #2| Meaningful > Has a meaningful problem related to practice been identified in the research literature, and local site if applicable? Addressing the stated problem should be the logical next step, building on what is already known, and staying within the student’s area of professional practice.

Rubric Standard #3 | Justified> Is evidence presented that this problem is significant to the discipline and/or professional field, and local site if applicable? The prospectus should provide relevant statistics and evidence and other scholarly facts that point to the significance and urgency of the problem.

Rubric Standard #4 | Grounded > Is the problem framed to enable the researcher to either build upon or counter the previously published findings on the topic? For most fields, grounding involves articulating the problem within the context of a theoretical or conceptual framework.

Rubric Standard #5 | Original > Does this capstone have the potential to make an original contribution? Addressing the problem should result in an original contribution to the field and/or local site.

Rubric Standard #6 | Impact > Does this study have the potential to affect positive social change? As documented in the Significance section, the anticipated findings and project, if applicable, should have the potential to support the mission of Walden University to promote positive social change.

Rubric Standard #7 | Feasible > Can a systematic method of inquiry be used to address the problem? The tentative methodology demonstrates that the researcher has considered the options for inquiry, selected an approach that has the potential to address the problem, and considered risks and burdens placed on research participants.

Rubric Standard #8 | Aligned > Do the various aspects of the research plan align? To ensure a solid foundation is built at the prospectus stage, alignment is needed among all study elements including the problem and purpose statements, evidence, framework, research questions, and methodology.

Rubric Standard #9| Objective > Is the topic approached in an objective manner? The framing of the problem should not reveal bias or present foregone conclusions.

Appendix

The EDD Doctoral Prospectus Form

The EDD Doctoral Prospectus Form is a brief document that provides preliminary information about your capstone research and is used as the plan for developing the proposal and is evaluated to ensure doctoral-level work (see rubric items above).

Prospectus Form approval from the committee chair, second committee member, and a Research Director designee is required for you to move forward and work on your proposal. Please note the process is iterative so it is not uncommon for committee members to request revisions.

Please note that this form and the appendix materials are to be used for students who are pursuing an

EDD and will be conducting an EdD project study or an EdD dissertation

*. The EDD is an applied degree so any study (project study or dissertation) should focus on a gap in practice . A PhD study can focus on a gap in the literature (i.e. something is not known), but for an EDD study the gap must be about practice specifically. The focus should be on a gap between what is currently happening and what stakeholders would want to happen. Therefore, do not write a problem statement stating “it is not known” or “there is a gap in the literature”.

For an EDD project study , the gap in practice is found within the local setting / research site. For this study type, evidence needs to be presented that the local setting currently has a relevant educational problem related to its practice and it needs to be solved. The researcher also needs to show this is a meaningful topic within their field/program specialization literature.

For an EDD dissertation , the gap in practice is found within the field/program specialization literature and these studies usually take two common forms. The first type is when the gap in practice is found within the literature and a local setting is used to examine this larger problem , usually as an example of the problem or an exemplar for best practices, i.e. the local setting exhibits best practices that can help to solve the larger problem. If a local setting is used to collect data for an EDD dissertation, the researcher will need to demonstrate the justification for choosing the local setting. The second type of EDD dissertation does not use a local setting to collect data. There is a gap in the literature about practice. In this case, the data may come from a state or national secondary database or teachers who may work across states but share some common experiences such that they can aid in solving the larger problem. In these cases, the researcher does not need to provide evidence or justification of a local problem as there is no local setting that will used for the study. Evidence will come from the literature in the field/program specialization.

Title

A

good title

* will be concise (aim for 15 words or fewer), signal the direction of the paper, and include the main variables or concepts of the study. The title is not a question and no colons. Below are a few examples. Consider reviewing studies from

Walden students who have successfully completed their research

*. Note that words with four or more letters are capitalized.

Quantitative (QN) Example

Examining the Relationship Between Online Doctoral Students’ Use of Institutional Resources and Time to Degree Completion

Note:

· The word “relationship” indicates a quantitative study.

· The dependent variable is “time to degree completion” and needs to stay exactly the same throughout the document.

Qualitative (QL) Example

Online Doctoral Students’ Perceptions of Research Mentoring Resources to Assist with Degree Completion

Note:

· The word “perceptions” indicates a qualitative study.

· The main concept is “research mentoring resources” and needs to stay exactly the same throughout the document.

Supporting Literature

Probably the most important step in the research process is

searching recent, peer-reviewed literature

* and reading articles related to the general area you want to investigate. Identified research problems must be informed by the current research. This requires that you to read,

synthesize

, and evaluate many articles. As you read and learn, you will narrow your focus. This is how you will identify a discipline-specific research problem. You will want to focus on reading literature that is

scholarly, empirical

* and from

peer-review sources

* that are research related. Click here for

additional tips

*.

As you

read and evaluate literature

, you also need to organize your research. A

literature review matrix

is one way to help you visualize what has and hasn't been done in your field. It will help you understand the scholarly works related to your area of interest. The importance of organizing and recording your review of literature cannot be overstated. You will refer to your notes as you write, so start on the right track from the beginning!

[ Suggestion: If you keep your

search log

in an Excel workbook, use the second tab in the same workbook for your literature review matrix.]

For this prospectus form, include the complete APA reference entry and (a) an in-text citation; (b) what they studied; (c) what they found; and (d) why this is important in relation to your study. This evidence provides the justification for your research problem and shows this problem is meaningful to the field / program specialization. These references should primarily be from the past 5 years. Reference entries related to the framework should be included here, too. During proposal development, you will conduct an

exhaustive

* review and synthesize * your sources, rather than summarize.

Example

Ismail, H. M., Majid, F. A., & Ismail, I. S. (20

13

). “It’s complicated” relationship: Research students’ perspective on doctoral supervision. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 90, 165–170. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.07.078

(a) Ismail et. al (2013); (b) focused on the student experience with supervision while learning to conduct research; (c) found three issues of lack of positive communication, lack of expertise, and power conflicts; and (d) this is important in relation to my study because it may help explain critical elements needed for doctoral degree completion and reflect best practices for institutional supports.

As you work on your literature review and move to the proposal stage you will expand your search. Consider how you will determine your search terms or keywords and the databases you should search. Click here for a number of resources to work you through this process *. As you conduct your search of the literature, stay organized by keeping a search log *.

Search Log Example
Database	Search Terms	Results	Notes
Education Source	online doctoral program completion; limited to peer reviewed, 2016-present	1175	Search too broad; Narrow by using multiple terms
ERIC	online doctoral program completion AND ABD; limited to peer reviewed, 2016-present	13	Much better; Several relevant articles found
Next Education Source	Etc.

As you read and evaluate literature *, you also need to organize your research. A literature review matrix * is one way to help you visualize what has and has not been done in your field. It will help you understand the scholarly works related to your area of interest. The importance of organizing and recording your review of literature cannot be overstated. You will refer to your notes as you write, so start on the right track from the beginning with your prospectus!

[Suggestion: If you keep your search log in an Excel workbook, use the second tab in the same workbook for your literature review matrix.]

Rubric Standard #3 | Justified> Is evidence presented that this problem is significant to the discipline and/or professional field, and local site if applicable? The prospectus should provide relevant statistics and evidence and other scholarly facts that point to the significance and urgency of the problem.

Research Problem

For both the EDD dissertation and the EDD project study, the problem must be about a gap in practice as the EDD is an applied degree . A gap in practice is the difference between what is currently happening and what stakeholders would want to happen to achieve best practices. For an EDD Dissertation the gap in practice will be found within the research literature. If the EDD Dissertation collects data in a specific localized setting, evidence is needed to justify the use of the local setting. For a Project Study, the gap in practice is found within a local setting but it is also required to show that the problem is relevant and meaningful to the research literature found within the field/program specialization.

The EdD dissertation explores a gap in the literature about practice. There is something not known about practice, something we do not know how to practice, or it is not known if the practice is effective etc. The need to address an identified gap in practice must be clear, current, and relevant to the discipline and area of practice.

A research problem * is a focused topic of concern, a condition to be improved upon, or troubling question that is supported in scholarly literature or theory that you study to understand in more detail, and that can lead to recommendations for resolutions. It is the research problem * that drives the rest of the study: the purpose, the research questions, and the methodology. Click here * for additional resources. Keep the problem statement to one sentence.

Example (EDD Dissertation)

The problem to be addressed through this study is that nationally online doctoral students’ time to degree completion has increased over the last decade despite a federal initiative to fund colleges and universities’ efforts to provide additional resources.

Example (EDD Project Study)

The problem to be addressed through this study is that 60% of online doctoral students do not use the new research mentoring resources to assist with degree completion at Innovative College (IC, a pseudonym).

Rubric Standard #2| Meaningful > Has a meaningful problem related to practice been identified in the research literature, and local site if applicable? Addressing the stated problem should be the logical next step, building on what is already known, and staying within the student’s area of professional practice.

Rubric Standard #3 | Justified> Is evidence presented that this problem is significant to the discipline and/or professional field, and local site if applicable? The prospectus should provide relevant statistics and evidence and other scholarly facts that point to the significance and urgency of the problem.

Rubric Standard #5 | Original > Does this capstone have the potential to make an original contribution? Addressing the problem should result in an original contribution to the field and/or local site.

Rubric Standard #9| Objective > Is the topic approached in an objective manner? The framing of the problem should not reveal bias or present foregone conclusions.

Purpose

To address your stated research problem, what is the purpose of your study? Will you describe, compare, explore, examine, etc.? Be sure to clarify your variables/concepts of interest.

· In quantitative studies, state what needs be studied by describing two or more factors (variables) and the conjectured association (i.e. comparative or relational) that will be used to address the study problem.

·

In qualitative studies, describe the need for increased understanding about the issue to be studied, based on the identified gap or problem.

Your purpose statement should reflect and align * to your problem statement. Again, keep the purpose statement to one sentence to ensure it is focused and concise.

QN Example (EDD Dissertation)

The purpose of this quantitative study is to investigate the difference in time to degree completion between students who attended colleges that received federal funding for additional resources and students who attended colleges that did not receive the funding.

QL Example (EDD Project Study)

The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore IC graduate students’ perceptions of their successes, challenges, and suggested improvements for the new research mentoring resources.

Rubric Standard #8 | Aligned > Do the various aspects of the research plan align? To ensure a solid foundation is built at the prospectus stage, alignment is needed among all study elements including the problem and purpose statements, evidence, framework, research questions, and methodology.

Framework

The framework includes the

theory(ies) and/or concept(s) * relevant to your topic. Align the framework with the problem, purpose, research questions, and background literature of your study. A conceptual framework grounds a qualitative study and a theoretical framework grounds a quantitative study. The theoretical or conceptual framework is the basis for understanding, designing, and analyzing ways to investigate your research problem. Provide the original scholarly literature (citing original authors) on the theory and/or concepts, even if it is more than 5 years old. Do not cite secondary sources.

Example Theoretical Framework

The theory(ies) and/or concept(s) that ground this study include Perry’s (1970) theory of epistemological development.

Example Conceptual Framework

The theory(ies) and/or concept(s) that ground this study include Perry’s (1970) theory of epistemological development, focusing specifically on the concepts of online learning and the pedagogical challenges associated with online learning and dissertation writing.

Next, explain how these theories and/or concepts relate to your research problem, purpose, and methodological decisions. Your topic/approach should align with the identified framework so that you will either build upon or counter the previously published findings on the topic.

Example Connection for the Theoretical Framework

The logical connections between the framework presented and my study approach include Perry’s theoretical work, which has been used extensively in all aspects of higher education, albeit more frequently with undergraduates than with doctoral students. Perry (1970) identified funding as a key construct underlying the theory.

Example Connection for the Conceptual Framework

The logical connections between the framework presented and my study approach include Perry’s theoretical work, which has been used extensively in all aspects of higher education, albeit more frequently with undergraduates than with doctoral students. Further, subsequent research and application of Perry’s theory offer guidance on ways to facilitate academic development, thus allowing for insight into the pedagogical challenge of degree completion.

Here is the Grounding Check – make sure you can answer “yes” to all these questions:

· Does your framework operationalize your topic?

· Does your framework guide the organization of the lit review?

· Does your framework align with your design?

· Do your RQs build from your framework?

· Does your framework guide your data collection and analysis?

Rubric Standard #4 | Grounded > Is the problem framed to enable the researcher to either build upon or counter the previously published findings on the topic? For most fields, grounding involves articulating the problem within the context of a theoretical or conceptual framework.

Research Question(s) and Hypotheses (if applicable)

List the

research question(s)* that are informed by the study purpose and will be used to address the research problem. A research question * provides a foundation for the approach and design.

QN Example (EDD Dissertation)

RQ: What is the difference in time to degree completion between students who attended colleges that received federal funding for additional resources and students who attended colleges that did not receive the funding?

H0: There is no statistically significant difference in time to degree completion between students who attended colleges that received federal funding for additional resources and students who attended colleges that did not receive the funding.

HA: There is a statistically significant difference in difference in time to degree completion between students who attended colleges that received federal funding for additional resources and students who attended colleges that did not receive the funding.

QL Example (EDD Project Study)

RQ1: What are IC graduate students’ perceptions of their successes using the new research mentoring resources?

RQ2: What are IC graduate students’ perceptions of their challenges using the new research mentoring resources?

RQ3: What are IC graduate students’ suggestions on improving the new research mentoring resources?

Rubric Standard #8 | Aligned > Do the various aspects of the research plan align? To ensure a solid foundation is built at the prospectus stage, alignment is needed among all study elements including the problem and purpose statements, evidence, framework, research questions, and methodology.

Research Methodology and Design

Explain the

systematic approach and research design

you will use to address your research question(s). Examples of common

designs

are as follows:

· Quantitative— correlational; causal-comparative; survey research designs using validated existing survey instruments; or other quantitative designs

· Qualitative—basic (generic) qualitative designs; case studies; or other qualitative designs

QN Example (EDD Dissertation)

To address the research question, I will use a causal comparative design to compare time to degree completion between students who attended colleges that received federal funding for additional resources and students who attended colleges that did not receive the funding. I will retrieve secondary data and conduct a t test.

QL Example (EDD Project Study)

To address the research questions in this qualitative study, I will use a basic qualitative design (Patton, 2015) using semistructured interviews with approximately 10 to 12 online doctoral students from IC.

Note that the above examples already include the possible data collection sources. At this point, you should have an idea of the type of data and the number of data sets needed to address your research question(s). Explain whether you will be collecting primary data (collected by you, the researcher) or accessing secondary data (preexisting or public data collected by others). Please be aware that doctoral students often experience 10% response rates, meaning that you need to design your study in a way that you can ask 100 online doctoral students in the hope that 10 volunteer. In quantitative studies, you need even more data to conduct inferential statistics.

https://academicanswers.waldenu.edu/faq/316155

If you are collecting data, you should present the source of the instrument(s) and source and number of potential participants. If using secondary data, identify the data source and how the data will be accessed. Possible

secondary data sources

*, by program, are available on the Center for Research Quality website. [ Note. This is your tentative plan, so keep in mind that things might need to be modified during the proposal stage—particularly after you have completed your exhaustive review of the literature.]

QN Example (EDD Dissertation)

For my planned research design, I will access a list of colleges and universities that received federal funding using the NCES databases. I will use the same NCES database to develop a comparison group of colleges and universities that did not receive funding. As the funding started in 2013, I will access the time to degree completion of these institutions using the IPEDS database from the year 2014 to the most recent year available.

Independent Variable: Students attend institutions with federal funding – yes/no

Dependent Variable: Time to Degree Completion

Analysis: t test

Data Needed: 64 per group

QL Example (EDD Project Study)

For my planned research design, I will need to recruit online doctoral students for individual interviews at IC. A self-designed interview protocol will be developed to address the problem and purpose of the study. I will attend the

Office Hours - Research Ethics - Academic Guides at Walden University

to learn about the procedures to contact IC and possible incentives I can offer for participants, such as a $25 gift card. My initial goal will be to recruit 10 participants but increase this number if data saturation is not yet achieved (Fusch & Ness, 2015).

Finally, provide information on limitations, challenges, and/or barriers that may need to be addressed when conducting this study. These may include access to participants, access to data, separation of roles (researcher versus employee), instrumentation fees, etc. If you are thinking about collecting data at your place of work, are in a supervisory position, or on a sensitive topic, or from a vulnerable population, an early consultation with the Institutional Review Board (IRB; IRB@waldenu.edu) during your prospectus process is recommended to gain ethics guidance that you can incorporate into your subsequent proposal drafts and research planning. [ Note. Find more information on research ethics and potential “red flag” issues in the

IRB Guides and FAQs

. *]

QN Example

A potential barrier when using secondary data provided by various colleges and universities is that institutions may vary in how they report their data, causing issues when comparing data across institutions. It will be important to examine the IPEDS codebook to ensure any anomalies are identified and addressed.

QL Example

A potential barrier when collecting primary data that includes interviews is that it may be difficult to recruit enough online doctoral students at IC to meet saturation. This may be particularly difficult given these are online doctoral students so may be very busy and hard to reach electronically. It would be useful to attend one of the

CRQ webinars

* on how to increase research participation.

Rubric Standard #7 | Feasible > Can a systematic method of inquiry be used to address the problem? The tentative methodology demonstrates that the researcher has considered the options for inquiry, selected an approach that has the potential to address the problem, and considered risks and burdens placed on research participants.

Significance

Explain how your study addresses the meaningful, discipline-specific problem related to a gap in practice (project study)/gap in research about practice (dissertation) that you identified and will, therefore, make an original contribution to your field, and to positive social change.

Example

This study is significant because it will fill a gap in practice in that educational leaders will have a better understanding of how well the new resources work in meeting the initial goals. Educational leaders will better understand the value of these resources with respect to their initial goals and gain new insight to better meet the needs of online doctoral students. Because a broad range of doctoral students attend online, supporting their successful attainment of a terminal degree allows for increased diversity among individuals in key academic and scholarly leadership positions.

Rubric Standard #6 | Impact > Does this study have the potential to affect positive social change? As documented in the Significance section, the anticipated findings and project, if applicable, should have the potential to support the mission of Walden University to promote positive social change.

Rubric Standard #9| Objective > Is the topic approached in an objective manner? The framing of the problem should not reveal bias or present foregone conclusions.

EdD Final Quality Rubric

The EdD Final Quality Rubric is to be completed by the chair, committee member, and URR member to provide an overall assessment of the doctoral quality and contribution. This evaluation is made independently by each committee member at the final stage and is independent of the EdD Minimum Standards Rubric. Committee members (including the URR) complete this rubric after their EdD Minimum Standards Rubrics indicate that the student has met minimum standards.

Faculty Instructions

For each indicator, choose “Outstanding,” “Above Average,” or “Meets Expectations” from the drop-down options.

For the final item, indicate the overall readiness to move forward to the CAO review by selecting “Met” or “Not Met.” If “Not Met” is selected, please indicate the reasons by adding comments after this item.

Date: (click here and type today’s date)      

Student’s Name:       Student ID:      

Program:      

Committee Members’ Names:

Chairperson:      

Member:      

University Research Reviewer:      

Top of Form

Outstanding Above Average Meets Expectations Score/Level 1. Contribution to Research on the Problem · Arguments are clearly explicated. · Critical thinking is demonstrated. · Understanding of appropriate theories and/or conceptual frameworks is demonstrated. · Understanding of the methodology and its application to the current study is demonstrated. Outstanding Above Average Meets Expectations 2. Contribution to the Field of Study · A thorough understanding of the literature is reflected. · Knowledge and/or methodology related to the field of study are confirmed, disconfirmed, or extended. · The study has potential for dissemination. Outstanding Above Average Meets Expectations 3. Writing Quality and Professional Standards · Writing is of publication quality, with few if any grammatical, spelling, stylistic, or other language errors. · Organization is logical and text flows smoothly with transitions between ideas. · Documentation of sources meets professional standards. Outstanding Above Average Meets Expectations 4. Contribution to Social Change · Implications are apparent, clearly demonstrated, follow from the data, and make sense given the scope of the study. Outstanding Above Average Meets Expectations 5. Overall Assessment · Originality, creativity, and insight are demonstrated. · Doctoral standards of quality are met. Outstanding Above Average Meets Expectations

Overall Readiness to Move Forward to CAO Review (clean copy, all F&S edits made): (If not met, indicate reasons.)      

EdD Minimum Standards Rubric

The key indicators in the

EdD Minimum Standards Rubric are used to assure the overall quality of the document. To be completed individually by the chair, committee member, and University Research Review (URR) member at the proposal and final study stages.

Instructions

For each indicator, choose “Target” (exceeds expectations), “Acceptable” (meets expectations), or “Unacceptable” (does not meet expectations) to represent if the document meets that quality indicator. All indicators are required. If review suggests that any parts of the indicator are not complete, the appropriate score is that the document is “Unacceptable.” For items marked “Unacceptable,” please indicate ways in which the document can be improved to meet the standard.

Items 9 and 10 are relevant to the final study only. All reviewers must rate each indicator as Target or Acceptable in order for the document to be considered as having met minimum standards.

Date: (click here and type today’s date)      

Student’s Name:       Student ID:      

Program:      

Committee Members’ Names:

Chairperson:      

Member:      

University Research Reviewer:      

Top of Form

Target Acceptable Unacceptable Score/Level 1. The document includes all relevant items from the checklist. Referring to the appropriate checklist, the document is complete for the stage in the process and is of exceptional quality. Referring to the appropriate checklist, the document is complete for the stage in the process and is of acceptable quality. The candidate’s submission is unacceptable. If unacceptable, which items are missing?       2. The problem is clearly articulated, worthy of doctoral level research, and within the scope of the discipline. The candidate has completed this criterion with exceptional quality. The candidate has completed this criterion with acceptable quality. The candidate’s submission is unacceptable. If unacceptable, what is the reasoning for this assessment?       3. The work is grounded in a focused application of the relevant theories or conceptual frameworks. The candidate has completed this criterion with exceptional quality. The candidate has completed this criterion with acceptable quality. The candidate’s submission is unacceptable. If unacceptable, what other theories or frameworks might be more appropriate?       4. The literature review is exhaustive and reflects mastery of the current state of knowledge in the discipline related to the area of research. The candidate has completed this criterion with exceptional quality. The candidate has completed this criterion with acceptable quality. The candidate’s submission is unacceptable. If unacceptable, what is the reasoning for this assessment?       5. The problem statement, purpose, research questions, and/or hypotheses, design, and methodology are consistent with the state of knowledge development in the discipline described in the literature review. The candidate has completed this criterion with exceptional quality. The candidate has completed this criterion with acceptable quality. The candidate’s submission is unacceptable. If unacceptable, what is the reasoning for this assessment?       6. The research design and methodology, including issues of sampling, sample size (quantitative and mixed method studies), participant numbers (qualitative and mixed method studies), instrumentation, data collection, data analyses, and procedures are appropriate to answer the research questions and/or test hypotheses. The candidate has completed this criterion with exceptional quality. The candidate has completed this criterion with acceptable quality. The candidate’s submission is unacceptable. If unacceptable, what is the reasoning for this assessment?       7. The problem statement, purpose, research questions and/or hypotheses, design, and methodology are consistent and aligned. The candidate has completed this criterion with exceptional quality. The candidate has completed this criterion with acceptable quality. The candidate’s submission is unacceptable. If unacceptable, in what ways could aspects of the prospectus be better aligned?       8. The study describes implications for positive social change at the appropriate levels—individual, community, and/or societal (proposal and final study). The candidate has completed this criterion with exceptional quality. The candidate has completed this criterion with acceptable quality. The candidate’s submission is unacceptable. If unacceptable, what is the reasoning for this assessment?       9. Results are accurately presented and are aligned with the research questions and/or hypotheses, design, and analysis. The candidate has completed this criterion with exceptional quality. The candidate has completed this criterion with acceptable quality. The candidate’s submission is unacceptable. If unacceptable, what is the reasoning for this assessment?       10. Conclusions, limitations, recommendations, and/or outcomes are clearly described, are appropriate to the study scope, and are integrated into the state of knowledge described in the literature review. The candidate has completed this criterion with exceptional quality. The candidate has completed this criterion with acceptable quality. The candidate’s submission is unacceptable. If unacceptable, what is the reasoning for this assessment?      

Bottom of Form

EdD Project Study Checklist: Mixed Method · The following provides guidance for reporting on EdD mixed method project studies. · All items may not be relevant to your particular study; please consult with your chair for guidance. · The checklist items may not necessarily be in the order that works best for your doctoral study. Please consult with your committee; however, the checklist should work well in the absence of other considerations. · Instructions for students: · Indicate on the checklist the page number (use the actual document page number, not the MS Word pagination) where the appropriate indicator is located. · Respond to comments from the committee in each comment history box. Do not delete previous commentsjust add your response in the appropriate space. · Instructions for the chair and/or committee members: · Provide specific feedback in the comment history column. Do not delete previous commentsjust add your response in the appropriate space. · If you made detailed comments on the draft (using track changes and comments), you can make reference to the draft rather than restate everything in the checklist comment history section. Date: (click here and type today’s date)       Student’s Name:       Student ID:       Program:       Committee Members’ Names: Chairperson:       Member:       University Research Reviewer:       Front Matter Checklist Items Comment History Title       Type of mixed-methods study. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Main issue investigated. Participant group. Abstract Describe the overall problem and why it is important. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Identify the purpose of the study. State the theoretical foundations and/or conceptual frameworks, as appropriate. Summarize the key research question(s) as statements. Describe, concisely, the overall research design, methods, and data analysis procedures. (include N) Identify key results, conclusions, and project as an outcome (for the final study only). Conclude with a statement on the implications for positive social change and local applications. Section 1: The Problem Checklist Items Pg/NA Comment History The Local Problem Describe the local problem that prompted the study. Discuss the gap in practice in appropriate scholarly language.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Situate the problem within the larger population or educational situation. Rationale Present the rationale or justification for the problem choice. Present support from data, including appropriate personal communications.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Answer the question, “Who thinks this is a problem other than you?” Conclude with the purpose or intent of the study. Definition of Terms Define and cite any special terms associated with the problem—including variables and/or conceptual terms.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Present citations from scholarly literature or local documents—no dictionaries or Wikipedia, etc. Significance of the Study Present the significance of the study problem.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe how studying this problem might be useful to the local educational setting. Research Question(s) and Hypotheses Begin with a paragraph statement to frame the questions in relation to the problem and purpose of the study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       State the research questions. The questions should investigate the nature of the problem and the best solution to the problem. There should be both QN and QL research questions. State the null and alternative hypotheses that identify the independent and dependent variables being studied, the association being tested, and how the variables are being measured. Review of Literature The first review of literature in the EdD Project Study addresses the problem. Theoretical Foundation Studies must include either a theoretical foundation or a conceptual framework section or both. Identify the theory or theories and provide the origin or source.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Present the major theoretical propositions and/or major hypotheses. Explain how the theory relates to the study approach and research questions. Conceptual Framework This applies to qualitative and to some epidemiological studies (as well as some other quantitative studies) and to some mixed-methods studies. Identify and define the concept and/or phenomenon that grounds the study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Concisely describe the conceptual framework (a description of the body of research that supports the need for the study) as derived from the literature. State the logical connections among key elements of the framework. State how the framework relates to the study approach and key research questions, as well as to instrument development and data analysis, where appropriate. Review of the Broader Problem Present an overview of topics covered in the review and indicate how the search was conducted. (Search terms and efforts to find related research should be explained.)       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Provide a critical review of the broader problem associated with the local problem addressed in the study. Demonstrate saturation; 25-40 current (within 5 years of study completion), peer-reviewed sources in addition to the framework references and seminal works as needed. Discuss any relevant public data. Include a critical analysis of the body of literature (and should not read like an annotated bibliography). Implications Discuss implications for possible project directions based on anticipated findings of the data collection and analysis.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Include tentative directions for the project deliverable, but the findings of the research must inform the development of the project. Avoid stating outcomes and project as a foregone conclusion. Summary End with a transition statement that contains a summary of key points of the section.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Present an overview of the content of remaining sections. Section 2: The Methodology First part of Section 2 relates to proposal stage / second half relates to final study and includes results Checklist Items Pg/NA Comment History Mixed Method Design and Approach Describe the intent of mixing qualitative and quantitative data in a single study and identify the qualitative and quantitative components.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Justify the use of the design and approach.       Provide the strategy for data collection (concurrent, sequential, or other).       Explain the multiple forms of data and when and where (data collection, analysis, interpretation) the integration of the approaches will occur.       If conducting an evaluation, include the type of evaluation (goal-based, outcomes based, formative, or summative), justification for using this type of evaluation, the goals for a goal-based evaluation, the outcomes and performance measures that will be utilized as indicators, and the overall evaluation goals.       Setting and Sample Describe the population.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Explain the sampling method including the sampling frame used. Describe the eligibility criteria for selecting participants. Justify the number of participants, balanced with depth of inquiry. (In general, the fewer the participants the deeper the inquiry per individual.) Explain methods of establishing a researcher-participant working relationship. Present measures that will be taken for the protection or participants’ rights, including confidentiality, informed consent, and protection from harm. Data Collection Strategies (Concurrent/Sequential) Qualitative Sequence Identify each data collection instrument and source (observation sheet, interview protocol, focus group protocol, video-tape, audio-tape, artifacts, archived data, and other kinds of data collection instruments).       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Identify the source for each data collection instrument (published or researcher produced).       If historical or legal documents are used as a source of data, demonstrate the reputability of the sources and justify why they represent the best source of data. Establish sufficiency of data collection instruments to answer research questions.       Present the specific plan for the number and anticipated duration of interview/observations/focus group sessions.       Describe the systems for keeping track of data and emerging understandings (research logs, reflective journals, cataloging systems). Identify how data triangulation is built into the data collection and analysis.       Explain the procedures for gaining access to participants.       Present the role of the researcher—including past/current professional roles at the setting, past/current professional relationship with the participants, how these roles and relationships may affect data collections, and the researcher’s experiences or biases that are related to the topic.       Quantitative Sequence Present descriptions of instrumentation or data collection tools including the name and type of instrument.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       For published instruments, present the name of developer and year of publication, appropriateness to the current study, and permission from developer to use the instrument (in appendix).       For researcher instruments, present the basis for development (literature sources or other basis) and the sufficiency of instrumentation to answer research questions. Explain the concepts measured by the instrument. Describe how scores are calculated and their meaning, including an explanation of the data used to measure each variable in the study. Provide processes for assessment of reliability and validity of the instrument(s) and the results of those processes published in previous studies. Describe the processes needed to complete the instruments by participants (full version of multi-item instrument included as an appendix; single-item measures included in the body of this section). Explain where raw data are or will be available (appendices, tables, or by request from the researcher).       Data Analysis Review the quantitative and qualitative data collection processes required to address each research questions.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Present how and when the data will be analyzed—including coding procedures and software applications, when appropriate, dealing with discrepant cases, and the descriptive and/or inferential analyses to be used in the study and relate them to each research question/hypothesis.       For students using archival data, describe the procedure for gaining access to the data set, including any necessary permissions to gain access to the data (with permission letters located in an appendix).       Fully describe the analysis within the quantitative and qualitative approaches, and/or between the two approaches— consistent with the chosen strategy (sequential, concurrent, or other).       Present the validity and trustworthiness of both the quantitative data and the qualitative findings.       Explain the procedure for integrating the qualitative and quantitative data and findings.       Limitations If this is an evaluation study, present the limitations of the evaluation.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       [Content of Proposal Ends Here. See APA Form and Style Check at the end of the Checklist.] Section 2: The Methodology (do not repeat section heading) (For Final Study) Checklist Items Pg/NA Comment History Data Analysis Results The structural approach for presenting and analyzing the data is appropriate and consistent with the chosen strategy (sequential, concurrent, or other).       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Clearly review the process by which the data were generated, gathered, and recorded. Build the findings from the problem and research question(s). Qualitative Findings Present patterns, relationships, and themes as findings supported by the data and aligned with the research questions.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Account for all salient data in the findings. Discuss the evidence of quality how the study followed procedures to address accuracy of the data (e.g., member checks, triangulation, etc.) Refer to appropriate evidence in appendixes (sample transcripts, researcher logs, field notes, etc.) Quantitative Findings Present all measures obtained clearly and following standard procedures.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Summarize the results of the data analysis (presentation, interpretation, explanation) clearly and in alignment with the research questions and underlying theoretical framework. Present self-descriptive tables and figures that are informative and conform to APA format. Refer to all tables and figures within the text and immediately adjacent. Present copyright permission of all tables and figures if not in public domain. Summarize outcomes logically and systematically in relation to the problem and research question(s) and to the larger body of literature on the topic, including the conceptual/theoretical framework. Describe the project deliverable as an outcome of the results.The student and committee must meet to discuss the findings and the most appropriate project based on the findings. Committee approval is required before the student may proceed to write Section 3--The Project. Section 3: The Project (For Final Study) Checklist Items Pg/NA Comment History Introduction Present a brief description of the proposed project. Remember that the project is the artifact or deliverable that students create based on the findings from their research. This completed, doctoral-level product is placed in Appendix A of the final study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       There are 4 basic genres of projects: Evaluation Report (for an evaluation study) · Explains purpose of evaluation, criteria, & major outcomes · Addresses local needs · Meets standards for PE—length varies—plan on 15-30 pages Curriculum Plan · Includes purpose, level, learners, scope, & sequence · Describes materials, units, & lessons in detail (objectives, activities, assessments, teacher notes, and evaluation plan) · Specifies details of plan—minimum of 9 week curriculum plan Professional Development/Training Curriculum and Materials · Includes purpose, goals, learning outcomes, & target audience · Outlines components, timeline, activities, trainer notes, & module formats · Provides materials (PPTs, etc.), implementation plan, & evaluation plan · Specifies hour-by-hour detail of training—minimum of 3 full days of training Policy Recommendation with Detail (position paper) · Includes background of existing policy/problem, summary of analysis/findings · Presents major evidence from both literature and research · Outlines recommendations—connected to the evidence—related to audience · Appropriate length varies by topic—plan on 15-30 pages Describe the goals of the proposed project. Rationale Present a scholarly rationale of why the project genre was chosen including considerations of the data analysis in Section 2, and how the problem will be addressed through the content of the project. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Review of the Literature Present a scholarly review of literature related to the specific genre of project. (Must not repeat themes from Section 1 review of literature.)       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Explain how the genre is appropriate to address the problem and criteria from the research and/or theory used to guide development of the project. Present a thorough, critical, interconnected analysis of how theory and research support the content of the project, including discussion of findings from Section 2. Indicate how search was conducted, including search terms and efforts to find related research. Demonstrate saturation through the use of 25-40 recent (within 5 years of study completion date), peer-reviewed sources. Present justification if not meeting minimum number of sources or if other types of sources are used. Project Description Present the needed resources, existing supports, potential barriers, and potential solutions to barriers.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Discuss the proposal for implementation, including a timetable. Explain the roles and responsibilities of student and any others involved. Project Evaluation Plan Unless the project genre was an evaluation, present the type of evaluation planned for the project deliverable (goal-based, outcomes based, formative, or summative).       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Provide a justification for using this type of evaluation. Explain the overall goals of the project (for a goals-based evaluation) or outcome measures that will be utilized (for an outcomes-based evaluation). Discuss the overall evaluation goals. Include a description of the key stakeholders. Project Implications Summarize possible social change implications.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Provide importance of the project to local stakeholders and in larger context. Section 4: Reflections and Conclusions (For Final Study) Checklist Items Pg/NA Comment History Project Strengths and Limitations Ground a discussion of project strengths and limitations in addressing the problem in the appropriate literature.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Focus discussion on project deliverable, not research or local site. Recommendations for Alternative Approaches Describe ways to address the problem differently based up work of the study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Present alternative definitions of the problem and alternative solutions to the local problem. Scholarship, Project Development, and Leadership and Change Describe what was learned about the processes—specific to the research and development of the project. Use scholarly language throughout.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Present reflective analysis about personal learning/growth of self as a scholar, practitioner, and project developer—specific to the research and development of the project. Reflection on the Importance of the Work Reflect and discuss on the importance of the work overall, and what was learned.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Implications, Applications, and Directions for Future Research Describe the potential impact for positive social change at the appropriate level (individual, family, organizational, and societal/policy).       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Ensure implications for social change do not exceed the study boundaries. Describe methodological, theoretical, and/or empirical implications, as appropriate. Describe recommendations for practice and/or for future research, as appropriate. Conclusion Provide a strong “take home” message that captures the key essence of the study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Appendix A: The Project (For Final Study) Checklist Items Comment History Include all components of project in Appendix A. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Meet standards of genre at a scholarly doctoral level. Refer to genre examples/standards in rubric for Section 3. Ensure immediate applicability to setting and problem. Use appropriate language for stakeholders or audience. Include only original products. APA Form and Style Check Checklist Items Comment History Citations and Referencing All citations have been crosschecked to ensure that there are corresponding references (and that there are no references that do not have associated citations). Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       All sources are cited correctly per APA formatting requirements (for example, studies listed in alphabetical order by first author; no first names of authors). Grammar, Spelling, and Syntax The paper has been thoroughly checked for grammar, spelling, and syntax errors. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       For the final doctoral study, the doctoral study has been checked for correct verb tense representing a completed study. Headings Headings are used, consistent with the Walden Doctoral study Template. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Use of the Writing Center Template The Writing Center Doctoral Study Template (APA, 6th edition) was used to construct the proposal and/or doctoral study so that all formatting is correct. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Use of Academic Integrity Check An anti-plagiarism report was run with the exclusions setting set to “Exclude < 4 words”. Previous submissions (false matches) should also be excluded. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)      

EdD Project Study Checklist: Quantitative

·

The following provides guidance for reporting on EdD quantitative project studies.

· All items may not be relevant to your particular study; please consult with your chair for guidance.

· The checklist items may not necessarily be in the order that works best for your doctoral study. Please consult with your committee; however, the checklist should work well in the absence of other considerations.

· Instructions for students:

· Indicate on the checklist the page number (use the actual document page number, not the MS Word pagination) where the appropriate indicator is located.

· Respond to comments from the committee in each comment history box. Do not delete previous commentsjust add your response in the appropriate space.

· Instructions for the chair and/or committee members:

· Provide specific feedback in the comment history column. Do not delete previous commentsjust add your response in the appropriate space.

· If you made detailed comments on the draft (using track changes and comments), you can make reference to the draft rather than restate everything in the checklist comment history section.

Date: (click here and type today’s date)      

Student’s Name:       Student ID:      

Program:      

Committee Members’ Names:

Chairperson:      

Member:       University Research Reviewer:       Front Matter Checklist Items Comment History Title       Type of relationship between variables. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Key variables (independent and dependent). Applicable population. Abstract Describe the overall problem and why it is important. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Identify the purpose of the study. State the theoretical foundations and/or conceptual frameworks, as appropriate. Summarize the key research question(s) as statements. Describe, concisely, the overall research design, methods, and data analysis procedures.(include N) Identify key results, conclusions, and project as an outcome (for the final study only). Conclude with a statement on the implications for positive social change and local applications. Section 1: The Problem Checklist Items Pg/NA Comment History The Local Problem Describe the local problem that prompted the study. Discuss the gap in practice in appropriate scholarly language.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Situate the problem within the larger population or educational situation. Rationale Present the rationale or justification for the problem choice. Present support from data, including appropriate personal communications.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Answer the question, “Who thinks this is a problem other than you?” Conclude with the purpose or intent of the study. Definition of Terms Define and cite any special terms associated with the problem—including variables and/or conceptual terms.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Present citations from scholarly literature or local documents—no dictionaries or Wikipedia, etc. Significance of the Study Present the significance of the study problem.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe how studying this problem might be useful to the local educational setting. Research Question(s) and Hypotheses Begin with a paragraph statement to frame the questions in relation to the problem and purpose of the study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       State the research questions. The questions should investigate the nature of the problem and the best solution to the problem. State the null and alternative hypotheses that identify the independent and dependent variables being studied, the association being tested, and how the variables are being measured. Review of Literature The first review of literature in the EdD Project Study addresses the problem. Theoretical Foundation Identify the theory or theories and provide the origin or source.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Present the major theoretical propositions and/or major hypotheses. Explain how the theory relates to the study approach and research questions. Review of the Broader Problem Present an overview of topics covered in the review and indicate how the search was conducted. (Search terms and efforts to find related research should be explained.)       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Provide a critical review of the broader problem associated with the local problem addressed in the study. Demonstrate saturation; 25-40 current (within 5 years of study completion), peer-reviewed sources in addition to the framework references and seminal works as needed. Discuss any relevant public data. Include a critical analysis of the body of literature (and should not read like an annotated bibliography). Implications Discuss implications for possible project directions based on anticipated findings of the data collection and analysis.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Include tentative directions for the project deliverable, but the findings of the research must inform the development of the project. Avoid stating outcomes and project as a foregone conclusion. Summary End with a transition statement that contains a summary of key points of the section.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Present an overview of the content of remaining sections. Section 2: The Methodology First part of Section 2 relates to proposal stage / second half relates to final study and includes results Checklist Items Pg/NA Comment History Research Design and Approach Present the research or evaluation design and approach.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Provide a justification for using the design and approach. Explain how the design derives logically from the problem. If conducting an evaluation, include the type of evaluation (goal-based, outcomes based, formative, or summative), justification for using this type of evaluation, the goals for a goal-based evaluation, the outcomes and performance measures that will be utilized as indicators, and the overall evaluation goals. Setting and Sample Describe the population from which the sample will be drawn.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe and defend the sampling strategy used. Present the sample size and support by using a power analysis or a reference to a statistical text. Provide the eligibility criteria for study participants, including the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Explain the recruitment of participants in detail. Describe the characteristics of the selected sample. Instrumentation and Materials Present descriptions of instrumentation or data collection tools including the name and type of instrument.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       For published instruments, present the name of developer and year of publication, appropriateness to the current study, and permission from developer to use the instrument (in appendix). For researcher instruments, present the basis for development (literature sources or other basis) and the sufficiency of instrumentation to answer research questions. Explain the concepts measured by the instrument.       Describe how scores are calculated and their meaning, including an explanation of the data used to measure each variable in the study.       Provide processes for assessment of reliability and validity of the instrument(s) and the results of those processes published in previous studies.       Describe the processes needed to complete the instruments by participants (full version of multi-item instrument included as an appendix; single-item measures included in the body of this section).       Explain where raw data are or will be available (appendices, tables, or by request from the researcher).       Data Collection and Analysis Present the data collection required to address the research questions.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Describe the data collection processes.       For students using archival data, describe the procedure for gaining access to the data set, including any necessary permissions to gain access to the data (with permission letters located in an appendix). Present the nature of the scale for each variable (nominal, ordinal, or interval).       Explain descriptive and/or inferential analyses to be used in the study and relate them to each research question/hypothesis.       Assumptions, Limitations, Scope and Delimitations Describe the facts assumed to be true but not actually verified (assumptions).       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Present the potential weaknesses of the study (limitations).       Explain the variables under study (scope) and the boundaries of the study (delimitations).       If this is an evaluation study, present the limitations of the evaluation.       Protection of Participants’ Rights Summarize the measures taken for protection of participants’ rights, including issues of confidentiality, informed consent, and protection from harm.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       [Content of Proposal Ends Here. See APA Form and Style Check at the end of the Checklist.] Section 2: The Methodology (do not repeat section heading) (For Final Study) Checklist Items Pg/NA Comment History Data Analysis Results Present all measures obtained clearly and following standard procedures.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Summarize the results of the data analysis (presentation, interpretation, explanation) clearly and in alignment with the research questions and underlying theoretical framework. Present self-descriptive tables and figures that are informative and conform to APA format. Refer to all tables and figures within the text and immediately adjacent. Present copyright permission of all tables and figures if not in public domain. Summarize outcomes logically and systematically in relation to the problem and research question(s) and to the larger body of literature on the topic, including the conceptual/theoretical framework. Describe the project deliverable as an outcome of the results. The student and committee must meet to discuss the findings and the most appropriate project based on the findings. Committee approval is required before the student may proceed to write Section 3--The Project. Section 3: The Project (For Final Study) Checklist Items Pg/NA Comment History Introduction Present a brief description of the proposed project. Remember that the project is the artifact or deliverable that students create based on the findings from their research. This completed, doctoral-level product is placed in Appendix A of the final study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       There are 4 basic genres of projects: Evaluation Report (for an evaluation study) · Explains purpose of evaluation, criteria, & major outcomes · Addresses local needs · Meets standards for PE—length varies—plan on 15-30 pages Curriculum Plan · Includes purpose, level, learners, scope, & sequence · Describes materials, units, & lessons in detail (objectives, activities, assessments, teacher notes, and evaluation plan) · Specifies details of plan—minimum of 9 week curriculum plan Professional Development/Training Curriculum and Materials · Includes purpose, goals, learning outcomes, & target audience · Outlines components, timeline, activities, trainer notes, & module formats · Provides materials (PPTs, etc.), implementation plan, & evaluation plan · Specifies hour-by-hour detail of training—minimum of 3 full days of training Policy Recommendation with Detail (position paper) · Includes background of existing policy/problem, summary of analysis/findings · Presents major evidence from both literature and research · Outlines recommendations—connected to the evidence—related to audience · Appropriate length varies by topic—plan on 15-30 pages Describe the goals of the proposed project. Rationale Present a scholarly rationale of why the project genre was chosen including considerations of the data analysis in Section 2, and how the problem will be addressed through the content of the project.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Review of the Literature Present a scholarly review of literature related to the specific genre of project. (Must not repeat themes from Section 1 review of literature.)       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Explain how the genre is appropriate to address the problem and criteria from the research and/or theory used to guide development of the project. Present a thorough, critical, interconnected analysis of how theory and research support the content of the project, including discussion of findings from Section 2. Indicate how search was conducted, including search terms and efforts to find related research. Demonstrate saturation through the use of 25-40 recent (within 5 years of study completion date), peer-reviewed sources. Present justification if not meeting minimum number of sources or if other types of sources are used. Project Description Present the needed resources, existing supports, potential barriers, and potential solutions to barriers.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Discuss the proposal for implementation, including a timetable. Explain the roles and responsibilities of student and any others involved. Project Evaluation Plan Unless the project genre was an evaluation, present the type of evaluation planned for the project deliverable (goal-based, outcomes based, formative, or summative).       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Provide a justification for using this type of evaluation. Explain the overall goals of the project (for a goals-based evaluation) or outcome measures that will be utilized (for an outcomes-based evaluation). Discuss the overall evaluation goals. Include a description of the key stakeholders. Project Implications Summarize possible social change implications.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Provide importance of the project to local stakeholders and in larger context. Section 4: Reflections and Conclusions (For Final Study) Checklist Items Pg/NA Comment History Project Strengths and Limitations Ground a discussion of project strengths and limitations in addressing the problem in the appropriate literature.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Focus discussion on project deliverable, not research or local site. Recommendations for Alternative Approaches Describe ways to address the problem differently based up work of the study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Present alternative definitions of the problem and alternative solutions to the local problem. Scholarship, Project Development, and Leadership and Change Describe what was learned about the processes—specific to the research and development of the project. Use scholarly language throughout.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Present reflective analysis about personal learning/growth of self as a scholar, practitioner, and project developer—specific to the research and development of the project. Reflection on the Importance of the Work Reflect and discuss on the importance of the work overall, and what was learned.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Implications, Applications, and Directions for Future Research Describe the potential impact for positive social change at the appropriate level (individual, family, organizational, and societal/policy).       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Ensure implications for social change do not exceed the study boundaries. Describe methodological, theoretical, and/or empirical implications, as appropriate. Describe recommendations for practice and/or for future research, as appropriate. Conclusion Provide a strong “take home” message that captures the key essence of the study.       Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Appendix A: The Project (For Final Study) Checklist Items Comment History Include all components of project in Appendix A. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Meet standards of genre at a scholarly doctoral level. Refer to genre examples/standards in rubric for Section 3. Ensure immediate applicability to setting and problem. Use appropriate language for stakeholders or audience. Include only original products. APA Form and Style Check Checklist Items Comment History Citations and Referencing All citations have been crosschecked to ensure that there are corresponding references (and that there are no references that do not have associated citations). Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       All sources are cited correctly per APA formatting requirements (for example, studies listed in alphabetical order by first author; no first names of authors). Grammar, Spelling, and Syntax The paper has been thoroughly checked for grammar, spelling, and syntax errors. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       For the final doctoral study, the doctoral study has been checked for correct verb tense representing a completed study. Headings Headings are used, consistent with the Walden Doctoral study Template. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Use of the Writing Center Template The Writing Center Doctoral Study Template (APA, 6th edition) was used to construct the proposal and/or doctoral study so that all formatting is correct. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)       Use of Academic Integrity Check An anti-plagiarism report was run with the exclusions setting set to “Exclude < 4 words”. Previous submissions (false matches) should also be excluded. Chair Comments: (click here)       Second Member Comments: (click here)       URR Comments: (click here)       Student Response: (click here)      

© 2017 Laureate Education

Handout EDDD 8004: Think Like a Researcher: Project Study or Dissertation?

In every profession, an orientation process for newcomers develops their understanding of the overarching principles of the profession, and assists them in finding their way as they become a member of the profession. These orientations require that the newcomers learn the profession’s requirements and expected behaviors or customs, and the language of the profession to converse with colleagues.

The novice researcher faces this same orientation process. The companion courses in the EdD program are part of this orientation process. Like the research process itself, the orientation is an iterative process in which concepts will be introduced and later revisited and expanded upon to introduce variations and greater detail to enhance your emerging understanding of the research process.

Through these courses, you will learn the key to conducting your doctoral study—how to Think Like a Researcher.

One of the first important decisions that you will make as you Think Like a Researcher is to decide if your doctoral study will take the form of a project study or a dissertation,

the two options available for Ed.D. students at Walden. To make this decision, it will be helpful to understand how the two types of doctoral studies are similar and how they differ.

The criteria for each of these options are contained in detailed checklists. Because these checklists cover multiple pages and therefore may be difficult to compare, the major differences have been summarized in a table, Comparison of Walden Ed.D. Doctoral Study Formats. As you can see, the primary difference is that the project study includes a conducting a study and then developing a project, whereas the dissertation involves conducting a study but there is no project.

DISCUSSION: COMPARE PROJECT STUDY TO DISSERTATION Discussion

Consider how a researcher decides to investigate a problem in the field of education. As a researcher, one of your first decisions will be to decide whether to do a project study or a dissertation. For this Discussion, you will compare these two options.

Note: For the EdD, you have the option to write either a project study or a dissertation. The term “doctoral study” is the generic term for the EdD capstone, so it applies to both the project study and dissertation.    

To Prepare

·

Review the Learning Resources.

· Review the checklists for a project study and a dissertation in your Learning Resources.

· Review the checklists, and consider the purpose of each. Explain how the project study and dissertation are similar and how they differ.

Assignment Task Part 1

For this Discussion:

· Use the checklists to identify and describe two of the differences between the project study and dissertation.

· Explain in 1 ½ page of the following:

· describe two of the differences between the project study and dissertation.

· how these differences result in different types of studies.

· Describe why you might select each one.

For this, and for all work in this course, use APA form and scholarly tone to support your position.

Assignment Task Part 2

For this Discussion:

Review to 2 of your colleagues posts and respond in a 125 words each by offering a comment, resources , or question.

LEARNING RESOURCES

Required Readings

· Walden University, LLC. (n.d.). 

EdD Doctoral Study Links to an external site.

.  Retrieved from https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/research-center/program-documents/edd

· Access the Dissertation Checklist and Project Study Checklist documents from this page to compare the requirements of each option.

· Walden University, LLC. (2016). 

Dr. Research: Think like a researcher: Project study or dissertation?

 Download Dr. Research: Think like a researcher: Project study or dissertation?

[Handout]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

· Document: 

Committee Matching Preparation Assignment

 Download Committee Matching Preparation Assignment

(Word Document)

Required Media

· Walden University, LLC. (Producer). (2016c). Dr. Research: The EdD Project Study [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author. Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 8 minutes.

· Walden University, LLC. (Producer). (2016b). Dr. Research: The EdD Dissertation [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author. Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 7 minutes.

· Walden University, LLC. (Producer). (2016i). 

EdD project study and dissertation compared Links to an external site.

[Media file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

· Walden University Library. (2019, August). 

Research for the literature review Links to an external site.

 [Video file]. Retrieved from https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/doctoral/literaturereview#s-lg-box-22299421

·

Colleague Responses

Review

 

your colleagues’ posts.

Respond to at least two of them by offering a comment, a resource, or a question.

Patricia D. Wells

Week 1: Compare project study to dissertation by using the checklists to identify and describe two of the differences between the project study and dissertation. The research application process is the main distinction between a project study and a dissertation. According to Dr. Research the project study is for individuals who wish to apply their research as a practitioner in a local setting, while dissertations are for individuals who want career outside of P-12. A project study consist four sections/chapter-- the problem, methodology, project description, and reflections (Walden University, LLC, 2016c).  While the EdD dissertation has five chapters, addresses a broad educational issue or theory, and requires that you address a meaningful gap in practice supported by current research literature about a practice in your chosen specialization of the educational discipline (Walden University, LLC, 2016b). A project study examines problem on the local context, whereas the dissertation can be both local and national. The project study contains two literature reviews in section 1 and 3, while the dissertation requires only 1 literature review in its own section with recent research within five years. Project studies lay emphasis on the practical application of its researcher, whereas a dissertation is more concerned with knowledge development for educational sectors.

The project study and dissertation result in different types of studies through the application process. A dissertation will look more formal than a project study because it starts with a research question and aims. The main component of the dissertation is the research problem the impetus conducting a study is the research problem. There is inconclusiveness about a subject in the literature or a gap in our knowledge of a phenomenon. This inconclusiveness or gap informs the study’s methodology and informs the question that will be used to gather data to deepen our knowledge of the subject. While the main difference between the two is that the latter starts with a research issue, while the former does not. A project study is not meant to advance our knowledge of a field of study. Project studies, also known as applied studies, have the goal of assisting in the solution of a local real-world issue.

Why a researcher might select each one would be based off if I am addressing a problem in my locale or if I am addressing a problem globally. The decision between a project study and a dissertation is largely influenced by the researcher’s perspective and conditions. Based on the regular exposure to the problem and the students engaged, as a doctoral candidate working in P-12 setting I would most likely be motivated to finding a solution to a local issue would do a project study. While as a doctoral student, I want to look at a local or nation-wide crisis, I would do a dissertation. Some scholars might say that the researcher would gain more personally from solving an issue in their local educational environment than nation-wide. However, because they lack background and exposure, students who do not attend a P-12 institution may want to adopt a global perspective on education rather than looking at a local issue. Consequently, a general pedagogical problem or theory might be more relevant to their issue. My emphasis would be on a nation-wide issue, since I want to address a problem that not only can apply to where I work, but other facilities as well. Therefore, I am leaning more towards a qualitative dissertation.

References

Walden University, LLC. (Producer). (2016b). Dr. Research: The EdD Dissertation [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author. Walden University, LLC. (Producer). (2016c). Dr. Research: The EdD Project Study [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author

Jada Lea Reeves

           One distinct difference between a project study and a dissertation is that the project study includes an assignment based on the research findings. The work is a project that a doctoral candidate can choose from four options to complete: a curriculum plan, professional development, a position paper with policy changes, or an evaluation report (Walden, 2016i). 

           Another variance is the number of chapters required. The project study requires chapters on the problem, methodology, project, and conclusions (Walden, 2016). The dissertation includes five chapters: an introduction, a literature review, methods, results, and a final section on conclusions and recommendations (Walden, 2016).

 

Types of Studies

           Because each option encompasses various aspects, the results lend themselves to the two different types of studies. The project study has an actual project to complete that addresses a local problem supported through problem study and fulfilling a gap in practice (Walden, 2016i). In contrast, the dissertation focuses on a broader issue in education as a whole entity and requires fifty to seventy-five peer-reviewed articles in the literature review (Walden, 2016).

 

Selection

           Due to the nature of research and using a local problem in the district, I work in; I will be focusing on a project study in which I develop a professional development plan for implementing formative assessment practices in grades three through five. This project allows me to implement my research in a local context for social change (Walden, 2016c).

           For someone who chooses to complete a dissertation, the outcomes slightly differ. Dissertations are for professionals who wish to pursue careers outside the public school system, such as a professor at a university level, consultants, or leaders in other professional associations (Walden, 2016b). Formal inquiry requires the researcher to address unrequited questions and make an innovative impact on the field of education (Walden, 2016b).

 

References

 

Walden University, LLC. (Producer). (2016b). Dr. Research: The EdD Dissertation [Video file]. Author.

 

Walden University, LLC. (Producer). (2016c). Dr. Research: The EdD Project Study [Video file]. Author.

 

Walden University, LLC. (2016). Dr. Research: Think like a researcher: Project study or dissertation?[Handout]. Author.

 

Walden University, LLC. (Producer). (2016i). EdD project study and dissertation compared. Author.

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