Strategic Diversity Education for Management - Research Plan
Dissertation Research Plan
Purpose
The purpose of this document is to provide insight into expectations for successful completion of Milestone 5. Specific instructions about using the Qualitative Dissertation Research Plan form are found in the form itself. Expectations of performance ratings are detailed in each section of the document. Sections in this document correspond directly to sections in the Qualitative Dissertation Research Plan form. At the end of this document you will find the 16 evaluation criteria including performance rating descriptions at each level (Non-Performance, Basic, Proficient, and Distinguished).
Scientific Merit
Overall scientific merit of the Dissertation Research Plan (DRP) based on three overarching criteria:
1. Advances the scientific knowledge base.
2. Makes a contribution to research theory.
3. Meets certain "hallmarks" of good research methodology.
The specifics of scientific merit are further described in the DRP Rubric.
Determine whether the research plan meetsthe scientific merit criteria. Each performance level is described for each"core" criteria in the rubric.
Based on the rubric, the reviewer will designate theDRP as one of the following: Approved or Not Approved. Reviewers provide feedback specific to each criterion that was marked Non-performance or Basic. Learners will also find other helpful resources in the feedback document.
Section 1. Topic Endorsement
1.1 Research Topic
FIRST PARAGRAPH: Describe the specific topic to be studied.
SECOND PARAGRAPH: describe the significance of this topic to your program/field (e.g., Psychology, Counseling, Business, Technology, Public Service Leadership, Education, etc.) AND your specialization within your program.
The Research Topic should be correctly formed:
The Research Topic should be appropriate for the specialization.
The Research Topic should use appropriate language for key concepts/phenomena.
Relationships between/among the concepts should be clearly specified (e.g., correlation).
The target population should be named
The concepts should be appropriately focused.
Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
Use APA style in citing all resources.
1.2 Research Problem
Write a brief statement regarding the need for the study that fully describes the problem or need being addressed. The "need for the study" is what we often refer to as the Research Problem.
In simplified terms, the research problem should take this form:
"The research literature on _________ indicates that we know ________, we know __________, but we do not know ______________."
The Research Problem should be correctly stated:
Existing literature and key findings should be summarized
Gaps or problems in the existing literature should be clearly formulated
The Research Problem should be explicitly stated, not implied.
- Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
- Use APA style in citing all resources.
- What is known relative to the phenomenon/experience/event from the scholarly research in the peer reviewed literature is made evident
o Discussion of existing knowledge must be supported with solid peer reviewed references including both seminal and current citations
o The symptoms of the problem in organizations/population must be supported with solid peer-reviewed references
- What is not yet known, the specific gap in knowledge concerning the phenomenon/experience/event in the peer reviewed literature is identified
o A lack of research for a particular population, by itself, is not a theory gap
o A lack of research for a particular management practice, by itself, is not a theory gap
o The theory gap has to be specific enough to allow the reader to identify the research questions
- The symptoms of the problem in organizations/population must be clear.
o The theory gap preventing us from solving the problem must be supported with solid peer-reviewed references
Section 2. Research Overview
2.1 Research Problem Background
Provide a brief SUMMARY of your review of the research literature on the topic. This should include citations from at least 10 articles, but should indicate that you have performed a full review of the literature (minimum of 75 articles) on the topic. This should be demonstrated by providing a statement about the body of existing literature on the topic, then, summarizing recent research findings on the topic, highlighting the findings that are most relevant to your proposed study, demonstrating how your proposed research could add to the existing literature on the topic. Be sure to provide appropriate in text citations and include references in the reference section.
2.2 Research Question
List the primary Research Question.
Your Research Question (s) should be correctly formed:
The Research Question(s) should be aligned with your Research Problem, the Research Topic, and the Dissertation Title.
There should be separate Research Question(s) and/or subquestions identified for each intended analysis.
The Research Question(s) should be phrased in a way that it can be answered by the intended methodology and analyses.
- Define the terms of the research question referencing the definitions with references from the literature.
- Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
- Use APA style in citing all resources.
2.3 Purpose of the Study
State the purpose of the study.The purpose of the study will be to answer the research question in order to solve the research problem and to contribute information about the wider social or community problem to a specific audience or audiences.
Note:
Describe thepurpose using the language of your specific study, topic, research problem, and research question.
2.4 Methodology and Basic Design Overview
Provide an overview of the basic research methodology and the research model proposing. Also state how this methodology is a good fit for the question being asked and the phenomena being studied.
- Describe the qualitative methodology (for example phenomenology) and research model (for example Giorgi - empirical phenomenology or Moustakas - transcendental phenomenology) you propose to use.
2.5 Dissertation Title
Your Dissertation Title should be correctly formed:
Dissertation Title should be aligned with your Research Problem (1.4) and Research Question (1.5), (use the same terminology for all).
The Dissertation Title should reflect the key variables or constructs to be studied.
The Dissertation Title should reflect the method to be employed in the research.
The Dissertation Title should be concise (12 words or less).
Section 3. Research Theory
3.1 Advancing Scientific Knowledge
Demonstrate how the study (a) will advance the scientific knowledge base; (b) is grounded in your field; and (c) addresses something that is not known, something that is new or different from prior research, something that extends prior research, or something that fills a gap in the existing literature. Describe precisely how your study will add to the existing body of literature on your topic. It can be a small step forward in a line of current research but it must add to the body of scientific knowledge in your specialization area and on the topic.
To respond to this question you will need to:
1. Provide a paragraph that describes the background for your study and how your research question relates to the background of the study.
2. Then, in a second paragraph discuss previous research and demonstrate exactly how your study (answering research question) will advance the scientific knowledge base on this topic. Include in-text citations and place the references in the reference section.
- Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
- Use APA style in citing all resources.
3.2 Theoretical Implications
Describe any theoretical implications that the proposed study may have for understanding phenomena. For example, will the study generate new theory, provide a description of the lived experience of the participants or provide a description of a cultural phenomena?
- Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
- Use APA style in citing all resources.
3.3 Practical Implications
Describe the practical implications that may result from your research. Specifically, describe any implications the research may have for understanding phenomena for practitioners, the population being studied, or a particular type of work, mental health, educational, community, stakeholders or other setting. Relate these back to the your Research Problem.
- Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
- Use APA style in citing all resources.
Section 4. Research Methodology
4.1 Research Design
Describe the qualitative design (for example grounded theory) and research model (for example Strauss and Corbin or Charmaz - constructivist grounded theory) you propose to use, supported and referenced by primary sources. Describe in detail the method(s) will you use to collect the data, such as: structured, unstructured, and semi-structured interviews, journaling, letters, pictures, observations, field notes, focus groups. Describe the philosophy underlying the methodology and model.
Briefly describe how the study will be conducted. (Describe how you are going to carry out the study.)
The Research Design should be clearly identified.
The Research Design should be appropriate to the Research Question.
*Use primary sources as resources to support statements.
- Use APA style in citing all resources.
4.2 Population and Sample
Describe the characteristics of the larger population from which the sample (study participants) will be drawn. Include sampling strategy such as purposeful.State the estimated sample size needed for the study. Justify the sample size with support from the literature.
- Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
- Use APA style in citing all resources.
4.3 Ethical Considerations
Describe any ethical considerations given the sample, population, and/or topic. Please explain as fully as possible (i.e., How do you plan to protect human participants while identifying the sample, while collecting the data, while analyzing the data, after data are collected, and during data storage?)
Is the proposed population or research topic greater than minimal risk?
If yes, has the researcher had a consultation with the IRB office?
If yes, please paste the IRB's e-mail response or a summary of the response.
- Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
- Use APA style in citing all resources.
Section 5. Research Data
5.1 Data Collection - Sampling Procedures
Describe in detail each step that you will take from the beginning of recruitment to consent from the participants to participate. You must provide specific details and present the details in the order in which they will occur. You must include all of the following (if applicable):
- The recruitment site(s), acknowledgement of any permissions needed from the sites, and if there is an IRB at any of the sites.
- All of the means by which recruitment will occur (i.e., flyers, e-mails, social media)
- How potential participants will contact you.
- How the potential participants will be screened and how you will proceed if they do qualify and if they do not qualify for the study.
- Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
- Use APA style in citing all resources.
5.2 Data Collection Procedures
Describe where and how will you get the data and describe the exact procedure(s) that will be used to collect the data. This is a step-by-step description of exactly how the research will be conducted. This should read like a recipe for the data collection procedures to be followed in your study. Be sure to include all the necessary details so that someone else will be able to clearly understand how you will obtain your data.
- Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
**Use APA style in citing all resources
5.3 Guiding Interview Questions
Describe the interview method will you use and how you will conduct the interviews. List the guiding interview questions to be used in the qualitative interviews with the participants. Provide a rationale for how and why you are using the interview technique you will use to address the primary research question. Be sure to discuss the results of any field test that was conducted as a part of the process of developing the final version of the guiding interview questions.
- Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
-Use APA style in citing all resources
5.4 Data Analyses
Provide a step-by-step description of the procedures to be used to conduct the data analysis. Support this process by identification and reference to primary descriptive sources, such as Moustakas, Giorgi, Stake Yin, Charmaz, or Braun et al. Check that that the data analysis process is consistent with the accepted analytical steps for the specific qualitative methodology chosen to conduct this study. If you plan to use Qualitative data analysis software, list the software you will use and describe how it will be used.
- Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
-Use APA style in citing all resources
5.5 Role of the Researcher
Provide a description of the researcher's pre-understandings, preconceptions and biases about the topic and about how the researcher will set them aside?
- Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
- Use APA style in citing all resources.
5.6 Credibility, Dependability and Transferability
Present a strategy to ensure credibility, dependability, and transferability in the proposed study. Because the researcher is the primary instrument of research in qualitative studies, describe how you will establish credibility for the research. Describe the training and experience you have in regards to your methods for collecting and for analyzing your data. Credibility refers to confidence in the accuracy of the data as reported as well as a systematic and thorough interpretation by the researcher. Credibility involves carrying out the study in a way that enhances the believability of the findings of the data over time and over conditions. Credibility is assessed by how well you demonstrate your understanding of your research methodology and how well you apply the methodology to data collection and data analysis. Credibility is assessed by how well you demonstrate your understanding of your research methodology and how well you apply the methodology to data collection and data analysis. Describe how you will demonstrate your expertise in regards to your research design. Transferability is demonstrated by showing that the sample fairly represents the target population, as well as by showing that the sample participants have the knowledge, experience, or expertise necessary to provide information that the discipline or field and the target population would find meaningful in regard to the topic. Dependability is demonstrated by providing clear, detailed, and sequential descriptions of all procedures and methods, such that another researcher could repeat each of them faithfully.
- Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
Use APA style in citing all resources
Section 6. References
In the field below, provide your references for the research about your topic, and key theorists/researchers associated with the selected methodology. You will continue to build on this list of references for your Chapter 1 Background of the Problem, Chapter 2 Literature Review and Chapter 5, where you will discuss your findings in the context of the literature.
*Use APA style for all references.
Attachment:- Topic for Endorsement.rar