Assignment
Length: 3 to 5 pages.
Instructions
Work with your chair to determine any specific instructions or guidance that he or she may have for you about your topic selection development document.
One of the first steps in research is topic selection. A dissertation focuses on a very narrow, specific topic. An important element of topic selection is bringing together two or three subtopics or concepts to help you focus your research. For example, simply stating, "my topic is transformational leadership" does not provide enough focus for doing an intentional review of the literature. However, adding subtopics can refine your search. Instead, you could state, "My topic is the ethical nature of transformational leaders." Just by adding that one extra subtopic, you have created a narrower lens through which to start analyzing the literature. Adding one or two more subtopics to the sentence can narrow your focus even further:
• Identify a main topic (two or three keywords) within the domain of organizational behavior.
• Identify a subtopic (another keyword or two) through which you could "look at" your main topic.
• As needed, you may want to identify another subtopic through which you could "look at" your main topic and first subtopic.
• State that combination of topics or subtopics as a topical sentence or topical question . . . "What does the literature say about . . ."
• Start reviewing some scholarly literature. What is it saying about your topical sentence? Capture the most important information from each article that informs, clarifies, challenges, or raises questions about the topic you are beginning to develop.
• Begin segmenting or grouping the literature. Are there different points of view?
• Complete a review of at least four to five articles or other scholarly pieces of literature:
o Focus on current literature (last five years).
o How has the literature helped you reshape your topical sentence/question?
o What are some initial gaps in the existing literature that you are beginning to observe?
o How would you restate your topic sentence/question after reviewing some initial literature?
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
o The answer should be typed, using Times New Roman font (size 12), double spaced, with one-inch margins on all sides.
o The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
o Also include a reference page. The Citations and references must follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.