Full Description
This user-friendly guide helps students get started on--and complete--a successful doctoral dissertation proposal by accessibly explaining the process and breaking it down into manageable steps. Steven R. Terrell demonstrates how to write each chapter of the proposal, including the problem statement, purpose statement, and research questions and hypotheses; literature review; and detailed plan for data collection and analysis. Of special utility, end-of-chapter exercises serve as building blocks for developing a full draft of an original proposal. Numerous case study examples are drawn from across the social, behavioral, and health science disciplines. Appendices present an exemplary proposal written three ways to encompass quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods designs.User-Friendly Features*"Let's Start Writing" exercises leading up to a complete proposal draft.*"Do You Understand?" checklists of key terms plus an end-of-book glossary.*End-of-chapter quizzes with answers.*Case study examples from education, psychology, health sciences, business, and information systems.*Sample proposal with three variants of the methods chapter: quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods.
Contents
1. Developing the Problem Statement for Your Dissertation ProposalIntroductionThe Doctoral ExperienceThe Problem Is the ProblemFinding a Good Research ProblemCharacteristics of a Good ProblemWriting the Problem StatementThe Problem Statement as Part of a Dissertation ProposalSummary of Chapter OneDo You Understand These Key Words and Phrases?Let's Start Writing Our Own Proposal2. Writing Purpose Statements, Research Questions, and HypothesesIntroductionThe Quantitative Purpose StatementPurpose Statements for Qualitative StudiesDefining and Describing a Research QuestionThe Methodological Point of DepartureResearch Questions Will Ultimately Lead to the Study's Research MethodGetting Back to Stating Our Research QuestionA Word of Caution!Putting It Together: Problem Statements, Purpose Statements, and Research QuestionsProblem Statements, Purpose Statements, and Research Questions in the LiteratureStating Hypotheses for Your Research StudyAn Example of Stating Our HypothesesUnderstanding the Four Basic Rules for HypothesesThe Direction of HypothesesHypotheses Must Be Testable via the Collection and Analysis of DataResearch versus Null HypothesesAll Hypotheses Must Include the Word "Significant"Other Parts of Chapter 1 of the DissertationSummary of Chapter TwoDo You Understand These Key Words and Phrases?Review QuestionsProgress Check for Chapter 1 of the Dissertation Proposal: The IntroductionLet's Continue Writing Our Own Dissertation Proposal3. Writing the Review of Literature for Your StudyIntroductionWhat Is a Review of Literature and What Is Its Purpose?There Isn't a Magic Formula for Writing a Review of LiteraturePhase 1. Getting Ready to Write a Review of LiteraturePhase 2. Writing the Review of LiteratureSummary of Chapter ThreeDo You Understand These Key Words and Phrases?Review QuestionsProgress Check for Chapter 3 of the Dissertation Proposal: The Review of LiteratureLet's Continue Writing Our Own Dissertation Proposal4. The First Part of Your Dissertation Research MethodIntroductionPhilosophy 101The Research ParadigmNonrandom (Nonprobabalistic) SamplingIdentifying the Population and a Sample for Your StudySummary of the Sampling ProcessData Collection InstrumentsInstruments for Quantitative ResearchInstruments for Qualitative ResearchReliability and ValidityPlans for Data AnalysisEthical ConsiderationsPlans for Presenting the ResultsSummary of Your ProposalSummary of Chapter Four: The First Part of Your Dissertation Research MethodDo You Understand These Key Words and Phrases?Review Questions5. Quantitative Research MethodsIntroductionDifferent Types of DataQuantitative Research DesignsSurvey ResearchCorrelational ResearchCausal-Comparative ResearchHypothesis TestingExperimental ResearchThe Validity of Your StudyThreats to the Internal Validity of Your StudyThreats to the External Validity of Your StudyExperimental Research DesignsPreexperimental DesignsQuasi-Experimental DesignsExperimental DesignsPutting This All Together for the Quantitative Dissertation ProposalChapter 3 of a Quantitative Dissertation ProposalOur First Example of Chapter 3 of a ProposalSummary of Chapter FiveDo You Understand These Key Words and Phrases?Review QuestionsProgress Check for Chapter 3 of a Quantitative Dissertation ProposalLet's Continue Writing Our Own Dissertation ProposalAppendix 5.1. Example of a Descriptive Research StudyAppendix 5.2. Example of a Correlational Research StudyAppendix 5.3. Example of a Quasi-Experimental Research StudyAppendix 5.4. Example of an Experimental Research StudyAppendix 5.5. Threats to the Validity of an Experimental Study6. Qualitative Research MethodsIntroductionAn Overview of Qualitative MethodologiesThe Role of the ResearcherThe Format of a Qualitative Dissertation ProposalChapter 1 of a Qualitative Dissertation Proposal: The IntroductionChapter 3 of a Qualitative Dissertation Proposal: Research MethodsChoosing the Right Qualitative Research MethodParticipants and SamplingInstrumentsResearch ProceduresPlans for Data AnalysisThe Validity and Reliability of a Qualitative StudyEthical ConsiderationsPlans for Presenting the ResultsSummarySummary of Chapter SixDo You Understand These Key Words and Phrases?Review QuestionsProgress Check for Chapter 3 of a Qualitative Dissertation ProposalLet's Continue Writing Our Own Dissertation ProposalAppendix 6.1. Narrative Study Procedures: The Case of the Unfortunate DepartureAppendix 6.2. Phenomenological Study Procedures: The Case of Sending Your Child to SafetyAppendix 6.3. Ethnographic Study Procedures: The Case of Climbing the MountainAppendix 6.4. Case Study Procedures: The Case of the Standardized TestAppendix 6.5. Grounded Theory Procedures: The Case of HomelessnessAppendix 6.6. Content Analysis Procedures: The Case of the Eye Witness7. Mixed Methods Research DesignsIntroductionAn Overview of Mixed Methods ResearchThe Format of a Mixed Methods ProposalChapter 1 of a Mixed Methods Study: The IntroductionBackground, Statement of the Problem, and Significance of the StudyThe Central Purpose of the StudyResearch QuestionsHypotheses for Mixed Methods StudiesChapter 2 of a Mixed Methods Dissertation Proposal: The Review of LiteratureChapter 3 of a Mixed Methods Dissertation Proposal: Research MethodsThe Mixed Methods ParadigmResearch DesignThe Three Major Mixed Methods DesignsParticipants and SamplingInstrumentsResearch ProceduresPlans for Data AnalysisEthical ConsiderationsPlans for Presenting the ResultsSummary of Chapter SevenDo You Understand These Key Words and Phrases?Review QuestionsProgress Check for Chapter 3 of a Mixed Methods Dissertation Proposal: The Research MethodsAppendix 7.1. Sequential Explanatory Design: The Case of the TutorsAppendix 7.2. Sequential Exploratory Design: The Case of the AcademiesAppendix 7.3. Convergent Design: The Case of Calling It InEpilogue: Have We Accomplished What We Set Out to Do?Appendix A. Progress Check for Chapter 1 of a Dissertation Proposal: The IntroductionAppendix B. Progress Check for Chapter 2 of a Dissertation Proposal: The Review of LiteratureAppendix C. Progress Check for Chapter 3 of a Quantitative Dissertation ProposalAppendix D. Progress Check for Chapter 3 of a Qualitative Dissertation ProposalAppendix E. Progress Check for Chapter 3 of a Mixed Methods Dissertation ProposalAnswers to Review QuestionsGlossaryReferencesIndexAbout the Author
