r7000/b7001/e7111 introduction to advanced academic study...
TRANSCRIPT
R7000/B7001/E7111
Introduction to Advanced Academic Study & Writing
Fall I 2008
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Q. Chen
PHONE:
312-777-7650
EMAIL:
FAX:
312-777-7649
ALT PHONE:
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Title: Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association
Author: American Psychological Association
Edition / Copyright: 5TH 01
Publisher: 5TH 01
ISBN: 1557987912
Title: Dissertations And Theses from Start to Finish: Psychology And Related Fields
Author: John D. Cone & Sharon L. Foster
Edition / Copyright: 2nd, 06
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
ISBN: 1591473624
Title: A Cross Section of Educational Research: Journal Articles for Discussion and Evaluation
Author: by Lawrence S. Lyne (Editor)
Edition / Copyright: 4th, 08Publisher: Pyrczak Pub
ISBN: 1884585809
This Course Requires the Purchase of a Course Packet: YES NO
Please read these articles before class starts Friday 9/6/08. The articles can be accessed through Course Reserve under my name Chen, Qi at the library website at www.auchicagolib.org. On the left column, click on OnlineCatalog, then choose Course reserve.
Argosy University
COURSE SYLLABUS
R7000/B7001/E7111 Introduction to Advanced Academic Study & Writing
Faculty Information
Faculty Name: Dr. Qi Chen – Fall I 2008
Campus: Chicago/Loop
Contact Information: [email protected]
Telephone Number: 312-777-7650
Office Hours: By Appointment
Short Faculty Bio:
Philosophy
I have been working in higher education my entire professional career after I completed my Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Language in 1980. First I taught English as a second language at a major university in Shanghai, China. During the next 8 years, I taught freshman and sophomore English reading, writing and composition while serving on curriculum research committees. I was also a teacher in elementary and high schools during the 1990s. I became a librarian in 1991 and have been providing research assistance and conducting research workshops and seminars for graduate and doctoral students as well as for faculty for past 16 years. I have also been serving on and chairing dissertation committees since 2007. I earned a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership from Argosy University in 2006, a Master of Education from Indiana State University in 1991 and a Master in Library and Information Science from Dominican University (formally Rosary College) in 1996
Course description:
This course demystifies the doctoral level research process and provides a solid foundation for academic writing by analyzing and
evaluating current research articles, literature reviews, and dissertations. Emphasis will be placed on APA style guidelines, preparation
for the doctoral comprehensive examination, and university publication requirements. It also includes a self-inventory based on state
and national standards and develops a self-improvement plan that is the basis for activities during internship.
Course Pre-requisites: None
Required Textbook:
Title: Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association
Author: American Psychological Association
Edition / Copyright: 5TH 01
Publisher: 5TH 01
ISBN: 1557987912
Title: Dissertations And Theses from Start to Finish: Psychology And Related Fields
Author: John D. Cone & Sharon L. Foster
Edition / Copyright: 2nd, 06
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
ISBN: 1591473624
Title: A Cross Section of Educational Research: Journal Articles for Discussion and Evaluation
Author: by Lawrence S. Lyne (Editor)
Edition / Copyright: 4th, 2008
Publisher: Pyrczak Pub
ISBN: 1884585809
Recommended Textbooks:
DISSERTATION PROCESS
Babbie, E. R. (2001). The basics of social research. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing. ISBN: 0534519040
Bryant, T. (2004). The portable dissertation advisor. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. ISBN: 0761946969
Butler, F.P. (1999). Business research sources: A reference navigator. New York, NY: Irwin/McGraw-Hill. ISBN: 025623003X
Galvan, J. (1999). Writing literature reviews. Los Angeles, CA: Prczak Publishing. ISBN: 1884585183
Girden, E. (2000). Evaluating research articles (2nd
ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. ISBN: 0761922148
Issac, S., & Michael, W.B. (1995). Handbook in research and evaluation: A collection of principles, methods, and strategies useful in the
planning, design, and evaluation of studies in education and the behavioral sciences (3rd
ed.). San Diego, CA: EdiTS. ISBN:
0912736321
Locke, L. F., Spirduso, W. W., & Silverman, S. J. (1993). Proposals that work: A guide for planning dissertations and grant proposals
(3rd
ed.). Newberry Park, CA: Sage Publications. ISBN: 0716917071
McNicol, A., & Pexman, P. M. (1999). Presenting your findings: A practical guide for creating tables. Washington, DC: American
Psychological Association. ISBN: 1557985936
McNicol, A., & Pexman, P. M. (2003). Displaying your findings: A practical guide for creating figures, posters, and presentations.
Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. ISBN: 1557989788
SURVEY DATA COLLECTION:
Babbie, E. (1990). Survey research methods. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing. ISBN: 0534126723
ACTION RESEARCH:
Stringer, E. T. (1999). Action research (2nd
ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. ISBN: 0761917136
Herr, K., & Anderson, G. L. (2005). The action research dissertation: A guide for students and faculty. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Publications. ISBN: 0761929916
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS:
Cramer, D. (1998). Fundamental statistics for social research (2nd
ed.). New York, NY: Routledge. ISBN: 0415172039
Levine, M., Berenson, M., & Stephan, D. (1999). Statistics for managers. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. ISBN: 0130203122
Sweet, S. (1999). Data Analysis with SPSS. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. ISBN 0205340571
QUALITATIVE METHODS AND ANALYSIS:
Bogdan, R.C., & Biklen, S. K. (2003). Qualitative research for education. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon Publishers. ISBN: 0205375561
Creswell, J. W. (2002). Research Design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications ISBN:
0761924426
Creswell, J. W. (1997). Qualitative inquiry and research design. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. ISBN: 0761901442
Delamont, S. (2001). Fieldwork in educational settings: Methods, pitfalls, and perspectives. Falmer Press. ISBN: 041524837X
Merriam, S. (1998). Qualitative research and case study applications in education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publications.
Merriam, S. & Associates (2002). Qualitative research in practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publications. ISBN: 0787958596
Wolcott, H. F. (1990). Writing up qualitative research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. ISBN: 0803937938
Writing Textbooks:
E-JOURNALS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND RESOURCES ON THE WEB
http://aera-cr.asu.edu/links.html
http://www.springeronline.com/sgw/cda/frontpage/0,11855,5-40406-0-0-0,00.html
WEBLIOGRAPHY
Evaluating Internet Sources - http://www.virtualsalt.com/evalu8it.htm
Publication Guides - http://www.aresearchguide.com/
US Federal Government and links to State and Local - www.firstgov.gov
Government Printing Office Access - http://www.gpoaccess.gov/index.html
The Grantmanship Center - http://www.tgci.com/
National Council of University Research Administrators - http://www.ncura.edu/
Polaris Grants Central - http://polarisgrantscentral.net/
Proposal Writing and Research Development - http://www.umass.edu/research/ora/dev.html
Online multiple-language dictionaries - http://www.alphadictionary.com/index.shtml
The New Teacher's Guide to the U.S. Department of Education - http://www.ed.gov/pubs/TeachersGuide
ERIC - www.eric.ed.gov
Practical Teaching Ideas - www.ncte.org/teach
Education Resources - www.educationindex.com/educator
Statistical software is helpful for data analysis when they start writing their dissertations.
SPSS 11.0 FOR Mac OS or SPSS 13.0 Graduate Version. Software for statistical analysis of data in table format. Able to compute parametric
and non-parametric tests of significance, compute effect size and create graphs or figures. Available at www.spss.com, at local college books
stores (such as University of California), online campus bookstores or through E-Bay. About $190
Endnote 8 for Students Only [Endnote 7.0 for Mac] Software to create reference databases, create and format in-text citations and reference lists.
Available at Amazon.com for $94.99. http://www.endnote.com/
PERIODICALS
Kappan - www.pdkintl.org
Journal of Research on Technology in Education (JRTE) - www.iste.org
Journal of Information Systems Education - www.jise.appstate.edu
Learning and Leading with Technology - www.iste.org/LL
Journal of Computing in Higher Education - www-unix.oit.umass.edu/~carolm/jche/
Educational Leadership - www.ascd.org
Reading online - www.readingonline.org
Teachers College Record - www.tcrecord.org
Current Issues in Education -http://cie.asu.edu
DeLiberations - www.city.londonmet.ac.uk/deliberations
Harvard Educational Journal - http://gseweb.harvard.edu/~hepg/her.html
Education Next- www.educationnext.org
Academic Leadership- www.academicleadership.org
Journal for Research in Mathematics Education – http://my.nctm.org/eresources/journal_home.asp?journal_id=1
IEJ International Education Journal - http://eij.cjb.net
National Forum Journal- www.nationalforum.com
Journal of Higher Education Policy & Management – www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/1360080x.asp
Technology: Pentium III CPU/ Windows 98; 128MB RAM printer; Microsoft Office: Acrobat (full version); Microsoft Internet
Explorer 5.5 (PC), 5.0 (MAC), or Netscape Navigator 4.08; Norton Antivirus.
Course length: 2 Weekends and 7.5 Sessions
Friday Sept. 6th
– Sunday, Sept.8th
Friday Oct. 3rd
– Sunday, Oct.5th
Friday 6:00pm – 9:59pm
Sat: 9:00am – 4:59pm
Sun: 9:00am – 12:59pm
Credit Value: 3.0
Program Outcomes:
EdD EL Program Outcomes
EdD IL Program Outcomes
EdD CCExL Program Outcomes
Course Objectives:
1. Become adept at using APA style formatting. (Program Outcomes in EL: 2.1; Program Outcomes in IL: 2.1; Program Outcomes in
CCExL: 2)
2. Critically evaluate prior research that supports or confirms the proposed study. (Program Outcomes in EL: 1.2, 3.1; Program
Outcomes in IL: 1.2, 3.1; Program Outcomes in CCExL: 3, 6, 9)
3. Evaluate current literature and compile reference list. (Program Outcomes in EL: 2.1, 3.2; Program Outcomes in IL: 2.1, 3.2;
Program Outcomes in CCExL: 2, 6)
4. Critically discuss expected results in the context of knowledge of relevant theory, policy and practice. (Program Outcomes in EL:
1.4, 2.1, 3.1, 9.1; Program Outcomes in IL: 1.4, 2.1, 3.1, 9.1; Program Outcomes in CCExL: 1, 3, 7)
5. Consider possible conclusions that take into account limitations of their research. (Program Outcomes in EL: 1.4, 3.1; Program
Outcomes in IL: 1.4, 3.1; Program Outcomes in CCExL: 3, 7, 9)
6. Develop a perspective for a dissertation. (Program Outcomes in EL: 3.1; Program Outcomes in IL: 3.1; Program Outcomes in
CCExL: 3)
7. Complete a self-inventory based on state and national standards. (Program Outcomes in EL: 3.1, 4.2, 5.6; Program Outcomes in
IL: 3.1, 4.2, 5.6; Program Outcomes in CCExL: 6, 10)
8. Develop a self-improvement plan that is the basis for activities during field experience. (Program Outcomes in EL: 1.4, 3.1;
Program Outcomes in IL: 1.4, 3.1; Program Outcomes in CCExL: 3, 7)
9. Understand the major prospects of the dissertation process. (Program Outcomes in EL: 3.1; Program Outcomes in IL: 3.1; Program
Outcomes in CCExL: 3, 9)
Assignment Table:
Session Topics Readings Assignments
1 Field and Internship Experience
The Comprehensive Examination
Field Experience
The Dissertation Guide
Article and Electronic
Dissertations Online Search
Cone & Foster
Chapter 1: What
are Theses and
Dissertations and
Why Write a
Book about
Them?
Lyne
Article 1:
Involving
Students in
School Violence
Prevention: Are
They Willing to
Help?
Article 8: The
Significance of
Language and
Cultural
Education on
Secondary
Achievement: A
Survey of
Chinese-American
and Korean-
American
Students.
Article 29:
Program to
Discussion Questions:
1.1. A classmate asks you to critique the first draft of a literature review
she has written for a class assignment. While reading the draft, you
realize that she has, for the most part, simply summarized one study after
another—each summarized in its own paragraph. Based on the
information in this chapter, what advice would you give her? Justify your
answer.
1.2. Do you have any specific future goals and/or activities that might
influence your selection of a topic? If so, describe them.
1.3. Suppose the topic you are considering is ―career counseling.‖ At the
time of this writing, 2,038 journal articles were retrieved via a basic ERIC
keyword search. Name a demographic variable that could be used to
delimit the topic and, hence, retrieve a more manageable number of
references.
Assignments:
1.1. Application
Write very brief descriptions of at least two preliminary topic ideas in
which you have a personal interest. Explain why you think these topics
are suitable for your study. Search all relevant sources for a survey article
or study on the topic that you have chosen for your project. Identify
sources (Websites, journals etc.) that are useful, summarize the article,
and discuss your thoughts in approximately two pages. Be sure to submit
your preliminary topic ideas in a Word document, with 12 pt font and
double spacing.
1.2. Field Experience
Task# 1
Reduce
Behavioral
Infractions and
Referrals to
Special Education.
Guide to Dissertation
Before the end of this course, attend a proposal or dissertation defense
and observe the process. Note the elements of the defense such as the
students’ presentation strategies, the approach of the faculty, and the
standard procedural guidelines. Write a reflective paper on your
experience and reaction after attending a defense, and submit it as a two–
page, double-spaced document.
Task#2:
By Week 5, visit five different sites (school districts or appropriate
organizations) where you could possibly do your internship in E7233 and
analyze these sites. Submit this assignment as a Word document using 12
pt font and double-spacing. Make sure it does not exceed two pages. Also
read the guidelines in and complete the Internship Form before beginning
the assignment.
1.3. See Course Project toward the end of the syllabus.
2 APA formatting, Review
Paraphrasing, Summarizing, and
Analyzing
Citations, Footnotes, and
Bibliographies
APA - Title page
Prospectus v. Dissertation
Dissertation Sections
Cone & Foster
Chapter 2: Starting
Out: Assessing
Your Preparation
for the Task
Ahead
Chapter 5:
Formulating and
Communicating
Your Plans: An
Overview of the
Proposal
APA
Quality of
Content,
Discussion Questions:
2.1. You are writing a paper and are faced with an ethical dilemma about
citing a source for an idea (such as not being able to recall the source but
wanting to use the idea anyway)? How will you resolve this situation?
Justify your response.
2.2. Identify at least five facts, concepts, or ideas you believe are
―common knowledge‖ whose sources do not need to be cited. Provide
reasons for your selections. Discuss them with your classmates to see if
they agree with you.
2.3. The authors of a certain literature review wrote the statement:
―Providing for defense and security is a singular and defining purpose of
national government.‖ The context in which this sentence appears makes
it clear hat the authors are referring to the national government of the
United States. However, the authors do not cite a reference for the
Characteristics of
Articles, and Parts
of a Manuscript in
Chapter 1:
Content and
Organization of a
Manuscript
Chapter 5:
Manuscript
Preparation and
Sample Papers to
be Submitted for
Publication
sentence. Do you believe they should have cited a reference, or do you
think the sentence makes a statement that is common knowledge? Justify
your response.
2.4. Interview someone who has successfully completed their doctoral
degree and write a synopsis of your learning. After providing a brief
overview of the person and their dissertation, share with us what advice
they have for you as a new doctoral student.
2.5. This week, you learned that a literature review synthesizes the
literature on a topic. In your own words, how would you define a
―synthesis‖? What features, in your opinion, constitute a good synthesis?
2.6. Consider a topic on which you might write a literature review. At this
point, can you think of any criteria that you might use for the inclusion
(and/or exclusion) of literature? Explain.
2.7. Speculate the three major reasons why you believe methodologically
weak articles are sometimes published (even in highly respected
journals.)
Assignments:
2.1. Application
Locate a dissertation in a library or the Argosy Online library and
evaluate the literature review chapter.
2.2. See Course Project toward the end of the syllabus.
3 Evaluating Prior Studies
Problem
Purpose
Cone & Foster
Chapter 4:
Finding Topics
and Faculty
Collaborators
Discussion Questions:
3.1. One of your colleagues states that the study on psychoanalysis
―proves‖ hypnosis works in cases of Multiple Personality Disorder.
After this week’s lecture on evaluating studies, are you still inclined to
take this statement at face value or would you be cautious about
Background and Need for the
Study
Lyne
Article 33: Urban
School Principals
and Their Role as
Multicultural
Leaders Urban
Education
(Observation,
collection of
documents and
interviews)
Article 6: A
Comparison of
How Textbooks
Teach
Mathematical
Problem Solving
in Japan and the
United States
Article 10: The
Effects of
Computer-
Assisted
Instruction on
First-Grade
Students'
Vocabulary
Development
believing such a statement? Support your response with examples.
3.2. Debate: If a difference is statistically significant, is it necessarily
large? If not, what does the fact that a difference is statistically
significant tell you?
3.3. In your opinion, should writers of literature reviews state their own
conclusions drawn from literature, or should they describe the literature
in a cohesive essay but ―let the facts speak for themselves‖ instead of
stating their own conclusions? Discuss the pros and cons of both views.
Support your response with appropriate scenarios.
3.4. Visit your library and investigate a topic of your choice using the
databases available there.
Assignments:
3.1. Application
In the samples given below, the authors’ have clearly stated the
background and need for their own studies.
a. Can you isolate and identify each of them?
b. If you were to conduct research on the same topics, how would
your phrasing and approach be different?
c. The paper should not exceed 3 pages and must be submitted as
a Word document. It should be double-spaced and in 12pt font.
Include an additional page that lists your citations. The paper
should be written in APA style.
i.) Progressive Classroom Practices
―Previous research studies describing progressive classroom
practices have focused on only one or two conditions, such as:
prosocial education, which emphasizes cooperative learning
and building a caring community (Development Studies Center,
1994); whole language theory and classroom practices
(Freeman & Freeman, 1997; Goodman, Goodman, & Flores,
1979); learning conditions (Cambourne, 1988); and
bilingualism and language acquisition (Collier & Ovando,
1985; Krashen & Iber, 1988). Although these and other scholars
have contributed to our understanding of the potential for
dynamic holistic learning environments, there is a need for
more research on critical pedagogy and elementary school
practices. Few studies are available (Hudelson, 1994; Moll,
1990; Pérez & Torres-Guzmán, 1996; Whitmore & Crowell,
1994) that demonstrate the application of critical pedagogy as it
relates to elementary school bilingual students. These studies
address questions of student learning, whole language
instruction, and relationships between schooling and the
sociocultural processes.‖
Arce, J. (2000). Developing Voices: Transformative Education
in a First-Grade Two-Way Spanish Immersion Classroom, A
Participatory Study [Electronic Version]. Bilingual Research
Journal. Retrieved September 29, 2005, from
http://brj.asu.edu/v243/articles/art3.html
ii.) Cross-Cultural Counseling
The need to evaluate cross-cultural counseling theories and
practices as well as traditional theoretical approaches has been
documented in the literature (Copeland, 1979, 1982; Gunnings
& Simpkins, 1972; Smith, 1985; Sue, S., 1981). As indicated in
the literature, to date, there does not exist a consensus on what
theories, approaches and practices should be used within ethnic
minority groups. Hilliard (1986) pointed out that research in the
field of cross-cultural counseling has been relatively subjective.
He asserted that there was a need to conduct research to provide
evidence to support the various existing theories on cross-
cultural counseling as well as to add to traditional counseling
approaches.
---
Additionally, the overall aim of this present study is to (a) bring
attention to areas of need counselors have with respect to cross-cultural
counseling, (b) sensitize counselor education program administrators to
these needs for incorporation into current training programs, and (c)
most importantly, since there is evidence to support the contention that
most counselor education programs are not sure how to go about
strengthening their multi-cultural components, it is hoped that the
information generated from this study will add to this area.
Gillian, S.P. (1990). An Assessment of the Cross-Cultural Training
Needs of South Carolina Counselors. (ERIC Document Reproduction
Service No. ED364635)
3.2. See Course Project toward the end of the syllabus.
4 Sections of Chapter One
Theoretical Foundation of the
Study
Research questions and
hypotheses
Limitations and Delimitations
Definitions
Significance of the Study to the
Field of Education
In-text Citations
Cone & Foster
Chapter 6:
Reviewing the
Literature
APA
Parts of a
Manuscript (read
half only) in
Chapter 1:
Content and
Organization of a
Manuscript
Reference
Citations in Text
from Chapter 3:
APA Editorial
Style
Discussion Questions:
4.1. Is it necessary to choose between a dichotomy of ―highly
qualitative approach‖ versus ―highly quantitative approach‖ when
writing a literature review? Debate.
4.2. What, in your opinion, is one of the most common flaws in writing
literature reviews?
Assignments:
4.1. Application
Here is a sample of five paragraphs from Chapter One of a proposal
that shows the outline of the topics that were discussed in the Literature
Review of Chapter Three. Evaluate all using the criteria from Chapter
1. Then, retrieve the entire text of one of the sources to further evaluate
the chapter in no more than two pages.
a. Distance Education
John Dewey's theory of learning and growth urges educators to
think of learning as at once both social and cognitive (Dewey
1960, 1980, 1997). Schlosser and Anderson's (1994) Iowa
model follows Keegan's theory of distance education in which
the distance learning system must artificially recreate the
teaching-learning interaction and reintegrate it back into the
instructional process. Perraton (1988) defines the role of
distance educator as a facilitator of the learning process, which
proceeds as knowledge building among teacher and students.
Russell's Compendium (1999) asserts that distance education
has no adverse effect on student performance when compared
to face-to-face classroom experience.
b. Asynchronous Learning Networks
Most of the research on asynchronous learning networks
(ALNs) has attempted to identify how much students learn from
ALN courses compared to traditional classroom contexts.
Perhaps one of the broadest efforts at investigating
asynchronous learning was reported by Arvan, Ory, Bullock,
Burnaska and Hanson (1998).
c. Information Processing
Bredo (1994) states that the instructional model affects how
information is communicated to the student as well as the way
the student constructs new knowledge. Currently there are two
opposing views which have an impact on instructional design:
symbol-processing and situated cognition.
d. Learning Styles
Many studies on learning styles have been carried out on
subjects ranging from infants to adults. The combinations or
scores on D. A. Kolb's Learning Style Inventory (LSI)
corresponds to four types of learners: accommodators,
assimilators, convergers, and divergers. Svinicki and Dixon
(1987) suggested that the Kolb model be used to identify
learning styles and to implement learning sequences through
the full cycle of concrete experience, reflective observation,
abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation.
Rochetto, Buckles and Barath (1992) contend that different
media delivery systems can be used to enhance different
learning styles. Becker and Dwyer (1998) found that students
who preferred learning more visually felt learning was
enhanced by groupware used in the classroom while students
who preferred learning more verbally did not feel that the
groupware helped the learning process as much.
e. Social Dimension
Farmington (1999) compares the social experience of
undergraduate education to the social dimension of distance
education. Hiltz (1986) narrows this comparison to focus
specifically on distance education using asynchronous learning
using computer networks. Harasim (1989) considers that the
nature of the medium influences the social interactions it
carries. According to Lave and Wenger, when understood as
socially situated, learning can be described as a process of
becoming a part of a community of practice.
(Source: Successful Internet-based Instruction: The Correlation of
Learning Styles with Asynchronous Learning Performance, A
Dissertation Outline Presented to The Faculty of the School of
Education Organization and Leadership Department by Elaine M.
Artman, University of San Francisco)
4.2. Field Experience
At the beginning of this course, you were directed to visit five different
sites (school districts or appropriate organizations) where you could
possibly do your internship toward the end of your coursework, and
analyze these sites.
Submit your analysis this week in the form of a paper not exceeding
five pages. Identify one site you think is suitable for your internship
and justify your response.
4.3. See Course Project toward the end of the syllabus.
5 Methodology
Literature Review
Cone & Foster
Chapter 7:
Research
Methodology and
Ethics
Chapter 8:
Measurement
Chapter 9:
Selecting the
Appropriate
Statistics
APA
Parts of a
Manuscript
(Complete
reading) in
Chapter 1:
Content and
Organization of a
Manuscript
Chapter 4:
Reference List
Discussion Questions:
5.1. Your class is writing a literature review on a dissertation selected
from the Argosy Online database. Opinion is divided on where the
overview should be placed. Would you recommend that an overview
be placed near the beginning or near the end of a literature review?
Support your response with good and bad examples.
5.2. What is your opinion of the following statement of implications
included near the end of the Conclusions and Implications section of a
research report?
―The implication of this finding is that teachers need to be more
sensitive to students’ needs.‖
5.3. Your colleague, Ms. Sherman, is writing a literature review and
asks you to read it. You find she has reviewed many variables related
to her topic. What would you suggest that she consider including in the
title of her review?
5.4. For which of the following should you include the date that you
consulted the reference?
a. Material posted on the Web.
b. Material published in a journal.
c. Material published in a book.
Justify your response.
5.5. You are reading the literature review of a research report, when
you come across the following material. ―The beneficial effects of
social rapport have been conclusively established over decades of
scientific research. The availability of social support significantly
enhances people’s general well being and happiness as well as their
ability to withstand a variety of major stressors such as serious illness
(Coyne & Smith, 1994). On the other hand, people who lack social
support appear to be at risk for developing a range of physical and
mental health problems. For instance, those who do not have
satisfying…‖In your opinion, does the first sentence provide a strong
beginning for the review? Does the second sentence emphasize
authorship or content? Present your response in the form of a paper.
5.6. The Methodology section needs to include details about the
location, participants, the selection process, the instruments or
apparatus used to collect new data, the procedures followed, and the
data analysis tools used. Do you feel that all of this information is
necessary—is some redundant? Is there any other information you
think should be included? Illustrate your responses with examples.
5.7. Review the Sample Dissertation in Resources and comment on the
Methodology section. What elements, according to you, are effective
and what does it lack? If you were the author, what would you include
and why?
Assignments:
5.1. Application
Critique the following title of a literature review. ―Socioeconomic
Status Plays a Role in Determining Physical Health.‖ Submit your
critique as a Microsoft Word document, in 12 pt font and double-
spaced. Make sure the critique does not exceed two pages. Also, use
APA 5th
ed. style.
5.2. Creating a self-inventory and improvement plan.
Read the article ―Leader Standards Comparison‖ and look at the
various national and state standards. Based on the information in this
article, you will now create a self-inventory and improvement plan. In
approximately 500-700 words (one page), give a specific self-appraisal
of your strengths, weaknesses, and personal qualities you believe will
contribute to your success in your chosen field of study. Include a
discussion of those personal characteristics you have developed as a
result of your education and training. Include in your self-assessment
any significant and relevant experiences that have strongly impacted
your self-awareness and ultimate decision to continue to pursue your
chosen career.
5.3. See Course Project toward the end of the syllabus.
6 Turning the Prospectus into a
Proposal
The Defense Process
Revising the Proposal into a
Dissertation
Cone & Foster
Review Chapter 9:
Selecting the
Appropriate
Statistics
Discussion Questions:
6.1. In the following reference, what element is missing its italics?
Doe, J. Y. (2004). An experimental study of the feasibility of
modifying the school lunch program. New Journal of Educational
Studies and Research, 63, 555-578.
Study the APA 5th ed. style guide. How would you rewrite the same
reference if it were an article published in a journal?
6.2. The following reference to a journal article contains information
that is not needed to identify the article. What information is not
needed?
Smith, J.Y. (2004). A new experiment on the feasibility of further
modifying the school lunch program. Extensive Lunch Programs
Journal, 33, Issue 52, 67-74.
Explain. Support your response with a citation to the APA 5th ed. style
guide.
6.3. You’ve been using the Internet to conduct research while writing
your literature review for class. You locate some interesting material
but decided not to include it in the literature review. Should you
include a reference to it in your reference list? Why?
6.4. Are the introduction and literature review always integrated into a
single section? Is it different for a proposal compared to the final
dissertation? How is the prospectus different from the proposal?
Assignments:
6.1. Application
Complete as directed by the facilitator.
Select a dissertation from Electronic Dissertations and submit a one-
page summary and critique of this dissertation. The summary is written
like an abstract, which according to APA is less than 150 words, and
should include the need for the study, the purpose of the study, the
theoretical framework, the method and participants, results, and
recommendations for future research. The critique should include a
discussion of any issues you believe may have an impact on the
validity or reliability of the results of this study, any recommendations
for future research that you believe should be added, and any other
reactions you have to this study.
6.2. See Course Project toward the end of the syllabus.
7 Results, Discussion,
Recommendation Sections
Review of Human Subject(s)
Cone & Foster
Chapter 11:
Presenting the
Results
Chapter 12:
Discussing the
Results
Discussion Questions:
7.1. Your colleague, Martin, is reading a research report, which begins
with the researchers stating that ―many young adolescents continue to
attend school even though they have mentally dropped out.‖ In your
opinion, is this an important point to make in the introduction to this
particular study? If so, would you find it useful to have more
information on this issue?
7.2. Study Article 17, #9 in the Lawrence S. Lyne textbook. In your
opinion, has the program been described in sufficient detail? Explain.
Also, the participants in the study were described as one science
teacher from a small, rural middle school, and 15 seventh-grade and 18
eighth grade students in his two science courses. Is this sample
sufficiently large enough to generalize results to a larger population?
Justify your response.
7.3. You are reading a report that states that the control group consisted
of ―similar individuals.‖ Debate: Would it be helpful to know how the
researchers determined their similarity?
Assignments:
7.1. Assume you are conducting a study on the topic mentioned in
article 17 of the Lyne textbook. Describe the research methodology
you would follow. Compare this with the research methodology that is
described in the text. Outline your findings.
Describe the methodology you would follow for selecting the control
group for your research. Identify at least three tools (questionnaires,
etc) you would use.
7.2. See Course Project toward the end of the syllabus.
8 Final Prospectus Presentations,
Critique and Feedback
Course Summary
Discussion Questions:
8.1. Evaluate how the course has met your expectations.
8.2. Of the concepts covered in this course, identify the concepts that
you feel are the most and least relevant today. Rationalize your
response with examples.
Assignment:
8.1. See Course Project toward the end of the syllabus.
Course Project: Prospectus
Overview
You will propose a study. As defined in the Argosy University Guide to the Dissertation Process on p. 18, a Prospectus is a three (3) to five
(5) page document, which will aid faculty in deciding whether they will serve on your committee. It is a requirement of the dissertation
process.
General Project Instructions
You need to include:
- A brief statement about the nature of the your research topic area,
- Your experience or ability to conduct the research or evaluation,
- What reading you have already completed related to the research, and
- Enough information to allow the faculty committee nominees to ask questions before committing themselves to the committee.
In addition to the narrative, attach:
- A short bibliography of past related reading,
- A suggested literature review outline that includes databases and key words related to the research topic, and (4 major sub-topics
(background) with 6-8 studies listed and referenced under each topic)
A Brief proposed methodology
- Theoretical framework
- A ―best guess‖ at a timeline for completion of the three Dissertation blocks:
Dissertation Block 1
Dissertation Block 2
Dissertation Block 3
Presentation
You will prepare your dissertation prospectus as a Word document to be emailed directly to your instructor. However, you will present it using
a PowerPoint presentation.
Session 1 Introduction to the Prospectus
Task #1 Introduction section
Introduce yourself to your class colleagues and tell them the following:
- Your name and home campus
- The working title of your proposed study i.e. your topic.
- Your professional expertise and personal background that you bring to the research project (This is part of your research prospectus but not
the proposal.)
- Your timeline for completing the study and target graduation date. (This is included in your prospectus but not the proposal.)
Session 2: Research Topic and Purpose of the Study
Task #2 Research Topics and Purpose
Describe in no more than two paragraphs the general topic you have chosen. State in one sentence what is a problem you have identified
within the general topic that needs to be studied, and briefly add why the study of this topic is important or of service to the field of education.
Note: many times the ―problem‖ at this stage is formed as a question:
- ―What happens when third grade students are provided with a certain curriculum?‖
- ―What causes some college students to succeed in online classes when others do not?‖
Include APA in-text citations for any references to prior studies.
As you read other students’ topics ask yourself: Are they trying to solve a personal issue? Are they trying to ‘save the world?’ Is the focus
narrow enough? Is the explanation clear?
Respond to at least two classmates to ask for clarification of their topics or to provide suggestions to narrow or broaden their topics.
Session 3: Finding a Theory and Educational Significance
Task #3 Finding a Theory
Theory can provide a real focus that will go a long way toward helping you build a solid and coherent dissertation study. The use of theory
will increase the probability that your study will make a contribution to your field and profession. All aspects of the study are affected by its
theoretical framework. The theoretical framework in relation to the specific research problem to be investigated can be pictured as a set of
interlocking frames. The outermost frame—the theoretical framework—is the disciplinary orientation that you draw upon to situate your
study.
Using the guidelines above, in no more than 2 paragraphs, describe the theoretical framework that will underlie your proposed study. In the
first paragraph concisely describe the disciplinary orientation and in the second paragraph, succinctly describe the underlying concept, model
or theory.
Include APA in-text citations for any references to prior studies.
Include a properly formatted reference list below your two paragraphs for any references cited in your two summary paragraphs.
(Note: you may not be able to format the hanging indent, but you will be able to punctuate and capitalize correctly.)
Respond to at least two classmates for ask for clarification of the theory(s) or to provide suggestions for other relevant studies or theories from
your readings or academic experiences that they may want to consider.
Task #4 Educational Significance
The Significance section answers the question: ―Why should anyone care about the results of my study? In the Proposal, this section is usually
very brief and outlines expected significance. After you complete the data analysis in your Dissertation, the significance may prove to be
something other than you expected in the proposal.
Draft the statement of the expected impact or significance of your study will have on the field of education or the potential significance of
what you hope to add to the scholarly literature. [Note: you should use conditional verb forms—―The results may lead to a better
understanding of the adolescent learner.‖ The evaluation of teacher attitudes could help curriculum developers design curriculum that is
more closely aligned with national standards.”]
Session 4: Purpose, Background, and Need for the Study
Task #5 Purpose
The purpose statement is a declarative sentence such as, This study will analyze (or study, or explore).
State the Purpose of the Study in one sentence.
Task #6 Background
The Background is the context of the Problem that you have chosen to study and is one way to demonstrate that your study has attracted the
attention of the educational research community. Bryant (2004) stated that virtually no work on your topic may signal that the topic is very
necessary OR may signal that the topic is not significant.
State the Background of your topic in one or two paragraphs.
Task #7 Need for the Study
The Need for Study follows from the Background; it is the ―however‖ statement. In other words, you are leading the reader logically to see
that ―This much has been done in the past, however, no studies have explore that.‖
Add the statement that summarizes prior research and states clearly why your study is necessary.
Session 5: Formatting your Prospectus and Problem Statement
Task #8 Formatting
In the Dissertation Proposal, all margins are 1‖, all type is 12-point serif (e.g., Times Roman), and all pages are numbered except the title
page. It is strongly suggested that you use Microsoft Word’s Styles feature for the chapter headings, which will make it very easy to create and
insert the Table of Contents right before you print the final proposal. If you do not know how to use styles and insert TOC features, now is the
time use the Help feature in the software (or a user’s manual) to learn about this very useful tool.
Task #9 Problem Statement
Problems abound in education and the social sciences.
Add the problem statement to the Background and Need for the Study sections completed last week and submit both for evaluation.
Session 6: Research Questions
Task #10 Research Question(s)
The research question is your guide to what data you seek and what data you select as important. The research question is ―1. precise, 2.
covers exactly the issue you wish to address, and 3. indicates how you will create your answer‖.
Draft the research questions and add to the Purpose section written in the last week (if you are doing pure quantitative research, you will need
null hypothesis statements) and submit both.
[NOTE: These sections will be revised and included in Chapter 1 of the Research Proposal. These question(s) will be elaborated on in a
separate section of Chapter 3—Methodology.]
Session 7: Access Plan
Task #11 Access Plan
Submit a draft of your plan for how you will gain access to the location and planned population (school, institution of higher education,
professional organization) who will be invited to participate in your study. You should include how you plan to obtain any permission you will
need, e.g., the principle, the district superintendent, parents, etc.
[NOTE: A quick summary of access will be included in Chapter 1 of the Research Proposal. Exact details of the plan to gain access will be
included in the Chapter 3—Methodology of the Proposal. Later, the exact steps of what you actually did to gain access will become part of
Chapter 3—Methodology of the Dissertation. And, the signed permission letters will be included in the Appendixes of the Dissertation.]
Session 7.5 Final Presentation
Task #12 Final submission of the project
Should be submitted in Microsoft Word 2000 or higher. Should include all the sections outlined above. Should use APA 5th
ed. style. Should
be double-spaced and use 12pt font. Should include a PowerPoint presentation that is concise and effectively communicates the information in
the dissertation prospectus.
Grading Criteria:
Grading Scale
A 100 -93
A- 92 – 90
B+ 89 – 88
B 87 – 83
B- 82 – 80
C+ 79 -78
C 77 – 73
C- 72 – 70
F 69 and below
Grading Requirements
Discussion Questions 30%
Application Assignments 30%
Project 30%
Field Experience 10%
100%
Library:
All resources in Argosy University’s online collection are available through the Internet. The campus librarian will provide students
with links, user IDs, and passwords.
Library Resources: Argosy University’s core online collection features nearly 21,000 full-text journals and 23,000 electronic books
and other content covering all academic subject areas including Business & Economics, Career & General Education, Computers,
Engineering & Applied Science, Humanities, Science, Medicine & Allied Health, and Social & Behavior Sciences. Many titles are
directly accessible through the Online Public Access Catalog at http://library.argosy.edu. Detailed descriptions of online resources are
located at http://library.argosy.edu/misc/onlinedblist.html.
In addition to online resources, Argosy University’s onsite collections contain a wealth of subject-specific research materials
searchable in the Online Public Access Catalog. Catalog searching is easily limited to individual campus collections. Alternatively,
students can search combined collections of all Argosy University Libraries. Students are encouraged to seek research and reference
assistance from campus librarians.
Information Literacy: Argosy University’s Information Literacy Tutorial was developed to teach students fundamental and
transferable research skills. The tutorial consists of five modules where students learn to select sources appropriate for academic-level
research, search periodical indexes and search engines, and evaluate and cite information. In the tutorial, students study concepts and
practice them through interactions. At the conclusion of each module, they can test their comprehension and receive immediate
feedback. Each module takes less than 20 minutes to complete. Please view the tutorial at http://library.argosy.edu/infolit/.
Academic Policies
Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism: In an effort to foster a spirit of honesty and integrity during the learning process, Argosy University
requires that the submission of all course assignments represent the original work produced by that student. All sources must be
documented through normal scholarly references/citations and all work must be submitted using the Publication Manual of the
American Psychological Association, 5th
Edition (2001). Washington DC: American Psychological Association (APA) format. Please
refer to Appendix A in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th
Edition for thesis and paper format.
Students are encouraged to purchase this manual (required in some courses) and become familiar with its content as well as consult
the Argosy University catalog for further information regarding academic dishonesty and plagiarism.
Scholarly writing: The faculty at Argosy University is dedicated to providing a learning environment that supports scholarly and
ethical writing, free from academic dishonesty and plagiarism. This includes the proper and appropriate referencing of all sources.
You may be asked to submit your course assignments through ―Turnitin,‖ (www.turnitin.com), an online resource established to help
educators develop writing/research skills and detect potential cases of academic dishonesty. Turnitin compares submitted papers to
billions of pages of content and provides a comparison report to your instructor. This comparison detects papers that share common
information and duplicative language.
Americans with Disabilities Act Policy
It is the policy of Argosy University to make reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities, in accordance with
the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If a student with disabilities needs accommodations, the student must notify the Director
of Student Services. Procedures for documenting student disability and the development of reasonable accommodations will be
provided to the student upon request.
Students will be notified by the Director of Student Services when each request for accommodation is approved or denied in writing
via a designated form. To receive accommodation in class, it is the student’s responsibility to present the form (at his or her discretion)
to the instructor. In an effort to protect student privacy, the Department of Student Services will not discuss the accommodation needs
of any student with instructors. Faculty may not make accommodations for individuals who have not been approved in this manner.
The Argosy University Statement Regarding Diversity
Argosy University prepares students to serve populations with diverse social, ethnic, economic, and educational experiences. Both the
academic and training curricula are designed to provide an environment in which students can develop the skills and attitudes essential
to working with people from a wide range of backgrounds.