Research Paper Track

This week, you will complete a comprehensive summary of what you have learned from your literature review. You will also be responsible for reviewing five articles for your Annotated Bibliography.

Please review the template document found in the Research Project area of the Comprehensive Summary of Literature section. for further information. I’ve also provided an attachment – titled “Sample Review of Literature for Research Paper” for example.

In this section, provide a summary of the literature and discuss how it works in light of the problem you are trying to resolve. This chapter, however, should not merely string together what other researchers have found. Rather, you should discuss and analyze the body of knowledge with the ultimate goal of determining what is known and is not known about the topic.

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You must have an APA formatted title page with every application.

Capstone Research Project

Chapter 1 –Introduction/Overview (week 3)

The Importance of Introductions/Overview:

Setting the stage for a study, the introduction establishes the issue or concern leading to the research by conveying information about a research problem . Unfortunately, too many authors of research studies do not clearly identify the research problem, leaving the reader to decide for himself or herself the importance of the issue that motivates a study.

Further the research problem is often confused with the research questions—those questions that the investigator would like answered in order to understand or explain the problem.

The introduction needs to create reader interest in the topic, establish the problem that leads to the study, place the study within a larger context of the scholarly literature, and reach out to a specific audience.

You will write an introductory overview providing the reader with sufficient facts about the subject of study. If the study is about an organizational or community issue, then you will describe the dynamics, including how long the problem has been occurring. You should provide enough specific and credible scholarly data from your search of the literature so that the reader can fully understand the circumstances and dynamics with which you are working.

Chapter 2 – Problem Statement (week 3)

The Importance of the Problem Statement:

When researchers begin their studies, they start with one or more paragraphs to convey the specific research problems or issues. They also present in the first sentence information to create reader interest in the sentences that follow the first sentence, authors identify a distinct research problem that needs to be addressed.

In applied social science research, problems arrive from issues, difficulties, and current practices. The research problem is the issue that exists in the literature, in theory, or in practice that leads to a need for the study. The research problem in a study begins to become clear when the researcher asks, “What is the need for this study?” or “What problem influenced the need to undertake the study?”

You will write a precise explanation of the specific problem to be solved. While symptoms often lead to the discovery of more deeply rooted problems and they are important to identify, it is imperative that you differentiate between the symptoms and the problem or you will be offering the wrong solutions, which may be fatal in the real world.

For example, while it is common to say that "the problem is that morale is low" this is only symptomatic of a much larger problem such as a failure of leadership. Another example is saying that "the problem is gang violence in my community and it is on the rise." This too is symptomatic of a larger problem such as a scarcity of resources or a sense of hopelessness. Therefore, be sure to not only discuss the symptom(s) which help the reader understand the larger framework of the problem, but to also clearly identify the problem that is to be solved.

Chapter 3 – Purpose/Significance (week 4)

The Purpose Statement:

Whereas introductions focus on the problem leading to the study, the Purpose Statement establishes the direction for the research. In fact, the purpose statement is the most important statement in an entire research study. It orients the reader to the central intent of the study, and from it, all other aspects of the research follow. In other words, the Purpose Statement indicates why you want to do the study and what you intend to accomplish and is the central, controlling idea in a study.

Clearly state what the purpose of the study is and explain the study's significance. The significance is addressed by discussing how the study adds to the theoretical body of knowledge in your field or expertise.

Explain how your research makes an original contribution to the body of knowledge. You will address the significance of the study and its importance to your organization or community.

It is especially critical that this chapter be well developed. Without a clearly defined purpose and strong theoretical grounding, your Capstone project is fundamentally flawed from the outset.

Chapter 4 – Research Question(s) (week 4)

Identify at least one, but no more than two, research questions. The research questions will guide and shape the rest of your paper. Specifically connect the research questions to the Problem Statement (in Chapter 2) by elaborating on how you think the two are related.

Begin the research questions with the words “what” or “how” to convey an open and emerging design. Focus on a single phenomenon or concept. Use open-ended questions without reference to the literature or theory unless otherwise indicated.

Chapter 5 – Methods (week 5)

In this section, describe the methods you used in order to solve the problem. If you used interviews, surveys, or observations, then describe those procedures in this section and include a description of how you conducted them.

Include detailed measures you used to protect any participants who might participate in surveys and/or interviews.

If you did not conduct interviews, surveys, or observations, explain what you would do in the future if they were needed to complete your study.

Also, include a thorough description of your literature search techniques (website links you are using, libraries, accessed, etc.).

Chapter 6 – Literature Review (week 6)

Use the literature to help you explain the phenomena under study. In this section, provide a summary of the literature and discuss how it works in light of the problem you are trying to resolve. This chapter, however, should not merely string together what other researchers have found. Rather, you should discuss and analyze the body of knowledge with the ultimate goal of determining what is known and is not known about the topic. The literature review thus describes and analyzes previous research on the topic

This should be an exhaustive study of the most pertinent literature on the subject. It will strengthen the paper by providing some historical context for the evolution of the theory if this applies. It will also strengthen your paper if articles can be found that run contrary to the major theories being presented. It is important for the student to remain completely objective when writing this paper to ensure that the student is not working to believe something to be true that otherwise is not. For example, some take the position that individuals can “lead” themselves, yet a fundamental definition of leadership is that it involves followers and without followers you do not have leadership.

Therefore, the proposition that people can lead themselves appears to be false. If, however, your position is that you do believe that a person can indeed lead "self," then it is incumbent upon you to find literature in the refereed journal resources that would support this contention. If you are not able to find literature that supports, your argument then you must clearly indicate this as part of your findings.

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Chapter 7 – Findings and Conclusions (week 7)

Describe your findings in this section. What did you learn from your exhaustive study of the problem? What would be your anticipated results of your findings if you had used surveys, interviews, or other tools? What did the literature suggest is the most appropriate way to solve your social impact problem? What are the implications for future research? What conclusions are you able to draw from your research?

Chapter 8 – Recommendations (week 7)

Describe your recommendations as though you were making a presentation to a meeting of senior managers, a city council, a community planning board, a board of directors, or government officials. What have you learned from your study of the problem that provides the basis for making recommendations to solve the social impact problem?

Appendices (optional and if used include in week 7)

Include in this section copies of interview forms or survey instruments used as part of your study. Do not include full reports that you have cited or an abundance of reference materials. Label each item separately according to APA guidelines and rules.

Acknowledgments (optional and if included, include in week 7)

In this section, acknowledge any individual, group, or organization without whose help your paper could not have been written. While it is always nice to acknowledge the support of family members who provide tacit and emotional support for us to complete our education, this section is to acknowledge people who provided actual support and without whose help your paper could not have been written (e.g., librarians, special advisors, consultants, organizations, etc.). Therefore, do not include family members unless they provided substantial input into the creation of this paper.

List of Cited References (ongoing between weeks 3-7)

In this area, include only a list of all of the cited references you used. Be sure to list all of your refereed journals, books, monographs, reports, etc., as well as any websites you used to gather material.

Annotated Bibliography (ongoing between weeks 3-6)

Provide a list of references along with the annotations (see instructions in Doc Sharing if you need a reminder) you used during this course. You will begin including your annotated bibliographies (5 at a time) starting in week three. You will add five different annotated bibliographies each week for at least a total of 20 different sources.

Bibliography (optional and included in week 7)

Provide a list of any source material you reviewed but did not use in this section. Include the links of websites that you visited but did not use. This will become a helpful resource for you should you decide to revisit this social impact issue after graduation. It is also a very helpful tool for other researchers interested in the same social impact subject.

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Chapter 6: Comprehensive Literature Review

Overview

In the course of conducting research for this project, I focused my efforts on the collection of material and information that analyzed the factors that make great military leaders successful. In reviewing this material, against the MMSL curriculum studied for the past 19 months, if became apparent that military leaders are not unique or do not possess differentiating qualities from leaders in the private sector or business world. Leadership is the art or process of influencing an individual or group to achieve a common goal (Northouse, 2016). Whether your goal is advancing on a position during a critical battle or implementing a new manufacturing process that improves the quality of products to enhance customer satisfaction, inspiring and guiding people to achieve a common goal is the bedrock of leadership.

During this research process, I sought to answer the question, what common leadership factors are necessary for great military leaders in the 21st century? Over the course of my adult life, I have served with many great leaders as an active duty member of the U.S. Air Force and now, in my current role, as a Department of Defense Civilian employee. Many of these incredible men and women exuded the admirable qualities of leadership my classmates and I have studied during this incredible journey. At various times while serving under their guiding hands, I pondered the often-asked question, are these leaders made, or are they born with the inordinate ability to lead and inspire people to achieve great things. During my career and throughout this journey, I have concluded that leading is an individual choice made by willing people who accept the mantle of responsibility to serve their organization and the people who comprise it (DePree, 1989). These individuals fully understand and embrace the challenges before by them accepting the responsibility of leadership. No matter the difficulty or complexity of issues they face, these individuals display unequalled dedication to the betterment of others by their choice to accept the obligation of leading.

My focus for answering the question examined in chapter 4, has been to identify and evaluate the basic tenants of great military leaders that have broad applicability to service in the armed forces, regardless of rank or position. In the past, leadership in the military services followed an adherence to rank and positions of authority. When holding the position or rank, the leader's guidance or direction was never to be questioned unless it violated a moral or legal standard. However, the armed forces, certainly my branch, have embarked on a slow transformation in leadership philosophy that accepts and welcomes the questioning of leadership to ensure the thorough examination of ideas and perspectives as well as the open display of commitment to the caring for and concern about the individual members (Black, 1998). The prototypical all-knowing and unquestioned military leader of earlier times has been slowly replaced with a transformational leader who builds dynamic teams through the utilization of the broad and diverse talents of those who encompass their organization. The application of transformational leadership is slowly inculcating the highest levels of military leadership and fundamentally changing how leaders motivate followers to accomplish a shared goal (United States Marine Corp, 2018).

Servant Leadership

My research and literature review focused on the concept of servant leadership as the basic leadership philosophy necessary for great military leaders. Military leadership has historically been characterized by the perception of abusive commanders who mandated strict adherence to the role and power their position held (Cowper, 2000). However, after three decades of continuous engagement in the Middle East, a necessary leadership viewpoint is changing. Military leaders are now focusing on the most critical resource that comprises our institution, the people. A military leader's job is to mentor, serve, and develop those under their charge to reach their fullest potential and prepare them for the many future leadership challenges they will inevitably face (Goldfein, 2001). Servant leadership is the backbone of a leadership philosophy where those in positions of authority care for and develop people to achieve all they are capable of. Today's military is changing. It is not the top-down, centrally controlled monolith of yesteryear, but an organization, which realized that individual members are critical to its long-term viability as an entity (Cowper, 2000).

Building Teams to Lead Positive Change

The second area of research revolved around the critical aspect military leader's face when building teams that lead positive change. By design, military leaders spend approximately two years in command positions then rotate out to allow for the advancement of other leaders. Non-command positions of influence spend three to four years in a position before leaving for other assignments. This short timeframe dictates that leader's diagnosis potential problems quickly and build a guiding coalition to implement needed changes rapidly. This guiding coalition must exude the four characteristics necessary for enacting positive change. The right players must be on board, these players must have the expertise relevant to the task, they must be a credible group in the eyes of those impacted by the change(s), and they must have strong leadership (Kotter, 1996). Military leaders face a daunting task to build teams and implement course corrections in an expeditious manner. However, when military leaders exhibit genuine care and commitment for those in their care, the churn of constant change can be eased by knowing the leader has their best interest at heart.

Embracing Diversity

The third area of research dealt with the military leader's attitude and embracing of the diverse and multicultural environment that makes up the armed forces. The military has long been a melting pot with members of various cultures and ethnicities. The strength of the institution comes from the opinions, ideas, and innovations brimming in the minds of its members. Military leaders cannot rely solely on their experience, perspective, and ideas, but must be open and willing to solicit differing opinions and thoughts to holistically examine a given issue to reach the best possible solution. According to the Commander of Air Mobility Command, "Airman must be bold and innovative, throw out the wild ideas that come from our diverse force, see what sticks and what takes hold" (Everhart, 2018, p. 18). Successful military leaders understand the strength of the organization does not come from their technical and tactical expertise alone, but in the collective power of the innovative minds that make up the institution.

Questioning to Solve Problems

The fourth literature review area focused on the leader's use of questions to solve problems. Much literature espouses the need to and art of questioning to solve problems. The profession of arms has been slow to embrace the art of healthy debate and professional questioning. However, as the education and experience levels of today's military members increases, leaders have come to the realization that asking questions and engaging in debate offers the best possible solutions to organizational challenges. Commanders and leaders must continually ask why to open the dialog that leads to exploring new and creative ways of accomplishing the critical tasks we carry out (Goldfein, 2001). The nature of innovation and creativity begins with challenging the status quo and asking why.

Creating and Espousing a Shared Vision

Finally, the last area of literature review focused on the critical aspect of creating and espousing a shared vision. In the past, military leaders gave orders and directed the actions of subordinates to accomplish the mission. Today, great leaders create a mental picture of what is possible in the minds of their followers that serves as a guide, which leads them towards accomplishment. The vision becomes a force in people's hearts and minds that can lead to incredible achievement and collective power (Senge, 2006). Today's military leaders provide the vision and set the environment; if you focus elsewhere, you are probably doing someone else's job (Goldfein, 2001, p. 23). Given the short time in command of a particular unit, military leaders must make their vision easily understandable and relevant to every member of the organization. Without this inclusivity at the lowest levels, it is merely the commander's vision, not a shared idea. Senior leaders in any organization, must continually reaffirm the present reality, but more importantly, continue to spread the overarching image of what is possible and where the institution is going in the future (Wilson, 2018).

Once could make a case that any number of leadership qualities are necessary for successful military leaders. Literature is replete with ideas, thoughts, and concepts of leadership that, if applied correctly, would reasonably ensure success on the battlefield or in the corporate boardroom. However, in building the direction of this project and my examination of literature, the common factors of servant leadership, teambuilding, embracing diversity, questioning, and creating vision came to the forefront. Further research endeavors may delve into additional factors, which could reasonably ensure military leadership success. I am certain, many factors play a critical role in building todays leaders, the five specific traits I examined set the 21st century military leader on the path to success.

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