Visit CDS Central and: Download the College of Doctoral Studies Dissertation Guide and Alignment Handbook located in the ?Tools for Success? s
Visit CDS Central and:
- Download the College of Doctoral Studies Dissertation Guide and Alignment Handbook located in the “Tools for Success” section.
- Read pp. 44–46, “Doctoral Phase I: The Prospectus.”
Review the Prospectus Guide.
Create a completed problem statement and purpose statement using the information you entered in your Problem Statement Worksheet in the Wk 6 Discussion 1 – Problem Statement, the information you entered in the Purpose Statement Worksheet in the Wk 6 Discussion 2 – Purpose Statement, and from the feedback received from the peer reviews.
Add your completed problem statement and purpose statement to the Prospectus Template you submitted for your Wk 5 – Submitting Your Research Plan From RES/709 assignment.
Submit your updated prospectus.
Note: You will be adding to and revising the prospectus throughout the remainder of the course in preparation for your final submission in Week 8.
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Prospectus Guide
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Prospectus Guide
This guide describes the development of the prospectus in detail.
The Dissertation Phases
· Phase 1: Prospectus (focus in DOC/714S: Symposium I)
· Phase 2: Dissertation Chapter 1: Introduction
· Phase 3: Dissertation Chapter 2: Literature Review
· Phase 4: Dissertation Chapter 3: Proposal
· Phase 5: Dissertation Chapters 4 and 5: Dissertation
Prospectus Objectives
· The initial dissertation milestone, the prospectus, is a formal outline of the research project that outlines information to convey that the research can be completed and will provide meaningful results that contribute to the academic and practitioner communities.
· Additionally, the prospectus will be used to convey the research intent to your Dissertation Chair and University Research Methodologist (URM) starting in DOC/715: Doctoral Seminar 1.
Elements of the Prospectus
The following figure depicts the elements of the prospectus that must be aligned.
Prospectus Research Outline Components
1. Program of Study: For example, this could be DBA, DHA, DM, or EDD, including specialization, when applicable.
2. Problem Statement: The problem should convey an existing issue and the statement should be supported by citing literature or personal communication from an organizational leader.
3. Purpose Statement: Provide a statement of the study’s objectives. Review the “Purpose” section of the “Research Design Selection and Alignment” section associated with the proposed design to ensure alignment.
4. Research Methodology (Proposed Method and Design): After reviewing the “Overview of Methods and Designs” section and the “Research Design Selection and Alignment” section, select a method and a design that are most appropriate for the proposed study. State the proposed method and design and briefly describe why these are appropriate to achieve the proposed objectives.
5. Research Population and Sample and Other Data Sources: Describe the population by discussing the criteria for selecting the study participants. Additionally, describe the sample size and describe the rationale for the sample size. If the study will include archival data, briefly explain the proposed data sources.
6. Significance of the Study: Provide a statement of the importance of conducting the study. Review the “Significance of the Study” section of the “Research Design Selection” and “Alignment” section associated with the proposed design to ensure alignment.
7. Research Questions/Hypotheses: State the proposed research questions and hypotheses, when appropriate. Review the “Research Questions/Hypotheses” section of the “Research Design Selection” and “Alignment” section associated with the proposed design to ensure alignment.
8. Topic Literature: Provide a list of 5 to 10 references in APA format that are relevant to the proposed study. Include 1 or 2 sentences with each reference to describe the relevance of the literature to the proposed study.
9. Topic Theories: Review research literature associated with the selected research topic(s) and state up to 3 relevant theories associated with the topics. This step will become the basis for the conceptual or theoretical framework, which will become more fully developed in chapters 1 and 2 of the proposal.
10. Research Data Collection Strategy: Briefly describe the proposed process for collecting these data from the research sample and from any archival sources described in item 5.
Achieving Alignment
Each of the major elements of the prospectus must be aligned in order to plan a systematic and feasible study.
Alignment: Problem Statement
· The problem statement is viewed as the starting point for developing the prospectus.
· The research problem should be presented as an existing social issue for which there is not a known solution or an effective solution.
· The problem must be supported with citations.
· The stated problem then drives the purpose; the research method and design must align with the purpose.
Alignment: Purpose Statement
· The alignment between the purpose and design should be an iterative process.
· Once an appropriate method and design are selected, the purpose should be modified to reflect that specific design.
· The design sections of the College of Doctoral Studies Dissertation Guide on the CDS Central website provide examples of appropriate purpose statements for various methods and designs.
Alignment: Research Questions
· The research questions should be developed based on the study’s purpose.
· The key to alignment between the purpose and the research questions is to ensure that the research questions in aggregate are neither narrower nor wider than the purpose.
· The research questions must fully address the stated purpose and should not be broader than the stated purpose.
· Qualitative studies should either include a central research question and at least 2 sub-questions, or at least 2 research questions. In order to maintain a narrow research focus, it is recommended to set a limit of no more than 4 research questions.
· Quantitative studies require only 1 research question, they but must include at least 2 sets of hypotheses.
· Mixed-method studies must include at least 1 qualitative research question and at least 1 quantitative research question supported by hypotheses.
Alignment: Study Title
· The study title should reflect the purpose and the selected design.
· Note that the title may need to change later as the dissertation elements are further developed. Therefore, during this phase the title can be considered a working title.
Copyright 2021 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.
Copyright 2021 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.
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College of Doctoral Studies Dissertation Guide
A Comprehensive Dissertation Development and Alignment Handbook
*Please note: This document is subject to changes, which will be recorded in Appendix B: Document Change Log. Students and faculty should check back for changes and download the current version often.
(Last Updated 12/08/2024)
Copyright 2024 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.
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Overview ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4
The Dissertation Process ……………………………………………………………………… 4
The Dissertation Committee …………………………………………………………………. 7
Topic Selection and Alignment to the Degree Program…………………………………….. 9
Method and Design Selection and Alignment to Research Objectives ……………… 10
Overview of Methods and Designs ………………………………………………………. 10
Qualitative Research ………………………………………………………………… 10
Quantitative Research ………………………………………………………………. 11
Research Design Selection and Alignment …………………………………………… 12
Qualitative Design Selection and Alignment ………………………………. 13
Action Research …………………………………………………………….. 13
Appreciative Inquiry ……………………………………………………….. 16
Case Study …………………………………………………………………….. 18
Delphi Method Technique ………………………………………………. 20
Ethnography ………………………………………………………………….. 21
Grounded Theory …………………………………………………………… 22
Narrative Inquiry …………………………………………………………….. 24
Needs Assessment ………………………………………………………… 26
Phenomenology …………………………………………………………….. 27
Program Assessment …………………………………………………….. 29
Quantitative Research Design Selection and Alignment ……………… 31
Correlational Research …………………………………………………… 31
Experimental and Quasi-experimental Research ……………… 33
Ex Post Facto (Causal Comparative) ………………………………. 35
Factor Analysis ………………………………………………………………. 37
Q-Methodology ………………………………………………………………. 39
Mixed-Method Research and Alignment ……………………………………. 41
Method and Design Selection Summary ………………………………………………. 43
Doctoral Phase 1: The Prospectus …………………………………………………………………. 44
Alignment of the Prospectus Elements ………………………………………………… 46
Doctoral Phase 2 – Précis …………………………………………………………………………….. 47
Doctoral Phase 3 – Dissertation Chapter 2: Literature Review…………………………. 52
Doctoral Phase 4 – QRM: Proposal ……………………………………………………………….. 56
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Alignment of the Proposal Elements ……………………………………………………. 61
Proposal Assessment Rubric ………………………………………………………………. 62
Institutional Review Board (IRB) ………………………………………………………….. 62
Doctoral Phase 5 – QRF: Dissertation Chapters 4 & 5: Dissertation …………………. 63
Alignment of the Dissertation Elements ………………………………………………. 69
Dissertation Assessment Rubric …………………………………………………………. 70
Oral Defense ………………………………………………………………………………………. 71
Final Dissertation Editing…………………………………………………………………….. 72
Structure of a Dissertation ………………………………………………………………….. 72
Elements in an APA Paper …………………………………………………………………… 73
College of Doctoral Studies Dissertation Format Requirements ……………. 76
Final Dissertation Editing (FDE) Checklist ……………………………………………. 79
Appendix A: Dissertation Template………………………………………………………………… 82
Appendix B: Document Change Log…………………………………………………………………….. 115
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Overview This guide provides comprehensive information on University of Phoenix College of Doctoral Studies practitioner program dissertation development steps and criteria. The overview section describes the dissertation process and dissertation team. The Topic Selection and Alignment to the Degree Program section describes each of the practitioner degree programs offered at the College of Doctoral Studies and discusses potential areas for research. The Method and Design Selection and Alignment to Research Objectives describes the research methods and provides a brief overview of the various associated designs to assist in comparison and selection between the different designs.
The Research Design Selection and Alignment provides detailed information regarding the designs to assist in understanding their applicability in research and provide resources for further understanding of the designs.
In addition, this document describes the five phases of the dissertation process and provides guidance on development and alignment of the prospectus and the dissertation chapters associated with each of the five phases. The Dissertation Criteria Assessment (DCA) is a developmental and progression feedback tool used to monitor students in meeting dissertation assessment criteria throughout the Doctoral Journey Life Cycle and Dissertation Phases. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Oral Defense sections briefly describe these important dissertation journey milestones, and the Final Dissertation Editing (FDE) section describes the dissertation formatting requirements. Finally, Appendix A: Dissertation Template provides a template for the full dissertation, including information and strategies on completion of each section of the dissertation.
The practitioner programs are situated within our Scholar- Practitioner-Leader℠ (SPL) model and aligned to our mission of developing doctoral leaders who conduct research for creative action and guide diverse organizations through effective decision making.
We hope that you will find this guide useful throughout every phase of the doctoral process and remember to enjoy the journey and allow it to help you realize your passion by helping you create research that will contribute to your professional field!
The Dissertation Process The dissertation process occurs in five phases, as depicted below. The information below the figure describes the five phases and deliverables further.
Students should use courses in each phase to build upon each phase deliverable. Students are allowed to dovetail course materials from
content and research courses to build upon each Dissertation Journey Phase.
Leader
Scholar Practitioner
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Phase Work on the phase in the following courses (enrolled prior to 1/2/2020)
Work on the phase in the following courses (enrolled 1/2/2020 and after)
DOC/700 (5 weeks) BUS/700, EDD/700, or DHA/700 (8 Doctoral Phase 1 LDR/711A (8 weeks) weeks) – Prospectus: RES/709 (8 weeks) LDR/711A (8 weeks) Outline of the RES/724 (8 weeks) Qualitative Methods RES/709 (8 weeks)
Planned and Design DOC/714S – (8 weeks) – Deliverable: Dissertation DOC/714S – (8 weeks) – Deliverable: Prospectus
Study Prospectus
Phase 1 courses Phase 1 courses RES/710 (8 weeks) RES/724 (8 weeks) RES/720 (8 weeks) Program content requirement (8 weeks) Doctoral Phase 2 Two core program courses (8 weeks each) Program content requirement (8 weeks)
– Précis DOC/715 (8 weeks) – Deliverable: Précis DOC/715 (8 weeks) – Deliverable: Précis
Three core program courses (8 weeks Two content program courses (8 weeks Doctoral Phase 3 each) each)
– Concept DOC/723 (8 weeks) – Deliverable: Concept DOC/723 (8 weeks) – Deliverable: Concept
Review Review Review
Phase 1 Prospectus
Phase 2 Précis (draft Chapter 1)
Phase 3 Concept Review (draft Chapter 2)
Phase 4 Quality Review Methods: Proposal Chapters 1-3
Phase 5 Quality Review Final: Dissertation Chapters 1-5
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Phase Work on the phase in the following courses (enrolled prior to 1/2/2020)
Work on the phase in the following courses (enrolled 1/2/2020 and after)
Doctoral Phase 4
– QRM: Proposal
(Chapters 1 – 3)
Research elective course (8 weeks) One core program course (8 weeks) – Year 3 Residency (8 days comprised of a 5-day course and a 3-day course) *DOC/741 (8 weeks) – Deliverable: Proposal Chapters 1-3
Two content program courses (8 weeks each) *DOC/741 (8 weeks) – Deliverable: Proposal Chapters 1-3
Doctoral Phase 5
–QRF: Dissertation
(Chapters 1 – 5)
Two core program courses (8 weeks each) *DOC/742 (8 weeks) – Deliverable: Dissertation and Oral Defense
IRB Review and Approval (occurring concurrently) One Content Program Course (8 weeks) DOC/719S (8 weeks) *DOC/742 (8 weeks)– Deliverable: Dissertation and Oral Defense
*Dissertation continuing enrollment courses are available and require written Chair and URM approval prior to scheduling.
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The Dissertation Committee (DBA 004, EDD 004, DM 005, DHA 004; enrolled 1/2/2020 and after)
Students enrolled in the College of Doctoral Studies at the University of Phoenix are expected to be dedicated, self-motivated, responsible, and independent learners accountable for the development of their dissertation. Doctoral faculty members are dedicated to supporting and guiding students to the completion of the doctorate.
Doctoral Seminar courses* are writing-intensive classes for students. The faculty provides guidance, review, and feedback on dissertation deliverables to support the student in building a quality, robust dissertation. Students should be in Doctoral Seminar classes for full reviews.
Role of Doctoral Student – Dissertation Phases 1-5 Doctoral students are accountable for writing all chapters of the proposal and dissertation while enrolled in dissertation classes and independently outside of designated dissertation courses. Students select dissertation topics that reflect gaps in the literature or problems identified from their practitioner experience. Students must choose dissertation topics aligned with their degree programs.
Doctoral students should use work completed in content classes to build Chapter 2: The Literature Review. Using work from prior classes or dovetailing enables students to capitalize on their work without duplicating effort. Doctoral students will rely on committee feedback to build robust, cohesive, and quality research projects aligned with the College of Doctoral Studies' mission to enhance students' positions as a Scholar-Practitioner- Leaders (SPL) Model in their industries.
The Dissertation Committee includes three College of Doctoral Studies Staff Faculty members (chair and two committee members, University Research Methodologist (URM) and Panel Validator (PV), each having a specialized role. The Dissertation Committee is assigned to work with student cohorts at different stages.
Role of Chair – Assigned Phase 2 at the Start of DOC/715* The Dissertation Chair is the subject matter expert for content and discipline relevance. The Dissertation Chair leads the research problem development, research feasibility, rigor, and overall quality of the proposal and dissertation phases. Dissertation Chairs facilitate DOC/715, DOC/723, DOC/742, and the DOC/742 respective continuing enrollment courses. The Dissertation Chair leads the Oral Defense.
Role of the University Research Methodologist (URM) (first committee member) – Assigned upon completion of Dissertation Phase 2 The URM leads proposal and dissertation research method and design to ensure alignment of methodological strategies, rigor, and quality. The URM facilitates DOC/741 and DOC/741 continuing enrollment courses. The URM and the Dissertation Chair are assigned to cohorts at the same time. The URM reviews the research problem, purpose, research questions/hypothesis, and research method design at DOC/715 and DOC/723 for alignment. The URM participates in the Oral Defense.
Role of the Panel Validator (second committee member) – Assigned upon completion of Dissertation Phase 4 The PV is the subject matter expert who reviews Chapters 1-3 for scope and provides feedback to ensure Chapters 4 and 5 offer robust and innovative industry recommendations aligned with the SPL Model. The PV participates in the Oral defense and provides final APA and formatting review for the completed dissertation.
Dissertation Staff Faculty are not assigned to students but cohorts. *Chairs and URMs are tentatively assigned at Phase 2. The permanent assignment is made after DOC/741.
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*DOC/715, DOC/723, DOC/741, DOC/741A, DOC/741B, DOC/742, DOC/742A, DOC/742B, and all continuing- enrollment extension courses.
All Other Programs (enrolled prior to 1/2/2020)
Students in all other programs working with selected dissertation committees will continue to work with those faculty members. For students with selected dissertation committees, if a faculty resigns or students wish to change a faculty member, students will be assigned a staff faculty member. There are situations where changes in dissertation committee faculty may delay student progression based on new faculty feedback and incomplete student documents.
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Topic Selection and Alignment to the Degree Program
The initial step in achieving dissertation alignment is selecting a topic aligned with the program of study, also referred to as the industry or discipline of study. The topic should reflect an existing problem within the industry. The following information provides brief examples of dissertation topics that align with the various practitioner programs currently offered as University of Phoenix doctoral studies. For detailed program information, visit https://www.phoenix.edu/degrees/doctorate.html.
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)
Dissertation topics for the DBA program may focus on various commercial ventures including business startup activities, small to medium businesses, business operations, business processes, finance, or marketing activities.
Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (EDD) The EDD program focuses on K-12 education. The dissertation may focus on broad aspects associated with these educational levels including test scores, dropout decisions, and examining academic success.
Doctor of Health Administration (DHA)
The DHA program is intended to develop executive level health care professionals. Added program focus is on health administration research within clinical settings, hospital settings, or home health settings. Dissertations often focus on policies, processes, and procedures involved in the delivery of care, leadership of health care professionals and support staff, resources, and cost effectiveness and efficiency.
Doctor of Management in Organizational Leadership (DM)
The DM program focuses on organizational leadership and management. Dissertation writers may explore leadership behavior, leadership skills, human resources, employee satisfaction, employee engagement, management of organizational resources, operational processes, change management, or business processes and procedures within an organization.
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Method and Design Selection and Alignment to Research Objectives Once the student selects a dissertation topic and identifies a problem, the student should develop a research purpose that aligns with the problem then select a research method and design aligned with the purpose. Note that alignment between the purpose and design is an iterative process; the purpose should be modified to reflect the selected design. The following information describes the three research methods. The most commonly used method within practitioner doctoral programs is qualitative followed by quantitative. The third method, mixed- method, combines qualitative and quantitative approaches.
Overview of Methods and Designs
Qualitative Research • Qualitative research is used to address a social problem by gaining an understanding of participants’
opinions, perceptions, and feelings, or by reviewing documents.
• Qualitative data are narrative data collected using approaches such as interviews, questionnaires, focus groups, observations, or archival documents.
• The researcher is typically very involved with the participants during the research.
• The sampling type is usually purposeful, and the sample size is typically small.
Qualitative Research and the Inductive Process
• Qualitative research is based on inductive reasoning.
• Induction is a "bottom up” approach that moves from the research questions to narrative interview or questionnaire data or observations, to patterns and themes based on these data, to broad conclusions about those data, and can lead to a theory.
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Strengths and Weakness of Qualitative Research
• Strengths: o Provides a wide variety of designs. o Flexibility in data collection approaches.
• Weaknesses: o Selecting an appropriate design can be a challenge for novice researchers. o Results cannot be generalized due to small samples and limited context.
Qualitative Research Designs
The qualitative method includes several designs. The following information provides a brief synopsis of many of the major qualitative designs. Detailed information about the implementation of each of these designs is provided in the Qualitative Design Selection and Alignment section.
• Action research: The researcher works collaboratively with an organization or institution to address a problem or create policy. There are various types of action research; each differs regarding the researcher’s role and the objectives.
• Appreciative inquiry: Like action research, but rather than focusing on existing problems it focuses on building on the existing positive aspects of an organization and envisioning innovative enhancements for the future.
• Case study: The researcher examines an existing bounded “case” such as an organizational or institutional process using multiple sources of data to triangulate knowledge about the case. Case studies require an explicit “typ
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