Fluent Essays

ASSIGNMENT: You are a Ph.D. candidate in Criminal Justice and working to find a topic for your dissertation. How would you go about reviewing the existing literature on a topic you find interesting? When reading scholarly articles, what reading methods would you employ to be an active and effective researcher? DUE: August 25, 2021 Submit your thread by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Wednesday. No Late Work! DISCUSSION ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS: The student will post one thread of at least 750–850 words by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Wednesday.  The student must then post 2 replies of at least 250–300 words words by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Friday of the same Week.  For each thread, students must support their assertions with at least 4 scholarly citations in APA format. Each reply must incorporate at least 2 scholarly citations in APA format. Any sources cited must have been published within the last five years. The original thread must incorporate ideas and several scholarly citations from all of the Learn materials.  The reply posts can integrate ideas and citations from the Learn materials.  Integrate Biblical principles in your personal thread and in all replies to peers. Chapter 1: Crime, Criminal Justice, and Scientific Inquiry 1 Learning Objectives • Understand why knowledge of research methods is valuable to criminal justice professionals. • Describe the different ways we know things. • Distinguish inquiry as a natural human activity from inquiry through systematic empirical research. • Recognize that much of our knowledge is based on agreement rather than on direct experience. • Explain how tradition and authority are important sources of knowledge. © 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. 2 Learning Objectives, cont. • Understand the role of experience and systematic observation in criminal justice research. • Recognize that social science guards against, but does not prevent, political beliefs from affecting research findings. • Distinguish the different purposes of research. • Understand how to design a research project. • Be able to conduct a review of research literature. • Describe how to write a research proposal. © 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. 3 Why Study Research Methods? • Criminal Justice professionals are both consumers and producers of research • It is important for Criminal Justice professionals to be informed consumers of research • Need to understand findings and how to apply those findings to his or her department © 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. 4 Two Realities • Experiential reality – The things we know from direct experience (e.g., learning that a burner is hot by touching a stove) • Agreement reality – Things we consider real because we have been told they are real, and everyone agrees (e.g., sun sets in the West) • Kansas City Preventive Patrol Experiment revealed the agreement reality that simply increasing patrols decreased crime was misleading © 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. 5 The Role of Science • Empirical research - Knowledge produced based on experience or observation • Scientists have certain criteria to be met when accepting experiential and agreement realities • An assertion must have both logical and empirical support • Methodology - The science of finding out © 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. 6 Personal Human Inquiry • Future circumstances are caused or conditioned by present ones • We use causal and probabilistic reasoning • The goal is to understand why certain things are related, why patterns occur, to enable us to make more accurate predictions © 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. 7 Secondhand Knowledge • Tradition – Things that “everybody knows” • Ex: Driving on the left side of the road in the US is dangerous • Authority – Trusting the judgment of someone with special expertise • Ex: You are more likely to believe a judge regarding your driver’s license suspension than your parents • Both provide us with a starting point for our own inquiry © 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. 8 Discussion Question 1 Tradition and Authority are two ways in which people ascertain knowledge. Discuss the possible biases or shortcomings that may be associated with each method of conveying knowledge. © 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. 9 Safeguarding Against Errors • Inaccurate Observation – Overcome by using measurement devices • Overgeneralization – Overcome by replicating the study to see if you get the same results • Selective Observation – Specify in advance the number and types of observations © 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. 10 Safeguarding Against Errors, cont. • Illogical Reasoning – Use systems of logic, consciously and explicitly • Ideology and Politics – Guard against its influence • To Err is Human – Take precautions to avoid error © 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. 11 Discussion Question 2 What are some ways to safeguard yourself from common errors in human inquiry while you are conducting research? © 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. 12 Purpose of Research: Exploration • Examine an issue or policy about which little is known • Might also collect data on some measure to serve as a baseline for later comparisons • Appropriate when some type of policy change is being considered • May be simple or complex and can use a variety of methods © 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. 13 Purpose of Research: Description • Observe and describe the scope of a problem or policy response • Make more accurate and formal observations • Often concerned with counting or documenting observations; exploratory studies focus more on developing a preliminary understanding • Example: US Census, UCR • Following exploration, we want to know the problem’s frequency/prevalence/degree/scope © 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. 14 Purpose of Research: Explanation • Explain things – answers “why?” • Why have we seen a certain change in scope? • Why does a certain problem exist? • Ex: Why do some people write computer viruses?, Why do some people assault their spouses? © 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. 15 Purpose of Research: Application • Applied research is often used to evaluate the effects of specific criminal justice programs • Two major types of applied research: • Evaluation research – Comparing program goals to results • Policy analysis – Prospective – Anticipate future consequences of alternative actions © 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. 16 Discussion Question 3 Name four studies that can be examples of each purpose of research: exploration, description, explanation, and application. © 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. 17 Thinking about the Research Process • One of the most difficult parts of the research process is framing your interest into a research question. • Researchers often have to rework or clarify research problems as they learn more about a topic • Researchers should begin with their own experiences and observations and then learn more about the existing research © 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. 18 The Research Process • Conceptualize: specify what is to be studied • Operate: perform concrete steps to measure specific concepts • Observe: collect empirical data • Analyze: draw conclusions from the data • Apply: apply conclusions to original inquiries © 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. 19 Reviewing the Literature • Tells you what is know and what is unknown • Keep notes of articles as you review them • Begin with a book or article on your topic • This is your source document • Find sources that are cited in the source document and find other sources that have cited your source document © 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. 20 How to Read Scholarly Research • Reading an article • Start with the abstract - It will tell you if the article is relevant to your study • Next, read the summary and conclusions • Skim the article paying attention to headings, tables and graphs • Carefully read the entire article • Ask for help if you do not understand the article © 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. 21 How to Read Scholarly Research, cont. • Reading a book-length report • Start with the preface — It will tell you if the article is relevant to your study • Skim the book paying attention to the organization, headings, tables, graphs, and major findings • Read it closely while taking notes • If you decide to read the book, repeat the process with each chapter © 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. 22 The Research Proposal • Research proposals describe the activities planned and include a budget and timeline • Certain agencies might have specific requirements for a proposal • Almost every proposal include some basic elements © 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. 23 Basic Elements of a Research Proposal • Problem or Objective — Describes what will be studied • Literature Review — Summarizes the prior research on the topic • Research Questions — Specifies what the research will answer • Subjects for Study — Whom or what will be studied • Measurement — Identifies the key variables of the study © 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. 24 Basic Elements of a Research Proposal, cont. • Data Collection Methods — Explains how observations will be collected • Analysis — Specifies how the observations will be analyzed • References — List of materials consulted and cited in the proposal • Schedule — A timeline for the various stages of the proposal • Budget — Specifies where money to support the research will be spent © 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. 25 DISSERTATION PROCESS The idea of completing a dissertation can be overwhelming. In fact, the process seems so threatening to some Doctoral Students that they never begin or finish their dissertation. It is helpful to disregard the dissertation as one enormous journey, but consider it a series of steps. For practical purposes, HSOG conceptualizes the dissertation process as having the following steps: 1. Select a topic: this occurs through the process of the student’s chosen cognate and/or other courses in the degree. 2. Chair and Committee selection process: students will be assigned a chair and reader as part of their chosen research path/cognate and will also have some opportunity to solicit a chair and reader of their preference. 3. Complete the proposal 4. Defend the proposal 5. Obtain approval by the Internal Review Board (IRB) 6. Conduct the research 7. Complete the final chapters 8. Submit the entire dissertation for final approval 9. Obtain a professional editor to review for form and style 10. Defend the dissertation 11. Submit the final dissertation and resubmit for further professional editorial review if further changes were made to the document post defense. Below is an overview of how the dissertation process fits within the Student’s degree completion plan: CJUS/PADM/PLCY 885 Comprehensive Exam & Research Concept In this course the student completes the comprehensive exam and writes a paper which serves as a “proto - dissertation”. CJUS/PADM/PLCY 987 Dissertation I Proposal (Chapters 1-2) This course is the first step for doctoral candidates in the process of developing and completing their research study and dissertation. Doctoral candidates will develop Section 1, which includes the Foundation of the Study, to include a detailed Literature Review relevant to the proposed research study. CJUS/PADM/PLCY 988 Dissertation II Chapter 3 & Proposal This course is the second step for doctoral candidates to develop and complete their dissertation. Doctoral candidates will develop Section 2, which includes their methodology for conducting the study, and combine it with Section 1 into a single document. Candidates will also complete and submit their IRB package to complete their proposal defense. CJUS/PADM/PLCY 989 Dissertation III Chapters 4-5 This course is the final step in developing the dissertation manuscript. Doctoral candidates will conduct their field study, analyze their data, and present their findings and develop Section 3 of their dissertation. Candidates will combine all three sections into their completed dissertation manuscript in preparation for their dissertation defense. CJUS/PADM/PLCY 990 Dissertation IV Dissertation Defense This course is the last step in the doctoral program. Doctoral candidates will defend their dissertation and finalize their dissertation manuscript for publication. 34 Applied Dissertation Template Revised 6/20/19 The purpose of this template is to ensure that the dissertation manuscript is a quality document. This template provides information about formatting and the content contained in each section of the dissertation. Formatting The margins for all chapters of the dissertation are as follows: 1 inch at the top and bottom, 1 inch on the right side, and 1 inch on the left side. All text should be Times New Roman, 12-point font. Text within the body of the manuscript should be left justified. Double spacing should be employed throughout the manuscript. Page numbers should all be Arabic numerals and placed in the upper right-hand corner (with the page number on the first page suppressed). All manuscripts should follow the version of the APA style manual. Below is the Applied Dissertation Template with a description of each section. 0 iv THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE TITLE PAGE: THE TITLE SHOULD GO HERE (ALL CAPS) by Student’s Full Legal Name Liberty University A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Education Liberty University Year THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE SIGNATURE PAGE: THE TITLE SHOULD GO HERE (ALL CAPS) by Student’s Full Legal Name A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Education Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA Year APPROVED BY: Name and degree, Committee Chair Name and degree, Committee Member ABSTRACT The abstract summarizes the contents of the manuscript, starting with the purpose (see template below) or rationale of the study, the research questions (or at least the central research question), the methods, and the results. The first sentence is not indented. Descriptions of the methods should include the design, the sample, setting, and data collection and analysis methods. Approximately 250 words or less is recommended. It is written in future tense until the study is completed. No more than one page is allowable, and the abstract should be written as one, double-spaced paragraph. Author-date citations and direct quotes are not included. The abstract should include results of the study but should not include statistics, discussion of, or reference to, the literature review. The word “ABSTRACT” should be in all caps and a Level 1 heading, centered, but not bold. As an outline for your abstract, we recommend the template adapted from Creswell (1994, 2003): The purpose of this applied study was to solve the problem of ________________ (identify the problem of practice) for ____________ (identify site/setting and stakeholders) and to design ___________ (identify the project - curriculum, intervention, training, etc.) to address the problem. Briefly introduce proposed data collection and data analysis strategies designed to describe the problem, followed by a general description of the project (curriculum, training, program, etc.) that will be developed to address the problem. Keywords: This is a list of 4-7 words (separated by commas) relevant to your study. Copyright Page (Optional) Dedication (Optional) The dedication page is a page in which the candidate dedicates the manuscript. This page is optional. Acknowledgments (Optional) The acknowledgments page provides the opportunity for the candidate to acknowledge individuals who influenced the writing and completion of the dissertation. This page is optional. Table of Contents The Table of Contents lists the various chapters and subsections of the manuscript along with their page numbers. The Table of Contents should include the Abstract, Copyright Page (optional), Dedication (optional), Acknowledgements (optional), List of Tables, List of Figures, CHAPTER TITLES (all caps), Level 1 headings, Level 2 headings, REFERENCES (all caps), and APPENDIX or APPENDICES (all caps). These should be left justified. The subsections included should only be APA Level 1 and Level 2 headings within the manuscript. Level 1 headings should be indented one half inch and Level 2 headings should be indented one inch. Chapter titles are not considered Level 1 headings. Entries should be double-spaced. ABSTRACT 3 Copyright Page (Optional) 4 Dedication (Optional) 5 Acknowledgments (Optional) 6 List of Tables 10 List of Figures 11 List of Abbreviations 12 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 13 Overview 13 Background 13 Problem Statement 13 Purpose Statement 14 Significance of the Study 15 Research Questions 15 Definitions 16 Summary 17 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 18 Overview 18 Theoretical or Conceptual Framework 18 Related Literature 19 Summary 19 CHAPTER THREE: PROPOSED METHODS 21 Overview 21 Design 21 Research Questions 22 Setting 22 Participants 23 The Researcher’s Role 24 Procedures 24 Data Collection and Analysis 25 Interviews 25 Focus Group 26 Survey 27 Ethical Considerations 28 Summary 28 CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS 29 Overview 29 Participants 29 Results 30 Sub-question 1 30 Note: The central research question will be answered in Chapter Five. 32 Discussion 32 Summary 32 CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION 33 Overview 33 Restatement of the Problem 33 Proposed Solution to the Central Question 33 Resources Needed 33 Funds Needed 33 Roles and Responsibilities 33 Timeline 34 Solution Implications 34 Evaluation Plan 34 Summary 35 REFERENCES 36 APPENDIX or APPENDICES 37 List of Tables The List of Tables cites the tables and the corresponding pages of each table. This enables the reader to easily locate the tables in the manuscript. The title of this page should be a Level 1 heading, centered, 1 inch from the top of the page. Entries should be double-spaced. List of Figures The List of Figures cites the figures and the corresponding pages of each figure. This enables the reader to easily locate the figures in the manuscript. The title of this page should be a Level 1 heading, centered, 1 inch from the top of the page. Entries should be double-spaced. List of Abbreviations The title of this page should be a Level 1 heading, centered, 1 inch from the top of the page. Entries should be double-spaced. Examples are provided below. Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Standards of Learning (SOL) CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION Overview The Overview should begin with a brief restatement of the purpose of the study. The purpose should be followed by a restatement of the Problem Statement. You will then clearly and concisely describe the contents and organization of the chapter using future tense. The purpose of Chapter One is to provide a framework for the research. The chapter should create reader interest, provide a foundation for the problem that necessitates the research, overview the context of literature in which the research is founded, identify the importance of the research for a specific audience, and briefly introduce the research via the research questions. Chapter One may vary in length from 10-15 pages for the final dissertation. Background The Background section educates the reader regarding the topic. The Background section provides a historical, social, and theoretical context related to the problem (thus, you may want to organize this section using these three Level 2 headings). For example, say that the problem is teacher retention. What does the literature say about teacher retention from a historical, social, and theoretical perspective? For an applied dissertation, the emphasis is on solving an existing problem of practice. In order to do this, you must rely heavily on existing research and explore what other scholars and practitioners are saying about the problem in general. The background should be well cited and approximately five pages in length. Problem Statement The Problem Statement identifies the general educational problem, the specific educational problem, the focus of the research, the educational or organizational setting, population and stakeholders. This section provides you the opportunity to show that the proposed research is needed and is relevant to the organization being studied. Focus on the problem to be examined. The problem statement draws from the background section; it includes current (i.e., five years or less since publication) literature (at least five citations) to show that the proposed research is empirically significant and relevant to the field. The problem should be stated clearly and unambiguously in one to two paragraphs. You should state: “The problem is….” In one to two focused paragraphs, convince the reader why the particular issue or problem your study is investigating needs to be conducted. · Introduce the general problem needing research, including relevant/recent statistics on the issue. · Summarize the recent research on the problem. · Explain how/why the current research is deficient or falls short to address the problem. · Conclude with a focused statement identifying the problem in relation to a multimethod research design. Purpose Statement The purpose statement should flow from the problem statement and clearly and succinctly state the focus and intentions of the proposed research. The purpose statement should begin with the following statement: “The purpose of this applied study is to solve the problem of….” It foreshadows the research question(s), and the statement must be used consistently throughout the dissertation. You are encouraged to use the following template: “The purpose of this applied study is to solve the problem of ________________ (identify the problem of practice) for ___________ (identify site/setting and stakeholders) and to formulate a solution to address the problem. A multimethod design was used consisting of both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The first approach will be structured interviews with __________. The second approach will be (documents; records; archival data; survey; focus group; etc…) _________ with/using ______. The third approach will be (documents; records; archival data; survey; focus group; etc…) _________ with/using _________.” Although brief in nature, the problem of the study and the purpose statement are two very important aspects of the manuscript. These statements identify the goal of the research and support the importance of the study. All preceding writing within the manuscript should funnel into the problem and purpose statements, and all proceeding aspects of the manuscript should align with, support, and further expand upon the problem and purpose statements. Significance of the Study The significance of the study section begins with a description of the practical contributions that the study makes to the organization being studied; why it is important to the location, organization, population, or stakeholders being studied (e.g., Why and how does it affect them? How will it improve the conditions, lives, work environment, etc.? How can this study be used on a wider scale to effect change to help a wider group of people or the organization as a whole?). Identify the specific stakeholders who will find the study significant for each section. References are very important here to lend additional credence and support the study. All assertions in this section need to be well supported by the literature. Citations are needed. Research Questions The proposed research questions should be derived from the problem and purpose statements. A well-written research question is feasible, clear, significant, and ethical. In applied studies, research questions are most often pragmatic in nature and include key terms of the study (e.g., retention, graduation rates, job satisfaction, etc…). Applied research questions are usually broader and become more specific as you move into the actual data collection/analysis process. It is expected that research questions may be revised as more information pertaining to the study is discovered. To begin your study, begin with one main central question and at least three sub-questions, understanding that it may be necessary to revise the number and kind of questions asked based on further research. The subsequent questions are called sub-questions and must be numbered. Remember that each research question will need to be addressed in the data collection, data analysis, project design, and discussion sections of later chapters. Be sure these questions do not elicit simple yes/no responses. Research questions should be listed, each on a separate line. You are encouraged to use the following format. Example: Central Question: How can the problem of teacher burnout be solved at XYZ High School located in central Georgia? Sub-question 1: How would administrators in an interview solve the problem of teacher burnout at XYZ High School located in central Georgia? Sub-question 2: How would educators in a focus group solve the problem of teacher burnout at XYZ High School located in central Georgia? Sub-question 3: How would quantitative survey data inform the problem of teacher burnout at XYZ High School located in central Georgia? Definitions Terms pertinent to the study should be listed and defined in this section. All definitions need to be supported by the literature, thus citations are needed. Include terms that use abbreviations. Dictionary definitions are not acceptable. Example: 1. Attitude - Attitude is a psychological tendency that involves evaluating a particular object with some degree of favor or disfavor (Eagly & Chaiken, 1993). 2. Interest - The combination of emotion and personal valuation of a task resulting in a desire for various levels of enjoyment (Ainley & Ainley, 2011). 3. Etc… Summary Provide a chapter summary here. The Summary includes a succinct restatement of the problem and purpose of the study and provides a strong conclusion to the chapter. CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW Overview The Overview should begin with a brief restatement of the purpose of the study. The purpose should be followed by a restatement of the Problem Statement. You will then clearly and concisely describe the contents and organization of the chapter using future tense. Chapter Two is often the longest chapter of the dissertation. The minimum length is 30 pages, but most are longer. In this chapter you will provide a context for the present research and demonstrate its importance based on related literature. Chapter Two is comprised of at least four sections: (a) the Overview, (b) a Theoretical (or Conceptual) Framework section, (c) a Related Literature section, and (d) a Summary. Subheadings at Level 2 and Level 3 are often necessary. Often 1,000–2,000 articles are read and around 100–200 integrated in the construction of this chapter. The majority of the literature cited in the chapter should be current (i.e., five years or less since publication), though it is understood that some seminal studies published more than five years ago are appropriate in certain sections and discussions. The Overview must clearly and concisely describe the contents and organization of the chapter. Theoretical or Conceptual Framework This section should provide the reader with a direct connection to the conceptual or theoretical framework that will effectively guide the study and allow the findings to be situated within a greater context. According to Maxwell (2005), The point is not to summarize what has already been done in the field. Instead, it is to ground your proposed study in the relevant previous work, and to give the reader a clear sense of your theoretical approach to the phenomena that you propose to study. (p. 123) Start by describing the theory(ies), including origination and major theorist(s). Next, discuss how the theory(ies) has advanced or informed the literature on your topic. Conclude by articulating how your specific research focus relates to the theory and how it may potentially advance or extend the theory(ies). Examples of theoretical frameworks include Bandura’s (1986) Social Cognitive Theory, Maslow’s (1954) Hierarchy of Needs, Knowles (1980) Adult Learning Theory, etc. Situating your study and focus of inquiry within an established theoretical framework helps establish the significance of the study. Related Literature The purpose of this section is to provide a tight synthesis of the existing knowledge on this topic and link this existing knowledge to the proposed study. This is not simply a study-by-study summary. The majority of the Literature Review will be established in this section. As you read the literature, the information relevant to your study will need to be categorized into major themes which will be presented using headings arranged in a logical order in this section. Remember that this section is the argument for the significance of the study. It communicates what has been examined on the topic(s), what has not been examined or how understanding on the topic is still developing, and how your study can further understanding in the field. Summary This section should provide a focused summary of what is currently known, what is not known, and how your proposed study can specifically address the problem. This should be a concise summary of the information presented in this chapter. General notes: It is important to remember that Chapter Two is not a summary of facts or summaries of relevant research, but rather a critical argument. Derived from Rudestam and Newtons’ (2007) Surviving Your Dissertation, here are some keys to a successful construction of a literature review: 1. Be a convincing writer. Remember that your literature review provides the context for your dissertation and demonstrates why your topic is important and relevant. Your literature review demonstrates the relationship between previous research and your study, and it demonstrates how your study is distinctive and different from previous research. 2. Be a critic not a reporter. Adopt a critical perspective in reading and identifying relationships among research articles. Avoid composing a literature review that is a library of facts. That is, make sure your literature review is a coherent argument that leads to the problem statement or description of the study you are proposing. Your literature review should begin with a clear statement of your goal and be followed by a structured argument. 3. Be a selective writer. Avoid the temptation to report all the literature you review. Be selective and discuss only the articles that are most relevant. Keep in mind that you may review 2,000 articles and only include 100-200. 4. Be a skillful researcher. Use primarily seminal articles and articles that are no more than five years old in your literature review. Always strive to cite primary sources and reputable and scholarly sources. 5. Be a reasonable problem solver. At the conclusion of your literature review, write a statement that summarizes or highlights the most relevant literature and conclusions that lead to your proposed study. Be sure that you clearly identify that your problem has both theoretical and practical value. CHAPTER THREE: PROPOSED METHODS Overview The Overview should begin with a brief restatement of the purpose of the study. The purpose should be followed by a restatement of the Problem Statement. You will then clearly and concisely describe the contents and organization of the chapter using future tense. The purpose of Chapter Three is for you to present the research design, procedures, and analysis for the present research study. Provide the reader with the details of what will occur during the execution of research. Descriptions in this chapter should be comprehensive and in sufficient detail as to permit the replication of the study. Design Begin this section by identifying the research design. You will use a multimethod design, which incorporates both qualitative and quantitative methods. According to Tashakkori and Teddlie (2009), “different scholars have used different terms (integrative, combined, blended, mixed methods, multimethod, multistrategy, etc.) to identify studies that attempt such integration” (p. 283). For a Liberty University SOE applied dissertation, use the term multimethod to describe your design. For example, it would be appropriate to state that “a multimethod research design was used for this applied study.” In addition to identifying the design, you will need to provide a rationale for why the design is most appropriate for the study. This rationale needs to be supported by scholarly sources. In other words, what is the purpose of the design? Why is it the most appropriate choice for the present study? Refer to your educational research texts for the proper design description and use them to support your rationales. In the Design section, you must also discuss, in general terms, the specific approaches you will use in your multimethod study. Three data collection approaches are required for an applied dissertation. The first approach must be qualitative, in the form of interviews. The second approach can be qualitative or quantitative. The third approach must be quantitative. Some examples of qualitative data collection approaches include interviews, focus groups, document analysis, and observations. Some examples of quantitative data collection include quantitative surveys and archival data (e.g., test scores, attendance records, referral records, etc.). In an applied study, surveys are usually created by the researcher to elicit pertinent information for solving the problem of practice. Note: For Liberty University applied research dissertations you will use a multimethod design. Other designs will need to be approved by the Director of Applied Research. Research Questions Central Question: How can the problem of teacher burnout be solved at XYZ High School located in central Georgia? Sub-question 1: How would administrators in an interview solve the problem of teacher burnout at XYZ High School located in central Georgia? Sub-question 2: How would educators in a focus group solve the problem of teacher burnout at XYZ High School located in central Georgia? Sub-question 3: How would quantitative survey data inform the problem of teacher burnout at XYZ High School located in central Georgia? Setting You may choose to title this section “Site” or “Setting.” In this section, the setting (or the site) of the study should be described in detail (e.g., geographic location, school system, the course, etc.), while protecting location confidentiality. Just as you should purposefully select your participants for an applied study, it is also important to provide a rationale for your site selection. Only important features which have bearing on the present study should be included. The following questions should be addressed: How and why was this setting (site) chosen for this study? What does the organization look like with regards to leadership, organizational structure, population, etc.? Describe it with details. Pseudonyms for both individuals and institutions should be provided in this section. Participants In the Participants section, the sample pool, the proposed sample size, type of sample, and sampling procedures (e.g., convenience, snowball sample, maximum variation, etc.) should be clearly explained and each decision should be supported by research citations. Describe the pool of potential participants from which the participants will be drawn. Participants must be stakeholders directly involved with the problem identified in Chapter One. For the interview portion of the study, the number of participants will most often range from 5-10, and no fewer than five participants will be acceptable without approval from the administrative team of Doctoral Programs and Research (School of Education). For example, “Four teachers and one principal will be interviewed for this study . . . etc.” For the quantitative portion of the study, you may choose to administer a survey. The number of participants will most often range from 15 to 30, and no fewer than 15 participants will be acceptable without approval from the administrative team of Doctoral Programs and Research (School of Education). The minimum number of participants for the survey may include the participants who participated in the interviews. Make sure your survey sample is large enough to make a reasonable interpretation of the data. If using a survey as an approach, include the proposed participant information. For example, “The survey will be sent to 24 teachers.” The Researcher’s Role In this section, clearly and thoroughly explain your motivation for conducting the study. Through bracketing, you must identify your relationship to the participants, your role in the setting or research site, and any bias or assumptions you bring to the study that may influence how you collect and analyze the data. The role of the researcher must also be articulated in light of the multimethod design and the implications of this role on the data collection and data analysis procedures must be addressed. Procedures In the Procedures section, the steps necessary to conduct the study are outlined. This includes, but is not limited to, information about securing Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, eliciting participants for the study, gathering the data, and recording procedures. Include in your Procedures section wording similar to the following: “Permission from the IRB will be obtained (see Appendix A for IRB approval). Written permission to conduct the study will be obtained from the superintendent, principal of the participating school, the key gatekeepers at any site, etc. (see Appendix B for permission request letter and permissions).” All procedural materials (e.g., IRB permission, school permission, consent forms, assent forms, protocol, training manual, and any other pertinent information) should be included in the appendices. Note: Data CANNOT be collected until after the proposal is defended and Liberty University IRB permission to conduct the research has been granted. If data are collected or accessed prior to obtaining all necessary and full IRB approvals, the candidate will be removed from the program. Except in rare and unusual circumstances, investigators should not enroll employees under their direct supervision into their research studies that involve greater than minimal risk without the prospect of direct benefit. Data Collection and Analysis Three data collection approaches are required for an applied dissertation. The first approach must be qualitative, in the form of interviews. The second approach may be qualitative or quantitative. The third approach must be quantitative. Organize this section with Level 2 headings according to the approach you choose. For example, your first Level 2 heading would be “Interviews” (see example below). Interviews (This is a required approach for all applied dissertations) Begin by restating sub-question one in statement form. For example, “The first sub-question for this study explored how administrators in an interview would solve the problem of teacher burnout at XYZ High School located in central Georgia.” For applied research at Liberty University, interviews are a required data collection approach. No fewer than five participants will be acceptable without approval from the administrative team of Doctoral Programs and Research (School of Education). Interview data collection procedures should follow the recommendations of established researchers in the field (e.g., Erlandson, Harris, Skipper, & Allen, 1993; Lincoln & Guba, 1985; Merriam, 1988; Miles & Huberman, 1994; Patton, 1980, 1990, etc.). Interviews must be conducted synchronously: face-to-face, individual phone call or e-conference, or in-person focus groups. All interviews must be transcribed for data analysis. Identify the data collection strategy (e.g., structured, semi-structured, etc.), fully define it in the context of applied inquiry (with citation), explain the data collection strategy in layman’s terms (if appropriate), and justify its appropriateness for your research. Discuss any logistics (when/where/how/with whom data will be collected, recorded, etc.) and explicate which of your research questions will be answered by this data collection strategy. It is important to demonstrate that your interview questions are generated from and supported by in the literature on your topic and will address all research questions. Your interview questions should be included in a numbered list with an item-by-item discussion of each question, their basis in the literature, and how they align with the research questions. By explaining in detail the purpose of each interview question, you not only establish the validity of your questions, but also establish the basis for your discussion of findings in relation to the literature in Chapter Five. This approach should include enough detail that another researcher could duplicate your study in another setting. The … 2019-06-13 DISSERTATION MANUAL Ph.D. in Criminal Justice Ph.D. in Public Policy Doctorate in Public Administration 2019-06-13 2 HSOG Dissertation Guide TABLE OF CONTENTS From the Program Directors I. Introduction II. Overview of the Dissertation Process III. Planning & Budgeting of the Dissertation Process IV. Formatting & Style V. Steps in the Dissertation Process VI. Components of the Completed Dissertation 2019-06-13 3 HSOG Dissertation Guide FROM THE PH.D. PROGRAM DIRECTORS Dear Doctoral Candidate: Congratulations on reaching this final stage of your Doctoral journey! You began this journey several years ago and step after step completed all of your coursework and Comprehensive Examination Now you face the capstone of the Doctor of Philosophy Program: the dissertation. Even before Students arrive at the landmark dissertation stage, they have many questions about the dissertation and the process by which they complete one. To address these overarching issues, the Helms School of Government developed this dissertation guide. It is our hope that this process will prepare you for a lifetime of meaningful research and scholarship that not only evidences the knowledge and skills you have ascertained in this program, but, more importantly, reflects the Heart of Christ for justice, advocacy, mercy, and healing for all of mankind. May God bless you with all that you need to flourish abundantly as you conduct you r research and write your dissertation. Our prayers are with you! Dr. Joel Cox, Chair of Criminal Justice, Helms School of Government Online. Dr. Kahlib Fischer, Online Chair, Helms School of Government Dr. Doug Orr, Criminal Justice Program Director Dr. Timothy P. O’Brien, Public Policy Program Director Dr. Harry McGinnis , Public Administration Program Director 2019-06-13 4 HSOG Dissertation Guide I. INTRODUCTION A. Purpose The purpose of this document is to assist Criminal Justice, Public Policy, and Public Administration Doctoral Students in completing their dissertation at Liberty University. The best academic tradition and professional practice requires the University to prepare Doctoral Students to conduct Doctoral dissertation research that suits them for a lifetime of meaningful empirical and scholarly endeavors that impact society. Because the completed dissertation is a publication of Liberty University, the Helms School of Government must maintain high standards concerning the form and appearance of dissertations and require that all work by each student conforms to those standards. This guide sets forth those standards and provides a set of directives for Doctoral Students as they journey through the dissertation process. This guide is also intended to serve as an aid to faculty involved in Chairing Candidate’s dissertations. It provides an overview of the dissertation process and describes, in broad terms, the roles and responsibilities of the Student, Committee Chairperson, and other Committee Members. Moreover, this guide provides pertinent information about the content and style of the dissertation document and describes the processes for document approval and final publication of the dissertation. Doctoral Students should refer to this guide and follow its direction as they plan for and prepare their dissertation and whenever submitting materials to their Committee. The Committee Chairperson is responsible to the University for the structure, content, and final submission of the document for publication and has the ultimate authority in the Committee on these matters. This guide is intended to support Students and faculty at Liberty University through the essential processes of writing and defending the Student’s dissertation. B. The Authority of this Dissertation Manual This version of the dissertation guide supersedes all previous editions of the dissertation manual. Students who are in the process of writing their final chapters, however, may continue under the former guidelines. Back to the Table of Contents 2019-06-13 5 HSOG Dissertation Guide II. OVERVIEW OF THE DISSERTATION PROCESS A. Background to the Dissertation The dissertation is the culminating activity of a Doctoral Student’s degree and represents the Student’s original contribution to the professional literature. It provides an opportunity to focus on a single, carefully defined area of interest within the Student’s field of study. The dissertation is a scholarly document intended to demonstrate the research competence of the author and to produce greater understanding of their chosen field of study. The dissertation is to be written in the formal language and style of the author’s discipline or field of study, and presents the results of a comprehensive, logical, and ethical investigation. The dissertation is an extension of published research that involves the acquisition, analysis, and interpretation of new data. It is based upon the assumption that there exists one or more of these elements:  An internal reality that can be sampled, observed, measured, and analyzed.  An internal phenomenological reality that can be described in sufficient detail by the person experiencing it.  A social or organizational reality that can be derived by examination of its structure or communicated through its participants’ reports. Regardless of the underlying assumption, the dissertation should address an important problem that is feasibly studied within the Student’s field. The dissertation study must be carried out through the application of accepted methods and procedures appropriate to the stated problem. The dissertation is not just descriptive; it must be of a sound extant basis or a well- developed conceptual basis that leads to the question(s) under investigation. This basis serves as the origin for conclusions and inferences that lead to further research, for enhanced theoretical understanding, and for recommendations for organizational improvement. All Doctoral Candidates must submit an approved dissertation to satisfy part of the requirements for their degree. The dissertation must be based on original research that has been approved by the Student’s dissertation Committee. The main aim of the dissertation is to encourage independent study and to provide a foundation for future original research and scholarship that impacts the content field and, ultimately, society. In terms of learning, the dissertation should offer the opportunity to develop research skills, demonstrate mastery of a specified topic, and contribute to the body of knowledge. Dissertations can be divided into two general classifications based upon their purpose: (a) inquiry-oriented studies that have as their purpose to investigate a certain problem 2019-06-13 6 HSOG Dissertation Guide and (b) action-oriented studies that have as their purpose to bring about change or improvement in the area of the problem. Regardless of the type of dissertation chosen, completing a dissertation tests many of the talents expected of Doctoral Candidates such as independent thought, judgment, critical thinking faculties, knowledge of their field, research ability, organization, writing style, and verbal presentation. The dissertation requires the Student to research and evaluate relevant reference materials to formulate pertinent question and/or hypotheses, to construct an appropriate research design that answers those questions and/or hypotheses, and to present findings in the form of a coherent scholarly manuscript of appropriate format. There are many aids to this process available to the Student, but in the final analysis the Doctora l Student is ultimately responsible for successfully completing all steps of the dissertation process. The decision as to whether the Student has met the necessary qualifications to earn the degree rests with the Committee as a whole as well as the members of that committee alone. The selection and working relationship with the Committee is crucial to the successful outcome of the dissertation process. It is critical, therefore, that the Student understands the desires and demands of each Committee member and adheres to the standards in this guide. B. History of the Dissertation The tradition of writing a dissertation as part of Doctoral study dates back to the late Middle Ages in European universities that were at the forefront of academic and scientific thought. Many of their traditions surrounding dissertation writing are still respected today. The dissertation as a genre emerged from the oral culture of medieval graduate education which emphasized mastery of ancient philosophies and evolved into a public recognition of original scientific investigation in pre- World War I Germany. University scholars enlisted graduate Students to facilitate and record their research. Modeled from the original research report, the dissertation became a sine qua non, an essential element, for acquiring the Doctoral degree. James Morris Whiton wrote the first dissertation in the United States at Yale University in 1861. His study of the proverb “Brevis vita, ars longa” contained six pages written in Latin. Fifteen years later, a total of 83 dissertations had been written in the US. The rate of dissertations rose modestly from the turn of the twentieth century until the early 1950s when the number of dissertations recorded increased exponentially. In 2004, over 32,000 dissertations were recorded in the University Microfiche Incorporated (UMI) ProQuest database. Among the two million dissertations written since Whiton’s, the structure and expectation of the dissertation remains an instantiation of the scientific method: background, method, analysis, and conclusions. 2019-06-13 7 HSOG Dissertation Guide C. Dissertation Outline & Criteria 1. Chapter One. Introduction  The introduction adequately establishes the background and context of the study;  The problem statement is adequately articulated, supported with research, and amenable to the investigation;  The justification of purpose and significance is integrated with the problem statement and makes an adequate case for conducting the research;  The nature of the research design adequately describes and is appropriate to the stated problem;  The research questions and/or hypotheses are sta ted in answerable or testable form and are appropriate to the stated problem;  The relevant assumptions and limitations have been identified;  All technical terms have been adequately defined and explained, and  Summary. 2. Chapter Two. Literature Review  The literature review establishes an adequate theoretical framework for the study;  The literature review examines current empirical, theoretical, and relevant literature associated with key variables of the problem;  In areas where literature that directly addresses the topic is limited, current literature in related fields is used to build a rationale for the problem;  The literature review cites appropriate research literature to defend the selection of research design and procedures for this study; and  Summary. 3. Chapter Three. Methods  The research design is adequately described and justified;  The relationships between the problem, the research questions/hypotheses, design and methods are defended;  The description of the population/sample and/or participant selection procedures is adequate;  All the constructs involved are operationalized;  The data processing and analysis procedures are appropriate in light of the study’s design and hypotheses; and  Summary. 4. Chapter Four. Data Analysis and Results:  The data have been analyzed using the appropriate techniques as described 2019-06-13 8 HSOG Dissertation Guide in the methods chapter;  The analyses are performed and presented correctly;  The results address the hypotheses and/or questions; and  Summary. 5. Chapter Five. Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations:  The findings are discussed in terms of research problem, conceptual framework, and research questions/hypotheses;  All the relevant conclusions that can be drawn from the analysis are identified;  Findings are clearly placed within the context of the current literature  The recommendations for future research directions and practice a re identified and justified;  The general conclusions are warranted in light of the results and current literature;  The ramifications and implications for practice are appropriate; and  Summary. 2019-06-13 9 HSOG Dissertation Guide D. The Dissertation and Degree Completion Plan Below is an overview of how the dissertation process fits within the Student’s degree completion plan: CJUS/PADM/PLCY 885 Comprehensive Exam & Research Concept In this course the student completes the comprehensive exam and writes a paper which serves as a “proto-dissertation”. CJUS/PADM/PLCY 987 Dissertation I Proposal (Chapters 1-2) This course is the first step for doctoral candidates in the process of developing and completing their research study and dissertation. Doctoral candidates will develop Section 1, which includes the Foundation of the Study, to include a detailed Literature Review relevant to the proposed research study. CJUS/PADM/PLCY 988 Dissertation II Chapter 3 & Proposal This course is the second step for doctoral candidates to develop and complete their dissertation. Doctoral candidates will develop Section 2, which includes their methodology for conducting the study, and combine it with Section 1 into a single document. Candidates will also complete and submit their IRB package to complete their proposal defense. CJUS/PADM/PLCY 989 Dissertation III Chapters 4-5 This course is the final step in developing the dissertation manuscript. Doctoral candidates will conduct their field study, analyze their data, and present their findings and develop Section 3 of their dissertation. Candidates will combine all three sections into their completed dissertation manuscript in preparation for their dissertation defense. CJUS/PADM/PLCY 990 Dissertation IV Dissertation Defense This course is the last step in the doctoral program. Doctoral candidates will defend their dissertation and finalize their dissertation manuscript for publication. Back to the Table of Contents 2019-06-13 10 HSOG Dissertation Guide III. PLANNING & BUDGETING OF THE DISSERTATION PROCESS A. Guiding Thoughts The dissertation is a major undertaking and there are several general considerations and expenses that the Student should keep in mind during the planning stage. These include time, money, and additional skills (such as test administration, statistical analysis, editing, or transcription for qualitative research) that the Student may need to learn/pay for in order to complete the dissertation research. The Student is advised to begin financial planning as soon as possible. Managing time appropriately is important if Doctoral Candidates want to graduate on a certain date. A written detailed project plan is highly encouraged. In planning a timeline for the completion of the dissertation, Students should consider their personal time limitations and the time constraints of Committee Members. Normally, a Committee member requires at least two weeks in order to adequately review Student submissions. This timeline, however, can be influenced by a number of events. In other words, it is important to keep faculty schedules in mind when submitting materials for review. The student shall solicit chair and reader buy in with respect to review turnaround times. Both parties shall agree to the timeline. If the Student believes that the Committee Chair or other Committee Members are being negligent in responsibilities, it is the Student’s responsibility to discuss the matter with them. If an agreement cannot be reached, the Student may appeal to the Ph.D. Director(s), the Department Chair(s), or the Helms School of Government Online Associate Dean. Students submit chapters as they are completed in order to allow the Chair or Committee Members to provide timely feedback. While waiting, the Student can continue to work on subsequent chapters. Ultimately, the Committee will decide when the document is complete and ready to defend. Their decision is based on the quality of each part of the manuscript as well as the entirety of the design itself. No other deadlines or priorities will supersede this responsibility. Should the Committee determine that the document is not ready to defend, the student will be assigned a grade designation of “Progress”, allowing the student to continue fine-tuning the final product. This includes both the dissertation proposal and the completed dissertation in its entirety. B. The Use of Assistance in the Dissertation Process It is not unusual for the Doctoral Candidate to enlist the assistance of research methodologist consultants in the course of dissertation research and document preparation for the purposes of ensuring that the research methodology of the study is sound. Although Candidates must make decisions on how to best utilize their time, and 2019-06-13 11 HSOG Dissertation Guide how much to use the skills of others, they never relinquish the responsibility for the process or the product of the research. The Student is responsible for knowing every aspect of the research and is answerable to the Committee for the ethical behavior, procedures, accuracy, interpretation, and integrity of the results. The Student must not include anything in the dissertation that s/he cannot describe, understand, justify, and explain to the Committee. The Student must be in control of the research and dissertation, and cannot defer to experts or hired assistants without a complete understanding of the reasons, procedures to be used, and appropriate interpretation of the results from these outside efforts. The Committee must be completely convinced that the Student has a firm grasp on the research and has taken measures to ensure accuracy. Many Doctoral Students find it helpful to employ a research methodologist consultant at various points throughout their research and dissertation. These consultants can assist Students with the research questions, design, data collection procedures, and statistical procedures necessary for the dissertation proposal. Statistical consultants can also assist Students in statistical analysis and interpretation. If Students wish to use a consultant, they should discuss this with the Committee Chair first, and then with other Members of the Committee. Whether or not a consultant is used, students must understand that they must be able to explain and defend their chosen methodologies as part of their proposal and defense. The consultant will not be available as a resource in either the proposal or final dissertation defense; moreover, students must be prepared to answer detailed questions about methodological approaches. Failure to demonstrate sufficient awareness and understanding of methodology will delay the approval process. One consultant Students must employ is a professional editor who is also an expert in the following formatting styles, dependent upon the doctoral program:  APA for the Criminal Justice and Public Administration doctoral programs  Turabian for the Public Policy doctoral program. Please note that heretofore, the above styles are assumed in the rest of this guide for their respective program. Committee Members should be able to review your work w/out being distracted by spelling, grammar, and writing errors. Remember that the dissertation will be published in the Student’s name but will also include the names of Committee Members. Each person’s reputation is intractably tied to the quality of the completed dissertation. Students are responsible to pay for this service. The use of an editor will be money well spent in order to ensure that the dissertation is both well-written and consistent with the appropriate format writing standards. Students are free to select an editor of their choice. However, the final dissertation product shall have a ready-for-publication appearance. Back to the Table of Contents 2019-06-13 12 HSOG Dissertation Guide IV. FORMATTING & STYLE A. Basics  The margins for all chapters of the dissertation are: 1 inch at the top and bottom, 1 inch on the right side, and 1 inch on the left side. Text should be Times New Roman, 12-point font.  Text within the body of the manuscript should be left justified and double spaced throughout the document with page numbers in the upper right-hand corner.  Page numbering should be Arabic, with no number on the title page.  All manuscripts should follow the latest version of the appropriate style manual. For further information consult the Thesis and Dissertation and Publishing Guides.  Students are responsible to give one bound copy of their dissertation to the Helms School of government. Information about binding and publication is via the Library site. B. Style, Additional  Broadly speaking, the dissertation is a scholarly document written for professionals in their specific field of study.  A dissertation typically ranges from 125 to 200 pages of text with some exceeding 400 pages and contains a thorough literature review that is typically 30 to 75 pages in length depending on the topic and amount of previous research.  The dissertation should follow the most recent edition of the appropriate style guide. However, the formatting guidelines and the templates for the dissertation outlined in this handbook need to be followed where specified.  It is highly recommended that candidates retain their textbooks from their previous statistics and research methods courses as these can be very useful guides in the development of their project and identification of appropriate statistical analyses to use. C. Academic Honesty Liberty University considers academic honesty and integrity to be one of its highest values. The dissertation should represent an original contribution to the knowledge base of the Student’s field of study. Students are accountable for conducting original research that leads to the discovery of new information that informs policy or theoretical improvement. Thus, they are expected to submit original work. The reuse of end-of- course essays or reports, master’s theses, or Doctoral research conducted http://libguides.liberty.edu/content.php?pid=229367&sid=1956460 http://libguides.liberty.edu/content.php?pid=229367&sid=1956460 https://www.liberty.edu/library/submitting-dissertations-and-theses/ 2019-06-13 13 HSOG Dissertation Guide elsewhere is prohibited. While citing previous work, Students should treat their previous submission and publications as they would any other work cited according to the current edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. This is described in greater detail below. Students must cite the ideas and work of others appropriately and according to current APA format. Properly crediting others’ scholarly work is an ethical imperative for all academics and one that demonstrates an author’s own integrity. The same principles that guide expectations of academic honestly and integrity in coursework hold true for the dissertation. The Chair of the Doctoral Committee may require a Student to submit his/ her dissertation at any stage of the writing process through plagiarism detection software. The consequences of apparent academic dishonesty are given to the Doctoral Committee Chair and the Committee for their discretion. For more information on the University’s policies regarding academic dishonesty, please refer to the Student honor code and plagiarism/academic integrity policies found here. Back to the Table of Contents https://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=18202&printpage=y 2019-06-13 14 HSOG Dissertation Guide V. STEPS IN THE DISSERTATION PROCESS A. Overview The idea of completing a dissertation can be overwhelming. In fact, the process seems so threatening to some Doctoral Students that they never begin or finish their dissertation.  Remember the strong encouragement to use a detailed project plan from earlier in this guide.  It is helpful to disregard the dissertation as one enormous journey, but consider it a series of steps. For practical purposes, HSOG conceptualizes the dissertation process as having the following steps: 1. Select a topic: this occurs through the process of the student’s chosen cognate and/or other courses in the degree. 2. Chair and Committee selection process: students will be assigned a chair and reader as part of their chosen research path/cognate and will also have some opportunity to solicit a chair and reader of their preference. 3. Complete the proposal 4. Defend the proposal 5. Obtain approval by the Internal Review Board (IRB) 6. Conduct the research 7. Complete the final chapters 8. Submit the entire dissertation for final approval 9. Obtain a professional editor to review for form and style 10. Defend the dissertation 11. Submit the final dissertation and resubmit for further professional editorial review if further changes were made to the document post defense. B. Step 1: Select a Topic Without a doubt, selecting a topic is one of the most difficult aspects of the dissertation process. The key, in this regard, is choosing a topic that will sustain the Student’s interest and attention over a period of 6 to 18 months—the average length of time to complete most dissertations. Moreover, topics should not be too broad, too vague, too grand, or too global. Once a topic is selected, the Student will create a one-page, succinct summary of the research question and method to present to a potential Chair. Finally, topics should be relevant to the field of counseling with the goal of extending the empirical literature in meaningful ways that impact real people, policies, 2019-06-13 15 HSOG Dissertation Guide organizations, and society at large. C. Step 2: Obtain a Dissertation Committee Chair The second step in the dissertation process is for dissertation Committee Chair person assignment (if not already done). The research interests of the student will be matched as close as possible to the research interest of the potential committee chair. The dissertation assignment portal must be used to start the dissertation-oriented courses. Given the importance of the Chairperson as it relates the success of a dissertation, the Doctoral Student should discuss their research ideas with their committee chair soon after assignment. The Doctoral Dissertation Committee is comprised of two Members: the Dissertation Chair (not school chairperson) and one faculty Reader. D. Dissertation Chairperson’s Role and Responsibilities Dissertation Chairpersons are vitally important to the success of Students working on their dissertation. The Chair of the Dissertation Committee is the liaison for the Student, Committee, and the school. The Chair guides and supports the Doctoral Candidate as he or she develops and demonstrates competencies in critical thinking, analysis, synthesis, and integration of relevant theories and research. The Chair reviews the ideas of the student and assists HSOG administration in developing a cogent committee of the remaining Committee positions, guides and supports the Student through the Candidacy Exam, supervises the design and research, and oversees the completion of the dissertation manuscript. The Chair provides feedback on the Student’s writing and research skills and refers the Student to additional support and resources within the University when those skills need further development. During the dissertation process, the Student and Chair will be engaged in collaborative efforts involving the communication skills of writing and discussing. The Chair must ensure that the Comprehensive Exam, the Proposal, and the completed dissertation comply with all criteria used to evaluate acceptable scholar-practitioner work at the Doctoral level. This includes, but is not limited to: the content, structure, format, style, and ethical guidelines. The Chair is the focal point for communication between the Committee Member and the Student and facilitates the pace and flow of all meetings. The Chair should clearly communicate to the Student, all …