Core Elements Table and Problem Space
Residency Presentation Overview and Instructions
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1. In this presentation, you should strive to present your topic by
Expertly demonstrating your knowledge of your research design.
Professionally presenting the components of your study.
2. Slide preparation
Include three bullet points per slide maximum. Remember- the power is in the POINT. Do not include large sections of text and full paragraphs.
Use 20 pt font or larger, add minimal extra slides if needed.
Do not change the order of the slides.
3. Check with instructor for details on time expectations for presentation and additional details.
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Instructions for Faculty
General Instructions
Additional Information
Written feedback is to be provided via bubble comments.
Comments can be created by holding Ctrl+M (for PC) or Command+Shift+M (Mac) on your keyboard, or via the Review tab.
To access the Comment pane, click the “review” tab and select “Show comments.”
The notes section in each slide contains the slide requirements.
Feedback should be focused on helping the learner meet the slide requirements.
See the supplementary faculty job aid materials for grading and other resources.
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Title of Study
[Student’s Name]
Residency Instructor(s):
The purpose of the residency presentation is for the learner to demonstrate their knowledge of their research design, the study components and to prepare for the dissertation defense.
Title:
14 words or less
No acronynms
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Core Elements Table
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| Element | Description |
| Problem Statement | |
| Purpose Statement | |
| Research Question(s) | |
| Phenomenon | |
| Data Sources | |
| Analytical Approach |
Objective:
The core elements table provides a visual organization of the research components of the dissertation topic. As changes are made to the components on this slide, learners should copy the changes to the appropriate slides.
Problem Statement: This is your “It is not known….” statement. This is all that should be in the box.
Purpose Statement: This is your “The purpose of this (methodology) (research design)….” statement. This is all that should be in the box.
Research Questions: Only Research Questions should be in the box.
Phenomenon: This should be 1-2 sentences- reflective of the problem space and leading to your problem statement. Think of this as what would end with a “therefore” and be followed with your problem statement.
Data Sources: List data sources being used for the study.
Identify your analytical approach.
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Problem Space
Major Topic/Theme (name the topic)with at least 3 in-text citations per topic)
Major Topic/Theme (name the topic)
Topic/Theme Description
(2-3 sentences with at least 3 in-text citations
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| Define: | |
| Justify: | |
| Importance: |
Define: In one concise statement, define the concern's scope, explain why resolving it matters (whether through advancing theoretical knowledge or practical application), and entice readers with the promise of meaningful contributions that will keep them engaged throughout your document.
Justify: Establish the legitimacy of your research concern by citing 3-5 recent scholarly sources that explicitly support the need for this research, drawing from documented gaps and limitations rather than personal perceptions to quickly convince readers of your study's relevance and necessity.
3. Importance: Your dissertation must demonstrate broader significance beyond personal curiosity, either by expanding the scholarly literature or by addressing practical industry challenges that could lead to solutions. Ultimately, your research must provide value to others and contribute meaningfully to your field.
For more information explaining the requirements of this section please see the Qualitative Template Companion Guide section: https://dc.gcu.edu/research/quant_companion_guide/chapter_1/identification_of_the_problem_space#common
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Methodology Justification
| Qualitative Attributes | Qualitative Justification |
| Main attributes of qualitative methodology: | Justification for use of Qualitaitve: |
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Within this slide, state the main attributes of your chosen methodology, as supported by relevant data/scholarly sources. You need to defend why you are using a qualitative approach.
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Design
| Selected Design | Definition/Characteristics (Use literature support) | Justification (use /not use) |
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Within this slide, in the first column state the chosen design. In the second column, state the main attributes of your chosen research design, as supported by relevant data/scholarly sources. In the third column, defend why you are using that design.
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Theoretical Planning
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Looking ahead to chapter 2, you will need to identify 1 or 2 theories that may serve your study in the following ways:
It is a “lens” for what the researcher is looking at and describing about the phenomenon being researched.
It is a “sieve” to filter out important aspects of the phenomenon.
It is an “illuminating tool” that helps the researcher see more about a phenomenon.
Present an illustration for 1 theory per slide- add a slide if needed. Your slide should identify the theory and present the illustration. In your presentation, you should be able to articulate how the theory will fulfill the points above.
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Feasibility 1
Study Alignment with Program
(Identify Program of Study)
Degree & Emphasis:
Alignment of topic to degree:
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Objectives:
Identify and discuss the feasibility of your proposed study based on the Feasibility & Benefits Checklist located in the Dissertation Template appendices.
The information on this slide will be used to inform the Ethical Considerations section.
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Core Elements Table
DOCTORATES WITH PURPOSE
| Element | Description |
| Problem Statement | |
| Purpose Statement | |
| Research Question(s) | |
| Phenomenon | |
| Data Sources | |
| Analytical Approach |
Objective:
The core elements table provides a visual organization of the research components of the dissertation topic. As changes are made to the components on this slide, learners should copy the changes to the appropriate slides.
Problem Statement: This is your “It is not known….” statement. This is all that should be in the box.
Purpose Statement: This is your “The purpose of this (methodology) (research design)….” statement. This is all that should be in the box.
Research Questions: Only Research Questions should be in the box.
Phenomenon: This should be 1-2 sentences- reflective of the problem space and leading to your problem statement. Think of this as what would end with a “therefore” and be followed with your problem statement.
Data Sources: List data sources being used for the study.
Identify your analytical approach.
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Population, Target Population, & Sample
| General Population | Target Population | Sample |
| Define Population: | Define Target Population: | Define Sample: |
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Top Row: Define the terms general population, target population, and sample using authoritative sources.
Bottom Row: Describe the population, target population, and sample as related to the proposed study.
General Population: Describe the population of interest for your overall study.
Target Population: Estimate the size of the target population and identify the specific way to access the target population (see hints below).
Sample: Estimate the projected sample size and who/what will be sampled for each source of data. Specify if samples will be the same or different individuals/datasets for each source of data.
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Data Sources
| Data Source #1 [Identify Source Here] | Data Source #2 [Identify Source Here] | Data Source #3 [Identify Source Here] |
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Identify each data source by type (ie, Semi-Structured Interviews, Open-Ended Questionnaires, Focus Groups, Observations, etc.)
Hint:
The majority of qualitative studies’ primary source of data are semi-structured interviews.
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Data Analysis Steps: Slide 1 Data Source #1 – Analysis Strategy
Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 3:
etc.
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Objectives:
The following slides show the approach to cover for qualitative analysis.
The information on this slide will be used to inform the Data Analysis section.
This set of steps may require more than one slide.
Slide Requirements:
Replace the subtitle with the name of the data source and the analysis approach used (i.e., Open-Ended Questionnaires – Thematic Analysis).
Identify each step you will take to analyze the data, supported with an authoritative source. (i.e. Clarke and Braun 6 steps – only list the steps. Explanation of each step should be verbal, not written on the slide).
Create a slide for each data source, if applicable. If you need additional room, you may duplicate this slide.
Hints:
One method should be used for a single analysis strategy (i.e. Clarke and Braun OR Sandelowski for thematic analysis, not both)
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Feasibility Slide 2
Feasibility Key points:
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Feasibility Checklist
Based on the Feasibility checklist from your pre-residency instructor and feedback from your instructor (or anything you have discovered this week), name 3-5 things that could potentially cause feasibility concerns for your study.
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Key References
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Key references
Include key references from the presentation. Only references listed on a slide within this presentation should be included.
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Thank you
Questions and Discussion
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