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SOE Applied Research (Capstone) Project Requirements The School of Education Scholarly Project Handbook may be found in the SOE Doctoral Community in Canvas. While the handbook focuses on policy-related items, this document contains the formatting and research-based requirements of the applied research project.

The candidate is expected to use the Claxton and Michael (2023) third edition textbook as a content guide, supplemented with examples, and the APA-7 Manual for writing, citing, and formatting.

Formatting & Parameters As a doctoral-level researcher, the candidate is expected to master APA formatting as they develop their research. APA resources are provided in the SOE Doctoral Community. The candidate may need to complete their own independent searches for tutorials to properly use Microsoft Word features (spacing, hanging indents, etc.) in alignment with APA formatting. The doctoral candidate is encouraged to take significant pride in the work they produce by ensuring their manuscript reflects doctoral-level writing, APA formatting, and research content development.

• Use the third edition template and outline provided in the SOE Doctoral Community.

• Times New Roman, 12 point font • 1-inch margins

o No content should be outside the margins, including figures and tables

• 100-page minimum for the final manuscript o Leave all Pagination items unchecked for all pages (see Pagination image). Turning these features

off (i.e., unselected) ensures that all lines of each page within the chapter are being used. • At least 50 references • Four core elements are aligned to solve a problem or improve a practice. • Site permission from an appropriate gatekeeper (the official letter is submitted by a candidate per the

instructions for the site permission letter task assignment in EDUC 887) • 20-page minimum for the literature review

o At least 85% of the literature review from scholarly, peer-reviewed sources within the last five years (must remain within five years by the date of final defense)

o All pages must be fully developed (i.e., all lines of each page must be filled) o SOE will return manuscripts that do not meet 20 fully developed pages.

Data Collection Requirements A multi-method approach for data collection is required, using three different methods. Methods must include both qualitative and quantitative approaches.

First Data Collection Method (Qualitative): Interviews Interviews are required for at least five participants.

Interviews must consist of at least 10 open-ended questions.

Second Data Collection Method The candidate may select this data collection method from the options provided in the Applied Research Capstone Outline. The second data collection method must be different from the first and third data collection methods.

• Surveys (quantitative): at least 15 participants/completed surveys; the survey must have at least three demographic questions and at least 10 prompts using no more than two scales

• Questionnaires (qualitative): at least 10 participants/completed questionnaires; the questionnaire must have at least 10 open-ended questions, and questions/participants must be different than those interviewed to avoid duplicate data

• Focus Group (qualitative): at least five to eight participants in a single group; focus group must have five to 10 open-ended questions; questions and participants must be different than those in the interview for the first data collection method

• Observations (qualitative): must be made at least once, and as many times as necessary to gather sufficient data to address the research topic

• Document analysis (qualitative or quantitative): Documents must seek to solve the problem and not to establish the presence of a problem.

Third Data Collection Method The candidate may select this data collection method from the options provided in the Applied Research Capstone Outline. The third data collection method must be different from the first and second data collection method.

• Surveys (quantitative): at least 15 participants/completed surveys; the survey must have at least three demographic questions and at least 10 prompts using no more than two scales

• Questionnaires (qualitative): at least 10 participants/completed questionnaires; the questionnaire must have at least 10 open-ended questions, and questions/participants must be different than those interviewed to avoid duplicate data

• Focus Group (qualitative): at least five to eight participants in a single group; focus group must have five to 10 open-ended questions; questions and participants must be different than those in the interview for the first data collection method

• Observations (qualitative): must be made at least once, and as many times as necessary to gather sufficient data to address the research topic

• Document analysis (qualitative or quantitative): Documents must seek to solve the problem and not to establish the presence of a problem.