Make up
Walden University Academic Residencies:
From Social Problem to Research Gap
PhD Residency 2
1
Welcome to Residency 2!
The purpose of Residency 2 is to continue building your capacity to perform doctoral research and to develop initial ideas for your dissertation study.
Topics include:
Social Problem and Research Gap to Research Problem
Building Toward the Literature Review
Literature Synthesis
Research Methods
Research Alignment
2
Residency 2 Learning Objectives
Understand the work in Residency 2 related to the dissertation process
Use the Literature Review Matrix to organize and synthesize literature
Discover and practice developing parts of an aligned research plan
Practice finding alignment in research
Apply understanding of alignment to a practice research plan in the Final Assignment
3
Introductions
Faculty introductions
Student introductions
4
Residency 2 Final Assignment
5
The Final Assignment is what you will develop in each of the sessions. Residency 2 sessions are aligned to developing parts of a practice “Aligning Research Components” Matrix and learning the importance of alignment.
The final sessions will give you a chance to pull all of your new thinking together to finish the Final Assignment.
The Final Assignment is REQUIRED to receive residency credit.
5
The “Columns” in the Final Assignment
The columns in the final assignment are the components needed in your research study.
These components correspond to the topics in the residency sessions:
Social Problem of Significance in the Field
Background/Literature Review
Gap in the Research Literature
Research Problem
Possible Research Question
Theories or Conceptual Framework
Tentative Method of Inquiry
6
6
The “Rows” in the Final Assignment
The rows represent the iterative process of developing your research ideas.
Four actions to complete the final assignment:
1st row: Write your ideas/thoughts for each item.
2nd row: Gather feedback from others on those items.
3rd row: Finalize your thoughts about each item.
4th row: Reflect on what you need to do to move forward.
7
The Final Assignment has four aspects involving action on your part:
In the first row, you write in your ideas/thoughts related to each column as you move through the curriculum.
The second row asks you to discuss those ideas in each column with a peer and a faculty member, recording their responses to your ideas/thoughts.
The third row asks you to write in your final thoughts on this to be submitted as the record of your thinking throughout the residency.
In the fourth row, you reflect on what you need to do next for each of the items in the column to continue moving forward to develop your dissertation ideas.
The entire document will be uploaded to the BlackBoard classroom.
7
Funneling Research Ideas
We will use this graphic as a way to remind you where you are at in the process of Funneling Research Ideas down to the point where you could design a study.
Add research problem
The sessions in Residency 2 are aligned to developing parts of a practice Research Plan.
Every colored bar on the pyramid represents its own funnel all with the purpose of getting down to the research question.
The size of the task in each part doesn’t get smaller; the ideas get more focused.
The last two sessions will be practical application of what you have learned in the other sessions.
8
Social Problem
(Seminar 1)
Theoretical/Conceptual Framework
(Seminar 5)
Tentative Methodology
(Seminar 5)
Background/Literature Review
(Seminar 2 and 3)
Gap in Research Literature
(Seminar 1 and 4)
Research Question(s)
(Seminar 4)
Moving Forward/Putting It All Together
(Seminar 6 and 7)
Research Problem
(Seminar 1 and 4)
Session 1 Learning Objectives
Understand the work in Residency 2 related to the dissertation process.
Distinguish between social problems, research problem, and research gap.
Develop a process for deciding on a research focus.
Articulate how social change applies to research.
Apply learning to the Final Assignment.
9
Social Problem
(Seminar 1)
Gap in Research Literature
(Seminar 1 and 4)
Research Problem
(Seminar 1 and 4)
Add research problem
9
Dissertation Documents
Prospectus Form +
Proposal +
Dissertation =
PhD
Link to prospectus form
10
Examples of Social Problems?
A situation or issue being experienced within your discipline that prompted you to search the literature.
What you see on the ground, what you think about as your topic of interest.
Usually a topic you identify with, sometimes having personally experienced some aspect of the problem as it exists in the world.
11
Let ‘s start with brainstorming! Shout ideas out (track them on a flip chart, if desired).
11
12
We’d probably be pretty much in agreement that STRESS is a social problem that exists in nearly every aspect of life.
Let’s think about how we could take this social problem and turn it into a researchable problem.
12
Activity: Social Problems and Research
Discuss what kinds of research could be done on stress.
13
Let’s look at one research study that a Walden PhD student did to address an aspect of stress.
Look at the parts of the research: Problem/Gap, Purpose, Literature/Framework, Research Question, Methodology
These are the things we would eventually include in the Premise and Prospectus.
Oral Volunteers — Who can tell us what the Social Problem is? The Research Gap? What was the Purpose? What was the Relevant Literature and Framework?
How did the research questions align with each of those other parts?
14
How can we discover more about the nature of this social problem?
A “social problem” is an issue within your discipline that prompts you to search the literature.
It is the problem you see on the ground, the topic of interest that leads you to search the literature to learn what the scholarly community knows about the problem.
15
The first thing to do is to discover more about the nature of this social problem and all of the components that might go into producing it.
Literature review can help you answer these questions.
What “you” don’t know is not the same as what “we,” the scholarly community, don’t know.
Learn what “we,” the scholarly community, know about this problem (from the literature!).
15
How can we discover more about the nature of this social problem?
A “research gap” is an identified gap in the research literature that has current relevance to the discipline and area of practice.
We will discuss the gap in the literature and the research problem further in the next session.
16
The first thing to do is to discover more about the nature of this social problem and all of the components that might go into producing it.
Literature review can help you answer these questions.
What “you” don’t know is not the same as what “we,” the scholarly community, don’t know.
Learn what “we,” the scholarly community, know about this problem (from the literature!).
16
Individual Activity: Social Problem Worksheet
Respond to the following questions:
What is your program and/or specialization?
What is a social issue/problem are you concerned about?
How/why is this social issue/problem meaningful to your discipline or professional field?
What information is needed to address or ameliorate this issue/problem? This is called the gap in the literature.
What is your specialization? At Walden, your research must address a social and research gap in your specialization.
We will cover the gap in the literature further in the next session.
17
Small Group Activity: Social Problem Worksheet
Each student will share his/her responses:
What is your program and/or specialization?
What is the social issue/problem are you concerned about?
How/why is this social issue/problem meaningful to your discipline or professional field?
What information is needed to address or ameliorate this issue/problem? That is the gap in the literature.
Give and receive feedback
We will cover the gap in the literature further in the next session.
18
Walden’s Definition of Social Change
Walden University defines positive social change as a deliberate process of creating and applying ideas, strategies, and actions to promote the worth, dignity, and development of individuals, communities, organizations, institutions, cultures, and societies. Positive social change results in the improvement of human and social conditions.
19
Academic
Community
Programs &
Interventions
Peer
Individual
Factors to Consider in Possible Significance of the Research and Contribution to Social Change
Social change may affect individuals at varying levels of proximity and, at the outmost level, social change can occur by the inclusion of a research study into a body of research.
Research as an addition to existing literature fosters social change by: 1) altering the body of research future scholars draw from in which to build future research, and 2) serving as a repository from which academics, practitioners, policy makers, and administration draw upon.
Rippling may occur in that there may be a “system” or series of circles that are affected by given research. For example, an examination of the impact of doctor-patient communication can affect not only how an individual communicates with his/her physician, but also how the physician communicates and how that physician records symptoms and prescribes medication. This chain of events can be seen as a system.
Academic: Inform existing body of academic research that might impact systemic factors
Community Factors: Policy initiatives, changes to infrastructure
Programs & Interventions: Services provided to the individual by doctors/therapists/educators, new/modified/targeted programs, innovative interventions
Peer Factors: Residual effect to individual's boss, coworkers, friends, family and social support network
Individual Factors: Changed environment; knowledge, attitudes, behaviors; and wellness
With the research idea you are working with, which of these factors would most align with your research for significance?
20
Residency 2 Final Assignment
21
The Final Assignment is what you will develop in each of the sessions. Residency 2 sessions are aligned to developing parts of a practice “aligning Research Components” Matrix and learning the importance of alignment.
The final sessions will give you a chance to pull all of your new thinking together to finish the Final Assignment.
The Final Assignment is required to receive residency credit.
21
Final Assignment for Residency 2
Write down notes for your Aligning Research Components Matrix.
Fill in the Column “Social Problem of Significance”
Initial Ideas
Peer Feedback
Final Assignment is due on the day before the last day of the Residency. See the Final Assignment area in your Blackboard Classroom for more details.
22
Feedback Survey
Please take 2 minutes right now to complete feedback for this session in:
Residency App for Face-to-Face events
Blackboard for Virtual events
23
image1.jpg
image2.png
image9.jpg
image20.png
image21.jpeg
image22.jpeg
image23.png
image24.png
Anxiety and the Imposter Phenomenon Among Graduate Students in Online Versus Traditional Programs
Christy Fraenza, Ph.D.
Abstract This study compared online and traditional students on measures of imposter phenomenon (IP), anxiety, and perfectionism. Traditional students had significantly higher IP scores. Perfectionism was the strongest predictor of IP scores. Because the scale for perfectionism explored socially prescribed perfectionism, it seems to suggest an underlying social component to IP.
Procedures Design • Between-subjects design that compared two
independent samples (Gravetter & Wallnau, 2004). Sample
• A sample of 115 online graduate students was compared to a sample of 105 traditional graduate students.
• Online student participants were obtained via the participant pool and traditional student participants were obtained through an e-mail invite at a large state university.
Instrumentation • Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale (CIPS) • Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) • Perfectionistic Self-Presentation Scale (PSPS) • Demographic Questionnaire
Data Analysis Descriptive statistics for all demographic variables Independent t-tests to determine if differences existed between the two groups on measures of IP and anxiety. Pearson correlation to determine the nature of the relationship between IP scores and anxiety scores Multiple regression analysis to determine which set of variables best predicted IP scores Research Questions
RQ 1: Is there a significant difference in IP scores, as measured by the Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale (CIPS), between online graduate students and traditional graduate students? RQ 2: What is the nature of the relationship between IP, as measured by CIPS, and anxiety scores, as measured by the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS)? RQ 3: Is there a difference in anxiety scores, as measured by the SAS, between online graduate students and traditional graduate students?
Purpose The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there were any significant differences between IP and anxiety scores between the students in online and traditional program types.
Problem Individuals who experience IP may never truly enjoy their successes and may live in a negative cycle of stress and anxiety as they attempt to maintain high standards of performance (Sonnak & Towell, 2001). As outlined by Kolligan and Sternberg (1991), a key feature of IP is social anxiety, especially when there are evaluations, and it is commonly known that graduate school programs consist of multiple evaluative experiences. However, little research has focused on graduate student experiences with IP. Research on online students has indicated that students in this setting experience less anxiety (DeVaney, 2010; Ioakimidis, 2007) and feel freer to be themselves (Sullivan, 2002). Because anxiety was identified as a key component of the experience of IP, it was important to determine if and/or how IP is experienced differently in an online environment, where social cues and direct contact are limited.
Relevant Literature Research on IP has found a positive, significant relationship with anxiety (Bernard, Dollinger, & Ramaniah, 2002; Chae, Piedmont, Estadt, & Wicks, 1995; Ross, Stewart, Mugge, & Fultz, 2001). Previous studies on graduate students have indicated that online students experience lower levels of anxiety (DeVaney, 2010). Researchers have theorized that the loss of social cues and pressures in electronic communications may reduce anxiety associated with asking for help (Kitsantas & Chow, 2007) and may create a more comfortable, open environment where all members are equal (Sullivan, 2002). Many cues about the context of an interaction are not present in electronic communication, such as body language, nonverbal cues, physical appearance, and emotional reactions (Parks & Floyd, 1996). Without this information, communication online should result in less social influence and conformity in comparison to face-to- face communications (Parks & Floyd, 1996). Because face-to-face communications are absent, or limited, in online graduate programs, it was theorized that online graduate students would experience less anxiety and less intense IP when compared to traditional graduate students.
Social Change Implications Given the high IP and anxiety scores found in this sample of graduate students, it’s important for those working in higher education to become informed of the IP experience so that they can effectively support students through this negative experience. This study provides new information to support future research into if the online environment could minimize or reduce anxiety and IP in graduate students.
Limitations No cause-and-effect relationship can be determined. Results are not generalizable to the entire graduate student population, as the sample was predominantly White. Participants were not chosen at random, as participants were only those who volunteered to complete the surveys.
Conclusions Graduate students, whether online or traditional, are dealing with high levels of anxiety and IP. Perfectionism was found to be a powerful predictor of IP scores, even more so than type of program and anxiety. Because the scale used to asses perfectionism was only focused on socially prescribed perfectionism that is driven by social forces, it seems an underlying social component could be a factor in IP.
Findings RQ 1: Traditional graduate students had significantly higher IP scores than online graduate students RQ 2: Results revealed a significant, positive relationship between IP scores and anxiety scores RQ 3: Traditional graduate students had higher anxiety scores than online graduate students, but this difference was not significant All three predictor variables (perfectionism scores, anxiety scores, program type) were all significant predictors of IP scores. Perfectionism was the most influential predictor.
Dr. Carolyn King, Committee Chairperson Dr. Michael Durnam, Committee Member Dr. James Carroll, University Reviewer