Personal Progress-Narrowing Down

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 methodology, and the results. The first sentence is not indented. Descriptions of the methodology should include the design, the sample, setting, and data collection and analysis methods. Approximately 250 words or less is recommended; however, some dissertation abstracts are a little longer. It is written in the future tense in the proposal document and past tense when the study is completed. No more than one page is allowable, and the abstract should be written as one, double-spaced paragraph. The abstract should include results of the study, but should not include statistics. The word “ABSTRACT” should be in all caps and a Level 1 heading, centered, but not bold. As an outline for your purpose statement, we recommend the template provided by Creswell (1994, 2003):

The purpose of this _________ (phenomenological, grounded theory, ethnographic, case) study is (was? will be?) to _______________ (understand? describe? develop? discover?) the _____________ (central phenomenon of the study) for _____________ (the participants) at __________ (the site). The theory guiding this study is (identify theory and cite theorist) as it (explain the relationship between the theory and your focus of inquiry)…. Briefly introduce proposed data collection and data analysis strategies.

Keywords: This is a list of 4-7 words (separated by commas) central to your study.

The dedication page is a page in which the candidate dedicates the manuscript. This page is 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.

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.

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.

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.

American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC)

Attachment to God Inventory (AGI)

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 question(s). The Overview must clearly and concisely describe the contents and organization of the chapter. Remember that this is just an overview. Chapter One may vary in length from 10-15 pages for the final dissertation. You will go into more depth in Chapter Two.

The Background section contains a summary of the most relevant literature and provides the historical (i.e., how the problem has evolved over time), social (i.e., contexts), and theoretical (e.g., important variables, the theoretical concepts, and the principles underpinning the research) contexts for the research problem. Each of the three contexts must be specifically examined using APA Level 2 headings for each. You should be sure to link and relate the background of the study to the proposed research. Questions that may be asked or addressed in this section may include, but are not limited to: What is the problem and why is it an interest? Who else is affected by the problem? What research has been done to investigate or address the problem? How will the proposed research extend or refine the existing knowledge in the area under study? Who will benefit or use the proposed research? What new information does the current research add to the body of existing literature regarding the topic? The majority of literature cited in this section should be no more than ten years old.

This section provides an opportunity for you to articulate your motivation for conducting the study and identify the philosophical assumptions (ontological, epistemological, rhetorical, axiological) you bring to the research and the paradigm (positivism/post-positivism, constructivism, participatory, and pragmatism) that will guide the study. Keep in mind that qualitative research is written in the first person rather than third person voice.

“A problem might be defined as the issue that exists in the literature, theory, or practice that leads to a need for the study” (Creswell, 1994, p. 50). A problem statement summarizes “the context for the study” and the main problem the researcher seeks to address (Wiersma, 1995, p. 404). It identifies the general problem, the specific problem, the focus of the research, and the population sample. The problem statement draws from the background section; it includes current (i.e., ten years or less since publication unless otherwise approved by your Chair) literature (three to five citations) to show that the proposed research is significant and relevant to the field. It 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 done.

· Introduce the general topic needing more research, including relevant/recent statistics on the issue.

· Summarize the recent research on the topic.

· Explain how/why the current research is deficient or falls short.

· Conclude with a focused statement identifying the problem in relation to your research design.

The purpose statement should follow the problem statement and clearly and succinctly state the focus and intentions of the proposed research. “The purpose statement should provide a specific and accurate synopsis of the overall purpose of the study” (Locke, Spirduso, & Silverman, 1987, p. 5) and begin with the following statement: “The purpose of this study is . . .” It foreshadows the research question(s), and the statement must be used consistently throughout the dissertation. You are encouraged to use the following template adapted from Creswell (2013):

The purpose of this _________ (phenomenological, grounded theory, ethnographic, case, historical) study is to _______________ (understand? describe? develop? discover?) the _____________ (central phenomenon of the study) for _____________ (the participants) at __________ (the site). At this stage in the research, ___________ (central phenomenon) will be generally defined as ________________ (a general definition of the central concept). The theory guiding this study is (identify theory and cite theorist) as it (explain the relationship between the theory and your focus of inquiry).

Although brief in nature, the problem and purpose statements are two very important aspects of the manuscript. These statements support the importance of the study and identify the goal of the research. 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.

The significance of the study section contains a description of the contributions that the study makes to the knowledge base or discipline, both theoretically and empirically (i.e., How does it relate to other studies that are similar or that investigate the same issue?)

This section also includes a brief description of the practical significance of the study; why it is important to the location, organization, general population, or sample 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 affect change to help a wider group of people or the organization as a whole?). 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.

The proposed research question(s) should be derived from the problem and purpose statements. A well-written research question is feasible, clear, significant, and ethical. In qualitative studies, research questions are often philosophical or pragmatic in nature and ask about meaning, process, perceptions, or behavior. Qualitative research questions are usually broader and become more specific as you move into the actual data collection/analysis process. Identify at least three research questions. If one central research question is used, the subsequent questions are called sub-questions. Include a brief description and discussion of each one before moving to the next question, using the literature (including citations) to support the focus of the question. Remember that each research question will need to be addressed in the data collection, data analysis, and discussion sections of later chapters. Be sure these questions do not elicit simple yes/no responses. Note that traditional research hypotheses are not necessary or appropriate for most qualitative studies.

Terms pertinent to the study should be listed and defined as the final section of Chapter One. All definitions in this section also need to be supported by the literature. Include terms that use abbreviations. Citations are needed. 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…

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 is often the longest chapter of the dissertation. The minimum length must be 30 pages, but most are longer. Its purpose is to provide a context for the present research and to demonstrate its importance based on the problem demonstrated via the literature as well as the need or gap in the 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 at least 100–200 articles are integrated in the construction of this chapter. The majority of the literature cited in the chapter should be current (i.e., ten years or less since publication), though it is understood that some seminal studies published more than ten years ago are appropriate in certain sections and discussions. Seek Chair approval if you are uncertain about a source. The Overview must clearly and concisely describe the contents and organization of the chapter.

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.

The purpose of this section is to provide a tight synthesis (not simply a study-by-study summary like an annotated bibliography) of the existing knowledge on this topic and link this existing knowledge to the proposed study. 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 the study can fill the gap or further understanding in the field.

This section should provide a focused summary of what is currently known, what is not known, and how your proposed study can specifically address gaps in the existing literature.

General notes:

It is important to remember that Chapter Two is not a library, that is, 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, for example, 150 (one hundred fifty).

4. Be a skillful researcher. For most topics, use primarily seminal articles and articles that are no more than ten years old in your literature review. Always strive to cite primary sources and reputable and scholarly sources. Seek Chair approval for using substantial literature sources over ten years old.

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 (i.e., fills a gap in the literature) and practical value (i.e., solution to a problem or concern in the professional field, improves professional practice.).

The Overview may begin with a brief restatement of the nature and purpose of the study. It must clearly and concisely describe the contents and organization of the chapter. The purpose of Chapter Three is to present the procedures, research design, and analysis for the present research study. That is, it provides 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. Chapter Three contains several subsections; they are listed below.

In the Participants section, the sample pool, the sample size, type of sample (e.g., theoretical, purposive), and sampling procedures (e.g., convenience, snowball sample, maximum variation, etc.) should be clearly explained and each decision should be supported by research citations. Demographic information (age, ethnicity, gender, etc.) should be described in narrative or tabular form. If using a published survey or questionnaire to identify or describe participants, be sure to gain permission to use and explain here how the survey was developed and how validity and reliability were established. If generating your own, you need to address face and content validity and describe any piloting procedures used. This is not considered a data collection method.

Given the nature of qualitative research, pseudonyms should be provided. Support all practices from research literature with citations. The number of participants will most often range from 6-15 or higher.

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.

In this section you must clearly and thoroughly explain your role as the “human instrument” in the study. You must be straightforward about 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 view the data or conduct your analysis. Your role must also be articulated in light of the chosen design and the implications of this role on the data collection and data analysis procedures must be addressed.

A critical aspect of qualitative inquiry is rigorous data collection techniques. For most qualitative designs, the only required data collection method is interviews. Others are also often used and may include, but are not limited to, observations (participant and/or direct), document analysis (e.g., archival records, journals, letters, etc.), artifact analysis (e.g., photographs), and researcher field notes/theoretical memos. Discuss the data collection strategies in the order in which they will be conducted (and order the sub-sections for each individual strategy below in the same sequence) and explain why you have chosen this particular sequence. These data collection procedures should follow the recommendations of established qualitative researchers in the field (e.g., Erlandson, Harris, Skipper, & Allen, 1993; Lincoln & Guba, 1985; Merriam, 1988; Miles & Huberman, 1994; Patton, 1980, 1990, etc.).

At the outset of each of the sub-sections for the individual data collection strategies, you should identify the data collection strategy, fully define it in the context of qualitative 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 will data be collected, recording, etc.) and explicate which of your research questions will be answered by this data collection strategy. It is important to demonstrate that interview (and focus group) semi-structured questions are generated from and grounded in the literature on your topic. Your questions should be included in a numbered list with an item-by-item discussion of each question and its basis in the literature. Here is an example as it must appear in your paper:

Standardized Open-Ended Semi-Structured Interview Questions

1. Please introduce yourself to me, as if we just met one another.

2. Please walk me through your worldview development timeline.

3. Of the formative experiences you identified on your timeline, which would you say were the most significant?

4. What made them significant?

5. Is there something else you would like to add to your timeline that you haven’t already written down?

6. Experts suggest that a person is often not aware of his or her worldview and its influence on his or her life and choices. On a scale from one to five, with one being very unaware and five being completely aware, how aware are you of your worldview?

7. Describe your worldview.

8. Ideally, part of becoming an adult involves the process of examining and evaluating one’s worldview. Where are you in that process?

9. How does your parents’ worldview compare to yours?

10. Think about a friend who also has a Biblical worldview. What formative experiences do you think they would want to tell me about?

11. Tell me about the struggles you’ve experienced-- since graduating high school-- as you have worked out your worldview.

12. What questions, if any, came up for you as you developed a Biblical worldview?

13. If you were a parent of a 19-year-old, how would you help her as she develops a Biblical worldview?

14. Imagine you’re being interviewed at a youth conference, in front of thousands of Christian young people. What would you want to tell them to expect to experience as they develop their worldview over the next few years?

15. I’d like to ask you a question that will prompt you to put everything together, so to speak. Reflecting on your lifetime of experience developing a Biblical worldview, what advice would you give to Christians your age as they develop their worldview?

16. This next question is unique in that it will invite you to look ahead. How do you expect your worldview to change or develop over the next several years?

17. We’ve covered a lot of ground in our conversation, and I so appreciate the time you’ve given to this. One final question… What else do you think would be important for me to know about the development of your worldview that I haven’t asked you about?

Questions one through five are knowledge questions (Patton, 2015), and are designed as follow-up questions to the worldview development timelines that will have been previously created and submitted by the participants. These questions are intended to be relatively straightforward and non-threatening, and will ideally serve to help develop rapport between the participant and me (Patton, 2015). The questions will be adjusted as necessary for each participant, based on the data included on each individual timeline.

Fowler (1981) suggested that for adolescents, the formation of complex systems of values and beliefs is primarily a subconscious task. Only after one progresses out of synthetic-conventional faith does a person begin to develop a deep awareness of one’s faith. With this new awareness comes the capacity to consciously reflect on one’s faith and to make intentional choices about what to include in a workable system of meaning. Furthermore, Sire (2015) concluded that components of a person’s worldview may be consciously or unconsciously held. Therefore, it is important to ask questions that will help participants reflect on their level of awareness of their own worldview and on the progress they have made in examining and evaluating their worldview. Questions six through eight are designed for these purposes.

Question nine invites the participant to reflect on his or her worldview as compared to his or her parents’ worldview. Several studies suggest that there is a strong correlation between an individual’s worldview and that of his or her parents (Brickhill, 2010; Kimball, Boyatzis, Cook, Leonard, & Flanagan, 2013; Perkins, 2007). Probing about parent worldviews will help to discover a more complete picture of influences on worldview development. Since research suggests that family is such a significant factor in worldview development, it is likely that participants will mention their parents in some way in the context of their timeline. If participants have already discussed parental influence, this question may not need to be asked.

The tenth question invites the participant to take another person’s perspective, which is often helpful in gaining new insights (Patton, 2015). It is also a non-threatening question, allowing the participants to talk more in-depth about the phenomenon of worldview development, without requiring them to be highly vulnerable. However, it is hoped that the question will lead to keeping the interview moving along in an engaging fashion and yielding valuable data. This is particularly important given the nature of the question that follows.

Question 11 is the first question that will likely require a relatively high degree of vulnerability, and for this reason, I chose to not ask it until the interview is well underway. Ideally by this time in the interview, a good rapport will have been established (Patton, 2015), and therefore the participant will be willing to share more intimate details about his or her struggles in developing a Biblical worldview. For several researchers, personal struggle is an important component of worldview development (Bryant, 2011; Fowler, 1981; Mayhew, 2012; Mayhew, Seifert, & Pascarella, 2012).

Questioning truth seems to be a key element of the passage from an adolescent faith to an adult faith (Fowler, 1981; King, Clardy, & Ramos, 2014). Question 12 is designed to elicit some of the questions participants may have asked as part of the process of developing their worldview. I will be particularly attentive to the concept of cognitive dissonance that such questions can cause (Bryant, 2011; Ciarrochi & Heaven, 2012; Fowler, 1981). I will also be prepared to probe further with the participants in order to gain additional data about how they felt about and how they responded to questions that were suggested by becoming exposed to alternate worldviews held by others (Mayhew, 2012; Mayhew, Seifert, & Pascarella, 2012).

Questions 13 and 14 are designed to put participants into role-playing contexts, which can help the participants to think more deeply about their own worldview development by inviting them to step outside of themselves and become an observer, or co-researcher (Patton, 2015; Creswell, 2013). Questions 15 and 16 put the participant in the role of expert on worldview development, which is yet another way to elicit different and valuable data. To encourage maximum value from these questions, I have crafted them to include prefatory statements, which will help to transition the participants into the role of expert (Patton, 2015).

Question number 17 is a one-shot question (Patton, 2015), designed to give the participant one further opportunity to offer valuable insight. This one-shot question also serves as the closing question (Patton, 2015), giving the participant freedom to add to what has already been said, keeping him or her in the role of expert on his or her own life and story. From my experience in asking thousands of such questions as a life coach, I have found that these one-shot, parting questions often yield a tremendous amount of valuable information, when the interview or discussion could very easily have been otherwise shut down.

--- End example---

By explaining in detail the purpose of each 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. After developing the questions, discuss in your Procedures that you will get experts in the field to review, and then pilot the interview with a small sample outside of your study sample to ensure clarity of questions and wording. The anchoring in the literature and the expert review should be conducted prior to your proposal defense; the piloting needs to be done after you receive IRB approval to collect data.

All surveys and questionnaires must elicit qualitative, not quantitative data. If using a published survey or questionnaire, be sure to gain permission to use it and explain here how the survey was developed and how validity and reliability were established. If generating your own, you need to address face and content validity and describe piloting procedures.

Document analysis may be applied to a variety of sources including, but not limited to legal documents, records, meeting minutes, letters, diaries, etc. Every effort should be made to incorporate primary, as opposed to secondary sources. Identify and describe the specific documents collected. Provide a specific rationale for why each type of document was selected.

Focus groups provide an opportunity for the researcher to interact with multiple participants at the same time. Focus groups are especially useful for exploring complex, multi-layered concepts from the perspectives of the participants. Focus group questions must be developed and reported using the same format as interview questions (see Interview section above).

If conducting observations, develop and include in the appendices your observation protocol (examples are provided in most qualitative research texts), and be sure to address both descriptive and reflective field notes. Be sure to discuss whether observations will be scheduled or unscheduled, and whether you will be a participant or non-participant observer. Identify frequency and duration of observations.

In this section the data analysis procedures should be identified and a concise rationale for each type of analysis should be provided. Be sure that your analysis procedures are aligned with your research design. For example, open, axial, and selective coding are appropriate for grounded theory studies, but not necessarily for other designs. As another example, if conducting a transcendental phenomenological study, be sure to order the primary sources for this design (e.g., Moustakas, 1994) and describe these design-specific procedures in depth. Be sure to use the primary resources on your topic to guide your development of this section. While secondary sources (e.g., course textbooks) provide good overviews of different research designs and analysis procedures, they typically lack the detailed procedural information needed to write Chapter Three. You need to provide enough detail that someone can replicate your study by following procedures outlined in this chapter. Further, as your study may involve multiple forms of data collection in order to achieve triangulation, you need to discuss how you will analyze each set of data and then synthesize findings across all three (or more) sets of data. Some form of coding, along with bracketing and memoing, are tools commonly used to organize data and identify recurring themes for many qualitative data analysis strategies. If you are employing these tools while you analyze data, be sure to discuss them here (fully defined and cited). Additionally, if you will use a Qualitative Data Analysis Software (QDAS) such as ATLAS, NVivo, Ethnograph, or MaxQDA, discuss that in this section as well. Surveys and quantitative instruments cannot be analyzed in accordance with analysis procedures for textual (qualitative) data. If utilizing quantitative instruments, be sure to clearly address how you will analyze and then integrate or triangulate the quantitative findings with the qualitative.

Trustworthiness addresses credibility, dependability, transferability, and confirmability. Each topic must be covered in detail under its own APA Level 2 subheading. In each subheading, fully define the aspect of trustworthiness (credibility, dependability, transferability, or confirmability) addressed and discuss its importance (with citations). Then, identify the methods whereby you propose to achieve each aspect of trustworthiness (triangulation, direct quotes, enumeration, member checks, prolonged engagement, etc.), fully defining each method (with citations). Methods for increasing trustworthiness include, but are not limited to, triangulation, member checks, prolonged engagement, negative case analysis, peer/expert review, external audit, etc.

Credibility refers to the extent to which the findings accurately describe reality. Credibility depends on the richness of the information gathered and on the analytical abilities of the researcher.

Dependability and confirmability are similar to reliability in quantitative studies and deal with consistency, which is addressed through the provision of rich detail about the context and setting of the study.

Transferability is another aspect of qualitative research that should be considered; it refers to the possibility that what was found in one context is applicable to another context.

Any ethical considerations or implications of the research should be discussed. These might include data storage (e.g., locked filing cabinets and password protection for electronic files) and usage, influence, confidentiality (e.g., use of site and participant pseudonyms), and any other potential issues that might arise and how they will be addressed.

Provide a chapter summary. The Summary provides a strong conclusion to the chapter.

This chapter is not part of the plan, prospectus, or proposal. It is done after data collection and analysis. The purpose of Chapter Four is to present the results of the data analysis. This chapter is reserved for findings specifically. Methodological information should be discussed in Chapter Three. An interpretation and discussion of results should be reserved for Chapter Five. Chapter Four begins with a brief overview of the chapter content. The Overview should also include a brief restatement of the study purpose. The data, in the form of themes (narrative), charts, graphs, tables, or models, should then be presented. Data should be presented in the order in which the research questions were stated or according to themes generated, though the research questions should still be answered before concluding the chapter. The Overview must clearly and concisely describe the contents and organization of the chapter.

While the overall sample should be described or presented in tabular form in Chapter Three (e.g., sample size, age, ethnicities represented, gender, etc.), it is typical in qualitative dissertations to provide a rich description or portrait of each individual who participated in the study (using pseudonyms). Pseudonyms should be realistic, and reflective of the culture of your participants, but not in such a way that their anonymity could be compromised. You can organize these participant descriptions using Level 2 APA headings.

This section must be organized thematically and according to research questions, using two APA Level 2 sub-headings. Theme Development (or some such name) under its own heading, must reflect the steps for data analysis described by the candidate in Chapter Three. Theme development must be supported using appropriate narrative and data from each data collection method, especially through the use of participant quotes. Do not simply list a series of participant quotes detached from any narrative. Unexpected codes and/or themes that do not correlate to specific research questions are also presented. Data from each collection method are clearly and meaningfully integrated into theme development. Codes, if developed, are presented in meaningful tables or appendices demonstrating how they were organized to inform themes. Research Question Responses (or some such name), under its own heading, must supply narrative answers to each of the research questions using data collected, but primarily the themes developed in the previous section. Select participant quotes are appropriate to support the responses to the research questions.

Provide a chapter summary. The Summary includes a succinct conclusion to the chapter.

This chapter is not part of the plan, prospectus, or proposal. Begin the Overview section with a brief restatement of the purpose of the study. The Overview must clearly and concisely describe the contents and organization of the chapter. Chapter Five is unique in that you are expected to use your own interpretations and ideas. Chapter Five consists of six sections: (a) an overview of the chapter, (b) a summary of the findings, (c) a discussion of the findings and the implications in light of the relevant literature and theory, (d) an implications section (methodological and practical), (e) an outline of the study delimitations and limitations, and (f) recommendations for future research.

Provide a concise summary of the study findings, briefly answering each research question. Do not merely cut and paste from the Chapter Four Results section.

The purpose of this section is to discuss the study findings in relationship to the empirical and theoretical literature reviewed in Chapter Two. The empirical and theoretical literature discussions must be written under their own APA Level 2 headings. How does your study confirm or corroborate previous research? How does your study diverge from or extend on previous research? What novel contribution does your study add to the field? How does your study extend or shed new light on theory informing the topic?

The purpose of this section is to address the theoretical, empirical, and practical implications of the study. The theoretical, empirical, and practical implications must be written under their own APA Level 2 headings. Depending on the topic, it may be appropriate to include specific recommendations for various stakeholders, such as counselors, ministers, policy makers, administrators, teachers, parents, etc. Studies will vary on how much Christian worldview aspects relate to the topic. If Christian worldview considerations are not woven into the chapter five discussion due to the secular nature of the topic, include a separate subsection in the Implications section exploring how the Christian worldview informs an interpretation of the findings of your study.

Delimitations are purposeful decisions the researcher makes to limit or define the boundaries of the study (e.g., only including participants over the age of 18, selecting an ethnographic over a phenomenological study, etc.). Describe the rationale behind decisions made to limit or define the scope and focus of the study.

Limitations are potential weaknesses of the study that cannot be controlled. They may be related to the design, the analysis, or the sample (e.g., gender, age, ethnicity, geographical location, etc.).

In consideration of the study findings, limitations, and the delimitations placed on the study, provide multiple recommendations and directions for future research. Include an argument for what topics and populations should be studied, along with specific types of designs that should be employed.

Provide a summary of the study. From your Implications section, reiterate what you consider to be the one or two most important “take-aways” from the results of your research (you may consider including an anecdotal illustration).

All the references cited within the text should be listed in accordance with the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of APA. The reference title should be capitalized, bold, and centered.

The Appendices may include a variety of artifacts. An appendix of the completed dissertation should include the IRB approval letter. Other appendices may include informed consent/assent forms, surveys/questionnaires/instruments (with written permission only), protocols (interviews or observations), sample transcripts of interviews, theoretical memos, and other documents used to establish an audit trail. Any identifying or personal information (names, treatment centers, schools, cities, phone numbers, email addresses) should be eliminated. If numerous types of artifacts are included as appendices, each type should have a section labeled as Appendix A, Appendix B, etc. The appendix title should be capitalized, bold, and centered.