Project Justification for Applied Doctoral Project

ADP Project Justification Template (PJT)

Student name: Matthew Rosario

Program: Doctor of Psychology (Psy. D.) Specialization: Criminology and Justice Studies

Working title: Dual Diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Substance Abuse in War Veterans: An Analysis of Treatment Options and the Factors Affecting their Success

Draft version: Date:

ADP Planning I/II instructor review:

|_| Approved; may proceed with chair and committee solicitation.

|_| Changes requested; must revise and resubmit. Resubmission must include a change

matrix that includes the instructor comments and how each comment was addressed in the revision.

Beginning on the following page, please complete the following sections in this template, using black, 12-point font. Please address all requested content.

· Justification Statement

· Purpose Statement

· Importance of the Study

· Proposed Project Approach

· Over-arching Study Question(s)/Statement of Project Intent

· References (formatted according to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, sixth edition)

Justification Statement: Provide sufficient background of the topic area and its relationship to the discipline or field of study that supports the need for, or opportunity to, conduct the proposed project. Describe the issue, situation, problem or opportunity that reinforces the need to implement the study, supported by recent citations from the literature. Briefly explain how the intended outcomes of the project could be used to advance knowledge, understanding or practice in the discipline or field of study. (2-3 paragraphs)

Purpose Statement: Provide a specific, accurate synopsis of the overall purpose of the project. Align the Purpose Statement to the Justification Statement. In one concise paragraph, succinctly describe the focus, project approach, scope, and intended outcomes of the study. (1 paragraph)

Importance of the Project: Briefly describe the importance of the proposed project, including how the project represents a unique approach to the topic, how results may contribute to theory, knowledge and/or practice in the discipline, and the implications of the study to scholars and practitioners. Identify any knowledge gaps to be addressed by the proposed project. (1-2 paragraphs)

Proposed Project Approach: Briefly describe the approach for the proposed project, including how the project will be conceptualized, organized and implemented, and discuss how the proposed project will reflect accumulated learning from the student’s academic program. Discuss any proposed data collection methodologies and instrumentation, as well as the study population, as appropriate. Describe how project outcomes will be achieved. (2-3 paragraphs)

Over-arching Study Question(s)/Statement of Project Intent: Present the over-arching study question(s) or statement of project intent to be addressed, consistent with the proposed Purpose Statement and project approach. If hypotheses will be tested, identify the specific quantitative research questions and hypotheses, as well. (1 paragraph)