Week 5

During Weeks 1-4, you learned about developing the key elements that

form the basis of a research study. This week, you will build on this

knowledge. Your assignment this week is to combine the problem

statement, purpose statement, research questions, methodology and

the specific research design that you selected into a single document: a

white paper. Your white paper must serve as an educational tool to

engage, inform, and convince your readers about the importance of the

proposed study.

Your white paper should follow this format:

● Title ○ Revisit the title you provided in Week 1. Reflect on how and

in what way(s) your title may have changed or shifted. Thinking about these changes and shifts will provide you with some important insights about the development of your research ideas and goals.

● Introduction ○ This section provides the background contextual information

required for the audience to grasp the educational problem and, ultimately, the solution or resolution to that problem.

● Problem Overview ○ Your problem statement specifies the issue the white paper

will address. The problem needs to be clearly defined and placed within a context to ensure that it is clearly understood by the reader.

○ In this section, it is essential that you support your problem overview and statement with research-based evidence.

○ Ensure the statement of the problem focuses solely on the problem.

● Purpose of Study

○ This is the study's essential purpose. ○ In this section, you present your solution to the problem by

clearly and persuasively explaining how the problem can be addressed and resolved.

○ Ensure the purpose of the study focuses solely on the intent of the study.

● Research Questions ○ Including your research questions will solidify the study's

purpose. ■ If your proposed study will be qualitative, your research

questions should be open-ended so as not to elicit a simple yes or no response.

■ If your proposed study will be quantitative, include hypotheses as needed.

○ Ensure the research questions directly address the purpose of the study.

● Methodology and Research Design ○ Provide 1-2 paragraphs that explains how the proposed

study, based on the methodology and research design you have selected, may inform the field of education or your specific discipline. This portion of the assignment feeds into the study's theoretical significance and the potential contribution to the field's knowledge base, which will be refined more fully in the final weeks of the course. As explained right at the beginning of the syllabus, Ph.D. research has a focus on contribution to theory, so in the Ph.D. degree, you will be conducting research that contributes to the broader discipline rather than a specific problem rooted in an applied, professional practice.

● Conclusion ○ This section summarizes the white paper's major ideas and

key takeaways. Think of what knowledge you want your reader to walk away with.

○ Provide a set of 2-4 recommendations for future research.

Length: 6 pages, not including title and reference pages

References: Include a minimum of 8 scholarly sources published within

the last 5 years; additional research also may be included as relevant