Formulating the Problem Statement and Purpose Statement

Running head: TITLE OF PAPER

TITLE OF THE PAPER

Title of Paper (reflect the topic of the study)

Author

University of Phoenix

Title of Paper Repeated on First Line of Text

The introductory paragraph prepares the reader for the topic of your research topic. Note how the introductory paragraph does not have a subheading. Note: avoid discussing ‘what’ you are going to be doing (i.e., analysis, evaluation, synthesis), avoid telling the reader that you are writing a literature review, problem statement, etc. The focus of the discussion must be on the topic you chose to focus on for the research plan and not the elements of the assignment.

Background

Based on your submission from Week 2, include a brief review of the literature on the topic of interest using a minimum of four peer reviewed sources. Organize your paper by topic, and not by article. The background of the paper is not an annotated bibliography, but an analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of the information on your topic. Don’t feel limited to using just four, but four is the minimum. Address any gaps in the literature you may have discovered and how the proposed study might help fill the gap. In your discussion, provide background to the problem and why the problem is a social/professional concern.

Problem Statement

Based on your submission from Week 3, provide some background to the observed problem, state the general problem statement, then provide some more specific background leading to the specific problem statement. The following is an example from an alumnus of UOP, and please understand the following is a very refined problem statement that evolved over time. With permission: Jackson, 2017

A disturbing 50% of doctoral students drop out without finishing (Di Pierro, 2012). Doctoral students often face negative consequences due to attrition rates at the university and student level (Willis & Carmichael, 2011). Mentors and mentees unfamiliar with one another can experience negative consequences consisting of poor communication, personality conflicts, and strained relationships (Bell & Treleaven, 2011). Academic institutions are focusing on retaining doctoral students due to half the doctoral student population dropping out of doctoral programs (Di Pierro, 2012). Attrition rates not only have the potential of negatively affecting the universities, but can possibly have a negative effect on the student (Hovdhaugen, 2011). The general problem is a high attrition rate in doctoral programs across academic institutions (Holley & Caldwell, 2012). Universities utilize more resources to improve mentoring relationship compatibility efforts and students lose trust in the mentoring process.

Attrition rates for students in doctoral programs occur at different stages and mentor/mentee incompatibility may be present in any stage (Harris, 2011). Doctoral students who drop out at a certain stage of the doctoral program may rarely be provided the proper resources and guidance to complete the doctoral program (O’Meara, Knudsen, & Jones, 2013). Doctoral mentors poorly qualified may prevent students from completing dissertations (Ewing, Mathieson, Alexander, & Leafman, 2012). The specific problem is high attrition rates of doctoral students may be attributed to mentor/mentee relationships (Harris, 2011).

Purpose Statement

Based on the purpose statement from Week 3, provide some background information on the purpose of your study then provide the purpose statement. The purpose of the study does not include the research design (how you will systematically gather the data), but does state the methodology. Be sure to include all aspects of a good purpose statement, as noted in the materials for Week 3. As noted in the assignment, align the purpose statement with the problem statement. With permission: Jackson, 2017.

The purpose of this exploratory multiple-case study is to explore doctoral mentors’ perceptions on mentoring relationship experiences and student compatibility in doctoral programs. The results of this study may provide information provosts, academic deans, and doctoral chairs can use to evaluate the mentoring process in doctoral programs.

Contribution to Knowledge

How will this study be important to society? What will your research add to leadership studies in your professional field?

Research Questions

Based on your submission in Week 4, present the research question(s) for your proposed study, being sure to make any recommended changes from the feedback provided. As noted in the assignment, align the research question(s) with a methodology and design.

Nature of the Study

Based on your Week 1 submission, discuss your paradigm and how the paradigm forms

and aligns with your research study.

Based on your Week 5 submission, discuss the chosen research method and provide information on why you didn’t choose another methodology, i.e. quantitative versus qualitative. How will the methodology you chose accomplish your research goals? Cite known theorists to substantiate your argument for the chosen methodology.

Based on your Week 6 submission, discuss the chosen research design: Why did you pick the design? How does the research design align with the methodology? How will the design accomplish your research goals? Cite known theorists/researchers to substantiate your argument for the chosen methodology.

Theoretical and Conceptual Frameworks

Based on your submission in Week 7, discuss the theoretical and/or conceptual framework relevant to your method and topic.

Conclusions

The final paragraph needs to be the summary and conclusion.

References

Author, A. (2013). Title of article is written in sentence form with proper nouns being capitalized. Title of Journal in Italics as is the Volume Number, 31(22), 345-354.

Author, B. (2000). Title of article is written in sentence form with proper nouns being capitalized. Title of Journal in Italics as is the Volume Number, 31(22), 345-354.

Note how the issue number and page numbers are not in italics. Refer to the APA Manual, pp 198-202 for journal article formatting.

Author, C. (1998). Titles of books are written in sentence form and placed in italics. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Refer to APA Manual, pp 202-205 for book formatting.

Using DOI numbers for journal articles:

Avoid providing a URL to a secured database, such as ProQuest, EbscoHost, etc. If individuals interested in researching one of your references doesn't have access to a secured database, then that individual will not be able to 'easily' locate the article. Digital Object Identifiers (DOI) is a new system and articles have been, or are in the process, of being identified with a doi number. As an author, one of your responsibilities is to see if an article has been assigned a doi number, and if not, then you need to provide a direct link to the article, instead of providing 'Retrieved from .....(secured database)'. 

 

Sometimes we must hunt a little to find a doi number or a direct link. When you see 'search-proquest' in a link, then you know the link is to a secured database, and a database the 'average' person will not have access too. Two areas to hunt, which usually lead the way to a viable option:

1. Use Crossref Metadata:  https://search.crossref.org/?q =

 

if you click on the link, you will see a search bar. Copy/paste, or type in, the title of the article and hit 'enter'. If the article you are using has been assigned a doi number, the article will usually be the first one listed in the results. If your article doesn't show up in the search, then that article has not been assigned a doi number yet.

 

**** You may also want to bookmark this link so you can have easy access to the web page to look up doi numbers for future articles.

2. If an article doesn't have a doi number, then Google and search the title of the article to see if a PDF copy is available online or if a direct link to the article is available.

3. If the above two don't produce a doi number or a direct link, then visit the journal's website to see if you can locate the article directly from the website. If not, then provide a link to the journal's website and state: Available at (link to journal's website).

 

More information on the use of doi numbers is in the APA Manual on pages 188-192.