10 key strategic points and a rough draft of the prospectus
Brigita
Tenstrategicpoints.docxThe 10 Key Strategic Points for the Prospectus, Proposal, and Dissertation
Introduction
In the prospectus, proposal and dissertation there are ten key strategic points that need to be clear, simple, correct, and aligned to ensure the research is doable, valuable, and credible. The 10 key strategic points emerge from researching literature on a topic which is based on or aligned with the learner’s personal passion, future career purpose, and degree area. These points provide a guiding vision for the research.
The Ten Strategic Points
A document outlining the 10 key strategic points includes the following that define the research focus and approach:
1. Topic – Provides a board research topic area/title.
2. Purpose Statement – Provides one sentence statement of purpose including Problem Statement - Describes the phenomena to study (qualitative) or variables/groups (quantitative) to study, in one sentence.
3. the problem statement, sample, methodology, and design.
4. Research Questions – Provides research questions to collect data to address the problem statement.
5. Hypothesis/Variables or Phenomena - Provides hypotheses with variables for each research question (quantitative) or describes the phenomena to be better understood (qualitative).
6. Literature Review - Lists primary points for four sections in the Literature Review: (a) Background of the problem/gap; (b) Theoretical foundations (models and theories to be foundation for study); (c) Review of literature topics with key theme for each one; (d) Summary.
7. Methodology and Design - Describes the selected methodology and specific research design to address problem statement and research questions.
8. Sample and Location – Identifies sample, needed sample size, and location (study phenomena with small numbers and variables/groups with large numbers).
9. Data Collection – Describes primary instruments and sources of data to answer research questions.
10. Data Analysis – Describes the specific data analysis approaches to be used to address research questions.
Ten Strategic Points for a Qualitative Case Study:
1. Topic – Provides a board research topic area/title: A Case Study of the role perception plays in an individual’s potential to commit a deviant behavior.
OR
A case study of how criminal offenders perceive and mentally represent the world around them
2. Literature review
a. Background of the problem/gap:
i.
ii.
iii. .
b. Theoretical Foundations (models and theories to be foundation for study);
c. Review of literature topics with key theme for each one;
i.
ii.
d. Summary.
i.
ii.
iii.
3. Problem statement - Describes the phenomena to study (qualitative) or variables/groups (quantitative) to study, in one sentence: It was not known what role perception played in an individual’s potential to commit a deviant behavior.
OR
It was not known how criminal offenders perceive and mentally represent the world around them
4. Sample and location – Identify sample, needed sample size, and location (study phenomena with small numbers and variables/groups with large numbers).
a. Location: New York State, United States of America.
b. Population: A city with over 100 behavior consultants.
c. Sample: The sample for this research was 30-35 social scientists, primarily criminologists and sociologists, studying social deviance or criminal behavior.
5. Research questions – Provides research questions to collect data to answer the problem statement:
1. R1: What role does perception play in an individual’s potential to commit a deviant behavior
1. R2: How does an individual perceive his/her behavior?
1. R3: What role if any does the ego function play on perception?
6. Phenomena: describes the phenomena to be better understood (qualitative).
Phenomenon: Understanding the role of perception in an individual’s potential to commit a crime. OR Understanding how criminal offenders perceive and mentally represent the world around them
7. Methodology and design - Describes the selected methodology and specific research design to address problem statement and research questions: The methodology is qualitative. The design is a case study
8. Purpose: The purpose of the qualitative case study is to determine what role perception plays in an individual’s potential to commit a crime. OR To determine how criminal offenders perceive and mentally represent the world around them
9. Data collection – Describes primary instruments and sources of data to answer research questions:
Please list the potential data instruments and sources in this kind of study
10. Data analysis – Describes the specific data analysis approaches to be used to address research questions.
a. Data will be organized and prepared for analysis.
b. Descriptive statistics will summarize the data.
c. Coding will generate themes used to address the research questions.
