Assignment
Pragathi
UCDissertationtemplateAPA7theditionV1.10.22.docxABBREVIATED TITLE HERE 1
ABBREVIATED TITLE HERE 2
For the header, Type: your abbreviated title in all capital letters. (No more than 50 characters, including spaces). The page number is also in the header, flush right starting with 1.
Be sure your font in the header is size 12 Times New Roman Font.
The entire document should be double spaced with Times 12 Font.
Type your dissertation approved title on line 5.
Your Approved Dissertation Title Here in Upper and Lowercase Letters
Type only your first and last name on line 6. Do not list other degrees.
First and Last Name
Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School
in Partial Fulfillment of the
Degrees:
Doctor of Business Administration
Doctor of Education
Doctor of Philosophy Information Technology
Doctor of Philosophy Business
Doctor of Philosophy Leadership
Requirements for the Degree of
[insert degree]
Type only your first and last name on line 6. Do not list other degrees.
University of the Cumberlands
Type University of the Cumberlands on line 7.
Month and Year of Graduation
Month and Year only should be typed on line 8.
No comma is used between the two.
Approval for Recommendation
Two double spaces should be included after this heading.
This dissertation is approved for recommendation to the faculty and administration of the University of the Cumberlands.
Include this page as you submit the various chapters in each course.
You will not have the actual names of committee members two and three until you select your committee in DSRT 930.
Include a copy of the signed form in the final dissertation.
Dissertation Chair:
__________________________
Dr. First Name Last Name, PhD, EdD, DBA, or other faculty degree credentials.
Dissertation Evaluators:
__________________________
Dr. First Name Last Name, PhD, EdD, DBA, or other faculty degree credentials.
__________________________
Dr. First Name Last Name, PhD, EdD, DBA, or other faculty degree credentials.
Acknowledgments
Acknowledgments is where you thank those who have helped you achieve this goal. There are many to whom a debt of gratitude is owed for their assistance in conducting this research…. (It is appropriate to thank key faculty, friends, and family members, as well as ministers and God. It is advisable to limit the comments to one page)
Abstract
The word “Abstract” should be centered and typed in 12-point Times New Roman.
The abstract begins with a restatement of the study purpose sentence from Chapter One. The abstract is one paragraph without indentation that contains a comprehensive summary of the paper's contents. The abstract should be no longer than 250 words and include one or two sentences covering the key areas of the literature review, problem, research questions, methods used, study results, and implications of the research.
Table of Contents Approval for Recommendation 2 Acknowledgments 3 Abstract 4 Chapter One 11 Introduction 11 Overview 11 Background and Problem Statement 11 Purpose of the Study 11 Significance of the Study 12 Research Questions 12 Theoretical Framework 12 Limitations of the Study 13 Assumptions 14 Definitions 14 Summary 14 Chapter Two 15 Review of Literature 15 Introduction 15 Main Heading (level 2 heading) 15 Subheading (level 3 heading) 15 Summary 16 Chapter Three 17 Procedures and Methodology 17 Introduction 17 Research Paradigm 17 Research Design 17 Sampling Procedures and or/ Data Collection Sources 17 Statistical Tests 18 Summary 18 Chapter Four 19 Research Findings 19 Introduction 19 Participants and Research Setting 19 Analyses of Research Questions 19 Supplementary Findings (if any) 20 Summary 20 Chapter Five 21 Summary, Discussion, and Implications 21 Introduction 21 Practical Assessment of Research Questions 21 Limitations of the Study 22 Implications for Future Study 22 Summary 23 References 24 Appendix A 25 Appendix B 26 Appendix C 27 Appendix D 28
List of Tables
Table 1: Name of the Table…………………………………………………………………1
If applicable. See APA guidelines regarding if tables and figures are necessary. Tables and figures should not be used to increase page count. Tables must be APA formatted, and not copied from Excel, or other non-APA sources.
List of Figures
Figure 1: Name of the Figure …………………………………………………………………1
If applicable. See APA guidelines regarding if tables and figures are necessary. Tables and figures should not be used to increase page count.
Chapter One
· Introduction is the title of the Chapter and no additional information is needed under Introduction.
· Keep your tenses the same. Your literature review already occurred, so it should be past tense.
· Do not use I, we, or our.
· Use statements such as “the current research will…” or “the research seeks…” etc. (Avoid “the researcher”)
· Cite sources for data and other information used. Some people think that references only pertain to Chapter Two.
Introduction
Overview
Indent each new paragraph. Write an overview of your study here. You should provide the reader with an overview of what will be detailed in the study and Chapter One (thesis statement and thesis map). This statement will allow the reader to know what "universe" you are exploring. What is your topic? How is your approach different from other scholars? What is the significance and implications of your topic?
Background and Problem Statement
Indent each new paragraph. Write your background and problem statement here. The background section should lead naturally and logically from the overview section. It should tell the reader what precipitated your interest in the study. A historical description of the problem or situation that led to the issue at hand. For example, if you are studying the subject of teen pregnancies, it would be good to cite some specific locations (towns, counties, states) and numbers of cases, especially depicted in trends, that caused you to "sense" a need for further study.
For the Problem Statement, spell out the issues that will continue to befall someone, a particular community, or society, if research is not conducted. It is similar to the background.
Purpose of the Study
Indent each new paragraph. Write your next section here. The Purpose of the Study should start with a clear declarative sentence that specifies the problem that is presented for research. As with any research, it is hoped that someone, a particular community, state or institution, or society will be edified by the results. Include the type of study in this section – quantitative, qualitative, etc. The Purpose of the Study is not a long section. Most of the sections in this chapter are relatively short compared to Chapters Two and Three. Discuss the link to the degree discipline in the purpose and significance of the study.
Significance of the Study
Indent each new paragraph. Write your next section here. In this section, you will make the connections of the significance of the study to organizations interested in this study, and you must make a connection to leadership or policy and how the study could impact decision-making or improvement of current practices.
Research Questions
Indent each new paragraph. Write your next section here. This section should start with a brief overview of the focus of the study and rationale that leads to the research questions. The research questions should be numbered and listed. This paragraph should end with transitioning statement linking to the research questions. For example, Three research questions guided this particular research; or, The research addressed the following questions:
1. To what extent did the ……..
2. What differences exist between…….
3. To what extent did the ……….
Theoretical Framework
Indent each new paragraph. Write your next section here. The theoretical framework is presented in the early section of a dissertation and provides the rationale for conducting your research to investigate a particular research problem. Consider the theoretical framework as a conceptual model that establishes a sense of structure that guides your research. It provides the background that supports your investigation and offers the reader a justification for your study of a particular research problem. It includes the variables you intend to measure and the relationships you seek to understand. Essentially, this is where you describe a "theory" and build your case for investigating that theory. The theoretical framework is your presentation of a theory that explains a particular problem.
The theoretical framework is developed from and connected to your review of the knowledge on the topic (the literature review). This knowledge is likely how you initially formulated your research problem. You reviewed the literature and found gaps in the explanation of some phenomenon. The theoretical framework allows you to present the research problem in light of a summary of the literature.
Your description of the variables of interest in the context of the literature review allows the reader to understand the theorized relationships. You should begin by describing what is known about your variables, what is known about their relationship, and what can be explained thus far. You will investigate other researchers' theories behind these relationships and identify a theory (or combination of theories) that explains your major research problem. Essentially, your goal is to convey to the reader why you think your variables are related, so including previous research and theories supporting your belief are essential to defend your rationale. You apply the theory to your problem and state your hypotheses or predictions regarding potential relationships. You tell the reader what you expect to find in your research.
Limitations of the Study
Indent each new paragraph. Write your next section here. Despite the researcher's best efforts, the study results will be affected by the limitations. Inherent limitations due to extraneous variables not addressed in the study are listed here. It is recommended to identify and discuss 5-10 limitations for the study.
Assumptions
Indent each new paragraph. Write your next section here. The study was constructed with the following assumptions: Provide a list of assumptions related to your study here. Again, 5-10 assumptions are recommended for your study.
For definitions, state the term in italics followed by a colon (the colon should not be in italics). The actual definition should be without italics.
All definitions should include an in-text citation for the reference source.
Definitions
Transformational leadership: The………(in-text citation)
Definitions should be listed in alphabetical order. All definitions must be cited by the scholarship. It is recommended to include at least 15 to 20 definitions specific to your research to assist the reader in understanding the intent of your study. Look for keywords in your research questions and your title to start with to develop ideas for definitions. Do not cite dictionaries or encyclopedias for your terms.
Summary
Indent each new paragraph. Write your summary of chapter one here. This section summarizes the chapter contents and closes with a transition sentence to Chapter Two. Do not write in future tense.
Chapter Two
Review of Literature
Introduction
Indent your introduction. Begin by Introducing your thesis map for your dissertation topic and the literature review you will cover. Start writing with a summary of the purpose statement that leads to a brief explanation of the organization of the literature review. Do not cut and paste the Purpose Statement section from Chapter One.
Present historical research and recent research related to the topic of study primarily within the last 5 years. Some seminal research studies may be included. Each assertion should include appropriate scholarly source citations. Use multiple citations from diverse literature to weave concepts persuasively and coherently together. Ensure the discussion has depth and presents a critical analysis and synthesis of the literature that provides a context for the dissertation study. Ensure the discussion is comprehensive, organized, and flows logically. Organize theory around major themes on your topic and discuss how they relate to your theory. The theoretical basis should be referenced in each topic area of the article discussed. The literature review should synthesize the findings related to the doctoral research topic.
Main Heading (level 2 heading)
Your literature review will likely have many level 2 headings. If you need to add subheadings within a main heading, follow the level 3 heading.
Subheading (level 3 heading)
The s ubheading should be flush left, Bold italic, Title Case Heading (level 3 heading) . You should not have one subheading within a main heading. There should be a minimum of two if subheadings are needed.
Level 4 Subheading.
The Level 4 Subheading should be indented, boldfaced, Title Case Heading, ending with a period. You should not have one level 4 subheading within a level 3 subheading. There should be a minimum of two.
Summary
The summary is a level 2 heading. Indent the paragraph and make sure you write one to two paragraphs. Your literature should build support for your literature and logically lead the reader to this summary, where you provide a gap in the literature and a need for your research here.
Your final summary paragraph provides how you will address the gap in the literature. You will end the paragraph by transitioning to Chapter Three. You should not write in future tense.
Chapter Three
Procedures and Methodology
Introduction
Indent each new paragraph. Write your next section here.
Research Paradigm
Indent each new paragraph. Write your next section here. In the Research Paradigm section, you must state if your research is qualitative or quantitative. The quantitative method is based on deductive scientific realism (a big assumption that looks for pieces of evidence to test it while the qualitative approach lends itself to social constructivism.
Research Design
Indent each new paragraph. Write your next section here. Please review the quantitative designs for UC in Appendix F of the Doctoral Research Handbook. In the Research Design section, you must state your dependent and independent variables you are studying. This section should flow from the statements in the previous section (paradigm). Either identify the study as theoretical, exploratory, experimental, causal-comparative, or correlational depending on the variables and the research questions. You will also identify the dependent and independent variables.
Sampling Procedures and or/ Data Collection Sources
Indent each new paragraph. Write your next section here. Describe the target population from which the sample will be drawn, the sampling method for the study, and the minimum sample size. You will need to justify your sample size. The study results will only generalize back to the population from which the sample is drawn. Reference Informed Consent and IRB approval placed in Appendices. Describe the data to be gathered. Reference any permission for data or survey usage. Additionally, if you are using a survey instrument, include the validity and reliability of the instrument.
Statistical Tests
Indent each new paragraph. Write your next section here. Align data analysis/statistical choices for each research question. If your study is quantitative, make sure the statistical tests match Chapter Four. State the statistical tests used and cite a reference related to the tests, such as the statistical textbook by Spatz. Discuss why the test is appropriate for the data being analyzed.
Discuss the validity of your data. External validity can include testing reactivity, interaction effects of selection and experimental variables, specificity of variables, reactive effects of experimental arrangements, and multiple-treatment interference, as appropriate to the study. As appropriate, internal validity can include history, maturation, testing, instrumentation, statistical regression, experimental mortality, and selection-maturation interaction.
Discuss how and why results will be interpreted, including key parameter estimations, confidence intervals and/or probability values, odds ratios, power of the test(s), effect size, etc.
Summary
Indent each new paragraph. Write your next section here. Summarize your methodology and provide a transition to Chapter Four. Do not write in future tense.
Chapter Four
Research Findings
Introduction
Indent each new paragraph. Write your next section here.
Participants and Research Setting
Indent each new paragraph. Write your next section here. Include the number of participants (N=) and provide specifics about the surveyed sample population. Do not include the names of any schools, businesses, or institutions for confidentiality reasons. The use of an alternative format to identify the organization. Options such as the general geographical location (School district in the Southeast, Organization A, Organization B, or other appropriate alternative formats should be used.
Analyses of Research Questions
Indent each new paragraph. Write your next section here. List and number research questions one at a time. You should address each question with its own level three heading.
Research Question One
Use italics for letters used as statistical symbols or algebraic variables (e.g., contained 587 t-test p values; R2 = .12). Report exact p values to two or three decimals (e.g., p = .006, p = .03). However, report p values less than .001 as “p < .001.”
Research Question Two
Consult the Numbers and Statistics Guide from American Psychological Association for additional guidance. Consult the Tables and Figures section from APA Style for guidelines and examples of tables and figures.
Supplementary Findings (if any)
Indent each new paragraph. Write your next section here.
Summary
Indent each new paragraph. Write your next section here. Summarize your results and provide a transition to Chapter Four.
Chapter Five
Summary, Discussion, and Implications
Introduction
Indent each new paragraph. Write your next section here.
Practical Assessment of Research Questions
Indent each new paragraph. Write your next section here. The Practical Assessment of Research Question section focuses on how your research question findings align or differ from scholarly published literature on the topic. Make sure to include any unusual findings as well (i.e., results that you did not expect to be significant but were, or findings that may have surprised you based on previous research findings). Introduce the reader to this section, then address each research question separately (see below). You will have as many level three headings as you do research questions (i.e., if you have two research questions, you will have two level 3 headings. If you have four research questions, you will have 4 level 3 headings, etc.).
Research Question One
You should address each research question with its own level three heading (i.e., Research Question One ) and let the reader know how your results were different or similar to the results you found in the lit review studies in Chapter Two. You should have many citations in this section as you discuss each of your research questions.
Research Question Two
Avoid restating the statistical findings and reporting in Chapter Four here. You should not repeat the statistical results but instead, note the significance and how those were similar or different from the studies you cited in Chapter Two.
Limitations of the Study
Indent each new paragraph. Write your next section here. Do not copy and paste the limitations stated in Chapter One. Think of this subsection as the "humble pie” subsection. In your Limitations section in Chapter One, you addressed the study's potential limitations. Begin by looking at potential limitations as you initially proposed, and then discuss those that may have affected your findings one way or another. In many cases, the potential limitations referenced in Chapter One do not come into play here.
However, limitations can typically originate in one of two sources: the study's design and the study's problems during implementation. Design issues involve sampling, assessment, procedures, and choice of research design (i.e., poor match). Furthermore, issues of implementation must be addressed (i.e., low sample, measurement issues, heterogeneous groups).
When developing this section, consider limitations in four significant areas internal validity, external validity, measurement, and statistical analysis. Concerning internal validity, unless the study is a "true experiment," one cannot claim that the IV "caused" changes in the DV. Likewise, the extent to which findings can be generalized must be discussed for external validity. Concerning measurement limitations, discuss issues of reliability and validity of assessment instruments. Finally, regarding statistical analysis limitations, discuss issues of effect size and statistical test chosen
Implications for Future Study
Indent each new paragraph. Write your next section here. The recommendations may be directed at the participants, community, state, nation, or internationally. Furthermore, discuss findings in light of questions or issues that suggest future research directions. Extend the study to other populations. For example, think of other IVs and DVs that ought to be explored in the field and how to assess those additional variables. The Implications for Future Study is the portion of the paper where researchers are allowed to dream and set the stage for similar studies in the future by thinking of ways to extend your study to other questions that may add to the understanding of the issues.
Summary
Indent each new paragraph. Write your next section here.
References
Consult the References section on APA Style for more information about citing references.
All citations and references must match throughout the dissertation. Follow APA guidelines on formatting.
References are double spaced with appropriate indent for second and subsequent lines.
References with hyperlinks such as to retrieval sources or DOIs, should include the “live” link to the source.
Appendix A
Tables
Appendices – This section contains tables, figures, and possible data sources that could not be placed in the text of the paper due to its size, as well as copies of consent forms and IRB letters.
Appendix B
Figures
Appendix C
Consent Forms
Include a copy of the letter/form used to obtain consent from participants in the study.
Do not include consent forms from organizations that provided permission to gather data.
Appendix D
IRB Approval
