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ResearchProposalTemplate_APA_7th_ed.docx

Title of Research Proposal Goes Here

Title is centered and bold, written in title case, important words capitalized.

· The title should clearly describe your problem OR intervention.

· A good title should be full explanatory when standing alone and contains the fewest possible words that adequately describe the contents and/or purpose of the research proposal.

· There is no prescribed limit for title length, but title should be focused and succinct.

· The title should indicate clearly what the research proposal is about.

· The title should avoid describing the results.

· Avoid using abbreviations in the title

Page number, right justified

Student’s Name

Department of Educational Leadership, Lamar University

EDLD 5301: Educational Research Section A01

Name of Section Professor

2

20

Due Date

Your research proposal should begin on page 2 and should be:

· Double-spaced between all text lines

· Times New Roman typeface, 12-pt font, 1-inch margins on all sides. Do not use full justification. Indent the first line of every paragraph 0.5 in.

· The general rule is to use numerals to express numbers 10 and above and words to express numbers below 10.

· In-text citations: Follow the author-date method. This means that the author's last name and the year of publication for the source should appear in the text, for example, (Jones, 2014), and a complete reference should appear in the reference list at the end of the paper.

· Each work cited in text must appear in the reference list at the end of the paper and “each work in the reference list must be cited in text” (APA, 2020, p. 257).

· Review carefully the APA, 7th edition guidelines to ensure all references and citations are formatted correctly.

· Use direct quotes only if you have good reason. Most of your paper should be in your own words. You should summarize or paraphrase.

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Title of Research Proposal

Center and Bold the Title

Section One

Because the introduction is clearly identified by its position in the paper, it does not have a heading. The proposal’s first paragraph is an introduction to your topic. This is where you must grab the readers’ attention and set the stage for the reader to better understand the overall research proposal and the sections that follow. In framing the study, you demonstrate the potential relevance of the proposed study by using a specific context or frame of reference that is relatable to the reader. It is important that the introduction provides clarity and contextualization. This is also a good place for any discussion of a particular theoretical framework used in the study. In this section you explain the problem that you are investigating and why this is a problem of practice which interests you. The reader should have a good idea what the paper is about before finishing the first page. The introductory section includes an explanation of the phenomenon, topic, or problem proposed to investigate, background information related to the topic or problem, purpose of the study, a rational or justification for the study and specification of the research questions and/or hypotheses. The purpose of the proposal should be stated in the first or second paragraph.

The introduction section includes APA level two headings for Background, Problem Statement, and Rational or Justification for the Study. The introduction section is usually about two to three pages.

Level 2 Heading – Flush left, Boldface, Title Case Heading

Background

In the background section provide ample information of the problem or issue you confronted (e.g., students disrupting class, detention hall not causing any improvements, low levels of knowledge or skill in reading or computer applications, etc.) and a thorough description of the context in which the problem or issue is occurring. In general terms, try to describe to the reader the nature of the problem or issue, including severity, how long the problem or issue has occurred, or any other relevant information so that the reader has a full understanding of the details of the problem or issue.

Problem Statement

The next part is a brief paragraph stating what you want to research. You need to state the purpose of your research proposal and clearly state the fundamental question inherent in your research topic under investigation. The goal is to be able to answer the question at the end of the study. Qualitative problem statements are more open-ended; whereas, quantitative problem statements should be more focused. You should ask questions that are researchable given your limitations. Ask questions that can be answered with data. The problem statement/purpose should not be stated in a manner that assumes the answer before the data has been collected. Research questions should be guided by the purpose of the study.

Rational for the Study

The next paragraph explains why this topic is worthy of investigation and explains who will benefit from the information that research proposal will provide, and how, or in what ways they will benefit.

Level 1 Heading – Centered, Boldface, Title Case Heading

Literature Review

Section Two

This is a new section of the proposal. Use APA Level 1 heading (a bold, centered text header). The brief literature review consists an introduction, body (with subtopics/themes) and a summary (conclusion). Begin with an introduction where you identify the general topic, issue, or area of concern, thus providing an appropriate context for reviewing the literature. Point out the overall trends in what has been published about your topic and establish your reason for reviewing the literature. The subtopics/themes that are identified should be APA Level 2 headings in this section. You should have at least two Level 2 headings. Write your literature review using the third person (i.e., do not use "I"). Use the past tense to describe results [e.g.., "Ames (2018) observ ed that . . . "]. Finally, use an APA Level 2 heading for the summary section of your literature review.

The review of related literature provides an overview of the existing body of research and what is currently known on your topic. Is should be current and support the purpose of the study. A literature review is a way of organizing what has been written about a topic by accredited scholars and researchers. The purpose is to convey to your reader what you have learned through a careful reading of literature related to your topic. The goal of this section is to introduce the reader to the major issues and themes from experts in the field. By broadening your readers’ understanding of the major issues surrounding your research, you further solidify the credibility and trustworthiness of your work. The literature review section should contain no commentary, personal opinion, or reference to your study; only synthesize the findings of the experts. Give an objective review of the issues involved. Be sure to explore all sides of an issue or topic. Highlight areas that have been successful in an organization. Also examine areas that pose challenges to the organizations. The goal of the literature review is to create a coherent narrative that lays the foundation for your research questions.

There is no limit on the number of references cited but, for this brief literature you are expected to include a minimum of five current references (no more than 10 years old) that clearly support best practices that relates to your study. Additionally, you are expected to have at least two references for each subheading/theme. Remember that each reference cited in the literature review should be written in APA format and included in the references section of your report. Use direct quotes only if you have good reason. You should summarize and paraphrase. What you what from the source is the idea expressed, not the specific language used to express it.

Subtopic/Theme One

Indent and objectively present the best information you have found relevant to your first theme. Each subheading should have at least two references.

Subtopic/Theme Two

Indent and objectively present the best information you have found relevant to your second theme. Each subtopic should have at least 2 references.

Summary

Text goes here. The review of the literature will conclude with a brief summary that directs the reader to the following sections. Summarize major contributions of significant studies and articles to the body of knowledge under review, maintaining the focus established in the introduction. No new information should be presented or cited in the summary.

Methodology

Section Three

Participants

or Sample Selection

Use APA Level 2 heading to introduce this sub-section. Describe your target population, including demographic information and number of males and females. If you used a sample, how did you select your sample and the rationale for your sample size? In this section also describe your setting, such as overall population, demographics, where the research took place, grade level, number of students, content area, etc.

Research Design

Use APA Level 2 heading to introduce this sub-section. Describe the plan used to conduct the study. It is important to use appropriate terminology when describing your design, for example, “the study will be conducted using a two-group pretest-posttest design.” Include a description of any surveys, questionnaires, tests, tools, protocols, or other instruments used to collect data from participants. Clearly describe whether the instrument is an existing, published instrument, or a self-developed (i.e., researcher-developed instrument). Remember that other researchers, teachers, administrators may read your report, so think about how best to describe what you did so that they may replicate your study, if desired.

Data Collection

Use APA Level 2 heading to introduce this sub-section. Describe the data collection procedures for all aspects of data collection. Describe the sources of information (data) you used to answer the research questions and how you collected the data. For example, this could be collecting data from direct observations, journals, interviews, journals, videotapes, office referrals, homework assignments, etc. (qualitative data) or test scores, surveys, questionnaires, rating scales, etc. (quantitative data). Be sure to accurately describe the method. For example, if you used a survey, was it for the entire group or individually; was it a pre and post survey; or was it a checklist or open-ended questions? If the survey was researcher-designed, describe the process by which it was developed. A discussion of techniques and strategies for each research question should be provided.

Data Analysis

Use APA Level 2 heading to introduce this sub-section. The research proposal must clearly indicate how the collected data will be analyzed. The data analysis subsection does not need to be lengthy, but does need to clearly describe the proposed procedures. In this subsection, describe, in general terms, the data analysis techniques you plan to use to analyze the data collected. The proposed data analysis techniques must parallel the research questions, such that the results of the analysis enable you to answer the questions. The type of data you collect determines the data analysis techniques you use. For example, if you collected narrative, descriptive, and non-numerical data, such as observations, interviews, or journals, qualitative data analysis techniques will be used. (Refer to Mertler text, pp. 180-188.) In contrast, if you collected numerical data, such as test scores, survey results, questionnaires, rating scales, quantitative data analysis techniques will be the most appropriate way to analyze the data. (Refer to Mertler text, pp. 221-255.)

References

Final Section – New Page

Begin typing here. Do not press the “Enter” key until the entire entry has been typed. Press Enter to begin the next entry. The references below are provided only as examples. Refer to Chapter 10 of the APA manual, 7th edition, or https://owl.purdue.edu/index.html for more examples.

Barbour, M., & Ferdig, R. E. (2012). Virtual schooling. In S. McLeod & C. Lehmann (Eds.), What school leaders need to know about digital technologies and social media (pp. 53-66). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Reference from a chapter in a Book

Bonvillian, W. B., & Singer, S. R. (2013). The online challenge to higher education. Issues in Science & Technology, 29(4), 23-30. https://issues.org/the-online-challenge-to-higher-education/

Article from periodical with no DOI.

Harding, T. (2010). Fostering creativity for leadership and leading change. Arts Education Policy Review, 111(2), 51-53. https://doi:10.1080/10632910903455827

Article from periodical with DOI.

Mertler, C. A. (2022). Introduction to educational research (3rd ed.). Sage Publications, Inc.

Reference from a book without a DOI..

Milligan, C., Littlejohn, A., & Marjaryan, A. (2013). Patterns of engagement in connectivism MOOCs. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 9(2), 149-159. http://jolt.merlot.org/vol9no2/milligan_0613.pdf

Article from an online periodical.

Texas Education Agency. (2013). Texas academic performance reports. http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/tapr/2013/index.html

Reference from governmental agency.

Walsh, J., Maniotis, L., & Kemerer, F. (2018). The educator’s guide to Texas school law. (9th ed.). https://doi10.7560/315309

Reference from a book with a DOI

· The reference section begins on a separate page. Use hanging indention. Double-space all entries.

· References are listed in alphabetical order by last name of the first author.

· Capitalize only the first word of a title, proper nouns, and a word after a colon or terminal punctuation.

· Italicize book titles and journal titles. Italicize journal volume number, but do not italicize the journal issue number.

· Do not include retrieval dates unless the source material may change over time

· A common error is to forget a comma before the “&” when two authors or more authors are listed in a reference.

· Only list references mentioned in the paper on the reference page.

· Use current references, no more than 10 years old; all references in literature review must be peer-reviewed articles.

· Note: Automatic reference generators often make errors! Be sure to double check that each of the references listed in the reference section are cited using APA guidelines.