project plan

Project Plan

Project Plan

Name:

Learner ID:

Learner Email Address:

School:

Program/Specialization:

Project Type (dissertation, capstone, etc.):

Quarter/Year of V8927completion:

1. Project Topic

Topic proposal is grounded in a problem and aligned with program of study.

1.1 Alignment to the Program of Study

Presents an introduction to a clear topic proposal grounded in a problem within the program, project, and topic. Suggested length 1–2 paragraphs.

1. Present the topic approved in your first residency.

2. Discuss how the topic is related to your program of study/profession, i.e. social work, emergency management, public administration.

2. Project Problem

Clearly stated problem aligns with program, reflects literature gap or practice issue, and identifies population of interest.

2.1 Problem to Be Addressed

Describe a general and specific problem that is clearly defined and aligned with the program, including what the problem is, who is experiencing the problem, where the problem exists, and the professional/organizational context. Suggested length 1–2 paragraphs.

1. What is the problem that your topic addresses?

2.2 Gap

Present an analysis of a gap in alignment with the problem and placed within the program. Addresses the broader questions of Who cares? and Why now? Suggested length 1–2 paragraphs.

1. Identify the gap in research that aligns with your topic.

3. Supporting Evidence

Literature review addresses previous relevant projects and articulates theoretical (practice) orientation.

3.1 Primary Orientation

Provide an introduction to the review of scholarly literature, an argument for conducting the review, and a primary theoretical (and practice) orientation. Suggested length 3–4 paragraphs.

1. Discuss your theory and reference the seminal works by those who established the theory. For example, if your theory is Social Learning Theory, reference Bandura.

2. Discuss the major theoretical concepts that are important to your study. For example, if you use Ecological Systems Theory the major concepts may be micro-, mezzo-, macro-systems as related to social work practice.

3.2 Efforts to Address the Problem

Provide a synthesized review of the scholarly literature to expose, explain, and analyze previous scholarly efforts to address the problem. Suggested length 7–10 paragraphs.

1. This section may be largely historical. How did we get to this place? For example, if your topic is related to child welfare, discuss the beginnings of child welfare and how it has developed at the federal, state and local levels over time. You may include major legislation that has shaped child welfare over time.

3.3 Synthesis of the Evidence

Provide a logically organized and synthesized review and analysis of the literature in close alignment with the topic, problem, and gap. Suggested length 3–4 paragraphs.

1. This section will be significantly longer in your capstone. It should focus on published studies related to your topic.

2. Start thinking about the sub-headings that you will use to group the literature. They may be related to the theoretical concepts you identified or from the components of the problem you discussed above.

3. Synthesize the literature by finding the commonalities across several articles with studies about your topic. Demonstrate this high-level skill by writing a statement and then list all the authors with similar findings within the citation per APA 7.

4. Project Questions

Questions align with topic, problem, and supporting evidence, including definition of terms.

4.1 Statement of Primary Questions

Provide 1–3 project questions that align with the topic, problem, and supporting evidence within the program. Suggested length 1–2 paragraphs.

1. List the one overall research question that you will answer through your data analysis.

2. If you've identified other research questions or sub-research questions, consider using them as interview or focus group questions. You may want the answers to these questions, but they don't require a separate analysis.

4.2 Definition of Terms

Present a list of terms and definitions that relate to the program, topic, problem, gap, program, and project framework. Suggested length 1–2 paragraphs.

1. Identify the terms in your study that need to be defined.

2. List them in alphabetical order and define them like you would in a glossary. i.e., Term- definition.

3. Be sure to provide citations where needed.

5. Proposed Project Framework

Methodological approach is clearly defined and includes constructs, phenomena, variables, and population.

5.1 Methodological Approach

Provide a description and explanation of the methodological approach. The methodological approach must align to the topic, problem, supporting evidence, and data sources. Suggested length 2–3 paragraphs.

1. Provide a statement about your study that includes the methodology, design, and approach. For example, This qualitative action research will use a generic qualitative inquiry approach.

2. Then define what qualitative research is with appropriate citations. (You've done this in your methodology courses.)

3. Define what action research is with appropriate citations.

4. Define what your qualitative approach is with appropriate citations.

5.2 Population and Sample (including site if necessary)

Describe the general target population (size, characteristics, and so on). Suggested length 1–2 paragraphs.

1. Discuss the participants in your study.

2. Discuss where you will recruit your participants.

3. List the site or group that you will work with.

4. List the administrator of the site or group and their title. (This is the person who will provide you with a site letter and support your efforts to recruit participants.)

5.3 Constructs, Phenomena, Variables

Present evidence and explanation for the final choice of framework. Constructs, phenomena, and/or variables must align to the topic, problem, gap, and project questions. Suggested length 2–3 paragraphs.

1. There are concepts related to practice, theory and the literature that should be visible throughout your capstone in the (a) literature, (b) reflected in your interview/focus group questions, and (c) in your discussion of findings.

2. Identify 1 – 3 of these constructs or phenomena and discuss them here. They could be identified already in your theory discussion, in your definitions, or in other parts of your literature.

6. Proposed Data Sources

Instrumentation and data collection tools address project concepts; ethical threats and their mitigation are detailed.

6.1 Measures or Artifacts to Be Reviewed

Present a description of instrumentation or data collection tools. Measures or artifacts must closely align with the methodological approach. Suggested length 3–4 paragraphs.

Example:

1. Data Source 1: Semi-Structured Interviews of Social Workers

a. List 6-8 open-ended questions that will help you understand the problem from the social workers' perspectives and provide suggestions on how to improve.

2. Data Source 2: Semi-Structured Interviews with Other Professionals

a. List 6-8 open-ended questions that will help you understand the problem from the other professionals' perspectives and provide suggestions on how to improve.

3. Data Source 3: Focus Group of a Subset of Social Workers and Other Professionals

a. List 4-5 open-ended questions

b. Note: the focus group questions may focus on how identifying best-practices or developing recommendations that will help to solve the problem.

Note: This is your Interview Guide. Copy and paste this into a Word document with the title Interview Guide. Then send the document to your field reviewers. Update the questions as they recommend. Then use the document with the updated questions as the Interview Guide you attach to your IRB Screening Form next quarter.

6.2 Detailed Procedures

Present a description of the processes needed to complete the instruments by the participants or observers. Suggested length 3–4 paragraphs.

1. Discuss that you will recruit a purposive sample by working with the site/group.

2. Once potential participants are identified, how will you contact them?

3. How will participants participate in the data collection? For example, virtual interviews using an online platform with audio-recording.

6.3 Validity/Reliability/Credibility/Dependability

Identify and present the potential threats to reliability and validity (quantitative techniques) or trustworthiness (qualitative techniques). Include a proposed plan to mitigate the noted threats. Suggested length 1–2 paragraphs.

1. Discuss assumptions of your study. There are three types: (a) methodological, (b) topical, and (c) theoretical.

2. Discuss limitations of your study. For example, qualitative studies with small samples are not generalizable.

3. Discuss validity and reliability in qualitative studies. Reference the Creswell and Miller (2000) article and discuss triangulation, field reviews, collaboration (focus groups) and other procedures you'll use.

4. List three field reviewers with at least master's degrees who will not participate in your study. Include their highest degree and titles.

7. Proposed Data Collection

Describe sampling, recruitment, data collection procedures, and potential ethical considerations.

7.1 Sampling Strategy, Number participants

Describe, explain, and justify the sampling strategy to be used. Suggested length 2–3 paragraphs.

1. Discuss purposive sampling, explaining what it is with good citations.

2. Discuss convenience sampling and/or snowball sampling, explaining how you'll use them with good citations.

3. Discuss why 12-15 participants will be enough with references to studies that indicate saturation with a small number.

7.2 Recruitment Procedures

Provide a recruitment process to identify, screen, and recruit participants as it aligns with the methodological approach. Present the inclusion and exclusion criteria for participating in the project. Suggested length 2–3 paragraphs.

1. Describe the inclusion criteria for your participants. For example, maybe they need to have a degree in emergency management or be a licensed social worker working with homeless clients for at least 1 year.

2. Describe any exclusion criteria. For example, you may not want to use anyone you've worked with in the past.

3. How will use identify participants? For example, Ask the director of the site to send out an e-mail that you've written that describes your study and the types of participants you are looking for? Or put out a flyer physically or a notice online in one of your professional organization's listserves or online groups?

4. How will you screen the participants? For example, will they contact you by e-mail if they're intersted in participating and then you call them to ask questions that ensure they meet the inclusion criteria?

5. How will you recruit participants? For example, once you determine they meet your criteria, will you then send them a consent form to review and return to you before you set up a date and time for the interview or focus group?

7.3 Data Collection Process

Provide a logical step-by-step data collection process as it aligns with the methodological approach. Suggested length 3–4 paragraphs.

Here are some steps to consider as your write your response:

· Schedule a time for each interview.

· Following the interview guide, welcome each participant and thank each for their time.

· Ask the preset interview questions and use the probing follow-up questions as needed to obtain additional clarity. (for semi-structured interviews and focus groups)

· Close the interview, again thanking the participant for their time.

· Remind the participants that they will receive a copy of the transcript to review for accuracy.

· Download the audio recording and transcript.

· Review the transcript while listening to the audio recording and make any needed corrections to the transcript to match the audio recording.

· Deidentify the transcript, removing participant or company names.

· Email the transcript to the participant so they can verify the accuracy of the transcript.

· Assemble all transcripts to prepare for data analysis.

7.4 Ethical Considerations

Identify potential ethical issues and provide a proposed plan to adhere to strict ethical standards. Include details regarding privacy, confidentiality, and data security procedures and concerns. Suggested length 1–2 paragraphs.

Consider your CITI training and discuss concepts like:

· Vulnerable populations

· Minimal risk and/or how you'll mitigate risk

· Conflict of interest

· Confidentiality

· Informed Consent

· Positionality-are you and insider or outsider

8. Proposed Data Analysis Plan

Articulate data analysis techniques appropriate to project framework.

Present a plan to analyze and present data with techniques that are appropriate to the project, framework, data sources, and sample size. Suggested length 3–4 paragraphs.

8.1 Data Files, Analysis and Security

List your three data sources. For each discuss the following. Note: if you are using interviews and focus groups they may be discussed together because they'll be the same.

a. Organization of Raw Data: Discuss audio recordings as your raw data. How will you create and access these files?

b. Preparation of Data: Discuss how you will turn the raw data into transcripts. Do you have an online platform, like Teams, that will provide a transcript for you or will you send the audio files to a service to transcribe or will you use an online service like Otter or Nvivo for transcription and identification of codes?

c. Method of Qualitative Analysis: Describe the steps of thematic analysis. Reference Braun and Clarke (2006) or other articles that describe the process. Include if you are using software like Otter or Nvivo to identify codes and/or themes. Remember, you are still conducting the analysis, not the software.

d. Storage and Protection of Data: Describe where you will keep data secure. For example, you may have a password-protected laptop that only you have access to or you may encrypt data in a secure file. You can also mention that you will keep the data secure for 7 years and then destroy it, as required by Capella IRB.

8.2 Anticipated Outcomes

What do you expect to be the result of your study? How will it contribute to practice?

8.3 Dissemination of Findings

How will you share your findings with stakeholders? What will be the action deliverable that you include in the appendix of your capstone? For example, a PowerPoint describing your study and the recommendations for improving outcomes.

9. References

APA-formatted reference section that includes a reference for each citation used in text.

Ensure you have at least 30 scholarly references in your Project Plan. You will probably have close to 80 - 100 in your capstone.

Next Steps:

1st Capstone Quarter (Next Quarter): You will be assigned a mentor who will review this Project Plan with you and suggest appropriate edits. Then a member of your committee will review the Project Plan. Once the review approves it, you will complete Milestone 2. Then you will be able to submit your IRB Screening Form.

2nd Capstone Quarter: After IRB approval, you can recruit participants and collect data.

3rd Capstone Quarter: After collecting data, you will analyze the data and complete the writing of your capstone.

4th Capstone Quarter: Upon your mentor's approval of your capstone, it will be submitted to your committee for review. Expect feedback within 7 days and revisions resulting from it. Once your committee approves your capstone, it will be submitted to the Dean for review. Once the Dean approves your capstone you will be eligible to graduate and may be called Dr.!!

1

2