Thesis Writing

STRAYER UNIVERSITY

TITLE

A DIRECTED RESEARCH PROJECT SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTERS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

SUBMITTED TO

PROFESSOR PATRICIA EATON

BY

Student’s Name

CAMPUS NAME

JUNE 2011

ABSTRACT

The abstract is single spaced and written in the past tense. It includes the nature of the problem, purpose of the study, specific hypothesis and/or research questions, research design and methodology, and results, conclusions, and recommendations are summarized.

Acknowledgments

TABLES AND FIGURES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT

Acknowledgments

TABLES AND FIGURES

DEFINITION OF TERMS

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Introduction

Context of the Problem Statement of the Problem

Main Research Question and Sub-Questions

Limitations

Assumptions

Significance of the Study

Research Design and Methodology

Organization of the Study

CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF LITERATURE

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH QUESTION TITLE

Introduction

Data

Analysis

CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH QUESTION TITLE

Introduction

Data

Analysis

CHAPTER 5: RESEARCH QUESTION TITLE

Introduction

Data

Analysis

CHAPTER 6: SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

Summary

Conclusion

Recommendation

REFERENCES

APPENDIX

CHAPTER 1

Introduction

1st Paragraph –talk about Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 (what it is; its purpose)

2nd Paragraph –Talk about SEC

Context of the Problem

1st Paragraph- See notes (problem)

2nd Paragraph – what happened due to the problem

Statement of the Problem

In 2002, Congress created and implemented the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 to ensure people are stopped from committing fraudulent activities. In 2009, one of the greatest financial systems crashed while being protected under this act.

Main Research Question and Sub-questions

The purpose of this research is to determine the following: If Congress created the Sarbarnes Oxley Act to protect business from fraudulent activities, why did it fail. To answer this question, the following sub-questions are:

Limitations

Due to the nature of this research, the researcher will not address Bernie Madoff and his business practices or the number of people who were affected as a result of this crime.

Assumptions

Any CEO operating under the Act will be held responsible to criminal and ?????? charges.

Significance of the Study

Paragraph 1 – Why or how is the study important?

Paragraph 2 – Who or what will benefit from the research and Why?

Paragraph 3 - What does the researcher want to be able to decide or offer because of the research and Why?

Research Design and Methodology

Paragraph 1 (Sub-question 1) – Think about the purpose and nature of your research and determine the methodology. The methodology to be used for this problem must take into account the nature of the data collected. If your research question involves answering the question from a participant’s point of view (a vast amount of verbal data, interviews), it is qualitative. If your research question requires answering the questions from a numerical standpoint, it is quantitative. Based on qualitative or quantitative methodology, state what kinds of data are needed, where is it located, how will it be secured, and how will it be interpreted. For example:

The methodology addresses action research. The action research investigates current economic and budgetary policies for identifying solutions for the state of Virginia to address a decrease of entitlement expenditures, discretionary expenditures, and an increase of revenue through taxes or other sources.

The first sub-question is designed to use secondary quantitative historical documents of economic and budgetary policy implementation in the United States since 1950, government budgeting documents from years 2005 through 2009 and legislative policy on wartime funding. The quantitative data must include a breakdown of line items addressing expenditures to and from the Social Security Administration and individual income taxes. The information is located and secured from the Department of Government and Accountability Office and Congressional Budget Office via government website. The data will be interpreted based on a deductive reasoning.

The second sub-question is designed to use secondary qualitative documents addressing the use of entitlement and discretionary expenditures. The quantitative data must include interviews and questionnaires from various demographics and their view on the appropriation and positive and negative use of expenditures. The information is located and secured from the Journal of Appropriations and the Journal of Timekeeping. The data will be interpreted based on a inductive reasoning.

Organization of the Study

This research project is divided into the following six chapters:

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: Review of Literature

Chapter 3: Sub-Question 1 Title

Chapter 4: Sub-Question 2 Title

Chapter 5: Sub-Question 3 Title

Chapter 6: Summary and Conclusion

Chapter 1: Introduction

The first chapter introduces the problem. This chapter contents include the context of the problem, the problem statement, and the research question and sub-questions. Additionally, the significance of the study section validates the need for this study while the research design and methodology explains how the data is analyzed to answer the main research question.

Chapter 2: Review of Literature

The literature review chapter explores prior research and data available and pertinent to the topic of safety complacency on a historical level. This chapter includes sub-topics, which seek to cover the same areas required, by the research question and sub-questions.

Chapter 3: Sub-Question 1 Title

Chapter 3 focuses on the first research sub-question: Do individual behaviors and attitudes of those in the fire service contribute to safety complacency? Researched information and data will be used to show how much of the lack of safety and health and the effects of complacency in the fire service can be blamed on the individual as opposed to the training and/or leadership received.

Chapter 4: Sub-Question 2 Title

Chapter 4 focuses on the second research sub-question: Is a lack of proper training a major contributor to the majority of incidents, accidents, injuries, illnesses, and deaths experienced in the fire service? Researched information and data will be used to show how much of the lack of safety and health and the effects of complacency in the fire service can be blamed on trainers and training methods as opposed to leadership and/or individuals.

Chapter 5: Sub-Question 3 Title

Chapter 5 focuses on the third research sub-question, which is what affect does leadership have on complacency in regards to the safety and health of fire service personnel. Researched information and data will be used to show how much of the lack of safety and health and the effects of complacency in the fire service can be traced back to leadership as opposed to trainers and/or individuals.

Chapter 6: Summary and Conclusion

Chapter 6 is used to summarize all of the information and data, which was reviewed in the paper. The source of the lack of safety and health along with complacency will also be summarized whether that ends up being the individual, the trainer, the leadership, or a combination of all the above. Conclusions are drawn as to the extent of the problem and possible areas to begin reducing the problem. The question of whether or not safety complacency is a true problem will be theorized based on the summarized information.

Chapter 2

Review OF Literature

Introduction

1 Paragraph introduces the content of the chapter by explaining what the reader can expect from the information provided.

Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002

SEC

Regulatory Authorities

Summary

Provide 1-2 paragraphs evaluating the information.

CHAPTER 3

TITLE OF SUB-QUESTION 1

Introduction

Introduce the content of the chapter by explaining what kind of studies you are addressing to answer the sub-question.

Data

Research Study 1

Paragraph 1 - Explain the research focus, demographics, and methodology,

Paragraph 2 – Evaluate assumptions and limitations of research.

Paragraph 3 – Evaluation the conclusions and recommendations.

Research Study 2

Paragraph 1 - Explain the research focus, demographics, and methodology,

Paragraph 2 – Evaluate assumptions and limitations of research.

Paragraph 3 – Evaluation the conclusions and recommendations.

Methodology

Based on the methodology described in Chapter 1 for this sub-question, state whether the methodologies used in the 2 studies appropriately address the sub-question. Point out whether the results of the studies are valid and reliable (weakness and strengths).

Analysis

Based on the 2 studies, use deductive or inductive reasoning and state how this information support or negate your sub-question.

CHAPTER 4

TITLE OF SUB-QUESTION 1

Introduction

Introduce the content of the chapter by explaining what kind of studies you are addressing to answer the sub-question.

Data

Research Study 1

Paragraph 1 - Explain the research focus, demographics, and methodology,

Paragraph 2 – Evaluate assumptions and limitations of research.

Paragraph 3 – Evaluation the conclusions and recommendations.

Research Study 2

Paragraph 1 - Explain the research focus, demographics, and methodology,

Paragraph 2 – Evaluate assumptions and limitations of research.

Paragraph 3 – Evaluation the conclusions and recommendations.

Methodology

Based on the methodology described in Chapter 1 for this sub-question, state whether the methodologies used in the 2 studies appropriately address the sub-question. Point out whether the results of the studies are valid and reliable (weakness and strengths).

Analysis

Based on the 2 studies, use deductive or inductive reasoning and state how this information support or negate your sub-question.

CHAPTER 5

TITLE OF SUB-QUESTION 1

Introduction

Introduce the content of the chapter by explaining what kind of studies you are addressing to answer the sub-question.

Data

Research Study 1

Paragraph 1 - Explain the research focus, demographics, and methodology,

Paragraph 2 – Evaluate assumptions and limitations of research.

Paragraph 3 – Evaluation the conclusions and recommendations.

Research Study 2

Paragraph 1 - Explain the research focus, demographics, and methodology,

Paragraph 2 – Evaluate assumptions and limitations of research.

Paragraph 3 – Evaluation the conclusions and recommendations.

Methodology

Based on the methodology described in Chapter 1 for this sub-question, state whether the methodologies used in the 2 studies appropriately address the sub-question. Point out whether the results of the studies are valid and reliable (weakness and strengths).

Analysis

Based on the 2 studies, use deductive or inductive reasoning and state how this information support or negate your sub-question.

Chapter 6

Summary

Chapter 2

In the summary section, the researcher provides the most important substantive details of the research conducted in the previous research chapters. The summary is an objective and impartial representation covering chapters 2-5.

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Conclusion

Sub-Title 1

The conclusion section presents a decision based on the analyses from chapters 3-5.

Sub-Title 2

Sub-Title 3

Recommendation

Paragraph 1 - Explain whether the analysis from chapters 3-5 sub-questions answers the main research question.

Paragraph 2 - Based on the information in the first paragraph, what do you recommendation as it pertains to your research focus?

REFERENCES

Barrett, G. (2000, March). Management's Impact on Behavioral Safety. Professional Safety, 45(3), 26. Retrieved February 10, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.

Blanco, J., Gillingham, D., & Lewko, J. (2006). A simple heuristic model for injury prevention. Disaster Prevention and Management, 15(5), 763-777. Retrieved February 3, 2009, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 1150377781).

APPENDICES

�Only make a list of your tables and figures and what page they can be located on – similar to the Table of Contents

�Make sure you are writing in the present tense