Reference no: EM132193942

SECTION ONE

[Section One provides an overview of the study, including the statement of the problem, a rationale for the study, research question(s), a discussion of the research design, and limitations that could impact the research results. Add an Introduction here. There is no heading used for the Introduction in the manuscript. The introduction to Section One tells the reader what the final paper is to be about, how the whole paper will be organized, and, in particular, how Section 1 will be organized. According to APA sixth edition, this section should not have a heading.]

Topic Overview/Background

[Every dissertation begins somewhere. Students are expected to pursue research that reflects the emphasis of their program, their concentration within the program, and their personal interests. This section provides an opportunity for the student to share a bit about their particular interest in pursuing this study and the background that will provide the reader with some context for what follows. Do not use first person. You should include citations to the most relevant references that support the topic you will be studying.]

Problem or Opportunity Statement

[All research should be aimed at addressing a gap in the body of knowledge, as observed in the literature that surrounds the topic of choice. Once this is identified, the researcher translates it into a discussion inserted here so that the reader is clear about the direction of the research. Not only does research address gaps in the body of knowledge, it often seeks to contribute to practical knowledge that can be applied in the field. Provide citations that support your topic.]

Purpose Statement

[Following on from the problem or opportunity discussion, the purpose statement explains why the research is being pursued. It serves as a beacon for both the researcher and the reader, stating the focus of the research and rationale for its pursuit. Provide sufficient citations from relevant reference sources to justify the topic of study.]

Research Question(s)

[As a result of the explorations detailed in the sections above, the researcher must shape his or her research intention into the form of one or more concise questions. The research question explicitly illuminates the variables (also referred to as concepts or categories in qualitative research) that will be under study. Near the conclusion of the research, final discussions highlight the specifics of, and the extent to which, the research question or questions were addressed. At times a central question is posed and followed by several sub questions.]

Hypotheses (Quantitative)/Propositions (Qualitative)

[Hypotheses are assumptions about a phenomenon that the research will seek to prove or disprove. Hypotheses are stated in two forms: the null hypothesis and the alternate hypothesis. The null hypothesis is proved or disproved by the research. If the null hypothesis were disproved, there would be no relationship between the variables being examined. The alternate hypothesis is examined when there is a relationship between the variables. Hypothesis testing is commonly found in research, typically accompanying quantitative research.

Propositions are similar to hypotheses; however, when a proposition is stated, the relationship between the variables will not be proved or disproved by experiment within the context of the research proposed. Propositions help direct the focus of research such that ultimately testable hypotheses can be developed. Propositions typically accompany qualitative research.]

Theoretical Perspectives/Conceptual Framework

[The theoretical framework presents the logic you have developed, supported by the literature that informs the development of your research design. The theoretical perspectives assist the reader in understanding and following the design of your study. Frameworks and theoretical perspectives or models are most often found in foundational research related to your topic of study.]

Assumptions/Biases

[All research is accompanied by assumptions held by the researcher. It is extremely important to explore and state these assumptions as they are related to your study. The assumptions may arise from past experience or previous knowledge. The assumptions may also be based in existing theory.]

Significance of the Study

[In this section, the researcher explains how the study will benefit the stakeholders of the study. Stakeholders can be defined as persons or groups that may have a vested interest in the subjects explored in the study, as well as the research question itself. This section provides an explanation of the value your research will have on the body of knowledge related to your topic.]

Delimitations

[Delimitations represent the boundaries of the study as determined by the researcher. Example, the study covered Savannah State University only. Give reason why it covered only Savannah State University]

Limitations

[The limitations of the study are aspects of the research that cannot be controlled by the researcher. Limitations may be identified prior to the implementation of the research and/or may emerge during the process of doing the research.]

Definition of Terms

[The definition of terms includes a list of terms used throughout the study and is critical to the understanding of the study and its documentation. The terms in this list can be defined both by the researcher and the literature, resulting in an operational definition for the term.

Note: The definition of terms should not be a laundry list of all the technical terms that can be found in the study. When a term is mentioned infrequently in a study, however important it may be, the definition should appear where the term is mentioned in the study, not in the definition of terms. The list here should be those terms unique to the topic or field that are necessary for the reader to understand.]

General Overview of the Research Design

[Although the research design will be covered in depth in Section 3 of the paper, it is helpful to present a summary of the design in Section One so that the reader has a complete picture of the proposed research. Obviously, this summary cannot be introduced until Section 3 is completed.]

Summary of Section One

[As you conclude Section One, there should be a short summary of the contents of topics mentioned above. This serves as a transition into the next section.]

Organization of the Paper

[Concluding Section One requires a brief discussion telling the reader how the paper is organized, section-by-section. Each sentence or paragraph regarding a section should be short and succinct.]