Chapter 2: Intro

The chapter 2 introduction sets the stage for your literature review. There are 3 main topics that need to be discussed in this section.

1) Restate the problem and purpose of the study; this should be a brief summary of these areas. You are putting the chapter into the context of your study for the reader.

2) Provide a concise synopsis of the current literature that establishes the relevance of the problem. The keyword here is concise. You are showing why your study is needed. So discuss very briefly the gap in the literature and how your study will address the gap. Yes, this is very similar info that you are asked to provide in chapter 1, but resist the impulse to simply copy things. Restate it in your own words; be sure to include relevant citation to support your arguments

3) Finally, preview the major sections of the chapter. Give your reader a picture of where you are going in the literature review.

By the end of the introductory section, your reader should understand why you are doing your study, why your specific study is needed, and where you are going in the literature review.

Next time we will examine literature searches. Do you have an issue or a question that you would like me to discuss in a future post? Would you like to be a guest writer? Send me your ideas! leann.stadtlander@waldenu.edu

Chapter 1: Summary

Students often treat the chapter 1 summary as a last minute add on- however, it is important in its own right. In the summary, you should briefly review the main points from your chapter and talk about what will be discussed in future chapters. Why do you have to do chapter summaries? The dissertation should not be looked on as a "paper," instead, it really is a book that you are writing. Just as a textbook has summaries at the end of each chapter and a preview of the next one to keep the reader interested, so should your dissertation.

You need to keep your reader in the back of your mind, picture a future student, similar to you, who is trying to find out about your topic area and your study. Write clearly for him or her, explain your terms, your goal is not to impress them with your academic language- it is to educate them. Occasionally ask yourself, what is my future reader going to want to know? Have I explained it clearly? Let them be impressed with the clarity of your writing and your enthusiasm for the topic.

Next time we will examine Chapter 2: Intro. Do you have an issue or a question that you would like me to discuss in a future post? Would you like to be a guest writer? Send me your ideas! leann.stadtlander@waldenu.edu

Chapter 1: Nature of the Study

A section that students are often asked to revise is the one on the nature of the study. This section can be thought of as an overview of your project. It begins with a rationale for selecting the design or tradition that you will use; questions to ask yourself are: why is this the best method to use to answer my research question? Why are other methods not appropriate?

You will then need to summarize your research methods. Go into some detail here, how will you recruit your participants? How many people will participate? In general, what will happen to them in your study? How will you analyze the data that you collect?

Students may not have written chapter 3 at this point, so it can be a difficult section to write. I suggest thinking of this section as a placeholder- put in what you think you will do and plan to revise after you have written chapter 3. This section should force you to begin thinking through your study, remember chapter 3 should be in enough detail that someone could replicate your study based on the description. Therefore, this is a good place to begin considering the details. You should try to imagine how each step will work: How will you recruit? Will you use a flyer or ad? What it will say and look like? Where will it be posted? What will people who wish to participate do, in order to be included in the study? What happens then? How will you get their consent to participate? Every detail will need to considered and addressed in chapter 3, so begin now to work through them.

Next time we look at the Chapter 1 summary. Do you have an issue or a question that you would like me to discuss in a future post? Would you like to be a guest writer? Send me your ideas! leann.stadtlander@waldenu.edu

Chapter 1: Definitions

Part of Chapter 1 is a section on definitions; you would think this would be simple wouldn't you? However, even this section has some rules you need to know. First, every definition needs a citation. Do not use Wikipedia for your source. Second, you should not use the word that you are defining in its definition ("Older adult: an older adult is…"). Third, your definitions need to be in alphabetical order.

Which words should you define? Any words or terms that are jargon and may not be known to the average reader. Do not include statistical tests or theories here. This section is where you would define terms related to your population that may have multiple meanings ("older adult," "young adult," "baby boomer"). Terms you are using in a specific way should be listed here ("online education," "synchronous learning," "homelessness," domestic violence," "faculty mentor").

Do not define acronyms here- that should be done in the text, the first time it is used. An example: "The lexical decision task (LDT)…" Per APA 4.21, remember to italicize key terms on first usage, often this will occur in the definition section.

Next time we will look at the nature of the study section in your paper. Do you have an issue or a question that you would like me to discuss in a future post? Would you like to be a guest writer? Send me your ideas! leann.stadtlander@waldenu.edu

Theoretical Foundation vs. Conceptual Framework

What is the difference between a theoretical foundation and a conceptual framework? A theory is usually found in the scholarly literature and has been formalized and tested by other researchers, it should explain relationships between variables. Theories are often multilayered and complex. A conceptual framework is a less developed form of a theory and consists of statements that link abstract concepts, in psychology it is often described by the term "model." Here is a great example I ran across in Wu, Viswanathan, and Ivy (2012).

This is a way to lay out your variables and how you think they interact, as opposed to a theory, which is more refined and has had aspects that have often been previously tested.

If you would like more info on conceptual frameworks, take a look at Ravitch and Riggen's (2012) book Reason & Rigor: How Conceptual Frameworks Guide Research.

Next time we will look at definitions in your paper. Do you have an issue or a question that you would like me to discuss in a future post? Would you like to be a guest writer? Send me your ideas! Send me an email with your ideas. leann.stadtlander@waldenu.edu

Wu, J. M., Viswanathan, M., & Ivy, J. S. (2012). A conceptual framework for future research on mode of delivery. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 16(7), 1447-1454. doi:10.1007/s10995-011-0910-x

New Researcher Interview!

Check out the interview with Walden's own Dr. Dick Larkin! http://jsbhseditorblog.blogspot.com/

Chapter 1: Intro

I have been spending a lot of time with students recently working on Chapter 1, so I thought it might be worth discussing it some. I think it helps to think of this first chapter of your proposal as an introduction to your study. It is not a continuation of your abstract- so you need to repeat info given in the abstract.

The introduction to chapter 1 is one of the most important parts of your entire paper. This is where you grab your reader's attention and provide a map of where you are going. You need to explain very concisely the need for your study (the gap you are addressing). This is where you might want to include a few statistics showing the size and concern of the problem. Give enough background literature to put the study into context, and explain briefly what method you will use. By the end of the introduction, your reader should understand  what the gap is, how you will do it, and why your study is needed to fill the gap that you have mentioned.

It is a difficult section to write, because it all needs to be around two pages. The language needs to be clear, without jargon, and to the point. Don't write in "academic" language; at least initially, write to your grandmother, explaining it in normal language. If you must use any terms that might not be known to your grandmother, define them. Avoid using acronyms if you can, I hate having to have a cheat sheet to translate a lot of abbreviations.

Have some friends or family members read the section and ask them questions about it. Why am I doing the study? How am I doing it? Do you get the feeling that my study is needed?

Next time we will look at theoretical foundation vs. conceptual framework in your paper. Do you have an issue or a question that you would like me to discuss in a future post? Would you like to be a guest writer? Send me your ideas! Send me an email with your ideas. leann.stadtlander@waldenu.edu