(3) dissertation handbook · complete final dissertation document including: appendices, reference...

Doctor of Executive Leadership

DISSERTATION HANDBOOK

School of Business & Leadership

University of Charleston 2300 MacCorkle Ave SE Charleston, WV 25304

http://www.ucwv.edu

2013-2014


Table of Contents

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 1

Purpose of the Professional Practice Dissertation ........................................................................... 1

Acceptable Research Designs .......................................................................................................... 2

Planning and Preparing for the Dissertation ................................................................................................ 3

Dissertation Timeline ....................................................................................................................... 4

Semester 7 Milestone ...................................................................................................................... 4



Research Topic Selection .............................................................................................................................. 7

Concept Paper ............................................................................................................................................... 8

Dissertation Merit Review (DMR) ................................................................................................................. 8

The Dissertation Committee ......................................................................................................................... 8

Committee Responsibilities and Scope ............................................................................................ 9

Responsibilities of the Dissertation Committee Chairperson .......................................................... 9

Responsibilities of the Non-Chair Dissertation Committee Members .......................................... 11

Committee Member from Outside of full-time appointment at University of Charleston (Non-Faculty Committee Members) .................................................................................................. 11

The Dissertation Proposal ........................................................................................................................... 12

Proposal Sections ........................................................................................................................... 12

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 13

CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW ...................................................................................................... 15

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY............................................................................................................. 16

Proposal Oral Defense- Doctoral Candidacy ............................................................................................... 18

Purpose .......................................................................................................................................... 18

Scheduling ...................................................................................................................................... 19

Approval of the Proposal by University of Charleston Institutional Review Board (IRB) ........................... 20

Implementation of the Dissertation and Student Responsibilities ............................................................. 21

Writing the Final Dissertation ..................................................................................................................... 21

Chapters of the Final Dissertation ................................................................................................. 22


CHAPTER IV: RESULTS ......................................................................................................................... 22

CHAPTER V: DISCUSSION .................................................................................................................... 23

REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................................... 23

APPENDIX (OR APPENDICES) .............................................................................................................. 23

Preparing your Manuscript ......................................................................................................................... 24

Typeface ......................................................................................................................................... 24

Paper Alignment ............................................................................................................................ 24

Margins .......................................................................................................................................... 25

Line Spacing ................................................................................................................................... 25

Pagination ...................................................................................................................................... 25

Page Number Placement ............................................................................................................... 25

Organization and Suggestions........................................................................................................ 26

The Final Oral Dissertation Defense ........................................................................................................... 26

Purpose .......................................................................................................................................... 26

Scheduling ...................................................................................................................................... 27

Process ........................................................................................................................................... 28

Preparation of the Dissertation Final Copy ................................................................................................. 28

Binding and Publishing the Dissertation ..................................................................................................... 29

Dissertation Handbook References ............................................................................................................ 30

APPENDIX A ................................................................................................................................................... 2

Request for Chair of Dissertation Committee.................................................................................. 2

Petition for Establishing a Dissertation Committee ......................................................................... 3

A Dissertation Proposal .................................................................................................................... 4

Proposal Signature Page .................................................................................................................. 5

Dissertation Proposal Rubric ............................................................................................................ 6

Sample Proposal Table of Contents ............................................................................................... 13

A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Executive Leadership ..................................................................................................................... 14

Oral Defense Signature Page ......................................................................................................... 15

ProQuest/UMI Publishing and Copyrighting .................................................................................. 16


Appendix B .................................................................................................................................................. 17

Suggested References for Student Use.......................................................................................... 17

Appendix C .................................................................................................................................................. 19

Dissertation Flow Chart ................................................................................................................. 20


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Introduction

This handbook outlines the requirements for the dissertation, suggestions for interacting with the committee, specifics about the dissertation process, the document format, and expectations of the student and committee members. As a requirement for graduation from University of Charleston with the degree of Doctor of Executive Leadership (DEL) each student must complete and successfully defend a dissertation. The procedures described in this Handbook are designed to guide the student in completing the dissertation. Questions or clarifications regarding these procedures should be directed to the student’s Dissertation Committee Chairperson.

Purpose of the Professional Practice Dissertation

The dissertation is the culmination of the student’s academic study at University of Charleston and reflects the highest levels of intellectual rigor and quality in higher education. It is a scholarly written record of an original research investigation that demonstrates a student’s engagement as a scholar-practitioner. The dissertation must pertain to a clearly defined problem currently confronting the field of leadership in general or a field of practice in which executive leadership is central to the problem.

The specific structure of a dissertation will depend on the area and type of study. The difference between doctoral research and a masters level project/thesis is not only the scope of data collection, but the depth and breadth of the conceptual reasoning. In doctoral research, the student must demonstrate their understanding of how their specific concern relates to the broader field of inquiry. For example, if a student’s concern is why their local hospital has a staffing shortage, this topic needs to initially be addressed from the point of view of the healthcare industry as well as their local community conditions in the “Nature of the Issue” section of the “INTRODUCTION” chapter. It is then further elaborated on based on related “Previous Research” in the “LITERATURE REVIEW” chapter and then insight is gleaned into the dynamics of the situation from a Leadership theory perspective in the “Theoretical Framework” section. The specific hospital then becomes an example of this issue being studied as the “Research Site” , and selected stakeholders or related professionals of interest at that hospital become the “Research Subjects”.

The dissertation is a major undertaking. It is best embarked on with a long-term view, especially in terms of how it can answer key questions of importance within your career of choice. The manner in which you lead yourself through the research effort will influence all members of the research team as well as the success of the project as a whole. Preparation and planning are essential; however, you will need to focus on small steps while maintaining a view from the balcony. A “good” dissertation has been defined as one that meets the following three criteria (Willis, Inman & Valenti, 2010):

1. Breaks new ground on the edge of professional practice about a significant problem or successfully addresses professional practice in the local context

-publishable in a major journal and is likely to be cited by the next generation of researchers studying this problem; the journal emphasis may be on solving a local problem rather than searching for universal knowledge


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2. Relevant to your career goals, can be completed in a reasonable amount of time and contributes to your overall career path.

3. Gives you an opportunity to serve an apprenticeship with a Scholar-Practitioner who is an expert

in a critical area of professional practice research.

Acceptable Research Designs

Research using several different designs is acceptable for a dissertation at University of Charleston. A common type of research in Leadership programs incorporates a case study design. However, correlation studies using primarily quantitative methods or well-designed quasi-experimental approaches are equally acceptable, as well as phenomenology and ethnography designs using primarily qualitative data . Of course any of these designs could incorporate the other type of data collection strategy to expand their discovery options, depending on the questions they choose to explore. Students are encouraged to consult with their faculty mentor, or Dissertation Committee Chairperson regarding acceptable designs for the type of topic they wish to pursue in dissertation research. There is nothing intrinsic about any research design that requires a particular method of data collection.

Survey Structured Interview

Semi-structured interview Participant Observation

Images Narratives


Semi-structured interview Participant Observation

Images Narratives


Semi-structured Interview Participant Observation

Images Narratives

Case study Correlation Study

Ethnography Study

Study

Study

S


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Planning and Preparing for the Dissertation

University of Charleston embraces an integrated approach to doing a dissertation (Willis, Inman, & Valenti, 2010). In this approach, preparatory work and dissertation work go hand in hand across the program. In the first year of the program, Overview, In-depth, and Application assignments in core leadership courses permit students to explore potential topics of interest based on professional activities or academic interests.

During the second semester of the first year of the doctoral program, students will start a series of three research courses. This purpose of this initial course is to broaden the students exposure to social science inquiry and where their interests fit into that arena. The following series of research courses are designed to develop students’ skills in engaged scholarship: conceptualizing the study’s overall purpose as a scholar-practitioner; operationalizing that purpose into meaningful research questions from a leadership perspective to address key aspects of the issue at hand ; integrating the theoretical framework and previous research into to the issue being studies; detailing out the research design, site, sample, and data collection strategies and instruments to answer these questions; and analyzing and interpreting that data.

Concurrently, students complete a series of activities designed to prepare them for defending a dissertation proposal during the first semester of their third year. These activities and timeline are described in the section below.

Course Dissertation Pre-work Activities

DEL 727

“The Nature of Social Science Inquiry”

Conversations and reading literature. Read wide range of scholarly literature to develop understanding of theories and practices related to potential topic.

Concept paper: Begin concept formation of a potential research purpose and questions; begin preliminary review of previous research (theoretical foundations, themes and subthemes), begin development of reference list. At the conclusion of DEL 727, the student presents their Concept to their potential Committee Chair for review, along with the “Request for Committee Chair” form. If the faculty accepts the role of Chair, they sign and submit the form to the Associate Dean.

DEL 803

“Discovery Techniques”

Proposal Draft: Refine conceptualization of research purpose and questions, expand review of previous research literature, develop research design and preliminary data collection methods (sampling, instrumentation, data collection, limitation and delimitations), preliminarily identify approach and rationale for analysis.


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Dissertation Timeline

During the third year of the program, each student will present and defend his or her dissertation proposal to their appointed committee; will submit and attain research approval from the UC and other required Institutional Review Boards; will conduct and defend their approved dissertation research. The following milestones are established to guide the effort and determine satisfactory academic progress.

Semester 7 Milestone

Finalize dissertation proposal. Includes, along with a cover signature sheet and abstract, the dissertation proposal contains an introduction to the issue, specify the goals and relevance of the research; a review of the literature; and proposed methodology as outlined for chapters I, II and III in the sample Table of Contents as shown in the materials created specifically for this dissertation or study (See Appendix A). In addition, the proposal contains appendices of essential material for the committee to consider in the proposal defense. These materials may include copies of instruments, workshop manuals, protocols, consent forms, approval letters, permission documents, or other materials created specifically for this dissertation or study.

Student submits final proposal to Chair

School receives proposal from the Chair with recommendation for defense date by week 4

School approves scheduling of proposal

Student prepares with Chair for proposal defense

School schedules defense and formally notifies Committee members

Dissertation Merit Review (DMR) to the DEL Associate Dean with a request for appointment of Dissertation Committee Chair. Upon approval, the Associate Dean appoints the Committee Chair.

DEL 804

“Data Analysis and Interpretation”

The student works with the Committee Chair to identify prospective research and subject matter expert. The Chair, in concert with the Associate Dean of DEL, performance due diligence on the selection of committee members, including a review of resumes, academic credentials, and transcripts. Once appropriateness is confirmed, the Committee Request is submitted to the Associate Dean by the Committee Chair and appointments are made by the Associate Dean.

Preliminary draft of proposal: Finalize a preliminary draft of the dissertation proposal (Topic, Nature of the Issue, Purpose, Research questions, Previous research, research methods).

Residency III Present Preliminary Draft of Proposal


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Successfully defend the proposal midpoint of semester 7

Revise document per committee recommendations

Complete and submit an UC IRB and any other institutional Request for Review

Begin conducting the research once IRB approved* (data collection may continue into semester 8) no later than end of semester 7

* IRB Request for Review should be submitted to the IRB office within 10 working days after final approval of the dissertation proposal. Data collection and analysis may begin only after notification of IRB approval is received.


Finalize conducting research

Finalize data analysis midpoint semester 8

Analyze and interpret data and draw conclusions based on results

Write results end of semester 8


Write Chapter 5: (discussion, conclusions, implications, and final recommendations) Week 4 of semester 9

Complete final dissertation document including: appendices, reference list, acknowledgement, dedication and table of contents

Submit through SafeAssign

Submit final dissertation to Chair midpoint semester 9

School receives dissertation from the Chair with recommendation for defense date midpoint semester 9

School schedules dissertation defense and formally notifies Committee members

Student prepares with Chair for oral dissertation defense

Defend the dissertation end semester 9

Revise the document per committee recommendations

Conduct final editing


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Secure all necessary signatures and approvals

Final formatting for submission to binding/publishing

Submit the final version for approval of DEL within one month of defense

DEL submits final for binding/publishing

Student submits payment for school required and student requested bound copies

If the dissertation cannot be completed by the end of semester 9, students will register in continuing enrollment until requirements are met. All work on requirements for the Doctor of Executive Leadership must be completed within 5 years from entry.


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Research Topic Selection

Consideration of a dissertation topic may begin early in the DEL program at University of Charleston. Within each core Leadership course, the Overview paper requires students to synthesize knowledge of historical and emerging theories and practices of leadership. In-depth papers allow students to explore more deeply an aspect related to the course topic in relation to their professional activities or academic interests. Students are encouraged to reflect on these assignments to identify potential dissertation research topics. Additionally, students may consult with their Mentor, the DEL Associate Dean, any University of Charleston School of Business and Leadership faculty member, or other outside scholars at any time regarding potential dissertation topics. Candidates should keep four primary questions in mind in the topic selection process.

x Is the topic of interest to me? A significant investment of time and effort has to be made to accomplish this task, and the work will be more easily completed if you are personally concerned about the issue you are investigating.

x Is the topic of interest and importance to others? Conducting research as a scholar-practitioner requires permissions from others, but more importantly, requires their engagement.

x Is the topic focused enough? The degree of focus is directly related to the researcher becoming sufficiently knowledgeable about the topic and the feasibility of the research being completed within the time allotted and contributing to the stakeholders and specialty field.

x Does the topic have potential to add new knowledge to the field? The concept of original research does not require research on a topic area which has never been investigated before, but does set the expectation that the results of the research add to knowledge of theory and or practice.

In selecting a dissertation topic, candidates may also wish to keep in mind the relevance of the

topic to their practice area of leadership, as well as the potential for continued research and application as a scholar-practitioner (e.g., publication of their dissertations as books, articles, or chapters within academic journals or other scholarly publications, or presentation to professional audiences).

A review of public opinion on a topic of interest might also substantiate a candidates desire to

pursue a certain topic. For example, if a student wanted help in deciding what variables to consider when measuring employee satisfaction, they might look at the study done by Teng Guo and Lingyi Hu, called: “Statisticians Reveal What Makes America Happy” published by MIT Technology Review. Their study, a statistical analysis of attitudes in the U.S., revealed the main determinants of happiness were health and marriage, but also suggests that interpreting the data is fraught with danger. This type of information can be accessed via the National Opinion Research Center (NORC), University of Chicago, News and Releases section: National Opinion Research Center

1 N. State Street, Floor 16, Chicago, IL 60602 Tel: 1-800-248-8649 E-mail: [email protected]; http://www.norc.org/Pages/default.aspx


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Concept Paper

The concept paper outlines the proposed investigation in no longer than 15 pages. It is presented to a prospective Chair during the second semester of year one with a “Request for Chair of

Dissertation Committee” form and is used to explain the candidate’s proposed research. The faculty member may request a meeting with the student to discuss the concept paper prior to agreeing to serve as Chair of the dissertation committee. Questions regarding this concept paper should be addressed to the Associate Dean or the student’s mentor.

The concept paper should include a cover sheet and preliminary drafts of Chapters 1 and 2, as outlined in the sample Table of Contents for a dissertation proposal. The paper should provide enough information to help faculty decide if their interests and backgrounds would be appropriate for serving as Chair. Specifically, the concept paper should include:

x The issue to be addressed and its context, the significance of the issue, the purpose of the proposed study, and an initial set of research question(s).

x An initial review of the literature related to the selected research topic, sufficient to inform of what is, and is not known about the topic; identification of possible databases and keywords to be used in the literature search; and a preliminary reference list of key articles, books, etc. related to the research area.

Dissertation Merit Review (DMR)

By the end of the first semester of the second year, it is hoped that the student and their Committee Chair have enough clarity on the dissertation topic and research design to submit the first two sections of the Dissertation Merit Review to the Associate Dean for approval (see Appendix A for DMR form and instructions).

The Dissertation Committee

The Dissertation Committee is comprised of a Dissertation Committee Chairperson and three additional committee members. It is important that students have a committee with which they work well.

x Committee Chair must be full-time or Adjunct DEL faculty or an experienced DEL facilitator having taught at least two semesters in the DEL and having previously served on a doctoral level dissertation committee. DEL full-time faculty may serve as a Chair, research member, or subject matter expert on no more than 8 committees. All other faculty may serve as Chair, research member, or subject matter expert on no more than four committees in total.

x Committee member with research expertise should also be doctorally-prepared University of Charleston (UC) faculty member. If no UC faculty is available, a qualified external committee member may be appointed,


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x Subject matter expert within the practice arena may be a committee member from outside the University, with a terminal degree in their field. Effort should be made to obtain the most appropriate expert for a given student in terms of the networking opportunities the expert might be able to provide the student. If the student has industry leadership goals, then an executive in a corporation might serve them best in terms of their career advancement. If they have higher education “Professor” aspirations, then a well known expert with multiple publications in peer-reviewed journals, chapters and books, the presidency of their specialty association, Principal Investigator of a national grant or university would be able to guide them in the “tricks of the trade”. It’s a great disservice to the student to allow this position to be filled by “convenience” not expertise and networking!

x The fourth committee member should be a cohort student peer, non-voting peer member. The person is crucial for morale support in the arduous journey of finishing this task, when many feel like quitting as the midnight oil is burning and life’s other demands pull on you for equal time !!!

Committee Responsibilities and Scope

It is recommended that a student work with his or her faculty mentor in choosing a Dissertation Committee Chairperson. This partnership will help ensure that all of the following criteria are met:

x The Dissertation Committee Chairperson usually is a person with expertise in the main Leadership theoretical framework of the dissertation and be someone with whom the student works well. If the Chair does not have this Leadership theory expertise, then the role of another committee member must be designated to fulfill this role.

x At least one committee member should be knowledgeable and experienced in the type of research techniques to be applied by the student in his or her research, as well as one member should have expertise in the specialty practice area of the student’s research.

Responsibilities of the Dissertation Committee Chairperson

The following are main responsibilities of the Dissertation Committee Chairperson:

x Review student’s Concept Paper, agree that their research topic is consistent with faculty’s area of expertise, and or ability/eligibility to guide student, sign the “Request for Chair of Dissertation Committee” form, and submit a signed copy to the Associate Dean, School of Business and Leadership and retain copy for faculty’s records.

x Collaborate with student on the preparation of sections 1 & 2 of the DMR, then submit this document for approval to the Associate Dean for approval.

x Assessing the student’s capability to undertake the study and defend the dissertation. If necessary, the Dissertation Committee Chairperson may require the student to address any deficiencies by taking courses, doing an independent study, or reading additional material.


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x A written statement from the faculty member supervising the remediation process should be given to the Dissertation Committee Chairperson at the successful conclusion of the remediation, if remediation was required.

x Advising the student on the selection of the other committee members. Acting as a liaison between the student, the Institutional Review Board, other Dissertation Committee members, and School of Leadership administration.

x Determining that the proposal meets dissertation standards. x The Dissertation Chairperson should arrange webinar Committee conferences to provide timely

guidance and consultation to the student in the development of their dissertation. x Chairperson is responsible for the initial draft review and approval of chapters/ proposal and

then will direct the student to cycle it through the other committee members for additional feedback and approval to move toward scheduling the Proposal Oral Defense.

x After verifying the potential candidate’s eligibility, i.e. coursework completed satisfactory GPA and acceptance of portfolio, the Chair will submit request for scheduling date of Proposal Oral Defense to Associate Dean, School of Leadership. Notify Committee Members upon approval of this date.

x Ensuring that the student has done all that is necessary to develop, conduct, and write a quality study prior to scheduling the final oral defense.

x Being aware of and following all School of Leadership procedures and ensuring that the student is staying focused.

x Submit request for scheduling date of Final Dissertation Oral Defense to Associate Dean, School of Leadership. Notify Committee Members upon approval of this date. Upon receiving Title information from student, the Chair will coordinate with DEL to ensure public announcement of the scheduled defense.

x Verify that candidate has finished submitting dissertation to ProQuest/UMI for binding and publication of Dissertation.

Choosing Committee Members

All committee members must be approved by the DEL Associate Dean, School of Business and Leadership. In addition to terminal credentials, approval criteria will include scholarly expertise at the doctoral level and practitioner experience within the content area, research design and methodology, data analysis, and current professional involvement within the field.

Once a Dissertation Committee Chairperson has been chosen, it is important to select the other two voting members of the committee. While the Dissertation Committee Chairperson is the head of the committee and the person with whom the student works most closely, the other members are also important contributors to the process, and should be consulted for their expertise. The student may independently select the person they prefer for their peer committee member; however they should work closely with the Dissertation Committee Chairperson in choosing the two additional voting committee members. It is important to keep in the mind the following while doing so:


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x The other two voting members of the committee may be University of Charleston faculty or may be an outside members*, chosen for his or her expertise in the student’s topic area.

x This the outside members must have an earned doctorate (or the equivalent) and be recognized as an expert on the topic of study the student wishes to conduct or research expertise if asked to fulfill the research member position. (See “Petition for Establishing a Dissertation Committee” in Appendix A).

*Students must have a copy of their Concept Paper in hand to give to prospective committee members when approaching faculty members or outside professionals to serve on the committee. This will provide an idea of whether the proposed study is within the faculty member’s area of

interest and expertise.”

Responsibilities of the Non-Chair Dissertation Committee Members

The following are the responsibilities of the Dissertation Committee members:

x Review the student’s draft dissertation proposal; agree to be on their Committee; sign the student’s “Petition for Establishing a Dissertation Committee”; then return this form to the student along with a copy of the Committee Member’s curriculum vitae.

x Mentoring and advising the student on the Dissertation to ensure scholarly work. x Encouraging and guiding the student in solving dissertation issues and problems. x Advising and guiding the student regarding possible funding sources for the research. x Advising and providing guidance regarding suitability for publication and promoting

collaborative writing of publication(s) based upon the dissertation. x Review and provide feedback and comments on the student’s proposal. x Attend and participate in Proposal Oral Defense. x Review the final draft of the dissertation and provide feedback and comments. x Attend and participate in the Final Oral Defense.

Committee Member from Outside of full-time appointment at University of Charleston (Non-

Faculty Committee Members)

A student may have a Dissertation Committee member who is not a University of Charleston

faculty member. Such an individual must: (a) have appropriate professional qualifications, (b) be recognized for their professional accomplishments in the field/ specialization area in which the student is conducting the research, and (c) be approved by the Dissertation Committee Chair. As with any Committee Member, this member must review the student’s draft dissertation proposal, agree to be on their Committee, sign the student’s “Petition for Establishing a Dissertation Committee”, then return this


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form to the student along with a copy of the Committee Member’s curriculum vitae. The student then forwards this material to their Chair, who will sign the form and then forward it to the Associate Dean of the School of Business and Leadership, 2300 MacCorkle Ave., Charleston, WV 25304.

The Dissertation Proposal

Acceptance of a dissertation proposal signifies the School of Business and Leadership and the committee’s willingness to fully support and commit to a candidate’s project. Along with a cover signature sheet and abstract, the dissertation proposal contains an introduction to the issue, specifically focusing and framing the goals and relevance of the research; a review of the literature; and proposed methodology as outlined for chapters one, two and three in the sample Table of Contents. In addition, the proposal contains appendices of essential material for the committee to consider in the proposal defense. These materials may include copies of instruments, workshop manuals, protocols, consent forms, approval letters, permission documents, or other materials created specifically for this dissertation or study. While the content of the dissertation proposal is not considered contain everything the dissertation will contain at this time, the submission should provide sufficient detail to judge the feasibility and appropriateness of the proposed dissertation project.

Proposal Sections

The structure of a dissertation is determined by the research question and design which is

appropriate for the research purpose. The traditional structure of the dissertation proposal is presented below, which includes the first three chapters of the dissertation. The organization of the dissertation proposal is research methodology-dependent, and can be divided into the following three sections along with “front matter “ (Title page, Table of Contents, Tables, List of Figures, etc), Main Body (Chapters in CAPS), and “end matter” (Reference List, Appendices, etc (See Appendix A for approved Title page format):

Title Page Table of Contents List of Figures

Abstract

I. INTRODUCTION II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE III. METHODOLOGY

Reference list Appendices (e.g., survey instruments, interview guides, consent forms)


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The content of each of these sections is described below. Remember, the length of a dissertation proposal is somewhat determined by the nature of the research. The proposal must include sufficient detail to allow committee members to judge the feasibility of the proposed research, to reflect the rigor and academic quality of the research study, and to support fully and commit to the candidate’s proposed research.

Abstract

The abstract for the dissertation proposal is a factual description of the research to be conducted.

The text of the abstract includes: (a) a statement of the research issue; (b) the purpose of the research; (c) research questions (d) the methodology. The final dissertation abstract will additionally include a description of the findings and conclusions of the study, as well as recommendations for further study. The abstract should not include critical or evaluative narrative of the issue or literature, nor should it include detailed explanation of methodology or procedures. For your final paper, consider limiting the length of the abstract to 350 words, as the print publications of your paper will truncate it when ProQuest publishes your Dissertation.

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION

This overall section heading presents the brief introduction ( one –two paragraphs) to the five sections entitled: nature of the issue, purpose of the study, the research question(s), definition of terms and the importance of the study in such a way as to justify conducting the study. The reader should be satisfied after reading the Introduction section that a case is made for the existence of a problem or appropriateness and delineation of the topic such that it has intellectual merit worthy of dissertation research.

Nature of the Issue

This section introduces the reader to the domain of the study and provides a general overview of the circumstances, issues, and background leading up to the problem under investigation. This is the BIG PICTURE look at the concept being studied, such as the global, national as well as regional data trends of the issue at hand. Also, discuss why this issue is of concern generally to society and what factors might influence it such as regulations, economic environment or social policies.

If some aspect of a specific organization/company is being analyzed in the study, the description

of that organization/company is reserved for Chapter III: Methodology under “Research Site” as an example of an organization/company with this type of issue. Relevant Stakeholders* (any person or group with an interest in the organization) involved with the “Research Site”, would likewise be described in Chapter III, especially if they would be considered “Participants” in the study.

*(Stakeholder personal identity should be held confidential, and just the nature of their role described)


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Statement of Purpose

Purpose statements are divided broadly into those related to the desire to improve something (Relational/Causal design) and those reflecting a desire to understand something (Descriptive/Exploratory design). The following scripted statements for research design with its primary strategy qualitative or quantitative to answer their research questions, is modified from Creswell’s useful models (2009, pgs. 114 & 118). If a secondary purpose is desired using a different data collection strategy, that question and methods can be described within the research question utilizing the same research design.

Causal /Relational Study Purpose

“The primary purpose of this _____________(Quasi-experimental? Observation with control variables?) study is _____ to see if ______ (independent variable) influences the____________(dependent variable), controlling for ____________(control variables (s) for ___________ (participants) at (the research site).”

Descriptive (Exploratory) Study Purpose

“The primary purpose of this _____________(designs such as ethnography, phenomenology, case study, or other types) study is _______ to ___________(understand? describe? discover?) the central phenomenon being studied for________(the participants, such as the individual, groups, organization) at ______________(research site)”

Research Questions

Think of a theoretical approach as a pair of glasses. When you look at your topic, what glasses will you be looking at it through? This section allows you to make your lens explicit and review literature on the theories most applicable to your work. For relational and causal research using quantitative strategies, the statement must maintain simplicity by including nothing beyond what is essential to identify the main variables and any relationships that may be proposed among them. Questions for example, must meet three tests of clarity and inclusiveness (Locke et. al. 2007 pg 12):

x Is the question free of ambiguity?

x Is a relationship among variables expressed?

x Does the question imply an empirical test?

Questions for Descriptive studies using qualitative strategies for example might look like this (Locke et.al 2007 pg 13):

x What is going on in this urban school classroom?

x How do professional wrestlers understand their work?

x What does residence in a hospice mean to a patient?


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Definition of Terms

The key variables used within the research question should be defined, as well as any other concepts or terms that might not be understood by someone outside your discipline.

Importance of Study

Identify the benefits of conducting this study. What will it contribute to your field of specialization? Will the information gleaned contribute to solving a major problem, enlighten those investigating a new phenomenon or more accurately evaluate the effectiveness of a program? How will these outcomes improve the quality of life in the community served by the organization involved?

CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW

To demonstrate how your research relates to the literature existing in your field of interest, the

literature you review should be placed into three sections with this chapter:

x Previous Research x Theoretical Framework in Leadership x Gaps in the Research

While literature informs all phases and aspects of dissertation research, a review of the literature serves several functions: (a) it informs readers of development in a field; (b) it establishes the credibility of the research and researcher; and (c) it supports the need for and relevance of the research study (O'Leary, 2010). The review should be selective and analytic, not merely a summary of current literature and should include the theories, methods and issues central to the topic.

The literature review should focus primarily on the last five years, but should also include seminal discoveries as they are relevant to the research question. In essence, the literature review creates a space for the proposed study by placing the proposed research within the existing field of leadership. It must build an argument for the importance of the research and the appropriateness of the methods used in the dissertation.

Previous Research

Use sub-headings to highlight and organize your discussion for the various practitioner concepts/issues that relate to your topic area. Anything you can do to aid your reader in following your primary concerns is VERY important. You can use graphs/diagrams/tables with previous research data is that best portrays your point. Present the findings of the various studies and show how they compare and contrast. This is NOT a listing of research articles organized by their author’s names. Demonstrate a broad and in-depth familiarity with your topic of concern, to show where your research will fit into this need for additional knowledge.


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Theoretical Framework in Leadership

Since this program offers a doctor in executive leadership, this dissertation must demonstrate a leadership theoretical framework or perspective that is useful to the issue you are studying, not just your understanding of related theories in your practice specialty. Therefore, this section of Theoretical Framework is set aside to elaborate on the leadership theory that you believe is most applicable to the issue you are studying.

Gaps in the Research

The review identifies gaps in the literature and how this research adds to the knowledge base. A doctoral dissertation is not intended to be an isolated undertaking but rather an inquiry which has an intended place in some larger body of knowledge. Identify similar research to the one you are undertaking and demonstrate how yours is unique.

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY

The methodology section presents the design, procedures, and analysis to be employed during the research. The specific headings to be included will depend on the research approach. The most common headings, however, are: (a) research design; (b) research site (c) sample selection; (d) data gathering techniques (e); instruments used (f) data processing and analysis.

Research Design

The research design section describes the specific plan that has been chosen to approach this research project and how it is appropriate to address the research question(s) that will be studied. This section should explain which of the three common three categories, Descriptive, Relational or Causal your strategy falls into, as well as the name of your specific design within that category, e.g. Case Study within Descriptive category or Observational with Control Variables Study within Relational category. Once this has been identified, then elaborate on why this design is ideal to answer the questions addressed by your study.

Research Site

This is the section where the researcher describes the “context” or physical site for the research. Depending on the research design, the research site can be part of the study itself or just a description of where the data was gathered, such as a laboratory, classroom or shopping mall.

It may be only one location, organization or company and or sometime it’s multiple organizations,. Details such as geographical location, number of employees/customers/beds etc depending on the industry might be details that are given as background about the research site. Whatever intervening variables might influence the research participants should be mentioned here in the description of the research site.

Many students choose their place of employment as their research site. There are pros and cons to this decision. Although there are benefits in terms of access to certain types of information, there can be significant risks of bias introduced if the researcher is in an employment authority position to the


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research subject. This bias may significantly threaten the validity of the data collected, depending on the type of study.

Sample Selection

The appropriate selection of participants in the study is based the research question(s) and purpose. The type of sample selection should also be specified (i.e., random, cluster, systematic, convenience, purposive, etc). This section should include a complete description of the target population and its size, and the sampling procedures (recruitment methods). Also the Inclusion Criteria and Exclusion Criteria for the Participants should be specified.

Note: Once data collection is complete, this section also includes the actual sample “research subjects” that participated, noting what percentage of the target population were recruited and actual recruitment efforts to obtain that sample.

Data gathering/Research Protocol

Sometimes a research “protocol” is helpful to use, depending on the type of study design. In this situation, there are different phases of the study, with different sample groups receiving different research strategies. If this approach is used, simply describe in detail what is approach is used in Phase I, Phase II, and so on, what and what data is expected to be collected in that Phase related to what research question.

Describe all research procedures in such detail that anyone else could replicate your study, including dates of your Study period (initial data collection to final collection). List and describe the survey, research, or testing instruments and data collection forms (to be) used in gathering data for the study. It includes the steps that will be taken to minimize the possibility that the study is superficial, biased, or insubstantial.

In terms of qualitative strategies, the issue of validity for this section is described by measures of trustworthiness – credibility, transferability, dependability, and conformability. This section also describes the steps to be taken by the researcher, such as informed consent, to ensure the ethical conduct of research. This also includes maintaining the rights to privacy of research participants as well as establishing appropriate ownership and use of research data.

Instruments Used

Describe and defend your choice of instruments, addressing their reliability, validity, and utility. If possible, use a commercially validated assessment or survey tool to strengthen the reliability of your data. Otherwise, you should plan on having a focus group pre-test your survey tools to make sure your questions are understood by your target audience. All instruments to be used in this study must be included in an appendix along with permissions for use of existing instruments for research or publication.


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Methodological Assumptions

The purpose of a research study is integral to identifying research question(s) and choosing a methodological approach and research design. Every methodological approach is grounded in philosophical assumptions related to ontology (i.e. how things that exist are understood) and epistemology (i.e. how we come to have knowledge of the world). In this section, the research should make transparent any fundamental assumptions related to the conduct of the study. Assumptions are things that the researcher assumes to be true. For example (a) Researchers usually assume subjects will give 100% effort or (b) Researchers assume data collection instruments are valid and reliable based upon their previous use.

Limitations and Delimitations

Students are required to address clearly the shortcomings and/or weaknesses of the research which may impact the findings as well as the generalizability of these findings. Limitations are shortcomings, conditions or influences that cannot be controlled by the researcher. Any limitations that might influence the results should be mentioned, such as the interview questions are being asked by a person in an authority position to the interviewee . This could introduce a “desire-to-please” bias into the truthfulness of the respondents answers.

Delimitations are methodologic choices made by the researcher that may affect generalizability and therefore should be mentioned, such as choosing to arbitrarily excluding one gender from the sample in an occupation that employs both men and women, or choosing only day shift workers when a company has 24 hr workers doing the same task.

Data Processing and Analysis

The research question(s), design of the study and type of data determine the appropriate approach to analysis. This section of the proposal should describe the approach and procedures for managing and analyzing the data to be gathered. Any software or analytical tools (e.g., coding manuals or scoring protocols) to be used should be described and included in the appendix. Additionally, the narrative in this section should justify the choice of the analytical approach utilized.

Proposal Oral Defense- Doctoral Candidacy

Purpose

The purpose of the Proposal Oral defense is to determine the appropriateness and feasibility of

the study and the candidate’s mastery of their research topic and methodology to conduct their study. This is a private, confidential event, held only for the benefit of the doctoral candidate and their Dissertation Committee members.


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Scheduling

The proposal defense is normally scheduled during semester 7. A copy of the proposal should be provided to all committee members not later than 7 days before the defense date. All committee members are required to participate. Defenses are scheduled for 60 minutes. At the proposal defense, candidates present a Power-point brief overview of their study (~30 min) and respond to questions from the committee (usually presented via Webinar).

Process

In the overview, potential candidates should present the purpose of the research and justify the need for and approach to the research. Potential candidates will also be asked to explain the proposed methodology and plans for implementation. Questions from the committee serve to determine the potential candidate’s mastery of the proposed study and related literature that supports it. Potential candidates are expected to answer questions posed by the committee, such as:

x Does the methodology and design-

…clearly relate to the purpose of the study?

…adequately address the research questions?

…allow feasible implementation within the stated limitations and delimitations?

x Is the population-

…appropriate for the research purpose and question(s)?

…sample selection clear and relevant?

x Are the data sources-

…useful?

…reliable?

…sufficient?

x Does the design address the responsible conduct of research? x Are the elements of the dissertation coherent as a whole?


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x Does the study contribute to informed practice/literature in Leadership?

The defense establishes the commitment between the student and the committee. It is a critical stage in the dissertation process. The defense provides an opportunity to discuss issues that require clarification or decisions that need to be supported.

The Committee may choose to (a) accept the proposal as is, (b) accept the proposal with minor editorial revisions which would be approved by the dissertation Chair, or (c) recommend substantive revisions. Substantive additional work requires rescheduling of a proposal defense. After the defense, the committee must reach consensus on acceptance, acceptance with minor revision, or substantive revision. Notice of the level of acceptance will be provided by the end of the residency. Students will receive narrative feedback from their Chair within a week of the proposal defense detailing the committee’s decision and recommendations. Acceptance by the committee is a prerequisite to continuing in the dissertation process.

Subsequent to a successful proposal defense, the title of “Doctoral Candidate” may officially be used by the doctoral student. The candidate should then submit a copy of the approved proposal to the Dissertation Chair for signatures by the committee. The Dissertation Chair submits all proposal documentation to the program office. Submission to the University of Charleston Institutional Review Board is made after receipt of the approved proposal documentation.

Approval of the Proposal by University of Charleston Institutional

Review Board (IRB)

In terms of the Institutional Review Board (IRB), the Dissertation Chair is the Principal Investigator (PI) for the research project, and the doctoral student is the Co-PI. Together with their Chair, the student decides the type of IRB approval their research requires: Exempt, Expedited or Full Review, and then the student requests the appropriate document, completes it for the Chair’s initial review prior to IRB submission. Once the IRB document is acceptable to the Chair

Depending on the nature of the research involved, the student is required to submit the appropriate IRB review form to University of Charleston IRB Chair. The following documents related to their research and training should also be included in the submission with the review form:

� Letter of informed consent/information sheet.

� A copy of all data collection instruments, (i.e. survey or interview questions).

� National Institute of Health Certification (NIH).* *If you do not have a certificate, access the online NIH course here: NIH Certification


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The IRB then reviews the proposal and either approves it, approves it with specific conditions, or denies the proposal with suggestions for major changes needed for protection of human research subjects. Note: This is not a review of the topic or the student’s research methodology; it is a review of

whether or not sufficient safeguards are included to protect human research participants. University of Charleston IRB meets regularly to review student applications. Requests must be submitted two weeks prior to a review. Students and Dissertation Committee Chairpersons may attend the IRB meeting. Students should expect the IRB approval process to take two to five weeks and plan accordingly. For questions re the IRB process contact, IRB coordinator at [email protected]. University of Charleston Institutional Review Board

Implementation of the Dissertation and Student Responsibilities

Upon passing the Proposal Oral Defense and approval of the proposal by the University of Charleston IRB, the study is ready for implementation. Students may begin data collection only at this point. It is advised that the student work closely with the Dissertation Committee Chairperson throughout the study’s implementation. Other committee members may be consulted as needed. It is recommended that the student follow these guidelines while conducting the study:

x Continually analyze the initial literature review to ensure it is consistent and supportive of the entire dissertation.

x Submit the proposal and protocols for review to the administration of an outside organization if its resources are being used in the study. Note: It is not uncommon for outside agencies to have something similar to an IRB that must approve the study before any data can be collected. This must be done after the study has been approved by the University of Charleston IRB, but before any data is collected.

x Use the appropriate consent or assent forms if the study involves human subjects. Keep the original consent or assent forms signed by participants confidential and do not make them a part of any appendix of the dissertation.

x Collect all data. x Conduct data analysis. Consult with Dissertation Committee as needed. x Write Chapters IV (Data Analysis/Results) and V (Discussion).

Writing the Final Dissertation

Writing a dissertation may seem like an overwhelming task, but it can be made more manageable by breaking it into smaller sections. Good organization throughout the writing process will facilitate this task greatly. Remember, the entire dissertation must follow the APA Publication Manual (6th edition, 2009). It may be helpful to look at other dissertations, which can be found at the online database “ProQuest”, which has a section called “Interdisciplinary Dissertations and Theses.”


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Chapters of the Final Dissertation

The additional sections included in the Final Dissertation paper that are added to the chapters presented during the Proposal Defense are: (a) Chapter IV: Results (b) Chapter V: Discussion (c) References and (d) Appendices.

CHAPTER IV: RESULTS

There are four primary sections in this chapter: (a) Sample Characteristics; (b) Primary Research Findings; (c) Data Analysis;(d) Limitation/Delimitations. This chapter focuses on presenting the data gathered and analyzed throughout the procedures used in the study. Chapter Four is NOT the place for discussing the “meaning” or interpretation of these findings- other than to say if they are statistically significant and whether or not it supported the Hypothesis/Research Questions. The discussion about the “meaning/interpretation” of your findings is reserved for Chapter 5: Discussion.

Sample Characteristics

The initial section describes the Sample Characteristics that are meaningful for the study’s unique purpose, such as demographics, career, longevity in a position. This data is usually present is both text and in a Table format.

Primary Research Findings

Since the data was gathered attempting to answer certain questions, your Research Questions should again be reiterated to introduce the data set to the reader, reminding them what the issue was that the data relates to. If it is quantitative data, it is usually presented initially in the form of descriptive text, followed by Tables and/or Graphs, complete with the statistical analysis. If it is qualitative data, it is also presented with descriptive text, then Tables of Exemplars of actual data and Thematic analysis.

Tables, Figures, and Graphs:

It is generally preferred that any graphic or visual representation of data gained from the study be presented within the text of Chapter IV (where it can be logically placed and physically fits on the page, or on a page immediately following the text where it is presented). This aids the reader in understanding and interpreting the results. However, since many professional journals require manuscripts submitted for publication to include such figures, tables, and graphs at the end of the paper (in an appendix), it is left to the preference and discretion of the student and Dissertation Committee Chairperson as to which format to follow in presenting graphic information.

Data Analysis*

Discuss the statistical methods used (if any). If the study is correlational in nature, give the r values and significance levels. For qualitative analysis, discuss the coding methods and reliability and validity techniques used.

*Note: In the Final Dissertation paper, move the Data Analysis portion that was discussed in the Proposal’s Chapter III Methodology chapter, to this Chapter IV: Results section. Present all of your study’s findings here, along with the statistical level of significance for each dependent outcome variable (if relevant).


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Limitations and Delimitations

(see Chapter III: Methodology, for description of this content; Discuss this here for final Dissertation paper so that you can include unexpected limitations to your study that may have occurred during the data collected phase e.g. smaller than expected sample size, less diverse sample, etc).

CHAPTER V: DISCUSSION

The purpose of this chapter is to give you an opportunity to interpret the results, explain the consistency of all of the Research Findings, the integration of the Research Findings with the previous work in the field and your recommendations for future research based on your findings.

Consistency of Research Findings

The first area for discussion addresses the “sense making” or face validity of the Findings themselves. Are the results in the same direction “positive or negative” from all the strategies employed or did you get contradictory findings? If so, you need to explain what might have caused that inconsistency. Include in the explanation references that support your point of view.

Integration of Findings into Previous Research

This chapter is where the researcher integrates the findings from their study with other similar studies in the field, where some studies might be supportive and some might be contradictory. One organizational format that could be used would look for four to five key sub-headings that were covered in the ”Previous Research” section of the Literature Review chapter (CH II) that could be linked to again here in this discussion. Be sure to discuss the relevance of your Leadership theory to your Findings.

If a qualitative strategy for data collection resulted in themes, that is another approach to this chapter that could allow a discussion around the various themes, such as the extent of the controversy surrounding support for that theme in the literature among various researchers.

Recommendations for Future Research

Based on the research findings and how the data has integrated with the previous research, this section can elaborate on what types of studies might be pursued to continue to shed light on this area of investigation.

REFERENCES

Alphabetically list all references cited in the dissertation, using APA style for listing references. DO NOT list any references that were not actually cited in the dissertation.

APPENDIX (OR APPENDICES)

Include all additional information or materials that support but are not a part of the study in Chapters I-V. Examples include: copies of instructions for participants, permissions obtained from


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organizations or agencies to use resources, materials, or facilities, descriptions of any special conditions of the research, etc. Additional tables or graphs that supplement but do not provide data gained from the study should also be included here.

Preparing your Manuscript

Typeface

The following standard recommended printing fonts acceptable for UMI publication are Times

New Roman, Courier New, Georgia, Lucina Bright, Microsoft Sans Serif, Tahoma, Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial, Garamond, or New Century Schoolbook, since ONLY embedded Post Script Type 1 fonts may be used. The text of the manuscript should be printed with the following font size:

x 12- point font size: Times Roman and Garamond x 11 pt : Georgia and Century x 10 point : Arial, Courier, Lucinda, Sans Serif, Tahoma and Verdana

This size applies to ALL text including captions, footnotes/ endnotes, citations, etc. Italicized font may be used for non-English words and quotations. It is permissible to mix typefaces and fonts to give the finished product a professional appearance, for example using bold typeface or a larger font in titles. It is important, however, that your style elements be consistent throughout the manuscript. It is alright to use underlining or italics to emphasize text or for quotations.

You may use proportional spacing, as well as right-margin justification, as long as you use hyphenation appropriately. Control carefully for orphan and widow lines. An orphan line is the first line of a paragraph that is the last line on a page. A widow line is the last line of a paragraph that is the first line on the next page. These sometimes look awkward because the bulk of the paragraph is on another page. As a general practice, endnotes should be the same size and font type as the body of text. However, you may use a slightly smaller font size in footnotes. In no case should the font size be less than 10 point. Since reprinting the dissertation from microfilm reduces the size of the print, smaller font sizes can easily become illegible.

Paper Alignment

The text should appear on the paper so that the left-hand margin of the text runs along the 11-

inch length of the paper and 8.5 inches represents the width of the top and bottom of the paper. The long left-hand edge is the binding edge. Exceptions may be made for charts, graphs, drawings, etc. However, pages must always be paginated with 11 inches representing the length and 8.5 inches representing the width, regardless of the placement of charts, graphs, or drawings.


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Margins

The left hand margin must be 1 inch wide to allow for binding. The top, bottom, and right-hand

margins should also be one inch wide except for page numbers. There must be at least a clear ¾ inch between the edge of the paper and the edge of the page numbers. When the manuscript is bound, the paper must be trimmed, occasionally more than once. The one-inch margin is necessary to ensure that the page numbers will not be lost in case of successive cuts.

Line Spacing

Double-space the text uniformly throughout the manuscript, with the exception of footnotes,

quotations as paragraphs, captions, items in tables, lists, graphs, charts. Single-space: footnotes/endnotes, bibliographic entries, lists, tables and appendices. Refer to APA manual (6th edition, 2009) for proper spacing instructions.

Pagination

Every page of the manuscript following the title page, with the exception of the abstract, must

carry a number.* Preliminary pages should be numbered in lower case Roman numerals. The text should be numbered in Arabic numerals, which continue consecutively throughout the remainder of the paper, including end matter. Do not accompany page numbers with any other symbols. For example, the following methods are not acceptable: “Page 1,” “Page One,” “p. 1,” “-1-,” etc. Also, pages may not be supplemented for example, 7a, 7b, and 7c.

Page Number Placement

All preliminary page numbers should be centered at the bottom of the page. Additionally, all

end matter, that is every page after the main text, including appendices and bibliography, should be paginated at center bottom throughout. All text page numbers can either be centered at the top of the page, or appear in the upper right-hand corner, with the exception of those pages carrying a major heading, such as the first page of a chapter, in which case the number should be centered at the bottom of the page. In order for chapter/major heading pages to be paginated at center bottom (while the remainder of the chapter is paginated at right or center top) remember to create these pages as their own documents. Even if charts, illustrative materials, etc. are inserted in the manuscript in landscape format, the page numbers must appear on the page and be consistent with all other pages of text in portrait format.000

* On rare occasions, it will not be possible to place a page number on an illustration, photograph, or other special insert. Consider page to have the next consecutive number, continuing the sequence on the following page.”


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Organization and Suggestions

The student’s writing style reflects the quality of the study. Here are a few tips to keep in mind throughout the process of writing the dissertation:

x Be sure to have adequate work space, with good filing capacity and desk area. Have all materials and references handy. Have a user-friendly filing system, such as separating reference materials by subtopic or the chapter in which they are used.

x Save the document in at least two places (e.g., jump/thumb/flash drive, hard drive, paper copy, etc.). This will prevent data loss in the case of technical difficulties.

x Use Microsoft Word or electronic reference management software, such as Endnote or RefWorks. This will not only enable you to create your dissertation Library on your computer, but also have the articles available for insertion as citations as you write, but they will also then automatically be recorded alphabetically in your Reference List.

x Before starting the Dissertation Proposal, prepare an outline of the main concepts and procedures, and then add the sub-topics to the outline. This helps one “get started” or focused.

x Use headings and subheadings to organize and clarify the structure of the document. Aim for a concise and continuous flow of ideas.

x Expect to write several drafts. This is common before the dissertation can be evaluated as satisfactory and be submitted to the committee members for review.

x Ask an outside person to read the document and make editing suggestions regarding grammar, spelling, and syntax. It is acceptable to use a professional editing service for this purpose, but all fees will be paid by the student.

Have the final draft of the document reviewed and edited by a third party that is knowledgeable in the APA manual.

The Final Oral Dissertation Defense

Purpose

The final oral defense serves the purpose of ensuring that the student has conducted an academically acceptable dissertation. Reasons for conducting a final oral defense include:

x To check that all questions proposed by the study are answered. x To gauge the student’s knowledge of the area studied. x To test the student’s ability to make an oral presentation and respond to questions in a public

forum. x To serve as a forum for members of the Dissertation Committee as well as the community at

large to provide input into the study.


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x To provide a medium through which the university community can be made aware of the study undertaken.

x To serve as a definitive demonstration of the student’s knowledge, skills, research abilities and sense of practical applicability as well as contributing to the field of study.

Scheduling

Before a final oral defense can be scheduled, the Dissertation Committee Chairperson and the committee* must approve the draft and agree that the student has written a quality dissertation that is ready to be defended. Once approved, the student should make the following arrangements:

x Schedule a Webinar for the final oral defense with the Dissertation Committee Chairperson at least 2 weeks in advance of the final defense.

x Provide Chair with Dissertation Title for posting on University of Charleston intranet and on Campus at least 2 weeks in advance of the final defense.

*If the Committee does not have a fulltime DEL faculty member, the Associate Dean of the School of Business & Leadership will be involved in the Dissertation review approval process prior to the scheduling of the Final Defense

Presentation requirements

To demonstrate the rationale, background and methodology for the study, all major chapter sections of the dissertation must be presented with one or more content slides.

The design of the study must show a link between the research purpose, research questions and the instruments used to answer these questions.

o If a quantitative strategy is used, then the independent and dependent variables must be clearly identified, be valid indicators of the concept being investigated, accessible for measurement and have appropriate research tools used to capture the information about them.

o If a qualitative strategy is used, then the issue of interest must by well described and summarized in depth according to the guidelines of the given qualitative technique

Since the primary focus of the Oral Defense is the study findings, the actual data must be presented to defend the merits of the study.

o For Quantitative data, the numbers should be presented both in properly labeled Tables and graphs, with relevant statistical analysis.

o For Qualitative data, samples of the raw interview data as well as the resulting themes and codes should be presented.

2. The researcher’s conclusion should be based only on the findings from the data gathered during the research period. It is important to discuss the study’s limitations, rival hypothesis for additional


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“unexpected” outcomes of the study and how this study fits in with other similar research in the field.

3. The final slide should be in regards to recommendations for future studies based on the findings

from this study.

Process

The Final Oral Defense differs from the Proposal as it is now a public event. The candidate should be prepared to “defend” their Dissertation to any and all that attend, as well as to their Committee Members. Activities that usually occur during the final oral defense are:

x The Dissertation Committee Chairperson serves as the moderator. x The candidate is asked to give a 30-45 minute presentation summarizing the study, and to

respond to questions from the audience. x After the candidate’s presentation, the candidate and the Dissertation Committee meet for a

question-and-answer session wherein all committee members may question any aspect related to the results, student’s interpretation, or discussion of the study. Other individuals present at the defense may ask questions as well.

x The candidate is then excused and the committee members (only) convene to complete the Dissertation Proposal Rubric (Appendix A).

x The student is informed of the committee’s decision. The committee may accept the Dissertation as presented or direct the student to revise, expand or delete portions of the dissertation and will give the student details of the requested information or changes. A result of “pass with major revisions” or “no pass” will require that students repeat the final oral defense.

Note: University of Charleston retains the right to consider the final oral defense void should the student fail to make the changes required by the committee or be found to have committed any scientific misconduct in the study.

Preparation of the Dissertation Final Copy

After the Final Oral Defense, the student makes any changes required by the Committee and submits the corrected dissertation to the Dissertation Committee Chairperson for final approval. In addition, Chair is required to submit one electronic version of the final copy of the dissertation to the Associate Dean so that it may be submitted for binding. This document must include a signed “Dissertation Acceptance for Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Executive Leadership” Form, which will need to be scanned into the document after it has been signed by all Dissertation Committee members (see Appendix A). If the student includes an Acknowledgement page, it should appear between the formal Dissertation Acceptance Form and the table of contents. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that the final draft of the dissertation is in full compliance with APA manual style formatting and/or UMI publication requirements.


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The final version of the dissertation should be in the following order:

1. Title Page

2. Dissertation Acceptance for Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Degree of Doctor of Executive Leadership

3 Acknowledgements

4. Table of Contents

5. List of Tables and Figures

6 Abstract

7. CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION

8. CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

9. CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY

10. CHAPTER IV: RESULTS

11. CHAPTER V: DISCUSSION

12. References

13. Appendices

14. Tables (if not included in the text of Chapter IV)

Binding and Publishing the Dissertation

Once the dissertation has been completed and formally approved by the Dissertation Committee Chairperson, it must be bound. To facilitate this process, the fee for binding one copy is included in the graduation fee and the Associate Dean will complete the process for the student. The required steps for binding of the dissertation* are as follows:

*Note: This document must include a signed “Dissertation Acceptance for Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Executive Leadership” form, which will need to be scanned into the document after it has been signed by all Dissertation Committee members.(see Appendix A for this form)

x The student must submit one electronic copy of the final dissertation as an Adobe PDF document to the Associate Dean. NO compression. NO digital signature. Only the following formats are acceptable for media attachments:

a. Image : GIF (.gif) or JPEG (.jpeg); or TIFF (.tif)


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b. Video: Apple Quick Time (.mov); Microsoft Audio Video Interleaved (.avi); or MPEG (.mgp)

c. Audio: AIF (.aif); CD-DA; CD-ROM/XA; MIDI (.midi); MPEG-2; SND (.snd); WAV (.wav)

x The Office of Academic Services will upload the dissertation to UMI Publishing. A copy of the bound dissertation will automatically be sent to UC.

Note: The fee for this service is included in the student’s graduation fee. (see Appendix A for “Proquest/UMI Publishing and Copyrighting” information.)

x If the student would like to order personal copies of the dissertation, copyright the dissertation, or register it with the Library of Congress, the student must log onto UMI Dissertation Publishing at http://dissertations.umi.com and pay for these services.

Note: It is the student’s responsibility to make sure these stages are completed before the posted deadline date of the year in which the student intends to graduate. No exceptions.

Dissertation Handbook References

x Creswell, J. W. (2009) Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches, (3rd ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

x Fairhurst, G. T. (2010). The Power of Framing: Creating the Language of Leadership. San Francisco, CA: Josey-Bass.

x Locke, L. F., Spirduso, W. W., & Silverman, S. J. (2007). Proposals that work: A guide for planning dissertations and grant proposals (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

x O'Leary, Z. (2010). The Essential Guide to Doing Your Research Project (2nd Revised ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage

x ProQuest: Dissertation Publishing (2011) , “Author Guide: Preparing Your Manuscript for

Submission, retrieved on December 20, 2011, http://www.proquest.com/assets/downloads/products/UMI_PreparingYourManuscriptGuide.pdf

x Teng Guo and Lingyi Hu, (2012) “Statisticians Reveal What Makes America Happy” , MIT Technology Review, retrieved Jan 3rd, 2012, http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/arxiv/27456/


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x Turabian, Kate L., (2009), A Manual for Writer of Terms Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (7th edition)/rev. by John Grossman and Alice Bennett, Chicago, IL, University of Chicago Press

x Willis, J. W., Inman, D., & Valenti, R. (2010). Completing and Professional Practice Dissertation: A Guide for Doctoral Students and Faculty. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing, Inc.


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APPENDIX A

Request for Chair of Dissertation Committee

Student: Please complete the section below, obtain the signature of your nominee indicating agreement to serve as Dissertation Chair, and send this form with your Concept Paper to the Associate Dean. Questions about this form and dissertation committees should be addressed to the Associate Dean.

Name:_________________________________________________________ ID#:___________________________________

Address: ____________________________________City: ________________ State: _____ ZIP: ______________________

Home Phone: _____________________ Work Phone: __________________________ Cell Phone: _____________________

E-Mail: _______________________________________________________________________________________________

I request the nominee listed below serve as Chair of my Dissertation Committee. I have sent and discussed my Concept Paper with my prospective Chair. A copy my Concept Paper is included with this request

______________________________________________________________________ Date _____________ Student Signature (Print Name Below)

Nominee:

Dissertation Chair_______________________________________________________________________________________

Address_____________________________________ City: ________________ State: _____ ZIP: _____________________

E-Mail: ________________________________________________________________________Telephone _____________

Working Title of Proposed Study:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

I have discussed the above student’s Concept Paper and have discussed roles and expectations with the student. I agree to serve as Chair of the student’s Dissertation Committee.

_____________________________________________ _________________ Signature of Dissertation Chair (Print Name Below) Date

The Dissertation Chair as listed above has been approved.

_______________________________________________ __________________ Signature of Associate Dean (Print Name Below) Date

cc: Student, Associate Dean.


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Petition for Establishing a Dissertation Committee

Student: Please complete the following section and forward it to your Dissertation Chair. Questions about this form and selection of committee members should be addressed to the Associate Dean or Dissertation Chair.

Name:_________________________________________________________ ID#:___________________________________

Address: ____________________________________City: ________________ State: _____ ZIP: _______________________

Home Phone: _____________________ Work Phone: __________________________ Cell Phone: _____________________

E-Mail: _______________________________________________________________________________________________

I have consulted with my Dissertation Chair to discuss my tentative committee membership. In addition, I have informed the members whose names I have listed below, that I am nominating them to serve on my Dissertation Committee. A copy my draft dissertation proposal has been forwarded to each nominee. Each member’s vitae are attached to this Petition along with a copy of my draft dissertation proposal. For each nominee who has not previously taught at University of Charleston, an official copy the member’s Curriculum Vitae has been requested to be sent to University of Charleston, School of Business and Leadership, 2300 MacCorkle, Charleston, WV 25304.

___________________________________________________________________ __ Date _____________ Student Signature (Print Name Below)

Nominees: Research Committee Member_____________________________________________________________________________


E-Mail: ________________________________________________________________________Telephone _____________

Industry / Subject Matter Expert Committee Member__________________________________________________________


E-Mail: ________________________________________________________________________Telephone _____________

Peer Committee Member_________________________________________________________________________________


E-Mail: ________________________________________________________________________Telephone _____________

Working Title of Proposed Study: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ I have consulted with the above student to discuss his/her tentative research topic. In addition, I have discussed roles and expectations as a member of the dissertation committee with the nominated members listed above. They have agreed to serve on the committee and I support their nomination. ______________________________________________________________________ _________________

Date ____________________________________________________________________ ________________ Signature of Associate Dean (Print Name Beside) Date

<TITLE OF PROPOSAL>

A Dissertation Proposal

Submitted to the

Faculty of University of Charleston

in Partial Fulfillment of

the Requirements for the Degree of


<Your Full Name>

University of Charleston

<Month Year>


5

Proposal Signature Page

________________________________________________________________________

<Type in Name of Dissertation Chair, Degree> <Date>

________________________________________________________________________

<Type in Name of Committee Member, Degree> <Date>

________________________________________________________________________


________________________________________________________________________

<Type in Name of Program Associate Dean, Degree> <Date>


Candidate:_______________________________________


School of Business and Leadership

Dissertation Proposal Rubric

Intent of the dissertation proposal

The dissertation is the culmination of the student’s academic study at University of Charleston and reflects the highest levels of intellectual rigor and quality in higher education. It is a scholarly written record of an original research investigation that demonstrates a student’s engagement as a scholar-practitioner. The dissertation must pertain to a clearly defined problem currently confronting the field of leadership in general or a field of practice in which executive leadership is central to the problem.

The specific structure of a dissertation will depend on the area and topic, research design, and research methods. In doctoral research, the student must demonstrate their understanding of how their specific concern relates to the broader field of inquiry. This topic needs to initially be addressed from the point of view of the broad industry the topic is related to in the “Nature of the Issue” section of the “INTRODUCTION” chapter. It is then further elaborated on based on related “Previous Research” in the “LITERATURE REVIEW” chapter and then insight is gleaned into the dynamics of the situation from a Leadership theory perspective in the “Theoretical Framework” section. The specific research setting then becomes an example of this issue being studied or “Research Site” , and selected stakeholders/selected participants of interest at that setting may become the “Research

Subjects”.

Assessment of dissertation proposal

The dissertation proposal will be assessed using a total of 100 possible points comprised of the following five elements:

I. Overall quality (40 points) II. Literature review and integration of relevant leadership literature (20 points) III. Proposed methodology and research design) (20 points) IV. Organization of proposal (20 points) V. Documentation and bibliography (10 points)

Proposals scoring 80 points or more are acceptable, although some minor rework may be necessary. Proposals scoring below 80 are not acceptable and substantial or significant rework must be done before the proposal can be accepted. Proposals scoring from 75-79 will be reviewed and assessed by the Chairperson. Proposals scoring below 75 will be reviewed and assessed again by the committee before the proposal can be accepted.

I. Overall quality (40 Points) Dissertation Proposal Rubric

7

Scoring Description Status

95-100 %

(Exemplary)

Exceptional quality graduate work. Outstanding in its thoroughness, depth of insight, and quality of writing. Superbly well reasoned and methodologically sophisticated. Remarkably incisive understanding and integration of leadership issues related to the topic. Extraordinarily effective and creative demonstration of a methodological approach that extends pertinent executive leadership knowledge and practice as expected of the exemplary practice of a steward of the leadership discipline.

No rework

required,

publishable.

90-94 %

(Excellent )

Excellent quality graduate work, an accomplished effort of the scholar-practitioner. Excellent in its thoroughness, depth of insight, and quality of writing. Well-reasoned and methodologically sophisticated, and well written. Insightful understanding of executive leadership issues as they relate to the topic. Very clear and dynamic demonstration of appropriate analytical approaches that promote significant research effort as well as pertinent executive leadership practices.

No rework

required

85-89 %

(Good)

Very good quality graduate work. Thorough, insightful, well-written, well reasoned and methodologically sound. Clear and productive demonstration of appropriate methodological approaches that promote pertinent executive leadership theory and performance as a steward of the leadership discipline.

Minor rework

only

80-84 %

(Acceptable)

Satisfactory graduate work. Thorough, well reasoned, methodologically sound, but not particularly creative, insightful, and/or sophisticated. Acceptable understanding of appropriate methodological approaches that promote pertinent leadership theory, but may not be applied optimally to the dissertation research. The level of accomplishment demonstrates an acceptable level of scholarship expected of the DEL scholar-practitioner who is capable of effectively generating, conserving, and transforming knowledge in the discipline of leadership thereby performing as a steward of the discipline as described by Walker et.al (2008). This is the minimum level of performance for acceptance into formal candidacy and must be reflected in all aspects of the dissertation proposal. At this level there may be no exceptional strengths, but also no significant weaknesses.

May require

some rework.

I. Overall quality (40 Points) Dissertation Proposal Rubric

8

75-79 %

(Poor)

Quality graduate work. Thorough and well-reasoned. Some indication that understanding of the important issues is less than complete and/or that the quality of writing and the methodology could have benefited from further improvements. Some major weaknesses are evident.

May require

substantial

rework

70 -74 %

(Very poor)

Not acceptable graduate work. Does not meet the minimal expectations for an acceptable proposal. Weaknesses in thoroughness, quality of writing, methodology, understanding of issues, and/or analytical work. Overall, the quality is inadequate.

Requires

significant

rework.

II. Literature review and integration of relevant leadership literature (20 Points)


9


95-100 %

(Exemplary)

Exceptional synthesis and critical analysis of literature from a wide range of well-chosen sources. Exceptional mastery of a depth and range of literature in the executive leadership field related to the project topic. Excellent synthesis and critical analysis of literature from a range of well-chosen and timely sources. Insightful mastery of a depth and range of literature in the leadership field related to the topic.

No rework

required,

publishable.

90-94 %

(Excellent )

Excellent synthesis and critical analysis of literature from a range of well- chosen sources. Insightful inclusion of a depth and range of literature from the executive leadership literature related to the dissertation topic.

No rework

required

85-89 %

(Good)

Very good synthesis and critical analysis of literature from a range of appropriate sources. In-depth knowledge range of topic related literature as well as a strong integration of pertinent executive leadership Literature related to the selected topic.

Minor

rework only

80-84 %

(Acceptable)

Satisfactory synthesis and critical analysis of literature from a range of appropriate sources. Broad knowledge of a depth and range of literature in the area of study as well as the executive leadership literature related to the chosen topic.

May require

some rework.

75-79 %

(Poor)

Although there Is some competent synthesis and analysis of literature from a range of sources and adequate knowledge of a depth and range of literature in the executive leadership field related to the project topic there are significant gaps and omissions of the most appropriate and timely literature.

May require

substantial

rework

70 -74 %

(Very poor)

Unacceptable and/or inconsistent synthesis and analysis of literature, and/or for a scarcely acceptable number and range of sources for the proposed research design and methodology. Knowledge of relevant literature may show some gaps.

Requires

significant

rework.

III. Proposed methodology and research design (20 points)


10


95-100%

Exemplary

Exceptional, sophisticated use of method. Methodology exceptionally well articulated and suited to proposed research Outstanding insight into and use of complexities of the chosen methodology.

No rework

required, fully

ready for

implementation

90-94 %

(Excellent )

Highly suited methodology. Excellent insight into and application of strengths and weaknesses of chosen approach.

No rework

required

ready to

implement

85-89 %

(Good)

Methodology skillfully articulated and suited to project topic. Very good insight into and application of strengths and weaknesses of chosen methodology. Limitations clearly identified and understood.

Minor rework

only

80-84 %

(Acceptable)

Overall the methodology satisfactorily articulated and suited to the intent of the chosen topic. Adequate insight into and application of strengths and weaknesses of the approach.

May require

some rework or

clarification.

75-79 %

(Poor)

Methodology is adequate but its application demonstrates some flaws or limitations, and/or a lack of understanding of the methodology.

May require

substantial

rework

70 -74 %

(Very poor)

Unacceptable methodology or not sufficiently articulated. Lack of critical analysis of strengths and weaknesses of chosen design is apparent. Overall, the proposed methodology is inadequate.

Requires

significant

rework.

IV. Organization of proposal (20 points) Dissertation Proposal Rubric


95-100 %

(Exemplary)

Table of contents and headings used exceptionally well to organize content. Exceptional use of linkages and transitions. Writing flows very smoothly. Outstanding introduction and conclusion.

No rework

required, fully

ready for

implementation

90-94 %

(Excellent )

Table of contents and headings used especially well to organize and shows a thorough and clear path through the entire dissertation. Excellent use of linkages and transitions. Writing flows very smoothly. Excellent organization including introduction, transitions and conclusion.

No rework

required

ready to

implement

85-89 %

(Good)

Table of contents and headings used effectively to organize content. Good use of linkages and transitions. Writing flows smoothly. Useful introduction, transitions and conclusion. Fairly well done organization

Minor rework

only

80-84 %

(Acceptable)

Table of contents and headings used effectively to organize content. Good use of linkages and transitions. Writing flows smoothly. Useful introduction, transitions and conclusion. Fairly well done organization.

May require

some rework.

or clarification

75-79 %

(Poor)

Table of contents and headings used satisfactorily to organize content. Adequate use of linkages and transitions. Writing generally flows smoothly. Satisfactory introduction and conclusion. Some organizational flaws.

May require

substantial

rework

70 -74 %

(Very poor)

Table of contents and headings used inconsistently or vaguely. Some linkages or transitions missing or imprecise. Writing not always smooth. Weak introduction and/or conclusion. Some organizational flaws. Overall, the organization is inadequate.

Requires

significant

rework.

V. Documentation and bibliography (10 points)


12


95-100 %

(Exemplary)

Impeccable APA documentation and formatting in all details. Complete and flawless bibliography.

No rework

required, fully

ready for

implementation

90-94 %

(Excellent )

Excellent APA documentation and formatting in all details. Complete and correct bibliography.

No rework

required

ready to

implement

85-89 %

(Good)

Consistent APA documentation and formatting. Complete and correct bibliography.

Minor rework

only

80-84 %

(Acceptable)

A few minor inconsistencies or errors in APA documentation. Complete bibliography. A few inconsistencies (e.g.: incorrect citations in text, missing references from reference list, incorrect use of headings). Minor bibliographical errors. Although fairly well done the documentation.

May require some

rework.

or clarification

75-79 %

(Poor)

Inconsistencies in APA documentation (e.g.: incorrect citations in text, missing references from reference list, incorrect use of headings). Minor bibliographical flaws. Overall, the use of APA is barely adequate; these flaws or omissions.

May require

substantial

rework

70 -74 %

(Very poor)

Substantial inconsistencies in APA usage. (e.g.: incorrect citations in text, missing references, incorrect use of headings). Some bibliographical flaws. Overall, the bibliography and documentation Is inadequate.

Requires

significant

rework.


13

Sample Proposal Table of Contents

Page CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

Nature of the Issue ................................................................................................. 1

Statement of Purpose ............................................................................................. 3

Research Questions ................................................................................................ 4

Definition of Terms ................................................................................................. 5

Importance of the Study ......................................................................................... 5

CHAPTER TWO: Review of Literature

Previous research on issue ..................................................................................... 8

Theoretical Framework in Leadership .................................................................. 18

Gaps in the Literature ........................................................................................... 20

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY

Research Design .................................................................................................... 22

Research Site…………………………………………………………………………………………………… 23

Sample Selection ................................................................................................... 24

Data Gathering/Protocol …………………………………………………………………………………. 25

Instruments Used .................................................................................................. 26

Methodological Assumptions ............................................................................... 27

Limitations and Delimitations ............................................................................... 28

Data Processing and Analysis ................................................................................ 29

REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................... 30

APPENDICES (Use a Table of Appendices if the Dissertation includes more than 4 appendices)

Appendix A: The Name of the First Appendix................................................................... 33 Appendix B: The Name of the Second Appendix ............................................................. 34


<TITLE OF DISSERTATION>

A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the

degree Doctor of Executive Leadership

by

(enter Doctoral Candidate’s name here)

(enter year degree conferred here)


15

Oral Defense Signature Page

The Dissertation of __________________________ is Approved:

________________________________________________________________________

<Type in Name of Dissertation Chair, Degree> <Date>

________________________________________________________________________


________________________________________________________________________


________________________________________________________________________

<Type in Name of Program Associate Dean, Degree> <Date>


Candidate:_______________________________________

(enter year degree conferred here)


16

ProQuest/UMI Publishing and Copyrighting

(Please print and complete the three pages required for ProQuest copyrighting and publishing and submit to the School of Business and Leadership Office any time after final draft approval)

Academic and scholarly convention urges the release of doctoral dissertations into the public domain, making such research available for other researchers. For this reason, it is a degree requirement at University of Charleston that dissertations be submitted for ProQuest/UMI publishing and copyrighting. Importantly, this process in no way interferes with subsequent books or articles that you may publish upon completion of the dissertation. Copyright remains with you.

Please go to www.il.proquest.com/dissertationagree (user name: dissertations; password: publish) and download Publishing Your Doctoral Dissertation with UMI Dissertation Publishing. Read this PDF file carefully and then fill out the three required forms and submit them to School of Business and Leadership Office. All three forms, listed below, are required by University of Charleston:

□ Open Access vs. Traditional Publishing

□ Dissertation Submission, and the

□ Copyright Registration form.

University Microfilms International will microfilm and register the copyright for your dissertation. They will also publish the abstract of your dissertation in their monthly journal, Dissertations Abstracts International.

ProQuest Information and Learning 789 E. Eisenhower Pkwy. P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1346 Tel: 1-800-521-0600 E-mail: [email protected]; http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/


17

Appendix B

Suggested References for Student Use

Dissertation Preparation and Defense

Cone, J. D., & Foster, S. L. (2006). Dissertations and theses from start to finish: Psychology and related fields (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Galvan, J. L. (2009). Writing literature reviews: A guide for students of the social and behavioral sciences (4th ed.). Glendale, CA: Pyrczak Publishing.

Krathwohl, D. R., & Smith, N. L. (2005). How to prepare a dissertation proposal: Suggestions for students in education and the social and behavioral sciences. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press.

Locke, L. F., Spirduso, W. W., & Silverman, S. J. (2007). Proposals that work: A guide for planning dissertations and grant proposals (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Ethics in Research

American Psychological Association. (1989). Ethical principles in the conduct of research with human participants. Washington, DC: Author.

American Psychological Association. (2002). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. American Psychologist, 57(12), 1060 – 1073.

Roberts, L. W. (2006). Ethical principles and practices for research involving human participants with mental illness. Psychiatric Services, 57(4), 552 – 557.

Statistics and Research Methods

American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association, & National Council on Measurement in Education. (1999). Standards for educational and psychological testing. Washington, DC: American Educational Research Association.

Breakwell, G. M., Hammond, S., Fife-Schaw, C., & Smith, J. A. (Eds.). (2006). Research methods in psychology (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Dyer, C. (2006). Research in psychology: A practical guide to methods and statistics. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.


18

Isaac, S., & Michael, W. B. (1995). Handbook in research and evaluation: A collection of principles, methods, and strategies useful in the planning, design, and evaluation of studies in education and the behavioral sciences (3rd ed.). San Diego: EdITS Publishers.

Leadership

Rogelberg, S. G. (Ed.). (2002). Handbook of research methods in industrial and organizational psychology. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.

Schwab, D. P. (2005). Research methods for organizational studies (2nd ed.). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.

Faculty Booklist

Klenke, K (2008). Qualitative research in the study of Leadership. Bigley, UK: Emerald Publishing Group.

Remler, D. K., & Ryzin, G. G. (2011). Research Methods in Practice: Strategies for Description and Causation . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Smith, J. A., Flowers, P., & Larkin, M. (2009). Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: Theory, Method and Research . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Yin, R. K. (2008). Case Study Research: Design and Methods (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Yin, R. K. (2012). Applications of Case Study Research (Applied Social Research Methods). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.


19

Ap

pe

nd

ix

C D

is

se

rta

tio

n T

im

elin

e

Year 2 Year 3

Sem

ester 6 Sem

ester 7 Sem

ester 8

Semester 9

1 Month

` DEL

Committees chosen and approved by school

Receive diss.

Submit Diss. for binding

Chair

Proposal submitted to chair - by week 4

Receive

diss.

Research

Proposal defense - by midpoint

SM

E

Student

Conceptualizing

Finalize proposal per committee recommendations

IRB Process completed Research conducted and analyzed; conclusions drawn and written

Ch. 5 written – by week 4

Complete dissertation

Defend Diss.

Submit final version to school


20

D

is

se

rta

tio

n F

lo

w C

ha

rt

Concept paper Concept pqper begins Request Com

mittee

Chair

DEL 801

Focus on Proposal Draft starts

DEL 803

Comm

ittee Request sent through chair to SLPD

DEL 804

Preliminary Draft

Proposal DEL804

Residency III Present Draft proposal; Com

mittee

formed

Submit final proposal

to chair BEG

IN SEM

ESTER 7

School receives proposal from

chair BY W

EEK 4; SEM. 7

School approves scheduling of proposal date

School schedules defense and notifies com

mittee m

embers

Student successfully defends proposal

SEM. 7 M

IDPOIN

T

Revise document

based on comm

ittee decision

Complete IRB process

Research is conducted

END O

F SEM. 7

Finalize research process SEM

ESTER 8 BEGIN

S

Finalize data analysis SEM

. 8 MIDPO

INT

Analyze and interpret data and draw

conclusions based on results

Write results

END O

F SEM. 8

Write Chapter 5 (discussions,

conclusions, implications, and

final recomm

endations)

BY WEEK 4; SEM

. 9

Complete final

dissertation docum

ent

Submit through

SafeAssign

Submit final

dissertation to chair SEM

. 9 MIDPO

INT

School receives dissertation from

chair w

ith recomm

ended defense date

Dissertation defense EN

D OF SEM

. 9

Revisions based on com

mittee

suggestions

Final editing, secure approval signatures

Final formatting for

binding/publishing

Submit final version for

approval of CHP-SLPD W

ITHIN 1 M

ON

TH OF

DEFENSE

CHP-SLPD sumits for

binding/publishing

Student sumits

payment for bound

copies Degree is conferred

(3) dissertation handbook · complete final dissertation document including: appendices, reference...

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